Shavuot (Pentecost)
Leviticus 23:15 – 21
Deuteronomy 14:22 – 16:17
Numbers 28:26 – 31
Habakkuk 3:1 – 19
Acts 2:1 – 13

Let the Party Begin

For most Torah honoring people today, the Feasts are a very important part of our lives. We count down weekly to the time in which we can do a bit of "Shabbatin." We wait anxiously every month for the New Moon to be sighted. For months we look forward to the time of Passover and Tabernacles. But what about this Festival in the middle of it all called Shavuot or Pentecost? What is this one all about and how should we celebrate it?

Years ago in my Assembly of God church where the Festivals had long since been replaced with bunnies and trees I still remember this time of Pentecost being a special day in our lives. It was always a great time of celebration and a day the pastor seemed to be just a bit more excited about preaching on the events of Acts 2:4. There would always be an altar call to have those who desired to come and seek to be "Filled with The Spirit." I think for many of us this day became one of our favorites of the year. Very seldom in our church were the Feasts mentioned, but in a way we tried to make up for that during Pentecost.

One thing we were never taught though is that Pentecost was an ancient event. It was taught in such a way as to make one think that Pentecost had only been invented in the Book of Acts which would of course in their reasoning make this day the birthing of a new thing Elohim was doing called "The Church."

Many years have passed since my days in the Assembly of God and to say that our lives and practices have taken some interesting turns of change seems like the understatement of the Millennium. One thing that has not changed though is a special love for the day I now refer to as Shavuot. For many Torah pursuant people Shavuot is simply a day that comes between Passover and Tabernacles, but I believe this is the wrong attitude to approach this time with.

Think about something for a moment. If it were not for Shavuot, we would not know we were supposed to celebrate The Feasts! That's right. Shavuot is a celebration of the giving of Torah. If we had not been given Torah, we would not know what Passover was all about and we would never have been told about Sukkot. How is that train of thought for making the day of Shavuot special?

Maybe we need to think a bit more about this special day. So, how do we celebrate it? Scripture does not tell us much regarding the instructions for celebration. It tells us to wave loaves before our Creator, but not much more. I guess that will make a pretty short service! So, how do we celebrate this day? Maybe we need to use our imagination on this one. Here are a few tips I have thought of.

1. Let's eat! It is a Feast after all and we all know that where two or more are gathered there is normally food!

2. Have a time of thanksgiving to celebrate His provision in our lives. You may not have gone out and gathered the grain, but you ate it didn't you? It had to come from somewhere, so how about giving thanks?
3
. A time of worship and praise. Let us focus on not just mouthing words, but rather allowing our own words to flow forth in worship unto Him.

4. Thanksgiving for Torah. How about a time in which people share how Torah has changed their lives?

5. Seeking His gifts. There was something that happened to the men and women gathered in Acts. This Feast would be a great time to open our lives and allow Him to clear out the past and make way for His full and complete work in our lives.

6. Observe Shabbat. Scripture tells us that we are not to do any work on this day. Hooray! Two Shabbats this week. What a special gift that is!

How each of us will celebrate this day will in the end be left up to each of us individually. It is my challenge to you to make this a day to expect the unexpected. It is a day to ask Him to empower us for the days ahead. I pray it will be a day that you will be able to say just as the disciples may have said, "That day is when life really began."

Have a blessed, happy and prosperous Shavuot!