I’m a Gentile Believer, a devoted mother of five wonderful children, and the wife of an amazing husband. Nature, gardening, and dance bring joy and inspiration to my life. In my spare time, I play the piano, care for my garden, or study the Bible in Hebrew. And I’ll drop just about anything for a game of cards.
My unwavering quest for a genuine relationship with the God of the Bible has driven me to delve deeply into His Word, which guides my journey and shapes my life's path. This exploration, combined with dedication to living out my faith, is at the heart of my writing. I seek to share my insights and discoveries with readers, encouraging them to embark on their own spiritual journeys.
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The Aaronic Blessing, also known as the Priestly Blessing, is commonly known among Christians, and it’s said after the service in Christian churches of many denominations and Jewish synagogues. Aside from being a nice thing to say before congregants exit the sanctuary, why is it said, and where does it come from?
This blessing was God’s idea as He instructed Moses to tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel using these words. In the book of Numbers, where this blessing is found, the Israelites are experiencing their newfound freedom from their Egyptian captors. In the Sinai wilderness, God’s giving them instructions for their new desert lifestyle as free people. God also provides directives for the priesthood, including a specific command to bless the people using what is commonly referred to as the Aaronic blessing.
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them:
The Lord bless you, and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine on you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance on you,
And give you peace.’
So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I then will bless them.”
Num. 6:22-27
One exciting thing you’ll notice as you learn about the blessings is that there’s a progression in the bible of who was allowed to give a blessing. At first, only God had the authority to bless, and he then extended it to some of the patriarchs and then to priests. Some incidences of Aaron blessing the people in God’s name are found in Leviticus and Deuteronomy (Lev. 9:22 and Deut. 10:8 and 21:5).
In an archeological site on the old road from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, what are possibly the oldest surviving Hebrew texts were found in 1979. In ancient Paleo-Hebrew, the Aaronic Blessing was written on two scrolls made of silver found in an ancient burial site. Aptly named “The Silver Scrolls,” they were dated back to the First Temple period and were possibly used as an amulet to ward off evil. If true, this would be another of many unfortunate examples of pagan customs infiltrating God’s people even back then. But what a fantastic find!
The Aaronic Blessing today
Today, God’s people are blessed using this same blessing in synagogues worldwide. In Judaism, it used to be that only priests would give this blessing, but it’s now extended to rabbis and worship leaders.
In a synagogue, when the congregants are blessed, the one performing the blessing raises his hands as Aaron did, as recorded in the Bible (Lev. 9:22). This practice has been nicknamed “the raising of the hands.” He also extends his prayer shawl or tallit over his head and his hands as he recites the blessing to indicate reverence and to obey the biblical command to have fringes or tzitzit on the corners of one’s clothing. Some hold their hands in the shape of a shin (ש), the Hebrew letter at the beginning of the word Shaddai, a name for God. The blessing is most commonly recited in Hebrew, but other languages are used depending on the audience.
On the evening of the Sabbath, Friday evening, this blessing is often said over the children of the house by many Jews and some Christians. It’s accompanied by requests for God to make them like Ephraim and Manasseh (boys) or Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Leah (girls). Whether in English or Hebrew, the one blessing usually puts their hands on or above the one(s) being blessed and then says the blessing.
For Christians?
As grafted-in Gentiles, we can take part in the promises extended to Israel and gain nourishment from the same roots from which they thrive – God Himself! When we accepted Jesus as our savior, we officially joined the Kingdom of God, which started with the nation of Israel in the Old Testament.
Under the New Covenant, where God’s Word has been written on our hearts through the Holy Spirit as believers in Jesus, we entered the priesthood ourselves. Revelation 1:5-6 says that Jesus’s blood made us priests to God! We can bless God’s people in His name, and He does indeed bless through it due to the power in His name.
This phrase is an idiom (a saying) meaning “He looks at you with peace and blessing.”
And give you peace.
