Chapter 8 First Fruits/ Chap. 9 Weeks /Chap 10 Crumbs

Chapter 8 Sfirat Haomer, First Fruits
Psalms 117
Praise the Lord, all nations;
Laud Him, all peoples,
For His loving kindness toward us,
And the truth/(faithfulness) of the Lord is everlasting,
Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!

Did you get that? This short, expressive psalm calls for all nations or in Hebrew ‘kol ha goyim’ that is all of the gentiles to praise Yahweh.
The holiday of Sfirat Ha Omer echoes verse 2 of this Psalm… His lovingkindness, truth and faithfulness are for all people, Jews, and believing gentiles.
Sfirat Ha Omer means ‘counting the sheaves’ and is an early first harvest or ‘First Fruits.’ It begins just after the Shabbat of Passover, as we count the days from the barley harvest to the wheat harvest. We praise God for these first fruits, he has provided and for the promise of what is to come. It is a harvest celebration in the spring!
The book of Ruth centers on this holiday and is traditionally read at this time. It is the story of seven people who had no idea that their lives would paint a picture of hope for all generations and all peoples.
Naomi, her husband Elimelch, and sons, left Bethlehem for Moab because of a famine in the land. The sons marry Moabite women. The three men die in the land of Moab from illness. These Gentile women and their mother-in-law are widowed. Naomi tells her daughters-in-law to return to their families but Ruth refuses. She takes an oath claiming Naomi’s people to be her people and Naomi’s God to be her God. Despite the hopelessness of the situation, Ruth has hope in Yahweh.
Ruth 1: 19-22
19 So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”
20 “Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.
21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”
22 So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.

Naomi has no faith for the future. She uses the name ‘Shaddai’ or as our bibles say, 'Almighty' for God. The literal translation is ‘breasts’ or ‘many breasted one.’ She has changed her own name from Happiness to Bitterness and yet she continues to call the Lord Shaddai- the one who nurtures, the one who supplies, the one who can provide.

She is entering Bethlehem, at the beginning of the barley harvest or First Fruits. A time of rejoicing, and thanking God for the First Harvest and trusting Him to bring the Latter Harvest. Yet she cannot see the sheave that the First Fruit, the Almighty has given to her. From death will come life, she sees only emptiness where in fact, as we will see, her coffers are full.

Ruth actually means satisfied. This pagan born and raised, young woman is satisfied. She trusts and is content with what God is doing in her life despite her apparent poverty. What a contrast to her mother-in-law, a born and raised believer in God.
Ruth goes out to the fields to gather what the harvesters leave behind. She comes under the wings of the owner of the field, Boaz, who we discover is one of Naomi’s deceased husband’s close relative.
Leviticus 23: 9-14 …
Verse 13 tells us that the roasted new grain was to be eaten at First Fruits and not before.
In Ruth 2: 14, we find Boaz ‘served Ruth roasted grain, and she ate and was satisfied.’ Boaz took notice of Ruth and provided for her, so (Ruth 2:23).
She stayed close by the maids of Boaz in order to glean until the end of the Barley harvest and the wheat harvest.
Now Naomi, (or should I say Mara), decides that it is time Ruth had a husband. At her mother-in-law's bidding, Ruth offers herself to Boaz, who proves himself a true Goel or kinsman redeemer and redeems her. He marries her and soon Naomi has a grandson who is destined to be the Grandfather of Israel’s most beloved king, King David.
The lineage of David is restored by the faith and trust of a gentile born woman. Who else was to be in this line David on both his mother’s and his father’s side? Yeshua, Jesus of Nazareth, that carpenter, that prophet, that Messiah, the Savior of the world.


Ruth 4:15
He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”
Just before Jesus’ last Sfirat Haomer with his disciples, he speaks to them with a picture of what is to come. This story is not for his disciples alone but is given as an encouragement to some Gentiles who have come to see Jesus.
John 12:20-24 & 32
20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. 21 They came to Phillip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Phillip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Phillip in turn told Jesus. 23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, …

At First Fruits, sheaves of grain are lifted up and waved as an offering to the Lord. Jesus would soon be lifted up from the earth drawing all those looking for salvation unto him, both Jew and Gentile.
There was in Jesus’ day an argument between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Not the usual one about the resurrection. This argument was about when Sfirat Haomer should be celebrated. One group thought it should be the day after the Shabbat of Passover. The other group believed it should be the day after the first Shabbat after Passover. Got that? Well, this year there was no discussion, they both occurred on the same day. This was an amazing day.
Even more amazing, this was the day that the women found an empty tomb. This was the day Peter and John found an abandoned grave. This was the day our Messiah, our First Fruit rose from the dead.
Our friend, Paul understood the ultimate fulfillment of Shirat Haomer. He wrote:
I Corinthians 15:20
Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One), had been raised from the dead the first fruits of those who are asleep.
I Corinthians 15: 23b
Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming.


