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SHAVU’OT
“ADONAI said to Moshe, “Tell the people of Isra’el: ‘The
designated times of ADONAI which you are to proclaim as holy convocations are
my designated times.” (Leviticus 23:1)
t{[Ub'v Shavu’ot - The Festival of Weeks
“Observe the festival of Shavu’ot with the
first-gathered produce of the wheat harvest….” (Exodus 34:22)
“From the day after the day of rest—that is, from the day
you bring the sheaf for waving—you are to count seven full weeks, until the day
after the seventh week; you are to count fifty days; and then you are to
present a new grain offering to ADONAI.” (Leviticus 23:15-16)
“The festival of Shavu’ot arrived, and the believers
all gathered together in one place. Suddenly there came….” (Acts
Two Significant Scriptural
Power to Live a Changed Life!
Update: This commentary is going to discuss the timing issues surrounding the
Passion chronology of the week of Yeshua’s death and resurrection. For
years I asserted that Yeshua most likely died on the very same day as when the
lambs were being sacrificed at the Temple, viz, on Nisan the 14th,
which I was figuring was a Friday. This put his Seder meal on the prior
evening—the sunset of the 13th as it became the 14th,
eaten of course without meat from the sacrificial lambs. In this way,
technically I had Yeshua keeping his Seder (I assumed it was a Chagigah) on the
14th while being able to die 21 or so hours later on the day part of
the 14th as well. However, after careful research, and as an
update to my own understanding of the chronology of the week of Passover in
which Yeshua was crucified, I have now come to understand that Yeshua was most
likely crucified on Nisan the 15th, which as far as I can reckon,
would still have been on a Friday as I maintained earlier. This means he
ate the Pesach meal with meat from lambs slaughtered the day before on Nisan the
14th—a Thursday. Essentially, I now hold to Yeshua being
crucified on Chag HaMatzah—the Day of Unleavened Bread. So in conclusion,
I still hold to a conjunction-like occurrence of Nisan 14, 15, and 16 all being
back to back (i.e., Thursday, Friday, Saturday), with no days skipped in
between. The only major changes to my timetable are that I now hold to
Yeshua eating his Seder on Thursday the 14th (previously I thought
the 14th was a Friday), and being crucified on Friday the 15th
(previously I had the Seder and the crucifixion both on Friday, the “Chagigah”
Seder being on the evening part of the 14th and his death during the
afternoon some 21 or so hours later, viz, the day part of the 14th).
I hope this updated clarification does not cause too much confusion when
following this commentary.
Torah is full of wonderful, spiritual principles that are learned through
everyday experiences. In his infinite wisdom, HaShem (God) knew that
frail man was likely to forget many of these important spiritual principles,
which the teachings of the Torah freely offered to him; teachings designed to
bless and help him in his everyday walk with his Creator. That is why the
Holy One, blessed be He, carefully designed the Biblical Calendar—maintained by
the Jewish People—to remind mankind of his place in history, and to prompt him,
to ever press closer in his relationship with his Heavenly Father. Why,
even the heavens and the earth themselves would serve as witnesses to remind
him of the special place that he has in HaShem’s heart (Jeremiah 31:35-37).
Because ancient Isra’el was, and in many respects still is, primarily an
agriculturally active piece of real estate, what better way for the Holy One to
teach his children about his holy nature than through their annual harvest
responsibilities? As we shall see, the festival known as Shavu'ot
(say “shah-voo-ote”) holds significant messianic truths that are pertinent to
Hebrew word for week is “shavuah,” its plural is “shavu’ot.”
Both of these words come from the root word for “seven.” This is where
the festival gets its name. Shavu'ot is the annual counting
of seven weeks of days, hence forty-nine days. This yearly count is
listed in the Torah as a mitzvah, a command from HaShem himself.
The name “Pentecost,” from the Greek word “pentekoste,” means
“fifty days,” as the Torah instructed Am Yisra’el (the people of
Isra’el) to add the final day after the seventh week. This festival is
also known by a few other names, but we will primarily use Shavu'ot
“Not Skipping a Beat”
create a seamless transition from Pesach to Pentecost—just as the Torah
intended—I have decided to pick up the discussion about the timing of the
Counting of the Omer from my Omer Reisheet commentary. Many bible readers
may not realize that HaShem intended Pesach to lead to Unleavened Bread to lead
to Omer Reisheet to lead to Shavu’ot. As we shall read later on into my
commentary, Shavu'ot commemorates both the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai
as well as the pouring out of the Ruach HaKodesh—the Holy Spirit. Thus we
see that the Torah is teaching us that justification (deliverance from sin as
typified by the exodus from Egypt) is inextricably linked to sanctification
(giving of the Torah and the Spirit as typified by Pentecost fifty days
later). In my commentary to Omer Reisheet, in a paragraph titled ‘Issues
Surrounding the “Timing” of Omer Reisheet,’ we read the following:
Some readers will readily note that history has been
generally “unkind” to this particular festival. What do I mean by
“unkind”? I mean to draw your attention to the fact that no less than
three prominent Jewish sects have come to interpret the timing associated with
the start of this count in at least three respective, but differing ways…So,
which view is correct and how does it impact you the reader? Depending on
which view you go with, the impact will determine the date you celebrate
Shavu’ot fifty days later![1]
the sake of clarification and, more importantly, a request for “unity within
diversity” on the issue, Hegg makes these pertinent remarks in a recent
commentary to Counting the Omer:
While it is possible that some
of the early Messianic communities the Sadducean calendar and thus began
counting the omer on the day following the weekly Sabbath rather than the day
following the Festival Sabbath, there is no clear evidence to prove that such
occurred. Yet if such a possibility must be allowed, we must be willing
to allow variation in our own Messianic movement without causing dissension.