(V’yasaym l’kha shalom. – וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֺם)
Beyond just peace, shalom’s meaning also includes wholeness and completeness. And who of us doesn’t want God’s perfect peace?
In your family
If this article has moved you to use the Aaronic Blessing to bless your children, please don’t let the learning process or the newness of doing so prevent you! I encourage you to continue this blessing once you start, as it may be awkward at first but will become among your family’s most treasured moments, as it has become in mine.
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The Shema is recited at synagogues worldwide and twice daily by Orthodox Jews and some Christians. Its meaning is deep and answers life’s most challenging questions. When sung in Hebrew, its cadence is soothing and poetic. It consists of three parts, beginning with Deuteronomy 6:4-9.
“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
Reciting the Shema is sometimes called accepting the yoke of the kingdom of heaven. It’s referred to this way because, by saying the words of the Shema, we acknowledge that we are responsible for following them and are committed to God and His commands.
Facing East
It is often said while facing East. Facing East is done because people in the Bible said prayers in the direction of the Temple. Praying in this way is demonstrated by Daniel in Dan. 6:10. The practice comes from the following verses out of Solomon’s prayer to God in the dedication of the Temple.
“Yet have regard to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You today; that Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward the place of which You have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ to listen to the prayer which Your servant shall pray toward this place. Listen to the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place; hear in heaven Your dwelling place; hear and forgive.”
“Also concerning the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, when he comes from a far country for Your name’s sake (for they will hear of Your great name and Your mighty hand, and of Your outstretched arm); when he comes and prays toward this house, hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, to fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by Your name.”
Of course, God can hear prayers said in any direction, but facing Jerusalem while reciting the Shema reminds us of God’s desire to dwell with His people and hear our prayers. It also reminds us that Jesus is returning to reign in the new kingdom of Jerusalem, as promised.
Phrases of the Shema and their meanings
Each phrase of the Shema is relevant to us as Christians. Below is a summary of the meaning of each phrase and what it means for us and our faith.
“Hear, O Israel!”
(In Hebrew – “Shema, Yisrael”)
This first phrase of the Shema is the most recited portion. It is a call to God’s people to acknowledge that God is our only God – and that we are His people. “Shema” literally means “hear” or “listen,” but it implies more than that. It implies that we should not only hear the following verses but also act, showing in how we live that we believe them.
When we don’t know what to do in our lives, the Shema reminds us to listen. We are to hear what God has to say with faithful ears, be prepared to do what he commands of us, and continually follow His guidance.
“The Lord is our God”
(In Hebrew – “Adonai Eloheinu”)
The command to listen is followed by the name of God (YHVH), but out of respect and obedience to the third commandment, God’s name is represented by “Adonai” instead. This phrase is said with great reverence and is said while bowing. It should humble and forever awe us that we have the great privilege of calling the Creator of the universe “our God”! How blessed are we?!
“The Lord is one”
(In Hebrew – “Adonai Echad”)
God is the only one deserving of our worship. No one, not political figures, other gods, our families, or even ourselves, comes close to God’s caliber of significance. He is to be our focus and our purpose.
I have also heard this verse discussed considering the pagan people groups surrounding the people of Israel at the time of Moses. Given that the neighboring peoples had numerous gods, having just one God would have set the Hebrew people apart noticeably.
“Blessed is the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever”
(In Hebrew – “Barookh shem k’vod malkhooto l’olam vaed”)
While not included in Deuteronomy, rabbis added this, and it is therefore said in an undertone, not at a normal volume as the rest of the Shema. Its purpose is to affirm God’s kingship throughout eternity.
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might”
(In Hebrew – “V’ahavta et adonai elohekha b’kohl l’vavkha oovkohl nafsh’kha, oovkohl me’odekha”)
Referred to as the v’ahavta, this phrase answers the question of purpose in our lives. With all our hearts, souls, and might, we’re to love God. It’s simply stated, but it takes a lifetime to learn – and then some!
