The Feast of Weeks

Scripture and Ancient Hebrew tradition teaches that "Feasts" are "Appointed Times" (Moeds) and still are referred to as a “mikrah” (a rehearsal) of something that The Eternal had in mind for a time in the future. In other words, for the Ancient Hebrews it was a "Rehearsal" and glimpse into the beginning and ending of YHVH's "Plan of Salvation."

There are several schools of thought on the timing of this/these event(s). Some say fifty days after the resurrection of Messiah; of course there is a disagreement as to when this occurred. Some say fifty days from the weekly Sabbath that occurs during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, but some scholars say this sometimes falls too close to the end of The Feast of Unleavened Bread." So who is correct? At least you should be aware that whenever you see the term "First Fruits," Scripture/Epistles are always symbolically referring to "The Premillennial Spring Harvest," and when the subject is "The Sabbath Millennium," and "The Great White Throne Judgement," it is the "Millennial / Postmillennial Fall Harvest."

Maybe we can find some answers in another arena, but first the not so basic "basics."

Exodus 34:22 (The Two Harvest periods)
22 You shall observe the Feast of Weeks with the First-Fruits of (The Spring) wheat harvest, and (you shall also observe) the Feast of (The Fall) Harvest (Succoth or Tabernacles) at the (Sacred) year's end (in Autumn not Winter).

Matthew 9:35-38 (a Spiritual Harvest)
35 (Messiah) Yahshua went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the (Coming) kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people (a foretaste of things to come).

Note: This "Coming Kingdom," that The Messiah preached and taught, is the exact same kingdom, that "The Thief on the Cross" inquired about. This "Coming Kingdom" (on Earth) is "The Paradise" that Messiah mentioned; Messiah was not speaking of Heaven, but rather "The Spiritually Promised Land," (flowing with milk and honey) and "The New Jerusalem." See: "The Thief On The Cross."

36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, as sheep without a shepherd.

37 Then he said to his disciples (also Firstfruits), "The Harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

38 Pray therefore that the Master of the harvest will send forth laborers into His (2000 Year Spiritual Spring) Harvest."

Revelation 14:14-18 (The Spiritual Spring Harvest)
14 I looked, and behold, a white cloud (first heaven or sky. There are 3 heavens); and on the cloud one sitting like a son of man (a human), having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
15 Another angel (messenger of YHWH) came out from the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Send forth your sickle, and reap; for the hour to reap has come; for The Harvest of the earth is ripe!"
16 He (The Messiah by Yahweh's Authority) who sat on the cloud (Matthew 24:30, 26:64; 1 Thess. 4:17) thrust his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.
17 Another angel came out from the temple which is in heaven. He also had a sharp sickle.
18 Another angel came out from the altar, he who has power over fire, and he called with a great voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Send forth your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe!"

See Also: Matthew 13:24-30; John 4:35-38;

Leviticus 23:10-17 (Spiritual Parallels are in parenthesis)
10 Speak to the ("True Spiritual Seed of Abraham") children of Israel, and tell them, When you are come into the land (The Coming Kingdom on Earth) which I give to you, and shall reap the (human) harvest of it, then you shall bring the sheaf of the First-Fruits (The Chosen Few - of mankind) of your (human) harvest (of True Worshippers) to the priest (Messiah, our High Nazarite Priest):
11 and he (The High Nazarite Priest) shall wave the sheaf (present them as purified wheat) before Yahweh, to be accepted for you: on the next day after the Sabbath (Strong's H7676) the priest shall wave it. This particular Sabbath is most assuredly the day after "The First Day of Unleavened Bread."

Continued

Note: Messiah was/is represented as leavened Barley Bread, but the rest of "The First Fruits" that follow in Messiah's footsteps are symbolized by a sheaf of Wheat.

Note: Strongs #H7676, is a word that identifies a Sabbath as a period of time that involves the number seven. It can be every seventh day, every seventh year or a Sabbath of the seventh month or an annual Sabbath of which there are seven:
(1) The First Day of Unleavened Bread
(2) The Last Day of Unleavened Bread
(3) Pentecost
(4) Yom Teruah (First Day of Rosh Hashanah)
(5) Yom Kippur (Tenth Day of Rosh Hashanah)
(6) Succoth or Sukkat (First Day of Succoth)
(7) Succoth (The Last Great Day or Eighth Day of Succoth).

