|
As we finish the
celebration of Pesach/Passover, we enter into the next appointed
time known as Counting of the Omer, Sefirat Ha’Omer.
This takes place between Pesach and Shavuot and the instructions are
found primarily in Leviticus 23:15-16 -
15
'And you shall count for yourselves from the
day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf
of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed.
16 Count fifty days to the day after the seventh
Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the
Lord. “– NKJV
We are instructed
to count (vou’sefartem).
As with all things in Scripture,
there is a physical application and a spiritual application.
Physically, the scripture tells us, “You
shall count for yourselves… from the day that you
brought the sheaf of the wave offering.” The word which is
translated sheaf or bundle is omer. And we
are instructed to count forty-nine days beginning the day after
Pesach/Passover. The Omer was a unit of measure thus it
relates to the traditional practice of measuring ones’ personal
attributes. As vou’sefartem is used here, this counting is a
declaration, as showing forth, a witness.
Spiritually, the Counting of the Omer is a time to reflect on the
attributes of God and to declare, show forth, witness the attributes
of God and meditate on our personal character. There are seven
emotional attributes which God displays:
1. Chesed
– loving-kindness – KINDNESS… Just as this is the basis of God’s
very nature, it should also be reflected in all that we do.
2. Gevurah
– justice – DISCIPLINED JUSTICE… We need to stand up for the truth
at all times but we must to it in a way that if faithful to all of
God’s desired attributes.
3. Tiferet
– beauty – HARMONY & COMPASSION… The aspect of God’s beauty we must
strive to reflect is the harmony of interaction as demonstrated by
the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and the compassion they show to us,
their created beings.
4. Natzach
– constancy – ENDURANCE… We need to be unyielding in carrying forth
the Good News of Yeshua. We cannot grow weary.
5. Hod
– splendor – HUMILITY… Now it would not be proper to reflect God’s
attribute of splendor by seeking to be the center of praise and
worship so we should reflect His attribute of splendor by going in
the opposite direction, being humble, putting others before our
selves.
6. Yesod
– foundation & connection – BONDING… God is the one on whom
everything is built and we must stay connected to his creation and
those He created.
7. Malchut
- sovereignty - LEADERSHIP… Only God is sovereign but He has called
us to be leaders, those who exert influence and help lead people in
the proper direction, toward God, not away from Him.
These are the seven attributes and their reflections in us. It is not a
coincidence that there are seven attributes of God, there are seven
days in a week and seven weeks in the counting of the Omer.
Therefore one should reflect on one attribute per week. Now as we
all know there are seven days in each of the seven weeks and
therefore we really need forty-nine attributes on which to focus. We
solve that problem by matching the seven attributes in pairs… seven
times seven is forty-nine. All forty-nine pairings can be found on
the Counting of the
Omer Table we have assembled for this year.
In the Torah, HaShem instructed His people, through Moses to prepare
themselves by counting the Omer and reflecting on who they were and
who they were trying to become as they waited to receive the Torah.
What does all
of this mean to us as Messianic Believers today?
HaShem is a God of order and
patterns. What He requires and reveals is repeated and further
refined throughout time.
Click to
continue reading...
|
