Questions and Answers on Shavuot

I want to take the time to address some frequently asked questions about the Biblical set apart time of Shavuot, and how it pertains to us as believers in Messiah.

Are Shavuot and Pentecost the same thing?

The words Shavuot and Pentecost are used interchangeably in Scripture. Shavuot is the Hebrew word for "Feast of Weeks," whereas Pentecost is Greek for "fiftieth." Both are referring to the set apart time that happens fifty days after the counting of the omer begins during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Of course, different people mean different things by each, but in Scripture they are the same.

Is Shavuot a Sabbath day?Yes, Shavuot is no-work day, and should be treated like the weekly Sabbath. So avoid professional work, shopping, home maintenance, etc. More information on no-work days can be found here.

How do you celebrate it? This is my first year celebrating the feast days.To anyone celebrating for the first time - yay! - I am so proud of you for taking this step of faith and cheering you on as you do it!Take the pressure off of yourself to do everything perfectly and shoot to have a nice day of rest, while remembering the incredible gifts we have been given - the written word and the Holy Spirit!Have some good food, read your Bible, get together with other believers if possible, give an offering to YHWH, give gifts if you wish, pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and make or buy two loaves of bread to remember YHWH's abundant provision that we celebrate during this time.

What day is it?It varies depending on what calendar you go by, but most people will celebrate Shavuot from the evening of May 25 to the evening of May 27. Others will celebrate it May 28. (These dates are for 2023!) Shavuot always happens fifty days after the First Fruits offering after Passover.

What kind of bread or other foods do you make?I like to make strawberry salad or strawberry shortcake! Strawberries are great in my area at this time of year and I like the reminder of the fruit of the Spirit!Milk and honey are often used to symbolize the sweetness of Scripture in our lives, so desserts like cheesecake or fruit tarts are popular as well. See this post for milk and honey dessert recipes!

I also think it's fun to do two loaves of bread of any kind in honor of Leviticus 23:17 that says to offer two loaves to YHWH. This is a great reminder that he provides more than enough for our needs. You could make or buy fancy breads made with herbs or olives or cheese or you an ultimate make your own grilled cheese bar, with lots of different cheeses, veggies, and condiments! Babka is another fun bread for Shavuot.

What Bible passages are good for this time?Great things to study during Shavuot would be the covenant, and the Holy Spirit. The book of Ruth is traditionally studied at this time of year. Leviticus 23:15-21, Acts 2, 1 Corinthians 12, Exodus 20:1-17, and Galatians 5:22 are some of my favorites.

Here are some more verses to check out! See this post.

What do you do to celebrate?Take the day off work, spend time with loved ones, talk about the ways you have seen the Holy Spirit at work in your life, read Acts 2, go see wheat being harvested if possible, make a big fruit salad to symbolize the fruit of the Spirit, get immersed, host a Bible study!

What verses tell us that believers in Messiah should observe the feasts?Exodus 34:22 - "You shall observe the festival of Shavuot."We should celebrate Shavuot because Scripture tells us to! Nowhere in Scripture does it tell us that the set apart times are done away with! This post goes into more details about why we as believers in Messiah should keep the feasts.

Or as Torah Sisters says: the giving of the law and the giving of the Spirit are big deals!

When do we actually start counting?Scripture instructs us to count fifty days and then celebrate Shavuot. Our starting point for that is the Sunday after Passover, which is known as First Fruits. This is the day the Messiah rose from the grave!

Ways to celebrate with toddlers?Crafts and Bible stories around the fruit of the Spirit, the giving of the Holy Spirit, and the ten commandments are all very appropriate!Bible Pathway Adventures has free activity and coloring sheets for kids too!

Does the lamp stand all over the Bible have any significance with this?The lamp stand that the Bible talks about is a seven branched menorah! This correlates with the seven Biblical holidays.

How to celebrate?This is a day to remember the giving of Scripture and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit! I enjoy getting together at a lake with other believers (the lake is a great opportunity for immersion), we share a meal and read/discuss Bible stories related to these times.I also like finding ways to 'give the word' to others - sharing a printable Bible verse, memorizing a passage to share with others, gathering Bibles to donate etc.

