Are You Counting the Days Since Passover?

Meditate.

Each year every man in Israel must celebrate these three festivals: the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Harvest, and the Festival of Shelters. On each of these occasions, all men must appear before the LORD your God at the place he chooses, but they must not appear before the LORD without a gift for him. Deuteronomy 16:16

The Jewish festival of Shavuot celebrates the giving of the Torah. It is also call Pentecost or Feast of Weeks, originally known as the Festival of Harvest and Latter Firstfruits. It occurs fifty days after Passover at the beginning the wheat harvest season, at the end of May or early in June. Moses was given specific instructions by God for the Hebrew people.

Each year you must celebrate three festivals in my honor. First, celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For seven days the bread you eat must be made without yeast, just as I commanded you. Celebrate this festival annually at the appointed time in early spring, in the month of Abib, for that is the anniversary of your departure from Egypt. No one may appear before me without an offering. Second, celebrate the Festival of Harvest, when you bring me the first crops of your harvest. Finally, celebrate the Festival of the Final Harvest at the end of the harvest season, when you have harvested all the crops from your fields. At these three times each year, every man in Israel must appear before the Sovereign, the LORD. You must not offer the blood of my sacrificial offerings together with any baked goods containing yeast. And do not leave the fat from the festival offerings until the next morning. As you harvest your crops, bring the very best of the first harvest to the house of the LORD your God. You must not cook a young goat in its mother's milk. Exodus 23:14-19

 Additional directions for the observance were provided in Leviticus 23:9-22.

The Holy Spirit

Fifty days after the Passover that marked the death of the first born…Jesus. He was the Firstfruit and Pentecost marks the beginning of Christian church when the Holy Spirit was given to the believers on that first Pentecost after Jesus’ death and resurrection. That Pentecost was the fulfillment of prophesy given in the Festival of Weeks that predicted the coming of the Holy Spirit and the inception of the church. That was just the beginning.

Prayer ~ Lord Jesus, Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. Psalm 51:11.

Verse of Salvation ~ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8

Tell others about Jesus—that is our mission.

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

Rhubarb is an early crop and we’ve already had our first harvest.

It makes a great dessert as a cake, cobbler or even a breakfast muffin.

Rhubarb Muffins
Adapted fron Muffin Mania by Cathy Prange & Joan Pauli

1¼ cups flour or gluten free flour mixture

1½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
½ cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon
1½ cups diced rhubarb
1 egg
½ cup milk
¼ cup oil
1 tsp almond extract
slivered almonds and sugar for topping

Mix dry ingredients. Beat egg, add milk, oil, and almond extract. Pour egg mixture over dry ingredients and stir to moisten. Fold in rhubarb. Garnish with almond slivers.
Bake at 375-degrees for 20 minutes. Dip tops of warm muffins in sugar.

© 2020 Text and painting by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - https://www.blb.org 

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