Counting the Omer: Sfirat HaOmer

The feasts of the Lord are a cycle of specially appointed times in which the L-rd has promised to meet
with His people Israel (Lev 23:1-3). Today, that includes all who have been grafted into Israel through
faith in Yeshua.

Much of the Jewish understanding of our faith has been lost. This is due, in part, to edicts of the early
church. For one, the Council of Nicea (325 C.E.) declared that believers would not be allowed to
commemorate Passover but would observe the resurrection on a new holiday called Easter, to be
observed on the first Sunday after the full moon following the Spring Equinox. This has caused the
believers of today to miss not only the connection between Passover, the resurrection and the Counting
of the Omer, but to lack a true understanding of the other Biblical feasts as well.

Many non-Jewish believers in Yeshua understand that the feasts provide excellent "interactive"
teaching tools as well as a continuity of the practical expression of their faith. This begins when a non-
Jewish believer recognizes Abraham as his father (see Our Father Abraham by Marvin Wilson)>(Gal 3:29) and
his connection to the Jewish people.

These special holidays become opportunities for believers in Yeshua (Hebrew for Jesus) to practice the
freedom and growth of their salvation experience as a redeemed community and individually.

COUNTING THE OMER

Sfirat HaOmer,The Early First Fruits (Lev 23:9-14), begins the day after Passover in most circles today.
A period of seven weeks is observed in which each day is counted off for 49 days ending on the fiftieth
day known as Shavuot /Pentecost (Pentacost-means 50). It is the number of days from the barley
harvest to the wheat harvest.

During the Temple times, an elaborate ceremony developed of bringing an offering representing the
earliest harvest, a sheaf of barley, as a thanksgiving tithe to G-d. The priest would meet the worshipers
on the edge of the city and lead them up to the Temple mount with music, praise psalms and dance.

On arriving at the Temple, the priest would take the sheaves of grain and lift some of them in the air,
waving them in every direction, thus acknowledging God's provision and sovereignty over all the earth.
(God's Appointed Times by Barney Kasdan)

The modern synagogue observance involves prayers and blessings from a Jewish prayer book. These
help the people reflect on the symbolic meaning of the day and the days to follow, the time of Counting
the Omer. The traditional way to count the days is by saying a certain prayer every evening and to
mention the number of the current day of the omer.

This time of counting has come to be known as a time of semi-mourning mainly because of a plague
that struck the disciples of Rabbi Akiva in the second Roman revolt of 135 C.E. One day of rejoicing
does occur in this cycle. The rabbis teach that on the 33rd day of the omer, the plague was lifted from
Akiva's army for a day. This has come to be known as "Lag BaOmer" the Hebrew letters for the
number 33.
For Messianic believers, the purpose of the counting goes beyond the agricultural significance. This
feast points us to the resurrection of Messiah. It is a harvest festival where the grain that came from the
earth is lifted high for all to see.

Yeshua drew the comparison Himself when He said:

"I tell you that unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it stays just a
grain; but if it dies it produces a big harvest...
As for me, when am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself" (John
12:24,32)

This parable was spoken to His Jewish disciples as they had come to celebrate Passover, just before
Sfirat HaOmer (John 12:1,20). The resurrection of Messiah from the dead is perfectly symbolized in
the wave offering of the first fruits!

The Biblical feasts teach much about the L-rd and His ways and challenge the believer to a closer
examination of his day-to-day life. Each Biblical holiday points to the next one. Passover leads right
into The Feast of Unleavened bread, a period of seven days in which no leaven is eaten. Counting the
Omer follows Passover and leads into Shavuot.

Counting the Omer continues the cycle in a believer's life of "working out their salvation" (Phil 2:12) .
Use this opportunity to be especially sensitive to any "leaven" (sin) in your thought life. During this
time, acknowledge each and every day as unique. Some people like to read through Psalm 119 taking
eight verses a day during this 50-day count down.
Count the days by saying the following daily prayer and add the count of the current day of the omer.

"Blessed art thou, O Lord Our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by thy
commandments and commanded us to be a light unto the nations and has given us
Yeshua our Messiah, the light of the world."

It is the ___day of the Omer.

In the Jewish culture, the new day begins at sundown so people usually recite the prayer and count the
new day at the evening meal beginning on the first day of Passover.

Happy Counting!

SOURCE: http://www.localaccess.com/pari/omer.htm (last accessed 2010-04-10)