Awe of God: The Feast of Weeks

This month at Freedom, we’ve been talking about the various feasts and festivals mandated by God to the Israelites. What has been most fascinating and “goose bump-inducing” for me is the way each of these celebrations ties into the work Jesus completed in the New Testament. Jesus’ work is so obviously the fulfillment of the things God had begun to do through the nation of Israel.

The Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost, was to take place 50 days after Passover:

“Count off seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain. Then celebrate the Feast of Weeks to the Lord our God by giving a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings the Lord your God has given you.”

Deuteronomy 16:9-10

It was a time of focus. The Israelites were to look “upward,” to God, in gratitude.  Their gratitude was to be in proportion to the blessings they received.  Gratefulness is crucial in maintaining true awe of the Lord. When we are constantly thinking about “where our stuff comes from,” it’s hard to forget the amazing provision of God.

Also, the Israelites were to focus “outward” during this time by extending the blessings to those outside their circles:

“ …your male and female servants, the Levites in your towns, and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows living among you.”
Deuteronomy 16:11b

The Lord instructed the Israelites to invite the “outsiders” to celebrate the goodness of God alongside them.

Generations later, Jesus would tell His disciples to go to Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit – the Advocate. (John 14:26; Acts 1:4). This happened on the day of Pentecost, which the Jews had already been celebrating for hundreds of years. The disciples were gathered together looking “upward,” expecting something from the Lord. The Holy Spirit filled them and gave them boldness to preach the Gospel – which resulted in many coming to know Jesus that day. That’s the “forward” focus – generations of people who would come to know Him!

I love how God brought it full circle.

And I love how He’s continuing to work through His people today. We live in tumultuous days and yet God’s using His Church to draw the “outsider” to Him. Let us not forget that He wants everyone to come to the celebration – the foreigner, the orphan, the widow, those who are outside our “circles.” Let’s set aside our differences and expand the upward, outward and forward focus. Let’s expand the awe of our God to a world that so desperately needs Him. 

Written by: Jaime Hlavin

Edited by: Tamara Sturdivant