Nazarene Israelite Two House Congregation of Port Elizabeth

The Feast of Weeks (Shavuot).

Elohim is not calling all the people alive during this age. Believe it or not! Elohim is at this time only calling a remnant of people descended from the lost ten tribes of Israel, plus a number of real Gentiles,to return to Him through Yahshua the Messiah, to the covenant relationship they made with Him together with the house of Judah, at Mount Sinai – to become the first-fruits of His salvation with their Torah observantJewish Brothers, when Messiah returns.  The question is: Why? Elohim has a Master Plan pictured by His seven annual festivals; the first festival, Passover tells us how YHVH saved the children of Israel from slavery in Egypt, but it also pictures the Messiah who volunteered from before the foundation of the world to be slain as the Passover Lamb to atone for the nation of Judah, but also for the lost sheep of the house of Israel,and ultimately bethe Savior of the rest of mankind, as witnessed by Rav Kepha in 1 Peter 1: 18 – 20, in this way: ‘Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, (19) but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Messiah. (20) For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you.’ This was accomplished in the spring of 31CE in the Land of Israel.

The second festival, known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread, teaches how those whom YHVH has called and chosen at this time(meaning the house of Judah and us, the lost sheep of the house of Israel plus a number of Gentiles)have to overcome those sins (actions contrary to His Torah instructions) which so beset us. After creating mankind in His image,Elohim offered Adam and Eve the opportunity to receive eternal life through His Set-apart Spirit, as witnessed in Genesis 2: 8 - 9 & 16 - 17, in this way: ‘And YHVH Elohim planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. (9) And out of the ground YHVH Elohim caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. (16) And YHVH Elohim commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; (17) but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.” However, deceived by Satan, sin entered the world when Adam and Eve disobeyed Elohim and He sentenced them and their offspring to 6,000 years of spiritual exile, during which they would be cut off from salvation.As a result Adam lost his opportunity to conquer Satan and replace him as ruler of this world; instead Adam obeyed Satan, placing himself and his descendants under Satan’s government.After Elohim barred Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden and the ‘Tree of Life’ (symbolic of His Torah teachings by means of which He gives believers a portion of His Holy Spirit, provided theyremain obedient to Him), the whole world became corrupt and YHVH destroyed all life from earth in the flood, except for Noah, his family and the animals which YHVH led to enter the ark that Noah built to protect them during the flood. After the initial failure of mankind was repeated after the flood with the rebellion at Babylon led by Nimrod, YHVH started over again with one man called Abram. YHVH entered into a two-fold covenant with Abram; namely that he and his descendants after him would eventually possess the Promised Land eternally – meaning they would one day be resurrected to become spiritual beings over which the second death has no power, provided they remain faithful to His commandments including circumcising their male children at eight days old. The second part of the promise was that those descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob, who eventually disobeyedand were scattered into the world, would be able to return to the covenant though Abraham’s one seed, namely Yahshua (the Word who became flesh – or the embodiment of Torah), through whom the rest of mankind will also be saved after Messiah’s millennial rule, if they decide to follow Him when Elohim will open the Scriptures to their understanding (as per Isaiah 25: 7 - 9). Those who decide against following Messiah at that time will be burnt to ashes (as per Malachi 4: 1).