In our own communities, the method of counting the omer determined by the
leadership should be followed by the community without making the issue a point
of contention or division.[2]
we saw in my Omer Reisheet commentary we concluded that the Pharisaic view was
most likely the more historically accurate of the competing calendars in use
during the 1st century and as a result the majority of ancient
Judaism would expectedly have been on the same sheet of music when Shavu'ot
rolled around seven weeks after Pesach. Considering the very likely
spiritual reality that the particular Pesach and Shavu'ot the year Yeshua died were
two of the most significant holy days in Isra'el’s history, I think it rather
“ironic” of HaShem to have the two major views (the Pharisees and the Sadducees)
lining up perfectly that year, according to our modest findings!
Two Significant Scriptural Shavu’ots?
the rabbis figure the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai to have occurred on
this day, that is, in the third month after Am Yisra’el came out of
Egypt. Actually, the exact date of this familiar encounter, recorded for
us in the book of Exodus, is not explicitly stated; the chronological evidence
is convincing, however. At any rate, the author of the book of Acts does
testify of the precise timing of the festival of Shavu'ot, and he
specifically relates this festival to the pouring out of the Ruach HaKodesh,
that is, the Holy Spirit, unto the believers gathered there in Jerusalem.
Matan Torah (Giving of the Torah)
Menachem Leibtag challenges us, “Ask any observant Jew, and he will tell you
that Shavu’ot commemorates Matan Torah, just as Pesach commemorates Yetziat
Mitzrayim (Departure from Egypt). Nevertheless, according to Torah, it appears
that Shavu’ot is only an agricultural holiday, with no connection at all to
'Matan Torah'! How could it be that the Torah 'neglects' the primary reason for
Shavu’ot?”[3]
The insights of Ohr Somayach International,
as prepared by Rabbi G. Rubin will help us to unravel this mystery…
The chain of events surrounding
the giving of the Torah is very difficult to follow, because, according to
Rashi's understanding, the verses are not arranged chronologically, and a
number of jumps must be made in order to reconstruct the sequence of events.
The difficulties begin with the fifth aliya of Yisro (the sequence of events
surrounding Yisro himself is a separate issue), and continue until the end of
The following outline should
help to understand the order of events:
1. On Rosh Chodesh Sivan the
Jews arrive at the wilderness of Sinai. (19:1; cf. Rashi).
2. Early the following morning,
the 2nd of Sivan, Moshe goes up Mt. Sinai for the first time. He is instructed
to offer the Jews the opportunity of accepting the Torah, and of becoming a
3. That same day Moshe descends
and assembles the elders and passes on the message. The entire people respond
in unison that whatever HaShem says, they will do. (19:7-8).
4. On the morning of the 3rd of
Sivan Moshe again ascends the mountain to bring the people's response to
HaShem. (19:8; cf. Rashi).
5. On this occasion he is told
that on the day of Matan Torah HaShem will speak to him (i.e. to Moshe alone)
from the midst of a thick cloud. The people will bear witness to this event,
and this will establish the authenticity of Moshe's prophecy forever. (19:9;
according to Lavush Ora, but see Gur Aryeh for a different understanding).
6. `Moshe's descent, as well as
his subsequent conversation with the people is not described in the verses, but
is inferred by Rashi from HaShem's response in verse 10 (see paragraph 8
below). The people seem to have protested against hearing Matan Torah second
hand from Moshe, and insisted on hearing it from HaShem directly. (Rashi 19:9).
7. On the 4th of Sivan Moshe
returns to the mountain to bring the people's request to HaShem. (The latter
8. During this same encounter,
HaShem informs Moshe that if the people insist on hearing for themselves, they
must purify themselves on the 4th and 5th in order to receive the Torah on the
6th. In addition, Moshe is to instruct the people how close they may approach
the mountain during the revelation, and for how long the restriction is to
last. (19:10-13; cf. Rashi).
conversation with HaShem that is mentioned in Parashas Mishpatim (24:1-2; cf.
Rashi ad loc), where Moshe is told that he, Aharon, Nadav, Avihu, and the
elders are all to ascend on the day of the revelation, but that only Moshe will
10. Still on the 4th of Sivan,
Moshe descends, and informs the people of the command to purify themselves on
these days. According to Rabbi Yose, Moshe interpreted days mentioned in
paragraph 8 as two complete days in addition to the 4th, the delaying Matan
Torah until the 7th of Sivan. (19:14-15; cf. Rashi and Shabbos 87a).
conversation with the people described in Mishpatim, when Moshe reminds the
people of the Seven Noachide Laws, and the laws received at Mara. The people
agree to keep all of HaShem's commandments. Moshe writes down all of the Torah
from Bereishis until this point. (24:3-4; cf. Rashi).
12. On the 5th of Sivan Moshe
builds an altar at the base of the mountain. Offerings are made. Moshe reads
the book he has written to the people, who respond, "We will do and we
will hear." The blood of the sacrifices is sprinkled on the altar on
behalf of the people. (24:4-8; Rashi ad loc. and cf. Rashi 19:11).
13. On the 6th of Sivan, or the
7th according to Rabbi Yose, Moshe leads the people to the base of the
mountain. We are informed, parenthetically, that during Matan Torah the people
are destined to hear only two commandments directly. As for the others, Moshe
will speak and HaShem will amplify his voice. (19:16-19; Rashi).
14. HaShem reveals his throne
upon the mountain and summons Moshe. Moshe is told to warn the people again not
to approach the mountain. Moshe protests that the people have already been
warned. HaShem tells him that he must do so nevertheless. Then he is to return
to the mountain. Aharon and the first born, who are the priests at this point,
are to approach, each according to his level. (19:20-24: Rashi).
