Welcome to Bible Fiber, where we are encountering the textures and shades of the biblical tapestry. I am Shelley Neese, president of The Jerusalem Connection, a Christian organization devoted to sharing the story of the people of Israel, both ancient and modern.
This week we are taking a break from Ezekiel and dipping back into our series on High Holidays for the Goyim, because this Sunday night on June 1, Jews will be celebrating the holiday of Shavuot.
When is Shavuot?
Shavuot is also known as the Feast of Weeks or the Feast of Harvest. It is a joyous one-day festival that begins on the sixth day of the third month in the Hebrew calendar, Sivan. This typically falls in late May or early June on the Gregorian calendar. It’s worth noting that Shavuot comes exactly 50 days after the second day of Passover, hence its Greek name, Pentecost, meaning “fiftieth.” This timing links the Exodus from Egypt to the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.
Where is Shavuot Mentioned in the Bible?
Shavuot is mentioned several times in the Hebrew Bible. The most detailed instructions for observing Shavuot are found in Leviticus 23:15-21 and Deuteronomy 16:9-12. These passages establish the dates of the festival and command the offering of first fruits.
God told Moses, “From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord. From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of first fruits to the Lord… You are to proclaim on that same day that a sacred assembly is to be held; you are not to do any regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.” (Lev. 23:15-17, 21)
Deuteronomy 16:9-12 reiterates the command to celebrate Shavuot and emphasizes gratitude and inclusion: “Count off seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain. Then celebrate the Festival of Weeks to the Lord your God by giving a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings the Lord your God has given you. And rejoice before the Lord your God—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns.”
Shavuot originally commemorated the wheat harvest, a time of thanksgiving for God’s provision. However, rabbinic tradition links Shavuot to the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, a pivotal moment in Jewish history when God revealed His commandments to the Israelites. This dual focus on both agricultural bounty and divine revelation makes Shavuot a unique and deeply significant holiday. It reminds Jews of both God’s physical provision and His spiritual guidance.
How is Shavuot Celebrated Today?
The primary observance of Shavuot today focuses on the giving of the Torah. Many Jewish communities observe Tikkun Leil Shavuot, an all-night study session of Torah, Mishnah, and Talmud. This tradition arose from the idea that the Israelites overslept on the morning God was to give them the Torah at Sinai, so Jews now stay awake all night to demonstrate their eagerness to receive God’s word. When I lived in Jerusalem, it was always a sight to see walking around in all white, like it was a wedding, at four in the morning and heading toward the Western Wall.
Another key tradition is the consumption of dairy foods. While the exact reason for this custom is debated, one common explanation is that the land of Israel is described as “flowing with milk and honey.” Also, the Torah is likened to milk, which nourishes and sustains life, just as milk nourishes an infant.
One other reason is that upon receiving the Torah, the Israelites learned about the laws of Kashrut and needed time to prepare kosher meat, so they ate dairy in the interim. It’s common to see a beautiful array of cheesecakes, blintzes, and other dairy delights in Jewish homes during Shavuot.
The book of Ruth
For centuries, Jewish communities have held a special place for the Book of Ruth in their Shavuot synagogue services, and for good reason. The story unfolds during the barley and wheat harvest, precisely when Shavuot occurs. But it’s more than just a seasonal tie-in. At Mount Sinai, Moses received directly from God’s own hand the covenant, the Ten Commandments and all the laws that were to govern His people. This was the moment God first declared that out of all nations, if they kept His covenant, they would be His treasured possession and a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:5). After hearing the laws and stipulations, the people declared, “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey” (Exodus 24:7). For all of Israel, this is the nation’s conversion moment, the origin story of their national consecration.
By tying the Book of Ruth into the anniversary of the giving of the Torah, Jewish tradition recognizes that even those who did not descend from the tribes present at Mount Sinai can still choose to follow the one true God. Ruth was not Jewish. She was a Moabite woman who embraced the Jewish people and aligned her fate with the Israelite nation. Just as the Israelites willingly took on the obligations of the Torah, Ruth willingly embraced the Jewish people and their God. Naomi, knowing the hardships Ruth would face as a Moabite widow moving into a foreign land, urged her to return to her own family. Instead, Ruth declared her undying loyalty to Naomi. Jewish tradition has ever since hailed her as the archetype of the righteous convert.
Perhaps it’s more than anachronistic, but I like to think of Ruth as the first Christian Zionist, or at least the first Gentile Zionist. Like all Christians who love Israel, Ruth fully cast her lot with the Jewish people and declared her loyalty to their God.
Ruth’s immortal pledge to Naomi echoes through the ages. Within these powerful words, we hear the unwavering devotion of those who have cast their lot with the Jewish people. As Christian Zionists, we embrace Ruth’s pledge as our own: “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn back from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you” (Ruth 1:16-17).
Just as Ruth vowed to Naomi, Christian Zionists pledge to the Jewish people — both in Israel and the diaspora — a solemn promise: You are not alone, and you will never be alone again.
What Does Shavuot Mean for Christians?
The feasts and festivals of the Bible are replete with types and symbols that all perfectly point to the Messiah. The divine connections between Shavuot and Pentecost are so especially obvious that it’s thrilling.
- On Shavuot, Moses acted as the intercessor between God and his covenanted people. Jesus had already intervened on behalf of the world.
- At Sinai, the fire descended only on the summit of the mountain. At Pentecost, the fire came “to rest on each of them” individually.
- On the first Shavuot, God established his covenant with the Hebrew people. On Pentecost, a new covenant was made available to all who believed.
- On Shavuot, the Holy Law was inscribed on stone by the finger of God. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit wrote the Law on their hearts.
- At Mount Sinai, 3,000 were killed due to their disobedience. In Jerusalem, 3,000 were granted eternal salvation in response to their faith.
- On Shavuot, God declared the Israelites a “nation of priests.” On Pentecost, believers became priests to all nations.
There you have it: distinction and then inclusion. One covenant grafted into the first. Death and now life. Law and Spirit.
The Talmud describes Shavuot as the “wedding day” between God and the Jewish people. Now, the Bride of Christ waits anxiously for the day when we will be united with our Bridegroom.
Mark your calendars for this special holiday of Shavuot. We are celebrating God’s revelation and the anniversaries of receiving that revelation at both Mount Sinai and in Jerusalem. Let us use this feast to make a public commitment, just as the people of Israel did, that “we will do and we will listen.”
Thank you for listening. Bible Fiber is taking a three-week break in June because I am heading to Israel. In addition to my role at The Jerusalem Connection, I have also been a biblical archaeology student since 2019. As part of the program, we get to spend several dig seasons at Shiloh. As you know, Shiloh was home to the tabernacle for three centuries. It is a big deal, and this dig is an honor and privilege to be a part of. So, I am looking forward to filling you in on what happened in July.
