Counting Our Blessings – Understanding the Power of Pentecost Part 2

Shavuot (Pentecost) season is about celebrating the Holy Spirit; His glory, presence and works in our lives. It’s a truly joyful feast, because on Pentecost day the course of history changed. Shavuot is a biblical feast established by God in the Old Testament that the people of Israel celebrated yearly for thousands of years before Jesus’ time. Pentecost was the fulfillment of God’s promises, and it happened on the biblical feast of Shavuot. Let’s explore the biblical and prophetic connection between Shavuot and Pentecost.

Leviticus 23:15-16 — “From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the LORD.” The commandment was to count seven weeks, which is why it was also named Shavuot — “Weeks” in Hebrew. It is thus the Feast of Weeks.

The count was to start from the Feast of Bikurim (First Fruits), and after seven weeks the Feast of Shavuot was to be celebrated. Other feasts in the Bible have specific dates God gave Israel to commemorate. However, this is the only feast when God instructed His people to count the weeks. In Israel that season of counting is called: Sfirat Omer, meaning Counting of the Sheaves. It’s God’s way of teaching us to be mindful of time as it passes, to be alert and to prepare ourselves counting every day.

It correlates beautifully with an expression we know so well; “count your blessings”. This is exactly what Sfirat Omer, the season of Sheaf Counting is all about — counting our blessings every single day. After dedicating our fields we prepare for the feast of Shavuot, which is also known as Feast of Harvest. It’s all about preparing ourselves, our lives and our fields for God’s ultimate harvest.

Let’s rejoice in the Lord, counting our blessings. While we look at the fields, ready for harvest, it’s time to reflect on our own lives, count on blessings and rejoice in God for how He filled our lives with the presence of the Holy Spirit. Shavuot is about celebrating the merging of Old Testament and New Testament in the fulfillment of this feast.

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