15. Moshe descends and passes
on the information. (19:25).
16. Moshe's return to the
mountain, together with Aharon, Nadav, Avihu and the elders, is described in
Mishpatim (24:9). This is the assent foretold above, paragraph 9. During Matan
Torah, Nadav, Avihu and the elders gaze inappropriately. Their punishment is
postponed until another occasion, in order not to detract from Matan Torah.
17. Matan Torah itself, the
pronouncement of the 10 Statements, is in Yisro. All of the 10 were said in a
single word, then HaShem repeated and explained each one individually.
18. The people heard the first
two explained, but then were overwhelmed and requested that Moshe hear the rest
and relay them to the people. (20:15-17; Rashi ad loc. and cf. Rashi 19:19).
19. At this point the people
back off. Moshe alone enters into the thick cloud (20:18), just as HaShem had
said would happen (see paragraph 5). (Moshe's descent after hearing the 10
Statements is not described in the text).
20. After Matan Torah, Moshe is
commanded to approach HaShem, and to remain with him to receive the stone
tablets. Moshe ascends, accompanied part way by his disciple, Yehoshua. Aharon
and Chur are left in charge. (24:12-14).
21. At this point, six days are
mentioned, during which the cloud is present on the mountain, before Moshe is
invited to enter. Rashi brings two opinions: a) These are the previous six
days, the seventh being the day the 10 Statements were pronounced, after which
he is invited to enter the cloud. Or b) These Six days begin after Matan Torah,
and comprise the first six days out of the forty. (24:15-18; Rashi).
22. This ascent takes place on
the 7th of Sivan. (Rashi 32:1). Moshe remains on the mountain for 40 days and
23. During these 40 days Moshe
receives the laws commanded at the end of Yisro and the bulk of Mishpatim.
(20:19 until 23:33; see Rashi on 31:18).
24. The end of the 40 days is
described in Ki Sisa. When he is finished speaking, HaShem gives Moshe the
25. On the 16th of Tammuz the
people come to the mistaken conclusion that Moshe is overdue. The Golden Calf
is made. Aharon declares a festival to HaShem for the next day. (32:1-5;
26. They get up early on the
morning of the 17th of Tammuz to worship the Calf (32:6).
27. HaShem tells Moshe to
descend because of the Calf. Moshe descends. When he sees the Calf he casts
down the tablets and breaks them. He grinds up the Calf and makes the people
drink it. The Levites are ordered to kill the idolaters. (32:7-29).
28. On the 18th of Tammuz Moshe
ascends the mountain to seek atonement for the people (according to Rashi,
Shemos 18:13 and Devarim 9:18, although in Shemos 33:11 he says that Moshe came
down on the 17th of Tammuz, burnt the Calf on the 18th and went back up on the
19th, see Gur Aryeh for an explanation). HaShem tells Moshe that from now on
the Shechina will not be with them. (Shemos 32:31 until 33:3)
29. Moshe descends on the 29th
of Av (Rashi, Devarim 9:18). He informs the people that the Shechina will not
be with them. The people mourn. (Shemos 33:4-6, Rashi).
30. We are informed that from
the time of the sin of the Calf, Moshe has moved his tent out of the camp
(33:7-11). There in his tent Moshe now pleads with HaShem that the Shechina
should go with them. HaShem agrees. Moshe asks to see HaShem's glory, and
HaShem agrees. Moshe is instructed to carve two new tablets, and to prepare to
return to the mountain the next morning. (33:12 until 34:3).
31. On Rosh Chodesh Elul Moshe
once more ascends the mountain. (Rashi Shemos 33:11 and Devarim 9:18) He is
instructed in the 13 Attributes of Mercy, and warned that we must not make
covenants with the Canaanites, but we must shatter their altars. (34:4-17)
32. Rashi informs us that during this third period on
the mountain the building of the tabernacle was commanded (Rashi 31:18), but he
does not specify at what point. Perhaps he would place parshios Truma, Tetzavei
and the beginning of Ki Sisa (25:1 until 31:17), between 34:17 and 34:18. Thus
the discussion of what to do to the Canaanite altars (leading up to 34:17)
would be followed by the instructions for making a tabernacle and altar for
HaShem. And the discussion of Shabbos in verses 31:12-17, would be followed by
the discussion of the festivals (the usual association), 34:18-26.
33. In verse 34:27 Moshe is informed which parts of
the Torah may be written down and which may not (Rashi). He remains on the
mountain for forty days and nights, as he did before, by the end of which
HaShem has rewritten the Ten Commandments on the tablets that Moshe has carved
(see Rashi to 34:1). He descends with the second tablets on Yom Kippur, his
face glowing with "rays of splendor.” (34:29-35; Rashi).[4]
the end it is Rav Menachem Leibtag of Yeshivat Har Etzion Alon Shvut, Isra’el,
one of my personal favorites among contemporary rabbis, whom I will quote for
an answer to the question posed above:
In the Torah, we find numerous
mitzvot (commandments) through which we commemorate Yetziat Mitzraim, both on
the ANNIVERSARY of the Exodus: e.g. eating matzah, telling of the story of
Yetziat Mitzraim, korban Pesach etc.; and even ALL YEAR ROUND: e.g.
