The levitical Feast of Weeks (“Shavuot”) celebrates and honors God’s covenants of love. (Lev. 23:15-44) An early harvest feast, Shavuot falls 50 days after Passover, on the 7th day of third biblical month. This year the date corresponds to May 30-31, 2017.
According to tradition, It was on Shavuot that YHVH gave Israel the gift of His Word, the law written on tablets of stone. It was also on Shavuot that God gave His people the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-12). That historic event is known more commonly as Pentecost. It inaugurated the New Covenant whereby God would write His law on our hearts, providing grace to lovingly obey it. If Shavuot at Sinai birthed a nation, Shavuot at Pentecost birthed a commonwealth (Eph. 2:12 ,KJV, NASB). Most call it the Church or international body of Messiah.
The book of Ruth is read in synagogues around the world on Shavuot. The rabbis teach this is because the biblical tale took place at the season of Shavuot. (Ruth 2:1-23) But I believe there’s more. Ruth serves as an annual, prophetic witness to the Jewish people of the “commonwealth of Israel” or One New Humanity in Messiah. One new humanity represents a glorious, Word-and-Spirit culmination of the Feast of Shavuot. And that’s reason to rejoice!
According to Jewish tradition the heavens are opened for special revelation of YHVH on Shavuot. Therefore, many observant Jews stay up all night on Erev Shavuot to study the Scriptures. PLEASE PRAY they will seek Him with all their heart, that He may reveal Himself to many of His people tonight! (Jer. 29:13) His Son died for the sake of His love covenants with Israel. A blessed Shavuot in Yeshua as you celebrate and honor Him!