Note: The phrase "priest shall wave it" is also symbolically referring to our new High Nazarite Priest, Messiah Y'shua, while the wave sheaf, also, symbolically refers to "The Chosen Few" (First-Fruits). Remember, not only is Messiah (Y'shua) the "First of The First Fruits," but the Apostles, and every true believer that ever lived has become an eternal part of The First Fruits (Spring Harvest), because of the effort of those "First Fruits" that came before them. Thus (in essence) "The First Fruits" symbolically begins as a "Shadow of Things to Come" with The Day of The Wave Sheaf on the morrow of "The First Day of Unleavened Bread", and continues for seven weekly Sabbaths from the weekly (7th day) Sabbath that occurs during "The Feast of Unleavened Bread," and culminates with Pentecost, Shavuot AND The Feast of First Fruits (Feast of Weeks).

Leviticus 23:3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day [is] the Sabbath (Strong's #H7676) of Rest, a Holy Convocation; ye shall do no work [therein]: it [is] the Sabbath (Strong's #H7676) of Yehowah (The Eternal, Self-existent Creator) in all your dwellings. Also, a "Sabbath of Rest" is always a Seventh Day Sabbath or a Sabbath Year (every Seventh Year for the Earth).

Exodus 35:3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the (weekly) Sabbath Day (This is noteworthy).

Continuation

Leviticus 23:10-17
12 In the day (after the Annual Sabbath) when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a he-lamb without blemish (A symbolic SELF-Sacrifice) a year old for a burnt offering to Yahweh. (Note: Remember! Do not kindle a fire during a weekly 7th day Sabbath).

Note: This sacrifice is a symbolic "Self-sacrifice" indicating the willingness of "The First Fruits" to follow Messiah's example. Therefore, this symbolic sacrifice must immediately follow on the morrow after "Passover" and "The First Day of Unleavened Bread." Please be aware that this sacrifice does not require the death of the "True Believer," it only requires "The True Believer" to suffer physical loss (the lamb), and is therefore a "Living Sacrifice" for he/she who sacrifices.

13 The meal-offering of it shall be two tenth parts of an ephah of fine (Wheat) flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire (physically baked or fried, and Spiritually refined by fire) to Yahweh for a sweet savor; and the drink-offering of it shall be of wine, the fourth part of a hin (H1969, Hiyn, a liquid measure, approximately equal to 5 quarts or 6 liters).
14 You shall eat neither bread, nor parched grain, nor fresh ears (barley corn), until this same day (day after the First Annual Sabbath Day of UB), until (after) you have brought the offering of your G-d: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

Note: The Offering referred to here is the symbolism of having become a True Worshipper by accepting and following the teachings of Messiah's Self-Sacrifice, which is freewill obedience to the 'Righteous Intent of Yahweh's Laws.'

15 You shall count to you from (following) the next day after the (7th day) Sabbath (H7676), from (that follows) the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave-offering; seven (additional weekly) Sabbaths (H7676) shall there be complete (These cannot be annual Sabbaths, since this is an annual event):
16 even to the next day after the seventh (weekly) Sabbath (H7676) shall you number fifty days (here we have confirmation of seven weekly Sabbaths); and you shall offer a new (newly harvested) meal-offering to Yahweh.
17 You shall bring out of your habitations two wave-loaves (no longer sheaves, but fully prepared loaves) of two tenth parts of an ephah: they shall be of fine (Wheat) flour, they shall be baked with yeast (symbolizing those who are coming out of sin and have found Favor or Grace in Yahweh's eyes), for first-fruits (the small 'Spring' harvest of the Chosen Few) to Yahweh.

Note: The two loaves (not sheaves) represent G-d (Elohim) prophetically gathering His children out from among the Hebrews and the Gentiles. The two loaves, also, represent the provision of a double portion.

Numbers 28:26-31 (Verses 27-31, what got "Nailed on the Cross" along with "Self-centeredness")
26 Also in the day of the First-Fruits (Pentecost), when you offer a new meal-offering to Yahweh during your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a Holy Convocation; you shall do no servile work;
27 but you shall offer a burnt offering for a sweet savor to Yahweh: two young bulls, one ram, seven he-lambs a year old;
28 and their meal-offering, fine (wheat) flour mingled with oil, three tenth parts for each bull, two tenth parts for the one ram,
29 a tenth part for every lamb of the seven lambs;
30 one male goat, to make atonement for you.
31 Besides the continual burnt offering, and the meal-offering of it, you shall offer them (they shall be to you without blemish), and their drink-offerings (Symbolic of ALL of the First Fruits, including messiah, as being without blemish in YHVH's opinion).

