In just about 2 weeks we will be celebrating Shavuot, and my family and I couldn’t be more excited!
This day, Shavuot/Pentecost/Feast of Weeks is one of God’s festivals and the second season of holy days prescribed in scripture. But the interesting thing about this holy day which sets it apart from the others is that it is the only set apart day that does not have a set date, rather, it is based off counting 50 days.
“And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to Yahweh.” – Lev 23:15-16
Why did God ask us to count the days? Why didn’t He simply give a set annual date and month like He did for the other Holy Days?
The context of the 50 days is between two highlights of the year: The first, Passover, reminds us of both the exodus from Egypt as well as Yeshua’s sacrifice, both gifts of redemption for us. The second, Shavuot, reminds us of both giving of the giving torah at the mount and the gift of God’s set apart spirit.
The 50 days that we are told to count are between two promises coming to fulfillment: The promise of a savior to cleanse us from our sins, and the promise of a helper to bring us to Godly character and righteous living. These two promises have been fulfilled, but we too, are caught between two promises: We have Yeshua’s sacrifice and the holy spirit, but the promise to come is the millennium, eternal life, and the kingdom of God.
What should we be doing with our 50 days? How are we to manage our time between promises? These are the questions we should be looking at, because Yah told us to count the days for a reason. He want’s us to be aware of our time, that it is passing by and that we need to be using it wisely… because those 50 days will eventually come to an end! And similarly, the days leading up to the next promise, the return of the Messiah, will end as well.
And then what? Will we be ready? Will we have wasted our time away, like the parable of the talents when the servant buried his in the ground, not producing, not growing, no using the time wisely while his master was away?
“Redeem the time, for the days are evil” – Eph 5:16
We know this scripture well. But although it’s so popular, we seem to still completely ignore it! Redeem the time, means to use our time wisely. Do I? Do you?
(If you can honestly answer yes, then you should publish a book on how to do it, because you’re likely to become famous)
Here’s the question: how do we redeem these 50 days? How do we count them with purpose? How should we be managing our time to focus on the important things? Both during this ‘count’ of days as well as during the remainder of the time we have left on earth.
Well, in light of the context of the 50 days we noted above, here’s a first thought:
We should be spending this time moving towards LIBERTY.
‘And you shall count seven sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years; and the time of the seven sabbaths of years shall be to you forty-nine years. Then you shall cause the trumpet of the Jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement you shall make the trumpet to sound throughout all your land. And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you; and each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his family. That fiftieth year shall be a Jubilee to you; in it you shall neither sow nor reap what grows of its own accord, nor gather the grapes of your untended vine. For it is the Jubilee; it shall be holy to you; you shall eat its produce from the field. ‘In this Year of Jubilee, each of you shall return to his possession. – Leviticus 25:8-13
The Jubilee year described in this chapter, is also called the Year of Liberty in Ezekiel. Similar to the commandment for Shavuot, Israel was to count 50 years until this year of liberty. It is not a coincidence that in both of these situations Yah tells us to count 50. Shavuot represents the coming of power from God that provides help in freeing us from the chains of sin. Shavuot is a day of liberty, in a sense! Even now we await the return of Yeshua, counting down the days and using our time wisely before we are released from the bondage of this carnal world.
Liberty, my friends, is what we are moving towards. It’s what we should be focusing on. Freeing ourselves from sin, from poor behavior, from bad habits, from negative addictions. Galatians 5 says “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Messiah has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” Are we spending our time wisely by doing this? Are we using every day we have to examine our lives and root out the things that should not be there? Or are we wasting our time, making excuses, casting aside the opportunities for growth, change, and repentance?
It’s EASY to sit on the couch. It’s EASY to scroll on your smart phone. Yes, it’s EASY even to read your Bible. But it is NOT easy to change. It’s NOT easy to act differently that we have been our whole lives. But God didn’t ask us to come along with Him for an easy ride, did He?
When you are exercising, your muscles get sore. This is actually the muscle tissue ripping (called “microtears”) and then repairing into something bigger and stronger. Now, an athlete could run 1 mile in 7 minutes every day of their life. But after perhaps 2 weeks of doing this, they would no longer have sore muscles. There would be no more growth. They would not improve in any other areas. But this is not what true athletes do. Instead of maintaining the status quo, the athlete tries to improve their speed.
What I’m saying is, moving towards liberty from our sins causes pain. It should hurt. It’s not easy. it is terribly inconvenient! It is often not enjoyable at first either. But it’s necessary, it’s COMMANDED, it’s also rewarding!
“This I say, therefore, and testify in Yahweh, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Messiah, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Yeshua: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” – Eph 4:17-29
Paul says, put aside your former selves! No longer do these bad things, but replace them with good! Do we ever stop to think about how hard this was for Paul? When Yeshua blinded Paul on the road and helped him see the error of his ways, He did not change Paul’s feelings for him. Paul had to overcome these. He HATED the followers of Yeshua. He LOVED the way of the Pharisees. Imagine being in the same room with people he detested only a little time before…
This took self control, this took a reworking of his heart. It took effort, time, and probably pain too. Paul had to overcome his former self, his spiteful, angry, self-righteous pharisaical self. But he did it, he went on to write the “love chapter”, 1 Corinthians 13, of all things!
If Paul had to overcome these traits, how petty are our own difficulties and problems that we refuse to take on? Gossiping? Lying? Laziness? Sexual Immorality? Distraction? Perhaps some other bad habits? We cannot honestly ignore these behaviors or traits in our lives and go on professing to be followers of the Way! Remember- I always say this – God doesn’t do excuses!
They must be searched for, addressed, rooted out, and replaced with positive things. If we don’t we will never have true liberty, we will never be free from this world, we will always be slaves to sin. We certainly are not using our 50 days, our time, wisely.
Here’s something else to consider:
The Jubilee year, the “year of liberty”, also talks about release for others. You can read about that through the whole chapter of Leviticus 25. Release from debts, forgiving trespasses, removing burdens from others. Counting down the time leading up to freedom is not only for us, but it’s for others. And as we count down to Shavuot, and ultimately to the return of Yeshua in the future, We need to have this liberty for others on our mind too.
And of course we know from Luke chapter 10 that our neighbor is anyone who is in need of help or forgiveness. Really, our neighbor is everyone and anyone. Who do you hold a grudge against in your heart? Yes, we may have forgiven them with words, even told others that we forgive them, but do we have negative feelings towards someone in our heart? Are we keeping that locked up, or are we giving liberty to others by releasing those feelings?
“Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” – Matt 18:23-35
From the HEART!!!!!
How can we honestly request the forgiveness and redemption of God if we are not merciful in our own minds and hearts to others? No matter what they have done, or continue to do. It doesn’t matter what the situation is, because our Father makes no exceptions here (or anywhere).
We must move towards liberty from our own sins, but also give liberty to others from past or present wrongdoings, grudges, or pain.
Liberty is all about forgiveness and reconciliation. And in order to gain these, we must give them. Are we using our time wisely for this purpose?
Why didn’t Yahweh set a specific day and month for Shavuot? Why count down the days? To be aware that the days are quickly passing by!
Time, my friends, time is our most precious commodity, our most useful tool. What are we doing with it?
How are you using your 50 days?