What is the meaning of it?On Shavuot we remember both the giving of the written word and commandments, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. It is also a time when we celebrate that YHWH provides for our needs! Shavuot happens when wheat is being harvested. During Bible times, wheat was a significant part of the daily diet, and the harvest being brought in was a tangible reminder of YHWH providing for them! On Shavuot we look back at the ways YHWH provided in Scripture and in our own lives.
More on Shavuot:
Celebrating the Fruit of the Spirit at Shavuot
Shavuot Provision
Seven Ways to Celebrate Shavuot

Things I Pray For My Community

We should all be intentionally praying for our communities! You are part of the place where you live, work, shop, and whatever else, and these places would all benefit from your asking the Father for his best, blessings, and breakthrough in these areas. When I'm out for a walk or bike ride, or driving through my community I make it a point to pray these things. Of course you could pray them anytime and this list is not conclusive!

Things I pray for my community:

-For each person to experience the love and truth of YHWH here. Whether you're a lifelong resident, visiting for a few days, or just driving through town on your way somewhere else, I want you to tangibly experience YHWH's incredible love for you so strongly that it leaves no room for lies of the enemy in your life.

-That leaders would make godly decisions that honor YHWH. I'm sure most of us have prayed for our nation's president, but how many of us have prayed for our mayor, police chief, or the school principal? How about city council members, school boards, business leaders, volunteer leaders, judges, county engineers, and others that have influence in the community? I sincerely pray that each of these people would make choices that are consistent with Scripture and bring the best for my community. I want well designed traffic patterns that promote safety, I want a fire department that is skilled to rescue anyone in need of their help, non profit programs that benefit those involved, restaurants that serve life-giving foods, parks departments that are good stewards of YHWH's natural order, judges passing sentences with wisdom, and so on.

-For our people and businesses to honor the Sabbath. I know the tremendous blessings that come from keeping the Sabbath, and I pray that my neighbors, coworkers, and friends would also benefit from this. I pray specifically for business owners, and those in charge of scheduling school and local events, that they would genuinely desire to honor the instructions of Scripture by keeping the Sabbath day set apart.

-That the schools would be places truth is taught. Each time you see a school building or send a child to school you have an opportunity to pray for the children, teachers, and staff. I pray that teachers would teach curriculum that is truth and that the staff members would be inspiring and encouraging to the students. I pray that each person would walk in the Creator's ways, and show the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

-That no one would die here without hearing the Gospel. I heard Bill Johnson say once that they were working to make it impossible to get to hell from their community, and I love that idea! I pray for those who are around the dying, including EMTs, nurses, hospice workers, nursing home residents and employees, and family members of the dying. I pray that these people have the courage and opportunity to share the Good News with anyone who hasn't heard it. I pray also that everyone in the final stages of their life in my area would be receptive to the opportunity we have for redemption and eternal life through the Messiah.

-For the things the enemy intended for evil to be used for good. We also need to take authority and stand against the works of the enemy in our homes, neighborhood, schools, congregations, etc. I pray for those who are involved in specific bad situations that I have heard about. If you hear of a housefire, someone passing away, a crime that happened, a factory laying off workers, or whatever other negative thing then it's time to lift that up in prayer and remind YHWH of his promise to work all things together for good. I pray for specific insight into how the works of the enemy can be cut off in my community.

-That it would be a place where the word is known and honored. I want the values of my community to come straight out of Scripture. I want that reflected in the personal lives of our residents and in business practices and town policies. I pray that churches would truly teach the word of YHWH. I pray that the Bible studies and youth groups in our area would grow as students and young people desire to hear Scripture. I pray that each person would walk out the Creator's instructions and have practical understanding of how to implement the word into their lives.

More posts on prayer:
Seven Simple Ways to Pray More
Praying that the Generations to Come Would Know the Torah
How to Pray for Our World + Verses on Prayer

Blessed be the Name of YHWH Printable

This Scripture is such an important reminder! The Creator's name is to be blessed by us and that name is YHWH! I've had this printable on display in my home for a few weeks now and it has been a great way to remember to take a moment and bless his name.

Are you familiar with the name of YHWH? Here are twenty things that Scripture says about it.

This truth comes to us from Psalm 113:2 - "Blessed be the name of YHWH."

Click here to download this free printable from Psalm 113. It's free for your personal use.