Jesus’ resurrection is our Early First Harvest. He is our Promise from God of what is to come. God has provided this first fruit, this first resurrection, this first harvest. We can have faith in our Goel in our Kinsman Redeemer, as Ruth did, that the latter harvest will come.
Paul says in I Corinthians 15: 22
For as in Adam all die so also in Christ all shall be made alive.
This promise, this holiday is for all the sons and daughters of Adam. All of those who are drawn to this First Fruit lifted up from the Earth.
On Sfirat Haomer, we pass through that Dead Sea again unto life, just as the Israelites did, just as our Messiah passed from death to life all on Sfirat Haomer.

Questions for Sfirat Haomer
1. The book of Ruth is a very short read. Go for it! Names seem to have a lot of meaning in this book. Naomi’s husband’s name, Elimelech, means ‘My God is King.’ Boaz, means ‘strength.’ Why? No idea. Ask God to give you an idea.
2. Are you, do you have, or will you be a mother-in-law someday? What about a mentor? Share some ways to be or to prepare to be the best mentor or mentee you can be.
3. Have you ever felt so discouraged that you were ready to change your name to ‘Bitterness?’ How can we be more like Ruth (‘Satisfied’) with whatever path God puts before us?
4. Share a time when what you had exactly what you needed but like Naomi, you just couldn’t see it.
5. Ever laid in bed at night, and felt a little afraid of that great unknown called ‘death.’
How has this holiday helped to waylay those fears and uncertainties?
6. Is there any doubt that these holidays are for gentiles as well as Jews? Share how you can celebrate it…







Chapter 9 Shavuoat
Now comes the ‘count up’ to the Feast of the Latter First Fruits, another spring time harvest celebration. In Hebrew, we call this holiday Shavuot or Weeks emphasizing the seven weeks that pass between the Early and Latter First Fruits. In Greek, we say Pentecost or 50, emphasizing that after the seven weeks of seven days, we have reached the second harvest.
This is one of the three holy days where the Bible commands that if possible we make a pilgrimage to the temple. We ‘go up’ or make aliah at Succoth when we are celebrating God’s presence with us. We sing the songs of assents while going up to Jerusalem at the Feast of Unleavened Bread praising Him for the Passover lamb provided for us. At Shavuot, we make aliah in our hearts, for the harvest now and the harvest to come and the giving of his Word.
On Passover, the angel of death passed over the households of the Israelites because of the blood of the lamb. On Sfirat Haomer, Israelites rose up to life through the Red Sea. Then on Shavuot, the Israelites have reached Mt. Sinai, and Moses receives the law, the Word of God.

Exodus 19: 1-8
In the third month after the Israelites left Egypt- on the very day- they came to the Desert of Sinai. After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.
Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.” So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord. The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in You.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.

Oh yes, our Spirit is willing but our flesh is so weak. The Israelites gladly accept these words of the Lord not realizing their true purpose. The law was given to point out our sin, our failings and shortcomings. In a few chapters, the people are begging for another god, maybe one made of gold like the Egyptian god’s had.
Exodus 32 1-6
1When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the Mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”
2 Aaron answered them, “ Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”
5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the Lord.” 6 So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.

No wonder the sacrifice at Shavuot is bread made with leaven to point out our sin and a blood sacrifice to point out our need for atonement.


The traditional reading for Shavuot includes:
Ezekiel 1:4-5, 13 & 14.
4 I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, 5 and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures.

13 The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. 14 The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.



