Through the Eyes of a Messianic Jew

Making Shavuot Count
By: Messianic Rabbi Eric Tokajer
Brit Ahm Messianic Synagogue

On May 27th, Jewish people all over the world will celebrate the feast of Shavuot. The Hebrew word Shavuot means "weeks" which represents the counting of the 50 days (7 weeks and 1 day) from the day after the Sabbath of Passover (Leviticus 23:15). In Judaism, the Festival of Weeks is seen as inextricably connected to Passover.  In fact, Shavuot is seen as the closing of the Passover season.

The Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) tells us that Shavuot is: a harvest feast (Exodus 34:22); one of the Three Pilgrimage to Jerusalem Feasts (Exodus 23:17); and the day Jewish people celebrate the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, (Exodus 19:1). That last part always reminded me of Charleston Heston ducking while the fiery finger of God burned the 10 Commandments into stone.

The prophetic purposes of this festival would be revealed thousands of years later. That revelation is why Christians all over the world will also celebrate Shavuot. It’s true. Perhaps many of you may know the Festival of Weeks by its Greek name, Pentecost.

Growing up I attended synagogue for all the feast days, including Shavuot. As a Jew, my understanding of the feasts was limited to historical and cultural applications. When I began questioning my faith, Shavuot seemed the least relevant Biblical feast to me. Leaders’ explanations only frustrated me. I mean, really, why count the days? Why 50? Why not 51? Why celebrate the grain harvest when I lived in the city?

It wasn’t until I became a believer in Yeshua (Jesus) as my Messiah that the importance of the Biblical festivals became evident. The ancient Jewish scholars’ postulation of the two feasts’ connection was even more profound than they could have imagined. The connection between Passover and Shavuot awakened in me a tremendous awe in God’s prophetic plans and purposes.

When Shavuot was fully “counted” the Holy Spirit was poured out in Jerusalem (Acts 2), fulfilling Jeremiah 31:31-33 when God said he would make a New Covenant with Israel and place His Torah (Law) within us and write it on our hearts. Just as the finger of God burned the Law into stone on Mt. Sinai, so did God’s Holy Spirit burn His law into His people’s hearts (Jeremiah 31:31). It was no strange phenomenon that there were tongues of fire on those followers of Messiah.

God had designed the festivals for Israel so they could see the connection between their deliverance from Egypt and the gift of Torah. Forever it will be tied to Yeshua as our Passover Lamb providing our deliverance from sin and the establishment of the New Covenant in our hearts with the outpouring of God’s Spirit.

And that burning passion from the Creator of the Universe meant the set time for the Jewish people to bring that Light to the nation of the world had come!

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Messianic Rabbi Eric Tokajer and his wife, Pam

Rabbi Eric Tokajer was raised in a traditional Jewish home. While serving in the US Navy, he was challenged to study the Scriptures where he found Yeshua. He has been ordained as a rabbi in the IAMCS and is serving in Pensacola. He and Pam have been married for thirty years.

For more info on Rabbi Eric click on these links:

 http://www.shalompensacola.com and http://www.messianicdailynews.com

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