"mitzvat bikkurim" (bringing the first fruits to Yerushalayim),
tfillin, shabbat, and the daily recital of "kriyat shma,” etc., all of
which the Torah relates to the Exodus (i.e. "zecher l'yitziat
approach to Ma'amad Har Sinai is totally different. Nowhere in Chumash do we
find a specific mitzvah whose purpose is to commemorate this event. [Sefer
Dvarim does require that we not forget the events that transpired at Har Sinai
(see 4:9-16), but that requirement is related to the prohibition to make any
image of God. / See Hasagot HaRamban to Sefer HaMitzvot of the Rambam- Lo
Furthermore, the Torah does not
even tell us the precise day on which Matan Torah took place. While the precise
day (and even time of day) of the Exodus is mentioned numerous times, Chumash
never reveals the precise day on which Matan Torah took place. We are only
informed that Bnei Yisrael arrived at Har Sinai in the third month:
Bnei Yisrael's departure from the land of Egypt, ON THIS DAY, they came to
Not only is the phrase "on
this day" ambiguous, it is quite difficult to determine how many days
actually transpire between their arrival at Har Sinai and Matan Torah (see
Shmot 19:3-16 & B.T. Shabbat 86b). Thus, even if we assume (see Rashi 19:1-
"b'yom hazeh") that Bnei Yisrael arrived on the first day of the
month, the lack of a clear chronology in the subsequent events still makes it
impossible to pinpoint that date.
Why does the Torah PURPOSELY
obscure the date of Matan Torah? Why does it not leave us with any specific
mitzvah to commemorate that event?
The Torah's implicit message
may be that Matan Torah is not an historically bound event. EVERY DAY we must
feel as though the Torah was given TODAY. This concept is reflected in the
"... it should have been written: 'ON THAT DAY'.
Why does the pasuk say: 'ON THIS DAY'? This comes to teach us that the words of
the Torah should be considered new to you – as though they were given
TODAY!" (quoted by Rashi Shmot 19:1)
Every generation must feel that
it has entered into a covenant with God (see Dvarim 5:1-3). Every generation
must feel that God's words were spoken to them no less than to earlier
generations. To celebrate the anniversary of Matan Torah as a single moment in
our history would diminish from that meta-historical dimension.[5]
Shavu’ot in the New Testament: Round Two
to the Scriptural account in the Apostolic Scriptures/B’rit Chadashah
(New Covenant, a.k.a., New Testament), HaShem allowed his Spirit to be
experienced by all of the believers, as well as by the other men gathered
there. The result was the disciples’ ability to speak in languages not
yet personally learned. To be sure, the text says that Jews from every
nation under heaven heard in their respective language, the Good News!
This was amazing indeed! In fact, Kefa (Peter) had to defend their state
of sobriety, as they were accused of being drunk so early in the morning!
Were they indeed drunk? Yes, drunk in the Spirit! Tongues of fire
and the sound of a violent wind also accompanied this magnificent display of
the Spirit’s power. Actually, the Hebrew word for “spirit,” “breath,” and
“wind” are all the same—ruach! Some believers today refer to this
record as the birth of the Church although I do not hold to such a view
the display of the tongues of fire and the presence of great sounds is
reminiscent of the Sinai encounter. The rabbis also teach that when
HaShem presented the Torah to the people, that it went forth in a multiple of
fiery substance, inviting each individual Jew to accept the command to follow
the whole of the Torah. The account in Acts describes the tongues of fire
alighting themselves upon each person. In the Sinai delivery of the
Torah, the account says “thunders and lightnings…” (KJV). The actual
Hebrew word rendered thunders is “voices”! This strengthens the
connection to the Acts account, with voices being heard. But how does this
festival teach us some spiritual importance that we should not forget?
The Ruach HaKodesh – The Power to Live a Changed Life!
reader of mine sent in the following question. I have used his question
and my answers to develop the remainder of this commentary.
does it really mean to be baptized in Holy Spirit? Is there really a
second experience, even though I have been taught in church there is one I
can't justify it by scripture as I think it has more to do with unity and
membership within the believing community. What exactly is the “in” vs.
“on” debate about anyhow?
allow me to quote our (Kehilat T’nuvah’s) core Statement of Beliefs:
HAKODESH (HOLY SPIRIT) - We
believe by perfect faith that the Holy One, Blessed be He, desires that all of
his children appropriate and internalize the power and fullness of his gracious
Spirit. The Baptism in the Ruach HaKodesh and fire is a gift from HaShem
as promised by Yeshua the Messiah to all believers and is received subsequent
to the New Birth (Matt. 3:11; John 14:16, 17; Acts 1:8; 2:38, 39). The
gift of tongues is but one of the many manifestations of the Ruach HaKodesh
(Acts 2:4; 19:1-7; 1 Cor. 12:1-13; ch. 14). We believe in the operation
of all of the gifts of the Ruach HaKodesh as enumerated in HaShem's Word.
We embrace the complete ministry of the Ruach HaKodesh (Rom. 12; 1 Cor.
very first mention of the Ruach in the Torah is in Genesis 1:2
~Iy'M;h yen.P-l;[ t,p,x;r.m ~yih{l/a
m’rachefet al-paney ha-mayim"
God hovered over the surface of the water)
with this reference, the Ruach is also mentioned in quite a few other
surprising locations in the entire TaNaKH (Old Testament). Some rather
familiar references are found in the story of Shimshon (Samson), where we learn
that he enjoyed a special anointing from the Ruach (read Judges
13:24-14:20). In these verses the Ruach is described as "coming upon
him powerfully." But was the Ruach within him? I’ve heard it
taught that the Ruach did not enter into men until the New Covenant.
However, concerning the construction of the Mishkan, B’tzal’el, the master
craftsman, is said to have been “filled with the spirit of God…”[6] according to the 1917 JPS translation
confusion stirred up within the debate of “IN” vs. “ON,” that is, a teaching
which purports that “in the Old Testament the Spirit merely resided upon (on)
folks, while in the New Testament the Spirit resides within (in) a person”
firstly seems to ignore the fact that Scripture teaches us plainly that
regeneration of a man cannot take place without the Ruach HaKodesh!