Want more printables?
Write the Torah on their hearts printable.
Don't let me stray from your commands.
Abundance of real peace and truth.

Things the Messiah Said on First Fruits

First Fruits is probably the Biblical holiday that gets the least amount of attention. Which is surprising because significantly this is the day the Messiah was resurrected on! What better holiday to rejoice in and learn more of? The Messiah himself had a lot to say on this particular holiday and I want to draw attention to some of what he said on First Fruits.

Things the Messiah Said at the Festival of First Fruits:

"Tell my Israelite brothers that they shall see me in Galilee." -Matthew 28:10
The Messiah wants you to know this promise today: you shall see him.

"O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Did not the Messiah have to suffer all these things, in order to enter into his glory?" -Luke 24:25-26
Did you know the famous walk to Emmaus happened on First Fruits? Wouldn't you love to get to listen in on this full discussion of the Messiah explaining how the writings of Moses and the prophets speak of him?! I imagine every question they listeners had was answered beautifully. And isn't it funny that even 2,000 years ago people were slow to believe what Scripture had to say?

"Peace be upon you. Do not be afraid." -Luke 24:36
The Messiah spoke fearlessness and complete peace over his followers. Don't miss that this happened to those who showed up to celebrate First Fruits. Talk about benefit and blessing from keeping the Biblical holidays!

"Why are you troubled? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and understand and see, for a spirit has no flesh and bones, and you can see that I do." -Luke 24:39
Whatever is troubling us today, we know he is alive and will care for us. Give your worries to him.

"Have you any food?" -Luke 24:41
I love that he would ask his. This is First Fruits, right after Passover, and in the middle of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This is feast time. And our Messiah? "Hey guys, can I get a snack over here?" I think it so humble of him to ask. I'm sure he knew that if they saw him eat they wouldn't wonder if he was a vision or whatever. But I think he also just wanted to take part in the set apart times and, perhaps, gently remind his followers what they should be doing at these times as well. Let's not make him ask. Let's keep the feasts.

"All things must be fulfilled which are in the Torah of Moses, and in the Prophets and Psalms, concerning me." -Luke 24:44

Calling attention to the importance of Scripture, he didn't write off the Torah or its commandments. He could have taken this opportunity to start fresh or begin a new church like many people say...but he didn't. When we celebrate his resurrection we need to remember the great weight the Messiah believed the Old Testament proclaimed.

"So it is written, and it was necessary that the Messiah suffer, and rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations." -Luke 24:46-47
May we never forget this great charge we have, to proclaim the forgiveness of sins to all those who repent. The hope of this promise is indeed something to celebrate on this glorious holiday of First Fruits!

"Madam, why do you weep?" -John 20:15
The first words we know of Yahusha speaking after the resurrection are to offer comfort to a woman mourning. Isn't that beautiful and so like him? He had things to do that day; he certainly could have spoken about weightier matters. But he stopped to comfort someone who was hurting. I hope that we never forget that he is there to comfort us when we mourn.

"Miriam." -John 20:16
When he spoke her name Miriam instantly realized it was the Messiah. Have you ever had one of those moments where you hear something from YHWH and even if it's simple it sheds so much light?

"Shalom alecheim: as my Father has sent me, even so I send you." -John 20:21
Peace be upon you. He speaks so much of comfort and courage during these set apart times. The Biblical holidays are a chance for us to have our capacities for peace and bravery fortified, so that we would be prepared for wherever he is sending us to spread his good news. Real empowerment and encouragement happen when we take part in these set apart times!

"Receive the Holy Spirit." -John 20:22 
And then he literally breaths the Holy Spirit onto his followers that were there with him, taking part in First Fruits! Isn't that amazing? Who doesn't want more of the Holy Spirit's wisdom and joy and comfort in their life? You have an opportunity during First Fruits and the Feast of Unleavened Bread to receive more of the Holy Spirit in your life!

"If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven." -John 20:23
What a testament that our actions are so powerful. Never forget that what you choose to do truly does matter, and impacts those in your life. You are not the only one that benefits when you are obedient to the Scriptures that tell us to keep First Fruits and the other feasts of YHWH.

More on First Fruits:
How To Celebrate First Fruits
First Fruits Celebration Photos