As promised,YHVH later saved Jacob’s children which by then became the nation of Israel from their enslavement in Egypt,during the first Passover. Fifty days after the First day of Unleavened Bread, YHVH entered into a covenant relationship with the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai, by giving them a constitution in which He told them how to respond to Him as their Creator and Savior, but also to their fellow human beings. At that time YHVH specifically told the Israelites through Moses that they shall be to Him a kingdom of priests and a holy (or Set-apart) nation (as per Exodus 19: 6)to be a model nation to the rest of mankind.But we know that soon after gathering them at Mount Sinai, they broke the covenant with Him through the sin of the golden calf (Exodus 32); at which point YHVH took the priesthood away from the first-born sons of Israel (Exodus 33: 5 & 6) and gave it to the tribe of Levi (as per Numbers 3: 41).After wandering in the wilderness for forty years, YHVH led the children of Israel into the Promised Land and renewed the original covenant that He made with their fathers at Mount Sinai (in Deuteronomy). During the early years in the Promised Land the children of Israel were ruled by Judges, until they demanded a king like the nations amongst whom they lived.  Even though YHVHwas disappointed with His people, He gave them King Saul to rule both the house of Israel and the house of Judah, as they became known by then. After King Saul disobeyed Elohim’s instructions YHVH removed him from the throne and King David became king over the commonwealth of Israel consisting of both houses. Then after King David’s death his son Solomon became king over both houses, but as we know, YHVH split the kingdom in two after his death, because his many wives led him into idolatry. The split in the commonwealth of Israel resulted in two separate nations, namely the house of Israel and the house of Judah. Again, because of the sins of king Jeroboam of Israel, who also led the house of Israel into idolatry, the nation was taken into captivity and scattered into the nations of the world, where they eventually lost their language, culture and religion, to this day. Even though the house of Judah was also later taken captive, they returned to the Promised Land 70 years later, and different to the house of Israel, they retained their culture and religion and preserved the Torah and the Hebrew language for the rest of Israel for the past 2,500 years. As YHVH promised Abraham,He send His Word to become flesh as the Son of Man – the single seed of Abraham as their kinsman to redeemthe lost sheep of the house of Israel from their past sin,allowing them to again inherit their portion of the Promised land which they lost because of Idolatry.

We are at this juncture very close to the end of the 6,000 years, during which human beings have experimented with every form of government, religion, economic and social idea. Very soon now Elohim’s fourth step in His Master Plan will occur; when Yahshua the Messiah will return to usher in the government of Elohim on earth, on a future Feast of Trumpets. It is only after Messiah’s rule for a thousand years, that the vast majority of mankind will be called to salvation in a world ruled and guided by Elohim’s Family. Nonetheless, before the vast majority of mankind can live in such a world and be taught the true way of salvation, rulers and teachers must be trained. This brings us to where and how the first-fruit believers from both houses fit into Elohim’s Master Plan of salvation for all mankind. Elohim’s congregation and those being called from the lost ten tribes of Israel (including some Gentiles) are preparing the world for Messiah’s return. It is through Elohim’s congregationstarted in the wilderness[1]and the discipleship program continued by Messiah that Elohim is preparing future rulers and teachers to rule under Yahshua during the Millennium and onto eternity. Those called out of the world to eventually join Elohim’s congregation at Messiah’s return, are part of Elohim’s spiritual first-fruits – the first group to be offered salvation. They have been called for the special service of qualifying to eventually help bring the knowledge of salvation to the vast majority.The first-fruits of salvation are pictured by Elohim’s third annual festival – the Feast of First-fruits, which is called Pentecost in the Renewed Covenant, during which time two loaves of bread baked with leaven (showing that we are still prone to sin) representing the house of Judah and the house of Israel are waved by the priest before Elohim for acceptance – to be resurrected at Messiah’s return.

Shortly before His trial and crucifixion Yahshua told His disciples in John 14: 18, saying: “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” Messiah would continue to teach and support His apostles, those whom He sent out after training them for a period of three and a half years. The question is: How would He come to them after He has gone to heaven? Messiah promised His disciples they would receive power from heaven, saying in Luke 24: 49, “And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” We read further from Acts 1: 4 – 5 & 8, ‘And gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; (5) for John immersed with water, but you shall be immersed with the Set-apart Spirit not many days from now. (8) But you shall receive power when the Holy (Set-apart) Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”Reading from Acts 2: 1 – 6, we see in what miraculous way Elohim’s Set-apart Spirit came to Messiah’s disciples, as follows: ‘And when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. (2) And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent, rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. (3) And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. (5) Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men, from every nation under heaven. (6) And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because they were each one hearing them speak in his own language.’ The Feast of First-fruits or Pentecost is the third annual festival given to ancient Israel. The Feast of First-fruits is so-called because it came at the end of the first or spring harvest in the Northern Hemisphere. It was also called the Feast of Weeks in Deuteronomy 16: 9 & 10, since it came seven weeks after the day after the first annual Sabbath or the First Day of Unleavened Bread (i.e. the 16th of Nissan).

