- Resurrection and Ascension of Messiah (Mem B’Omer)
- The Cord that links the festivals of Pesach and Shavuot together
- Now Ha-Mashiach is Risen!
- The Great Commission
Resurrection & Ascension of Messiah (Mem B’Omer)
We are in the midst of the 49 day “countdown” that runs from the first Sunday after Passover until the holiday of Shavuot (Weeks).
This seven week period is called Counting the Omer (Leviticus 23:15-16). During the Temple period, on each of these days an appointed priest would wave a sheaf (Omer) of barley before Adonai as a symbolic gesture of dedicating the coming harvest to Him. This ceremony was called tenufat ha-omer (waving of the sheaf). On the 50th day, however, the firstfruits of the first crop of the wheat harvest was baked into two loaves of bread (Shtei Ha-Lechem) that was leavened by yeast that was a product of the fermentation of the firstfruits barley grain. The firstfruits offering of the golden wheat that was leavened by the “yeast of humility” (the fermented Firstfruits barley grain) was waved before the altar as the culminating final rite of the Pesach season (Leviticus 23:15-20). The use of the yeast of the humble barley grain to make the glorious golden wheat grain rise (in two loaves of sacrificed bread) was the only time that any yeast (leaven) was allowed to be used by the priests for the avodah (see Leviticus 2:11).
The Cord that links the festivals of Pesach and Shavuot together:
The forty-nine days between Passover and Shavuot is the cord that links the two festivals together.
Indeed, Shavuot is regarded as the culmination of the experience of redemption, sometimes called Atzaret Pesach, the “Conclusion of Passover.” Just as the redemption by the blood of the lambs led to Israel’s deliverance and the giving of the Torah at Sinai, so the redemption by the blood (life) of the Messiah led to the world’s deliverance and the giving of the Holy Spirit at Zion.
And just as the Covenant of Sinai created the nation of Israel, so the Covenant of Zion created the International Commonwealth of Israel.
The Covenant of Zion has created an International Commonwealth of Israel that is composed of the redeemed gentiles from “every tribe and tongue.” The waving of the “two loaves” of leavened bread therefore prophesied the creation of the “one new man,” both Jew and Gentile, that would become the firstfruits of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.
Ultimately there will be one flock, one Shepherd, and one united people.
Since the resurrection of the Messiah occurred during the first day of the Omer (i.e., on Reshit Katzir), and the Holy Spirit was given to the disciples 50 days later on Shavuot (Pentecost), all of our Master’s post-resurrection (and pre-Shavuot) appearances occurred during the days of the Omer count. To determine the order and possible dates (for our Omer count) of these appearances we need to first look at six accounts of the Messiah’s resurrection appearances that are sourced in the testimony of the Brit Chadashah.
#1. The Resurrection Account of the First Face of Ezekiel
(The Lion King) from the Besorah of Mattai.
וְאַחֲרֵי מוֹצָאֵי הַשַׁבָּת כְּשֶׁהֵאִיר לְאֶחָד בַּשַׁבָּת בָּאָה מִרְיָם הַמַּגְדָּלִית וּמִרְיָם הָאַחֶרֶת לִרְאוֹת אֶת־הַקָּבֶר׃ וְהִנֵּה רָעָשׁ גָּדוֹל הָיָה כִּי־מַלְאַךְ ה’ יָרַד מִן־הַשָּׁמַיִם וַיִּגַּשׁ וַיָּגֶל אֶת־הָאֶבֶן מִן־הַפֶּתַח וַיֵּשֶׁב עָלֶיהָ׃ וּמַרְאֵהוּ כְּמַרְאֵה הַבָּרָק וּלְבוּשׁוֹ לָבָן כַּשָׁלֶג׃ וַיִּבָּהֲלוּ הַשֹׁמְרִים מִפַּחְדּוֹ וַיִּהְיוּ כַּמֵּתִים׃ וַיַּעַן הַמַּלְאָךְ וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־הַנָּשִׁים אַתֵּן אַל־תִּירֶאןָ הֵן יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אֶת־יֵשׁוּעַ הַנִּצְלָב אַתֵּן מְבַקְשׁוֹת׃ הוּא אֵינֶנּוּ פֹה כִּי־קָם כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמָר בֹּאנָה וּרְאֶינָה אֶת־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר שָׁכַב־שָׁם הָאָדוֹן׃ לֵכְנָה מַהֵר וְהִגַּדְתֶּן לְתַלְמִידָיו כִּי קָם מִן־הַמֵּתִים וְהִנֵּה הוּא הוֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיכֶם הַגָּלִילָה וְשָׁם תִּרְאֻהוּ הִנֵּה אָמַרְתִּי לָכֶן׃
Now Ha-Mashiach is Risen!