Observe the language of this pasuk from Sha'ul:
1 But, brothers, I do not
want you to go on being ignorant about the things of the Spirit. 2 You know
that when you were pagans, no matter how you felt you were being led, you were
being led astray to idols, which can't speak at all. 3 Therefore, I want to
make it clear to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says,
"Yeshua is cursed!" and no one can say, "Yeshua is Lord,"
except by the Ruach HaKodesh. (1 Cor. 12:1-3)
one seems as relevant today as it was back then! We believers seem to be
ignorant concerning the work of the Spirit and as a result go about bickering
and arguing about topics such as “IN” vs. “ON.” Sha'ul’s wish is that
with the help of the unified Word of HaShem and the witness of the genuine
indwelling Spirit we should all come to the unifying knowledge that God has
graciously granted unto us, as demonstrated by sending us gifted individuals
capable of disseminating genuine Truth to the Body:
12 Their task is to equip
God's people for the work of service that builds the body of the Messiah, 13
until we all arrive at the unity implied by trusting and knowing the Son of
God, at full manhood, at the standard of maturity set by the Messiah's
perfection. 14 We will then no longer be infants tossed about by the waves and
blown along by every wind of teaching, at the mercy of people clever in
devising ways to deceive. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in
every respect grow up into him who is the head, the Messiah. 16 Under his
control, the whole body is being fitted and held together by the support of
every joint, with each part working to fulfill its function; this is how the
body grows and builds itself up in love. (Eph. 4:12-16)
is it about the Spirit that will unite us as believers? Simply and
foundationally that: only the Spirit can regenerate a man so as to cause him to
declare Jesus as LORD! Verse two of our Corinthians passage above
contrasts our former blindness and ignorance as “pagans being led by other than
holy spirits” with now being led by the one and only Holy Spirit. The
Greek word ethnos e~qnh,
often rendered as “Gentiles,” “pagans” must be understood within each
individual context presented. Here it connotes a foreigner from the
nations devoid of true knowledge and worship of HaShem, i.e., a pagan.
Compare this now with the reality that we have in Messiah, viz, brought to life
along with him through the gift of the Spirit. In this sense, we are no
longer “pagans.” Did we come to this revelation on our own?
No. Regeneration is accomplished solely by the divine fiat of God.
Man is incapable of calling God “Abba” without becoming “born again” first (cf.
all of Romans chapter eight, but specifically verses 14-17). The second
clause of verse three of our Corinthian passage confirms this reality.
That the second clause is perhaps a lesson in ontology[7] is also a possibility, one that I
will not explore in this particular study.
have we learned thus far? Simply that a person must experience the
genuine regeneration from the Spirit in order to be genuinely saved. This
truth is fundamentally applicable from Adam to today! No man approaches
the Father except through Yeshua, and no man may come unless the Father draws
him (see John 6:30-71 where the primary discussion is eternal life offered
exclusively through Yeshua)!
let us turn to a discussion on Yeshua’s promise of the Spirit in Acts chapter
6 When they were together,
they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore self-rule to
Isra'el?" 7 He answered, "You don't need to know the dates or the
times; the Father has kept these under his own authority. 8 But you will
receive power when the Ruach HaKodesh comes upon you; you will be my
witnesses both in Yerushalayim and in all Y'hudah and Shomron, indeed to the
ends of the earth!" (Acts 1:6-8)
we find a “New Testament” passage utilizing the word “upon” instead of
“in.” The Greek word for “upon” above is epi ejpiv and it’s primary meaning is in fact “upon.”[8] In fact, this word is never
translated as “in” anywhere that I can find in the Apostolic Scriptures!
Clearly the work of the Spirit in these verses refers to taking the Gospel
message beyond the confines of the city limits, into the foreign mission field
of the non-Jews, something “unthinkable” for the ethnocentric Jewish 1st
century Judaisms. The Jewish core of the talmidim needed the empowering
of the Ruach HaKodesh if they were going to overcome the social barriers
created by the prevailing rabbinic halakhah that sought to separate Jew from
non-Jew. Acts chapter two, which cites Joel 3:1-5 (2:28-32), is proof
positive that God was using Jewish believers to reach out to non-Jewish peoples
passage in the Apostolic Scriptures that uses the language of “on” where we
would think it should read “in” is 1 Peter 4:12-16:
regard as strange the fiery ordeal occurring among you to test you, as if
something extraordinary were happening to you. 13 Rather, to the extent that
you share the fellowship of the Messiah's sufferings, rejoice; so that you will
rejoice even more when his Sh'khinah is revealed. 14 If you are being insulted
because you bear the name of the Messiah, how blessed you are! For the Spirit
of the Sh'khinah, that is, the Spirit of God, is resting on you! 15 Let
none of you suffer for being a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or a meddler
in other people's affairs. 16 But if anyone suffers for being Messianic, let
him not be ashamed; but let him bring glory to God by the way he bears this
the Greek word for “on” in verse 14 is epi ejpiv. Context again shows that an already
genuine believer is receiving subsequent empowering to withstand the trails
that come as a result of bearing the name of Yeshua in the first place!
Verse fourteen clearly shows the proper order in which to understand the “IN”
vs. “ON” debate, namely, the Spirit saves an individual and then the Spirit
subsequently empowers such an individual to witness for Yeshua.
then is the “work of the Spirit” taught throughout the Apostolic
Scriptures? Simply the subsequent empowering of an already saved
individual to do things that he normally could not do under his own
power. The crucial key to unlocking the debate over “IN” vs. “ON” is
knowing that the Ruach HaKodesh firstly works “IN” us to bring about
regeneration and then works “ON” us to bring about empowerment to do the Will
of God. I personally think we should change our language from “IN” vs.