It was on Pentecost 31CE that Abraham’sone seed Yahshua gave the wayward children,to like Him and those who remained faithful to Elohim and His Torah, to be born-again as the Spiritual children of Elohim, when He returns one day. This was the beginning of the renewal of the marriage covenant given at Mount Sinai in the blood of Messiah, where the original covenant which was written on stone and in books, are now written on the hearts of called out believers. Why does Elohim call Israelites from the lost ten tribes who came to believe that they are Gentiles to salvation? Why is He calling only a remnant at this time, before He calls the vast majority? Let us understand: Once a person is called and chosen he/she becomes part of the congregation of Elohim, also known as the body of Messiah, they are supposed to grow in grace and knowledge as Rav Kepha directed in 2 Peter 3: 17 & 18, saying:‘You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness, (18) but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Master and Savior Yahshua Messiah. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amein.' When Elohim created mankind from physical matter, He wanted to reproduce His character in them, by giving them free moral agency as well as basic instructions in the right way to live. After Ezra and Nehemiah returned to the Promised Land after the end of their captivity in Babylon, they returned to Torah observance and the house of Judah remained Torah observant ever since. Since  Messiah came specifically to bring the lost sheep of the house of Israel back to our covenant relationship with Elohim, He also had to grow in grace and knowledge, overcome and become perfect to show us the way, as witnessed in Luke 2: 40, ‘And the Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom and the grace of Elohim was upon Him.’; and Hebrews 5: 8 & 9, ‘Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things He suffered. (9) And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation.’ Yahshua our Messiah was born into the nation of Judah nearly 2,000 years ago, but it was not to set up Elohim’s Kingdom at that time. Messiah did also not at that time come to restrain Satan from deceiving the world.

Let us understand why. Messiah, like the other Rabbis of His time spoke in parables to His disciples and the people He taught. When asked by His disciples why he used this method of teaching, He explained in Matthew 13: 11 – 15 & 19, saying: “To you (meaning His disciples, but also us His later day disciples) it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. (12) For whoever has, to him shall more be given, and he shall have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. (13) Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. (14) And in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled whichsays, ‘YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; AND YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; (15) FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES LEST THEY SHOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I SHOULD HEAL THEM.’ (19) When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.” The reason for this was that according to Mark 4: 12 the time had not yet come for most to be forgiven their sins and be converted.Messiah preached Elohim’s gospel to the public as a witness. The Jews of His time were familiar with the good news about the coming kingdom of Elohim, and was (and is even now) expecting the Messiah to come and establish it, but also that at the time He would return the lost sheep of the house of Israel  to the commonwealth of Israel. This is why the Jews did not accept Yahshua as the Messiah when He first came to the earth, the first time. A second reason why they did not accept Him, was that YHVH blinded their minds to His identity to allow us from the lost ten tribes who used to believe we are Gentiles(plus a number of real Gentiles) to return, at which time He will save all Israel through Yahshua the Messiah as recorded in Romans 11: 25 – 29. The only ones, whom Yahshua wanted to understand,were the remnant specifically called from the lost ten tribes, including His original disciples. The truth is that it is a calling as Yahshua also taught in John 6: 44, saying: “No one can come to me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.” By saying this Yahshua was implying that those not called at this time, will be resurrected in the last day – the second resurrection. During this age prior to Messiah’s rule on earth, each person is especially chosen. We read from Psalm 78: 67 & 68: ‘He also rejected the tent of Joseph, and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, (68) but chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved.’ Likewise the patriarchs and the prophets before them, the first-fruits from the lost ten tribes are called for a special mission – to be trained to become kings and priests in the Kingdom of Elohim with their Torah observant Jewish Brothers (as recorded in Isaiah 66: 21 & 22), in order to teach their siblings Elohim’s Torah and ways during the Millennium and beyond. It is for that reason that we do not ever try to convert anybody. We do not beg anyone to repent or be immersed or to support the preaching of the good news in any way. However, we make the knowledge given us available to those whom Elohim calls at this time, by giving them the truths contained in the Scriptures. We do not ever force anybody to believe the Scriptural truths that we teach – if Elohim wants anyone to understand what we teach, He will open the Scriptures to their understanding and like He planned to in the end everyone will.

