Last month, I wrote about Passover. One unique thing that begins during Passover is the Counting of the Omer. This is a 49 day countdown from the day following Passover until Shavuot (Pentecost). This seven week time span is referenced in Leviticus 23:15-16.
During these seven weeks, we focus on repentance and turning towards Messiah Yeshua. Since Passover celebrates the deliverance from slavery in Egypt and leads to the revelation of the Torah on Mount Sinai, we use these seven weeks as a time of sanctification and preparation for our encounter with a powerful and holy God. Of course, as believers in Yeshua as Messiah, we know that we can always encounter God. In fact, He desires that we seek Him daily and not just during the Omer.
Personally, I like to use these weeks as an additional time to focus on my relationship with Messiah Yeshua. It is a great time to reflect on who He is in my life and how I can draw closer to Him. The Counting of the Omer is very symbolic for believers. If you recall, during the days following Passover, Jesus personally appeared to the disciples and many others revealing Himself as Messiah (Luke 24:31, John 20, 1 Cor 15:6). He then instructed the disciples to wait for the Promise of the Father, and Jews who were gathered from all over the world witnessed the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Shavout (Acts 2:1-42)! It is no doubt that the New Covenant is a matter of the heart because of our Messiah Yeshua. You can read more about this connection by visiting the site Hebrew 4 Christians.
Shalom,
Jonathan Weiss
Israel Liaison
Daystar Television Network