“ON” to a more accurate depiction of “IN” as well as “ON.” The Spirit
saves and the Spirit empowers! Why can’t we grasp these two important
biblical truths simultaneously? The “Old Testament saints” were saved
exactly the same way as we in the 21st century are saved: by grace,
through faith in the gift of God, namely, the Son of God and the Spirit of God
in a very real way, the presence and ministry of the Ruach HaKodesh, as we know
him today, according to the times of the TaNaKH, would not be fully realized
until the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Yeshua (read
entire chapter of John 14, specifically vv. 16-18, 26). Of this ministry
and individual power of the Spirit, Ezekiel prophesied about in 11:19, 20 and
36:25-29. Again, this is also the same individual "spirit"
spoken about in Joel 2:28, 29, which is confirmed by Peter in Acts
2:16-18. The Ruach HaKodesh was indeed present in the days of the TaNaKH,
empowering individuals such as B’tzal’el and Shimshon, yet his ministry was
slightly different than that of today because of his unique role in what
happened after Acts chapter two. Perhaps it is best to think of his
ministry in the TaNaKH as “less expansive” then as compared to today.
“Less expansive” is not to be equated with “non-existent.” A survey of
the passages and wording used in “both testaments” will show that the “Old”
does not exclusively employ a “ON” reading as ostensibly compared to an
exclusive “IN” reading in the “New.” Rather, a survey of the passages and
wording used in “both testaments” will demonstrate “ON” and “IN” being utilized
interchangeably to teach that the Ruach HaKodesh both saves (“IN”) and empowers
(“ON”), and that he does so consistently with the eternal plans and purposes of
Controlled by Messiah
*These next two sections have been adapted from
‘Transferable Concepts,’ a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ.
[9] be filled with the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) is to be filled with Messiah
(Christ). The Ruach HaKodesh came to glorify Messiah. Therefore, if I am filled
with the Spirit, I am abiding in Messiah. I am walking in the light as he is
the light, and the blood of Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) will cleanse and
keep on cleansing me from all unrighteousness. I am controlled by Messiah
because the word "filling" means to be controlled. And if I am
controlled - not as a robot but as one who is led and empowered by the Spirit -
the LORD Yeshua will walk around in my body, as it were, and live his
resurrection life in and through me.
amazing fact, that Messiah lives in you and expresses his love through you, is
one of the most important truths in the Torah. The standards of the Torah life
seem so high and so impossible to achieve at times. To be sure, with our
carnal flesh we cannot please God by attempting to follow Torah. The
Torah will always remind us of how short we fall if we submit to it in the
flesh. But if we walk in the Spirit then we will walk in the Power and
Life of the Messiah himself! It is the life of Yeshua living through us
that enables us to keep the Torah as it was meant to be kept. Does the
Torah expect us to be sinless? Of course not. The Torah anticipates
our shortcomings and graciously makes provision for them. To be Torah submissive,
to be led by the Spirit, is to avail ourselves of the sinless sacrifice of the
Spotless Lamb. Only this sacrifice can remove the stain of sin in our
hearts. Only one man was sinless. That man was Yeshua of
Natzeret. Now, through his indwelling presence, he wants to enable all
that place their trust in him to live this same supernatural life. If you
are willing for Yeshua the Messiah to live his resurrection life in and through
you, you will bear spiritual fruit as naturally as a healthy vine will bear an abundance
said, "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you
will be My disciples." You can be a great preacher, a Christian scholar, a
deacon or elder, attend church meetings daily, live a clean, moral life,
memorize hundreds of verses of Scripture, direct a church choir, and teach
Sunday school, but if you are not bearing fruit in the sense that you are
drawing others to Messiah, you are not filled and controlled by the Ruach
HaKodesh according to the Torah.
people say, "I witness for Messiah by living a good life." But it is
not enough to live a good life. Many non-believers live fine, moral, ethical
lives. According to the LORD Yeshua, the only way to demonstrate that you are
truly following Him is to produce fruit, which includes introducing others to
our Savior as well as living holy lives. And the only way you can produce fruit
is through the power of the Ruach HaKodesh.
attended Liberty University in the ‘80’s. I asked one of the leading
theologians of our time, the dean of faculty for a famous theological seminary,
if he felt that one could be a Spirit-filled person with out sharing Messiah as
a way of life. His answer was an emphatic, "No!" On what basis
could he make such a strong statement? The answer is obvious. Our Savior came
to "seek and to save the lost," and he has "chosen and
ordained" you to share the good news of his love and forgiveness with
everyone, everywhere. To fail to witness for Messiah with your lips is to
disobey this command just as much as to fail to witness for him by living a
holy life is to disobey his command. In neither case can the disobedient
believer expect God to control and empower his life, nor can he experience the
reality of God's presence and blessing.
position as a Torah Teacher I get to speak at various churches from time to
time. A very discouraged student came to me for counsel after one of my
messages. For several months he had spent at least three hours each day reading
his Bible, praying and sharing his faith with others. Yet, he had never
introduced anyone to Messiah. After a time of discussion, his problem became
apparent: he confessed that he was operating under his own power; he was not
controlled and empowered by the Ruach HaKodesh, although he wanted to be.