We see from Acts 1: 15 that even after Messiah’s resurrection there were only about a hundred and twenty true believers. We see further from Acts 2: 1 – 4, that they were given the Set-apart spirit, making them the first members of Elohim’s called out congregation, The 120 believers were taught by Messiah and the 3,000 Jews and proselytes who were begotten later that day, came from various parts of the world at that time, as witnessed from Acts 2: 5, 8 – 11, in this way: ‘Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men, from every nation under heaven. (8) And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? (9) Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, (10) Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, (11) Cretans and Arabs –we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of Elohim.” These peoplefrom mainly the lost ten tribes were being taught by the apostles, who in turn have been commissioned by Messiah in Matthew 28: 18 - 20, where He said: “All authority (power) has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (19) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, immersing them in the (one) name of the Father and the Son and the Set-apart Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”Elohim created man incomplete, needing finishing touches. Elohim has given man a human spirit, needing Elohim’s Spirit. Man was made mortal, needing to be given immortality. He was created a free moral agent needing to develop Elohim’s character. In the same way that Elohim does not create all at once, but in successive stages, so is He bringing salvation to mankind in successive stages. Every stage is a progressive step toward the goal of establishing His Kingdom and restoring His government on earth. The prophet Malachi prophesied that Elohim would send a messenger to prepare the way before the coming of the Master in Malachi 3: 1, in this way: ‘“Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Master, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says YHVH of hosts.’ We see that Yochanan the immerser fulfilled this prophecy in part, when he came before our Master Yahshua the first time, as witnessed in Luke 1: 17, as follows: “And it is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous; so as to make ready a people prepared for the Master.”

Messiah told His disciples that Yochanan’s work in the spirit and power of Elijah, was a prototype of another ‘Elijah’ yet to come in John 17: 11 – 13, in this way: ‘And I am no more in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep them in Thy name, the name which Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, even as We are. (12) While I was with them, I was keeping them in Thy name which Thou hast given Me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. (13) But now I come to Thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy made full in themselves.’ Malachi prophesied that this Elijah would come before the day of YHVH, when Messiah comes in power and glory to punish the disobedient and rule in righteousness in Malachi 4: 5 & 6, as follows: “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of YHVH. (6) And he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse.” Yochanan was a prototype of a messenger Elohim would send in the spirit of Elijah, before the second coming of Messiah, to prepare a people for Messiah’s return through a message about His coming to establish Elohim’s Kingdom on earth. They will not only teach people about the coming Kingdom of Elohim, but will also teach Elohim’s people His Torah and true name. That is essentially what the name Elijah means. In addition the congregation of Elohim will in the spirit of Elijah teach the people to return to the faith of our fathers in the faith (namely Abraham, Isaac and Jacob).Malachi also stated in Malachi 3: 1, that the Masterwill come to His temple. To understand what the spiritual temple is to which Yahshua would return, we read from Ephesians 2: 19 – 22, ‘So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of Elohim’s household, (20) having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Messiah Yahshua Himself being the corner stone, (21) in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Master; (22) in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of Elohim in the spirit.’ Elohim’s congregation of called out believers are composed of Torah observant Jews, but also those from the lost ten tribes who have been immersed in Yahshua’s saving name, and have been given a portion of Elohim’s Spirit as a deposit of their future inheritance in the Kingdom of Elohim, as witnessed in  Ephesians 1: 13 & 14, as follows: ‘In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation— having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Set-apart Spirit of promise, (14) who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to redemption of Elohim’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.’  Yes, we the congregation of Elohim, called out of the world to follow the way of Elohim, are together with our Jewish Brothers who remain Torah observant, the temple to which Messiah will return one day. Rav Shaul told the Ephesians that the congregation must be ‘fitly framed together’, something which will only be achieved if we follow the discipleship program instituted by Messiah Himself.

