Count the Omer: Day 17

Let's jump in the middle of these significant days in the Jewish calendar and "Count the Omer"!

This year, according to the Jewish calendar, Pentecost (Shavuot) begins on the evening of Sunday, June 8^th. Each day until the Jewish feast of Shavuot, I'll be posting a little information about "Counting the Omer" and a prayer recited by both Messianic and Orthodox Jews. Although we missed the first 16 days, let's jump in on Day 17 this evening (May 6^th) at sunset; it's best we begin now rather than not acknowledge the significance of these days at all. As the days go on, we'll begin to realize the deep significance of this period of time—a time of focusing on God's Word and His promises of a bountiful harvest. While we read through these short teachings each day, let's look for symbolic references to the Messiah in the "Counting the Omer".

Let's Learn Together

If you've done any reading about these fifty days, you know that the Lord commanded Israel to "Count the Omer" each evening at sunset during this seven weeks of seven days. A celebration was then to be held on the Sabbath after the 49^th day which adds up to a total of 50 days … Pentecost.

"'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 the LORD.'" (Lev. 23:15-16)

There is a tremendous amount of significance in this period of 50 days after which God sent us the gift of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (The Feast of Weeks). So, let me help to clear up some not-so-clear terminology in the scripture above. First, what is the "sheaf of the wave offering"?

    "And the LORD spoke to Moses saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: "When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.
      "'"You shall eat neither bread nor parched grain nor fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your God; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings."'" (Lev. 23:9-11,14)

There tends to be some confusion on what constitutes a 'wave sheaf,' because of the translation of the Hebrew word omer (oh-mer) into the English word 'sheaf.' Literally, omer means a measure of dry things," and it is believed to be a quantity of about two quarts. If one wanted to be strictly literal in the translation it might read something like this in English:

"...then you shall bring a measure of dry things of the firstfruits of your harvest to the Priest. He shall wave the measure of dry things before the LORD, ..."

In English, the word sheaf means; "a bundle of cut stalks of grain or similar plants bound with straw or twine." Needless to say, the average reader probably visualizes the Priest taking a bundle of barley grain stalks and waving it in the Temple in a manner similar to what is done at the festival of Succoth (Tabernacles). However, this is not the manner in which it was done.

… continued tomorrow

 

COUNT THE OMER: DAY 17

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is seventeen days, which is two weeks and three days of the Omer.

For the Choirmaster; a song with instrumental music; a Psalm. God be gracious to us and bless us; may You make Your countenance shine upon us forever; that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol You, for the earth will have yielded its produce and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him.

We implore You, by the great power of Your right hand, release the captive. Accept the prayer of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One. Mighty One, we beseech You, guard as the apple of the eye those who seek Your Oneness. Bless them, cleanse them; bestow upon them forever Your merciful righteousness. Powerful, Holy One, in Your abounding goodness, guide Your congregation. Only and Exalted One, turn to Your people who are mindful of Your holiness. Accept our supplication and hear our cry, You who knows secret thoughts. Blessed be the name of the glory of Your kingdom forever and ever.

Master of the universe, You have commanded us through Moses Your servant to count the Omer, in order to purify us from our evil and uncleanness. As You have written in Your Torah, "You shall count for yourselves from the day following the day of rest, from the day on which you bring the Omer as a wave-offering; [the counting] shall be for seven full weeks. Until the day following the seventh week shall you count fifty days," so that the souls of Your people may be cleansed from their defilement. Therefore, may it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that Your people may be purified and sanctified with Your holiness. Amen, selah.