So we prayed together, and by faith he appropriated the power of the Ruach
HaKodesh on the authority of God's Word. His life was absolutely
transformed. This "appropriating" might be what many are
referring to as the "second experience" of the Spirit, the move from
the mental ascent that Yeshua is LORD to the spiritual affirmation that he is
LORD. That very day he had his first experience of introducing a person to
Messiah. Baruch HaShem! Not only do you receive a supernatural
power for witnessing when you are filled with the Spirit, but your personality
also begins to change. As you continue to walk in the control and power of the
Ruach HaKodesh, the fruit of the Spirit becomes increasingly obvious in your
Galatians 5:22, 23, Sha’ul (Paul) explains, "When the Ruach HaKodesh
controls our lives He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self
The Spirit and the Word
believer's relationship with the Ruach HaKodesh is both critical and
progressive: critical, in that one learns that the Torah life is a life
of faith rather than a life of works and has little reference to emotions
("The just shall live by faith."); progressive, in that, as
one walks consistently in the power and control of the Ruach HaKodesh, the
fruit of the Spirit will be produced in his life.
word of caution is in order. Do not seek an emotional or mystical experience.
Do not depend on mystical impressions. That is not to say that when the
Spirit comes upon an individual that emotions will not be involved. To be
sure, most people express experiencing quite an emotional outburst connected to
an encounter with the Divine. Yet, the objective Torah of God and the
Fruit of the Spirit must be the basis of measuring and tracking our spiritual
growth. There is an interesting parallel between Ephesians 5:18, which
admonishes us to be constantly and continually directed and empowered by the
Ruach HaKodesh, and Colossians 3:16, which admonishes us to "let the Word
of Messiah richly dwell within you..."
Bible describes one of the end results of both letting the Word (Torah) of
Messiah dwell in you and being filled with the Ruach HaKodesh: you will talk
much about the LORD quoting psalms and hymns and making music in your heart to
important to recognize the importance of the balance between the Torah and the
Spirit of God. The Torah is closed to our understanding and has little meaning
to us apart from the illumination given by the Ruach HaKodesh, and the Ruach
HaKodesh is hindered in speaking clear and life changing truth apart from the
us to understand theologically, that the primary purpose in HaShem's giving of the
Torah, as a way of making someone righteous, only achieves its goal when the
person, by faith, accepts that Yeshua is the promised Messiah spoken about
therein. Until the individual reaches this conclusion, his familiarity of
the Torah is only so much intellectual nutrition. Only by believing in
Yeshua will the person be able to properly understand HaShem, and consequently,
the emphasis on the ministry of the Ruach HaKodesh and the Torah is in proper
balance in your life, the result is a life of power and great fruitfulness in
which our Savior, the LORD Yeshua The Messiah, is wonderfully honored and
glorified. As you continue then to allow the Ruach HaKodesh to control and
empower you, and as you meditate upon the Torah, hiding it in your heart, your
life expresses more and more the beauty of Messiah and the fruit of the Spirit
which Sha’ul lists in Galatians 5:22, 23. These attributes of our LORD Yeshua
Himself—Torah submissiveness, plus fruitful witnessing, indicate that the LORD
is actually living his life in and through you!
filled with the Spirit results in an abundant and overflowing life. Jesus of
Nazareth once cried out to the multitude, "If a man is thirsty, let him
come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said,
streams of living water will flow from within him." John adds, "By
this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to
this is "the abundant life," yet most believers are experiencing
does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit?
terms "baptized" and "filled" are synonyms for the same
experience described above. The first term simply connects the experience
with the physical baptism that all believers are to undergo, as truthfully,
many believers admit to feeling "filled with the Spirit" at the
moment of their baptism. The terms are indeed used synonymously.
does baptized with fire mean?
again, this term helps to describe the experience of being filled with the
knowledge of Messiah. Yet, this phrase seems to carry the connotation of
a soldier receiving his marching orders. The term "fire" in the
Bible is used to convey the power of the Word of God. To be sure, both
the Sinai experience and the day of Pentecost were accompanied by great
displays of fire. This signifies the Word of God, the Torah, and the
Apostolic Scriptures, going forth in power in the life of an individual.
To be baptized in fire means to appropriate the knowledge of Messiah with the
knowledge of his Torah. Indeed the two go hand in hand. For without
the Word of God firmly rooted in a believer how can the Spirit bring all things
of Yeshua to his remembrance?
is the Spirit’s fire that can be quenched if we despise prophecy?
our study of the ministry of the Ruach HaKodesh we understand that the Spirit
indwells every believer at the moment of salvation. We also find that there are
several direct commands from the Torah concerning the Spirit of HaShem and
believers. Let’s take a look at one of them. This command “Quench not the
Spirit,” comes at the close of Sha’ul's first epistle to the Thessalonians.
Notice chapter five and beginning with verse twelve. We see the apostle pulling
together the final part of his letter. As he begins to close it seems that many
exhortations came to mind as he completed the epistle. One of those closing
exhortations is
"Quench not the Spirit."was Sha’ul talking about? Some would use this verse to try to prove that one
can lose their salvation and that the Spirit of HaShem can be put out of their
lives. We know that this is a misinterpretation as we compare Scripture with
Scripture. Yeshua himself promised never to leave us nor forsake us.
Sha’ul wrote to the Ephesian believers admonishing them to be careful not to
grieve the Ruach HaKodesh who has sealed them until the day of redemption.
dictionary gives four basic definitions of the word "quench.” It means to
put out or extinguish; to suppress or squelch; to slake or satisfy one's thirst;
and to cool by thrusting in water or some other liquid.
the context of this verse we understand it to mean suppressing or squelching
the influence of the Ruach HaKodesh of God in the life of a
believer. The following outline will help to report our conclusions to
The Spirit of HaShem can be "quenched.”
If it were not true then the Ruach HaKodesh would not have had Sha’ul include
This action is only attributed to the believer. Unbelievers do not
possess the Spirit as an inheritance.
Primarily the Ruach HaKodesh is not quenched from without, but from within.
What is it that the believer can do to quench the Spirit of HaShem in his life?