Through this discipleship program, Elohim is training teachers who will in turn teach future teachers the Torah and doctrines Messiah taught His original disciples, as recorded in Ephesians 4: 11 – 14, in this way: ‘And he gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, (12) for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Messiah; (13) until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of Elohim, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Messiah. (14) As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming.’ The doctrines of Elohim’s congregation come from His word, the Scriptures, as interpreted by Messiah our perfect example as to how we should follow the way of Elohim. By continuing the discipleship program started by Yahshua our Messiah we ensure the continuation of the congregation of Elohim, as Messiah did before us.Just as the ancient Levitical priests in Israel were assigned to teach Elohim’s laws, Spirit-born members of Elohim’s Family will be teachers of Elohim’s way during the Millennium and beyond. Salvation for all mankind in the Kingdom of Elohim will come through the work of Messiah, assisted by the Spirit-born believers. We need to understand that Elohim has not called us as a special favor; no He has called us for a special purpose, to do a tremendous job. Elohim rewards us according to our works. Those called at this time have to overcome Satan and his society. That requires a great deal of effort, self-denial and willpower, a price most human beings are not prepared to pay. That is why they, like the first-born children in ancient Israel were given a double portion, and headship in the family after their father died. Before Yahshua could qualify to rule, he had to overcome Satan while Satan was ruling. Since the congregation of called our believers will rule under Messiah, we must also qualify by resisting and overcoming Satan while he is still ruling, as we witnessed in Revelation 3: 21, as follows: ‘He who overcomes, I will grant him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.’That will not be required of the overwhelming majority. Elohim will call them to salvation when the world is ruled by Messiah and the saints, when it will be much easier to live Elohim’s way. It will be easier because Satan will be out of the way, but also because of the work now being done by Elohim’s chosen first-fruits. The rulers and teachers of Elohim’s Kingdom are, of necessity, given their opportunity for salvation before their future siblings and students. The only reason why any person is called to salvation in this age is to qualify to assist in ruling and teaching during the Millennium and beyond. Understanding Elohim’s Plan of Salvation and the role of those of the ten tribes (including some Gentiles) called out of the world at this time, is essential to understanding the meaning of Elohim’s annual Sabbaths. The reason for this is, because the Feast of First-fruits pictures the first-fruits of salvation, and the function they are now training for, empowered by Elohim’s Set-apart Spirit.

At this point we need to consider why we count the Omer the way our Jewish Brothers do, from the day after the First Day of Unleavened Bread and not from the Sunday between the Days of Unleavened bread as some Messianic and like-minded believers do. The proponents of the Sunday to Sunday Omer count often ask the question: “Why do we need to count the Omer, if we know that it always fall on the 6th of Sivan, the date on which the Rabbinical Jews keep Shavuot (or Pentecost)?” The reason for asking the question is clearly because they do not regard the Hebrew calendar as being correct or authoritative in their lives. The obvious answer for counting the Omer is that we are commanded to do so by YHVH our Elohim in Leviticus 23: 15 & 16 (Jewish Bible {JPS 1917}), in this way: ‘And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the day of rest, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the waving; seven weeks shall there be complete; (16) even unto the morrow after the seventh week shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall present a new meal-offering unto HaShem.’ But, there is also a deeper meaning to counting the Omer. We are instructed to count until the day after the seventh week - fifty days. Every day, ‘from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the waving’ to the night before Shavuot, we recite a blessing and state the count of the Omer in days and weeks.  In counting we remember the steps our ancient forefathers took when they left the oppression of the land of Egypt behind, until they received the Torah on Pentecost. But the counting also reminds us of each day the disciples waited in Jerusalem, until they received the gift of the Set-apart Spirit on the first Shavuot or Pentecost after Yahshua’s death, resurrection and ascension to heaven.  Each step that we take transforms us from called out people who at Passover become physically free, into people who at Pentecost are spiritually free. 