After Motza’ei Shabbat, as it began to dawn (brighten) toward the first day of the week, Miryam HaMagdalit and the other Miryam came to look at the tomb. And behold, a great earthquake had occurred, for the angel of Adonai (HaShem) descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. His appearance was like the appearance of lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him (were terrified) and became like dead men. The angel spoke up and said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are seeking Yeshua, who was crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where the Master was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples (talmidin, talmidim) that He has risen from the dead; and He is going ahead of you into the Galil (Galilee), and there you will see Him. Look, I have told you.”
וַתְּמַהֵרְנָה וַתֵּצֶאנָה מִן־הַקֶּבֶר בְּיִרְאָה וּבְשִׂמְחָה גְדוֹלָה וַתָּרֹצְנָה לְסַפֵּר אֶל־תַּלְמִידָיו׃ הֵנָּה הֹלְכוֹת לְסַפֵּר אֶל־תַּלְמִידָיו וְהִנֵּה יֵשׁוּעַ נִקְרֶה אֲלֵיהֶן וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁלוֹם לָכֵן וַתִּגַּשְׁנָה וַתֹּאחַזְנָה בְרַגְלָיו וַתִּשְׁתַּחֲוֶיןָ לוֹ׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶן יֵשׁוּעַ אַל־תִּירֶאןָ לֵכְנָה וְהַגֵּדְנָה לְאַחַי וְיֵלְכוּ הַגָּלִילָה וְשָׁם יִרְאוּנִי׃
The women quickly went out of from the tomb in fear and great joy, and they ran to report to His disciples. As they were going to report to His disciples, Yeshua happened upon them, and He said, “Shalom to you.” They approached, grasped His feet, and bowed down to Him. Yeshua said to them, “Do not fear. Go and tell My brothers to go on to the Galil, and there they will see Me.”
וַיְהִי בְלֶכְתָּן וְהִנֵּה אֲנָשִׁים מִן־הַמִּשְׁמָר בָּאוּ הָעִירָה וַיַּגִּידוּ לְרָאשֵׁי הַכֹּהֲנִים אֵת כָּל־הַנַּעֲשָׂה׃ וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ עִם־הַזְּקֵנִים וַיִּתְיָעָצוּ וַיִּתְּנוּ־כֶסֶף לָרֹב אֶל־אַנְשֵׁי הַצָּבָא לֵאמֹר׃ אִמְרוּ־נָא כִּי־בָאוּ תַלְמִידָיו לָיְלָה וַיִּגְנְבוּ אוֹתוֹ וַאֲנַחְנוּ יְשֵׁנִים׃ וְאִם־יִשָׁמַע הַדָּבָר בֵּית הַהֶגְמוֹן אֲנַחְנוּ נְפַיְסֵהוּ וְאַתֶּם אַל־תִּירָאוּ׃ וַיִּקְחוּ אֶת־הַכֶּסֶף וְיַּעֲשׂוֹּ כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׂמוּ בְּפִיהֶם וַתֵּצֵא הַשְׁמוּעָה הַזֹּאת בֵּין הַיְּהוּדִים עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה׃
As they were going, men from the guard came into the city and told the leading priests all that had happened. They assembled with the elders and counseled, and then gave a large amount of money to the soldiers, saying, “Please say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole Him while we were sleeping.’ And if this matter is heard in the home of the governor, we will appease him” (win him over and keep you out of trouble). But as for you, do not fear.” And they took the money and did as it was placed in their mouth (as they had been instructed); and this rumor has gone out among the Yehudim to this day.
The Great Commission:
וְעַשְׁתֵּי עָשָׂר הַתַּלְמִידִים הָלְכוּ הַגָּלִילָה אֶל־הָהָר אֲשֶׁר אָמַר לָהֶם יֵשׁוּעַ׃ וַיִּרְאוּ אֹתוֹ וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ־לוֹ וְיֵשׁ מֵהֶם אֲשֶׁר חָלַק לִבָּם׃ וַיִּגַּשׁ יֵשׁוּעַ וַיְדַבֵּר אֲלֵיהֶם לֵאמֹר נִתַּן־לִי כָּל־שָׁלְטָן בַּשָׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ׃ וְאַתֶּם לְכוּ אֶל־כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם וַעֲשׂוֹּ תַלְמִידִים וּטְבַלְתֶּם אֹתָם לְשֵׁם־הָאָב וְהַבֵּן וְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ׃ וְלִמַּדְתֶּם אֹתָם לִשְׁמֹר אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי אֶתְכֶם וְהִנֵּה אָנֹכִי אִתְּכֶם כָּל־הַיָּמִים עַד־קֵץ הָעוֹלָם אָמֵן׃
The eleven Talmidin went to the Galil, to the mountain that Yeshua had mentioned to them. They saw Him and they bowed down to Him, but there were some of them whose hearts were divided. Yeshua approached and spoke to them saying, “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Me. And you, go to all the nations. Make disciples; immerse them for the name of the Father (הָאָב-HaAv), and the Son (הַבֵּן-HeBen), and the Holy Spirit (רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ-Ruach HaKodesh), and teach them to keep all that I have commanded you. And see, I am with you all of the days until the end of the age. Amen.”