Shalom, beloveds!
In this week’s Torah portion, Emor, we find ourselves reading about Adonai’s Appointed Times… which is so beautiful and fitting because we actually happen to be in the midst of one of them now… Sefirat haOmer, the counting of the Omer.
This counting of the Omer is the middle ground between the feast we just celebrated called Bikkurim/Feast of Firstfuits and the feast we’re counting 50 days up to, Shavuot/Feast Of Weeks.
Like all of Adonai’s Appointed Times, Firstfuits, the counting of the Omer, and Shavuot are all drenched in spiritual significances and prophetic presence.
So, just to scratch the surface of all this, let’s get into Firstfuits and the counting of the Omer.
Leviticus 23:9-11
“Adonai said to Moshe, “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘After you enter the land I am giving you and harvest its ripe crops, you are to bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the cohen. He is to wave the sheaf before Adonai, so that you will be accepted; the cohen is to wave it on the day after the Shabbat.’””
So this sheaf, known as an Omer in Hebrew, is a prophetic foreshadow of our messiah, Yeshua…
Hear the Word of God…
…This sheaf was brought as a Firstfuits of the harvest just as Yeshua was raised from the dead as the Firstfuits of the resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:20, 23-24
“But the fact is that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have died.”
“But each in his own order: the Messiah is the firstfruits; then those who belong to the Messiah, at the time of his coming; then the culmination, when he hands over the Kingdom to God the Father, after having put an end to every rulership, yes, to every authority and power.”
…This sheaf was raised on the day after the Sabbath just as Yeshua was raised to life on the day after the Sabbath.
Matthew 28:1, 5-6
“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the tomb.”
“The angel said to the women, “Don’t be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He isn’t here, because he’s been raised from the dead, just as he said. Come, see the place where they laid him.””
…This sheaf was waved on behalf of the people so they could be accepted just as Yeshua lived, died and was raised to life on our behalf and offered us forgiveness us sins so that we could be accepted by Adonai.
1 Peter 3:18
“For the Messiah himself died for sins, once and for all, a righteous person on behalf of unrighteous people, so that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but brought to life by the Spirit;”
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg…
For if Messiah Yeshua was the embodiment of the Firstfuits offering, then just as the waved sheaf signified the beginning of the harvest, Yeshua raising from the dead signifies the beginning of the harvest of souls for the resurrection! This is why he came saying
“He said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.””- Matthew 9:37-38
So, let us join in the work of harvest not just during this physical counting of the Omer in 2022, but truly in spirit. For our Firstfuits offering, Yeshua, has been waved and we are in the spiritual time of the harvest; counting up to the completion of the harvest bring his return. Adonai, help us through Your Holy Spirit to truly enter into your field that you have prepared, ready for the harvest. Count as as your workers, and bring near the coming of Messiah Speedily, yes soon. And say amen!
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