Egypt in the Scriptures is likened unto sin; when YHVH called us out of the world of sin, each one of us like our ancient forefathers, came out of our own personal Egypt (or world of sin). Like our ancient forefathers, when we leave our personal Egypt, we reject the world’s way of life. But, like with the ancient Israelites, it is only after we embraced Torah that we found real meaning in life. It is by applying Torah in our lives that we learn to temper our animal instinct with Torah and are able to resist the challenges that we encounter in our daily lives. Our ancient forefathers could not receive Torah immediately upon exiting Egypt, but had to wait for fifty days before they were spiritually equipped to receive it.  Even Yahshua’s disciples had to wait for fifty days for the Set-apart Spirit to come, in order to prepare them spiritually for it. Yahshua was represented by the male lamb without blemish as per Leviticus 23: 12, which was symbolic of Messiah’s sinless state. This is why Yochanan the immerser referred to Him as ‘the Lamb of Elohim who takes away the sin of the world!’ in John 1: 29. He was also represented of the fine flour mixed with oil in Leviticus 23: 13, symbolic of the beating and scourging through which He was perfected.  The accompanying hin of wine also mentioned in Leviticus 23: 13, was symbolic of Messiah’s blood to pay the penalty for our sins, as confirmed in 1 John 1: 7, as follows: ‘But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Yahshua His Son cleanses us from all sin.’  Messiah surrendered Himself as a sacrificial offering on our behalf.According to Jewish Encyclopedia.com the wave sheaf spoken about in Leviticus 23: 10 & 11 was cut off prior to the 16th of Abib (on the 14th) the day before the first annual Sabbath or First Day of Unleavened Bread on the 15th of Abib, to be waived by the Priest at the beginning of the Second Day of Unleavened Bread on the 16th. This is confirmed in Joshua 5: 10 & 11, where after the Israelites kept the Passover on the 14th of Aviv and ate of the produce of the land on the day after they kept the Passover. The wave sheaf must have been waved that evening at the beginning of the 16th Abib at which time the manna also ceased. The first Passover in Egypt was kept the evening of the 14th Abib and the first-born of Israel was saved from death that same night, as all the first-born in Egypt died. The Israelites left Egypt in the light of the Full Moon in the evening of 15th Abib and forty seven days from the next evening, erev 16 Abib the Israelites arrived at Mount Sinai in the 3rd Month (Sivan) on the same day, meaning the 3rd Day, as may be seen from Exodus 19: 1. Moses then instructed the people to consecrate themselves for the next two days; to wash their clothes and refrain from marital relations during the two days, to be ready on the third day, the 6th day of the third month, when YHVH gave Moses the Commandments, statutes and judgments on Mount Sinai. This was exactly fifty days after the second day of unleavened bread, and is even today the day from which we (and all Jews) start counting the Omer.

Yahshua was killed as the Passover Lamb on the 14th Abib, when He was impaled at about 9 o’clock in the morning. At about 12 o’clock until 3 o’clock in the afternoon darkness fell over the whole land, as testified in Luke 23: 44 & 45, as follows: ‘And it was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour, (45) the sun being obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn in two.’  This is when Yahshua died (or was cut off) as prophesied by Daniel in the first part of Daniel 9: 26, in this way: “Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.” Yahshua died as the Passover Lamb, but was also cut off as the wave sheaf offering on the impalement stake before YHVH and as witnessed in verse 46 of Luke 23, crying out in a loud voice He said: ‘“Father, INTO THY HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT.” And having said this, He breathed His last.’ Three days and three nights later Yahshua was resurrected at the end of the weekly Sabbath, and became the first ‘human’ to be born again as the first-born from the dead  (Colossians 1: 18). Yahshua was presented as the first of the first-fruits on His crucifixion stake and as prophesied by Daniel was cut off (and presented before Elohim for approval) as the wave sheaf grain offering and sacrificial lamb on the day before the First Day of Unleavened Bread or the first annual Sabbath of the year on the 15th Abib. Similarly we as first fruits from both houses of Israel are presented as two loaves of leavened bread on the Feast of First-fruits for approval, and if approved, will be the first to be resurrected (born-again) at Messiah’s return.

 

This is why Rav Shaul wrote in Romans 8: 11 and 28 – 30, saying:‘But if the Spirit of Him who raised Yahshua from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Messiah Yahshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you. (28) And we know that Elohim causes all things to work together for good to those who love Elohim, to those who are called according to His purpose. (29) For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; (30) and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.’ So we see that exactly like with the very first Passover, Yahshua’s last Passover was to protect the congregation of first-fruit believers, who will become first-born children of Elohim,with their Torah observant Jewish brethren, when He returns one day. They will be the first to be resurrected after Yahshua and be protected from the second death, as we read from Revelation 20: 6, as follows: ‘Blessed and holy (set-apart) is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of Elohim and of Messiah and will reign with Him for a thousand years.’  Think about it!

 

[1] Acts 7: 37 & 38:‘This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, “ELOHIM SHALL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHERN.” This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to Him on Mount Sinai and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you.’