It is not done merely by committing a single sinful act...for it is the Spirit
of God who convicts us of our sin. It is done by continually living in
sin—repetitive disobedience to the Torah—even after the Spirit has convicted a
person of such sin! The emphasis here is on the “repeat offender,” the
believer who expresses knowledge of objective Torah commands and yet refuses to
To understand how believers quench the Spirit in their life we have to remind
ourselves of how the Spirit ministers to us individually.
He is here to teach us, guide us, direct us, rebuke us, and to show us the way
to unfold the Torah to give us joy, peace and love.
His ministry is to transform our lives our character, and our experiences into
those of the Messiah Yeshua.
We quench the Spirit's influence in our lives when we resist his ministry to
When we fail to yield ourselves to HaShem.
We quench the Spirit when we say "NO" to HaShem.
It has been stated quite aptly, “Nothing could be more misdirected than a
When HaShem created us he purposely made us with a “God-shaped hole” on the
inside. Even unregenerate man innately recognizes the need for “higher
direction” from without himself. Simply put, man was divinely designed to
be led by the Spirit of God instead of leading himself along without God.
The Scriptures testify to these truths:
"Man's goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own
"O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man
that walketh to direct his steps." cf. Jer. 10:23
HaShem sent the Ruach HaKodesh into our lives that he might lead and direct us.
Yeshua the Messiah is our Example.
He was willing to GO where his Father chose.
The Creator was willing to come to this earth.
He left his glorified position in heaven to come and be rejected on Earth.
He came into this world with a mission and message of grace.
Are we willing to go wherever the LORD might choose to lead?
If not, we quench the Spirit in our lives.
He was willing to BE whatever his Father chose.
Not only was he willing to lay aside the garments of glory...
He was willing to be incarnate...become flesh...the Creator taking on the form
He "made Himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a
servant, and was made in the likeness of men," cf. Ph. 2:7
Are we willing to be what HaShem wants us to be?
If not, we quench the Spirit of God in our lives.
He was willing to DO whatever his Father chose.
He became obedient unto death.
He was willing to give his life on the execution stake that you and I might
He suffered the cruelest of deaths, not because he deserved to die, but because
he chose to take our place that we might go free!
Are we willing to be obedient to do what HaShem wants us to do with our lives?
If not, we quench the Spirit of God.
What does it mean to be yielded to HaShem?
It means being willing to:
Go anywhere the Father might choose to lead.
Be anything that the Father might choose for us to be.
Do whatever the Father might choose for us to do.
It means being in HaShem's will.
This is not a question of being willing to do some single thing one time
It is a question of being willing to do anything, when, where, and how it may
God doesn't expect us to make promises to him about what we will or will not
The believer in the flesh says, "If HaShem wants me to do something,
let him tell me and I will decide whether or not I will do it."
The yielded believer says, "I am willing to be made willing to do his
Conclusions
not the Spirit. Don't say “no” to HaShem. Don't seek solutions apart from his
leading or treat him with indifference. We must be willing to be led, be
willing to go, to be, and to do whatever God might choose!
know that it was the Torah, the very same teachings that we have today, that
was inscribed upon the stone tablets that day. We also know that this
same Torah is to be inscribed upon our hearts as we serve Yeshua (Jesus), to the
glory of HaShem the Father. How do we get the Torah into our
hearts? The Spirit of the Holy One makes real the fact that Yeshua the
Messiah, in obedience to the Father, emptied himself on our behalf, and became
as sin, that we might, consequently, become the righteousness of the
Father! In other words, because the Ruach HaKodesh makes the effectual,
sacrificial death of Messiah, a living reality in our hearts, we are now free
to walk in newness of life! This act of faith on our part brings about
the inscription of the Torah upon our hearts! To be sure, the Torah says
that HaShem himself does this (Ezekiel 36:26, 27; Jeremiah 31:33)!
We are free to pursue the Torah of Truth without condemnation (Romans
8:1)! This new identity in Messiah is the righteous relationship
that our Heavenly Abba (Father) intended for us all along. The details
surrounding that eventful Shavu'ot in Jerusalem now serve to
remind us of this present reality.
you have not yet experienced this wonderful truth, that HaShem desires to have
a personal relationship with you, then I urge you to accept his Messiah
today! The Spirit of the Holy One will fill your life to overflowing,
giving you a new and fresh purpose for living! His Spirit will write the
Torah upon your heart! To be sure, he has promised to place within you a
new voice and a new tongue! Such a tongue sings praises to the Father of
Mercies! This very same Father is the one who sent his only and unique
Son into the world to die for the sins of all men!
“Chag Shavu’ot Sah-meach!”
(Happy Festival of Weeks!)
For further study, read: Ex. Chapter 19; Deut.
10:12-16; 30:6; Josh. 1:8; Ps. 19:7-11; 32:1, 2; Prov. 2:5, 6; Isaiah 53:5;
Jer. 31:33, 34; Ezek. 36:25-27; John 1:14; Rom. 8:16; Eph. 2:4-10; Phil. 2:10,
Torah Teacher Ariel ben-Lyman HaNaviy [email protected]
Ariel ben-Lyman HaNaviy, Omer Reisheet, (Tetze Torah Ministries, 2007),
Tim Hegg,
Counting the Omer (TorahResource.com, 2002, 2009), p. 16
http://www.vbm-torah.org/shavuot/shavuot4.htm
http://www.vbm-torah.org/shavuot/shavuot4.htm
The Hebrew of Exodus 35:31 reads, “~yih{l/a ;x.Wr w{t{a aeL;m.y;w
The Oxford American Dictionary defines ontology as, “the branch of
metaphysics dealing with the nature of being.”
According to Thayer’s and Smith’s Bible Dictionary (TSBD) ejpiv also
means “on, at, by, before, over, against, to, across.”
http://www.transferableconcepts.com/transconcepts/english/spirit/mean.html