Colossians 2:13-23 (The Triumph of Yahshua Messiah's Ministry)
13 You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh (an attitude of "Self" or a sinful attitude). He (Yahshua) made you (taught you by example) alive (Spiritually with an attitude of Love) together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses (not through his own power, but by the authority of Yahweh that was bestowed on him);
14 having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us (the letter of the law), which was contrary to us (not Spiritual like the Intent of the Law): and he has taken it out that way, nailing it (the Letter of the Law and "Self") to the cross (this is truly "Self-Sacrifice");

Note: Yahshua's Death was a sacrifice of "Self" for the benefit of all. He gave his entire adult life (a selfless act) so that he could teach us (by example) what was meant by the "Spirit or Intent of the Law." Thereby becoming our "Role Model."

See "Sacrifice of Messiah."

15 having stripped the principalities and the powers (of this present evil Earth by his obedience to Yahweh with a Spirit of Love), he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16 Let no man therefore judge you in eating, or in drinking, or with respect to a Feast Day or a New Moon or a Sabbath Day (which you should keep according to the Spirit or Intent of the Law),
17 which are a shadow (foretaste, "Mikrah" or "Rehearsal") of the things to come (the preferred state of existence for Yahweh's "Coming Kingdom on Earth"); but the body (the Assembly of Believers or First Fruits) is Yahshua's (The Messiah is the very first of all of the "First Fruits").
18 Let no man rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
19 and not holding firmly to the Head (the leadership example of Yahshua), from whom all the (Spiritual) body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and ligaments, grows with G-d's (Spiritual) growth.
20 If you died (to Self) with Yahshua from the elements of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances (after the precepts and doctrines of men? NOT the Spiritual ordinances of Yahweh) ,
21 "Don't handle, nor taste, nor touch" (which is what men say)
22 (all which things are to perish with the using), after the precepts and doctrines of men?
23 Which things indeed appear like wisdom in self-imposed worship, and humility, and severity to the body; but aren't of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Note: Ever see Filipino Catholics whipping themselves with whips of sharp objects or crawling on their knees for miles in some man made Christo-pagan ritual?

Deuteronomy 16:9-12 (freewill offerings, charity, and rejoicing among the brethren)
9 Seven weeks (49 days) shall you number to you: from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain (and make a "Wave Sheaf" from it) shall you begin to number seven weeks.
10 You shall keep the Feast of Weeks to Yahweh your G-d with a tribute of a freewill-offering of your hand (your work), which you shall give (Charity), according as Yahweh your G-d blesses you:
11 and you shall rejoice before Yahweh your G-d, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your man-servant, and your maid-servant, and the Levite (Priest) who is within your gates, and the sojourner, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are in the midst of you, in the place which Yahweh your G-d shall choose, to cause his name to dwell there (This is your place of Holy Convocation, and can be your home).
12 You shall remember that you were a bondservant in Egypt (a slave to sin): and you shall observe and do these statutes.

Note: Being a Freewill Offering among the brethren or those you encounter may present itself in many ways, so be vigilant for the opportunity for charity to present itself. However, remember, this is a foretaste of a Spiritual lifestyle that will exist on a daily basis in the "Coming Kingdom on Earth," (Paradise) and thus, the Intent or Spirit of this Sabbath period is to be applied to our daily lives, and not just during this time period.

One might think that we should not be concerned with the Ordinances of Yahweh, but then, "Where does our heart lie?" "Does it lie with The Holy Spirit of Yahweh's Love or with the unholy attitudes or the spirit of man?"

Romans 2:25-29 (The True Seed of Abraham)
25 For circumcision indeed profits, if you are a doer of the law, but if you are a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
26 If therefore the uncircumcised keep the ordinances of the law, won't his uncircumcision be accounted as circumcision?
27 Won't the uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfills the law, judge you, who with the letter and circumcision are a transgressor of the law?
28 For he (or she) is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh;
29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly (the "Inward Jew"), and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit not in the letter (of the Law); whose praise is not from men, but from G-d.

So enjoy this "Harvest" FORETASTE or "Mikrah" (Rehearsal) of "Things to Come" in the Spirit of Love and Charity, as it was always intended to be ENJOYED.