Read Acts 2: 1-13 or read this story….
Imagine the year is 33AD. After seven weeks of anticipation, you have made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem for Shavuot. You’ve heard that prophet, that healer, the miracle-worker, was it Yeshua? Was crucified at Passover. Too bad, it would have been exciting to see him and his followers. Oh well, it was wonderful to hear the verses from Ezekiel being read in the temple….’storm wind, fire flashing, glowing living being,’ what could it all mean? You wonder as you make your way down the crowded narrow streets back to your lodging.
A loud noise disrupts your quiet revelry. Is that the sound of waves breaking? No, it’s the wind, a violent rushing wind, but on such a day, so calm and still. You find yourself running towards the noise along with many others. That room up there! What a light! Is it on fire? Those people coming down from that upper room, are they glowing? Could they be drunk? No it’s only the tenth hour…they are elated. They seem filled with power, and purpose. Wait, the sound has stopped and now you hear, yes it’s a voice speaking in your native tongue… you haven’t heard anyone speaking it since you immigrated many years ago. Looking about you see the astonishment that you feel on many other faces. Everyone is bewildered and amazed. Those luminous people are speaking in many different languages. They are speaking of the mighty deeds of God. Oh, this will be a Shavuot to remember!

Think of it, this man, this Jesus was slain. His blood shed like a lamb on Passover. He was raised from death to life on Sfirat Haomer as were the Israelites as they crossed the Rea Sea. Now on Shavuot, Jesus gave ‘the gift of His Holy Spirit” Acts 2:38b, just as God gave the gift of the Word to the Israelites on the first Shavuot so many years before.

‘The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.’
Paul made this claim in his letter to the Ephesians 6:17b. I find it so fascinating that Paul links the Spirit and the Word together in this way. Of course, the word ‘Spirit’ in Hebrew is ‘ruach’ which means wind or breathe. All was created by His Word, his breathe, his Spirit.
James reminds us of this creating power of God’s word in his first chapter verse 18:
James 1:18 He brought us forth by the word of truth so that we might be as it were the first fruits among his creatures.

Here we are on Later First Fruits, brought forth by the gift of His Holy Spirit in our lives. We are new creations, born of his Spirit.
Rejoicing in the promise of the harvest to come because of the Spirit’s presence in our lives.
Paul says in Romans 8:16;
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

We know, that we know, that we know! How do we know? Paul answers that one too. ‘We ourselves having the first fruit of the Holy Spirit.’ Romans 8:23
We have His Holy Spirit, our First Fruit, our early harvest celebration… our promise of the harvest to come.
What is that harvest to come? Well we have a long summer to get through but waiting at the end is Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, the Atonement Day and Tabernacles, Succoth, the Harvest to come! We are in the long summer of waiting for the Messiah’s return but be assured harvest will come, the trumpets of Rosh Hashanah will sound.
Maranatha, He will return.

















Questions for Shavuot
1. Seven weeks of seven days, this holiday is a long one. Find some sevens in the Bible and discover their hidden meaning.
2. Three is also a very significant number in the Bible, how do the three holidays that we are commanded to go up to Jerusalem reflect the Trinity.
3. The Israelites promised to follow God at Mt. Sinai, then a few days later, they were seeped in sin. How can you relate? Find and share verses to restore the joy of Shavuot!
4. Try writing your own Biblical narrative. Put yourself there on that day of Acts 2 and share your own encounter with the Holy Spirit.
5. Spend sometime with the Spirit of the Living God.























Crumbs

Oh Lord, give us the crumbs. We are unworthy servants not even worthy enough to untie your sandal (Matt. 3:11). He longed to fill himself with the scraps the pigs were eating (Luke 15:16). He was hoping to get scraps from the rich man’s table (Luke 16:21). Ruth gleaned from what the workers had left behind (Ruth 2:3). There were twelve full baskets of left over broken pieces (John 6:13). Left over manna had to be eaten or it spoiled (Ex. 16:19&20). All of the Passover Lamb must be eaten, none left over (Numbers 9:12).

Matthew 15: 21-28

And Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman came out from that region, and began to cry out saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.” But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came to Him and kept asking Him, saying, “Send her away, for she is shouting after us.”
But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”
And He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
But she said, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
Then Jesus answered and said to her, “Oh woman, your faith is great; be it done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed at once.


What a feast we can sweep up from under the children’s table! This woman, a gentile, came to Jesus begging for help. He made it clear that He had come for the Jews and tested her faith. Then he immediately used her response as a means to make those listening wonder. And, He gave her those crumbs.

Let us come humbly to that table knowing that we are but dogs and beg for some of those crumbs! He will bless us with a feast and use us in the lives of the ‘children’ around us.