When the Bible talks about the heart, it isn’t an emotional organ but one of discernment, reason, and commitment. When we love God with our hearts, we don’t have a mushy, romantic feeling toward God; we commit. We’re all in. Our faith in Him is solid, and we love all that is from Him and reject all that is not in our lives.
The concept of our “soul” is somewhat ambiguous, but the best description I’ve heard is that it is our innermost being. How do we love God with our souls? We are devoted to Him with everything we are. There is nothing we try to hide from him. He knows us better than we know ourselves because He made us, so we can consult Him if we want to get to know ourselves better!
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.”
The word for “might” is “me’odekha.” It is more literally translated as “very, very much” or “muchness.” Loving God with all your “muchness” is something that consumes you. It is intertwined in everything you do and is something people can see when observing your life.
“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart”
(In Hebrew – “V’hayoo hadvareem ha’ayleh, ‘asher ‘anokhee m’tsavkha hayom al l’vavekha”)
Interestingly, the commands were to be on the hearts of the Israelites. The common understanding is that the Law was at this time written on stone, and its being written on our hearts only occurred later, post-Jesus, when the Holy Spirit was given to the apostles. God’s words were to be on the hearts of His people from day one, not only after the New Covenant was instated.
“You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
This phrase is taken literally by orthodox Jews using tefillin (or phylacteries) and mezuzahs. Tefillin are small leather boxes containing scripture attached to the forehead and arm using leather bands. Tefillin is done to fulfill the part of the command saying, “bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be frontals on your forehead.” Mezuzahs are small boxes containing scripture that are adhered to the doorposts of one’s house. These are to fulfill the command to “write them on the doorposts of your house.” While these are great reminders, I think God was trying to ensure that we kept His commands first and foremost in all areas of our lives. I don’t think He wanted to limit His commands to things like doorposts and gates, but instead, to be throughout our lives, schedules, homes, and cities when we travel and when we are home.
3 parts of the Shema
There are three parts to the complete Shema. Although the remaining two parts are also meaningful, I focused this post on the first part, the one my family recites and the version recited at our synagogue and others. Here’s a summary of the second and third parts of the complete Shema.
The second part, called the Vehayah, is taken from Deuteronomy 11:13-21. This part covers obedience to God and the blessings that result, and it also includes a warning of what disobedience brings. It then repeats that these words should remain on your heart and that you should teach them to your children, etc., just as it says in part one. Its name, the Vehayah, is the first word of this section of the Shema, and it means “and it shall be” or “it shall come about.”
Part three is from Numbers 15:37-41. This section includes the command that God gave the Israelites to wear tassels (tzitzit) with blue cords on the corners of their garments so they’d look at it and remember God’s commands and not go their own way.
Tzitzits (tzitziot is the correct plural in Hebrew) look like this, and if you wish to purchase them, click on the picture below.
They are usually attached to a prayer shawl (called a Tallit) or another four-cornered garment. You may have seen depictions of Jesus or the apostle Paul wearing a similar garment.
The most prominent of Jewish prayers, the Shema, holds deep meaning for Christians, who share the same awesome one God. Recited daily for thousands of years, the Shema would have even been said at least twice daily by our Savior, Jesus. When asked what the greatest commandment was, his response was the Shema!
”One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ “
Jesus’s reference to it as the greatest commandment should draw our attention. Reciting the Shema as Christians keeps us focused on what God wants us to be – on Him, obedience to His commands, and witnessing to others about them.
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One of the reasons for the existence of the Bible is to help us to get to know God. As we study the Bible, we see His work, how He relates to His people, what He’s capable of and more! It’s through Bible study that we meet Him and get to know who He is.
In the Hebrew culture of the Old Testament, names weren’t merely for identification like they are in our culture today. A name exposed someone’s deeper identity, their purpose, or their place in the world. Through a name, you could learn of a person’s story and it’s the same with God.
But we don’t know God’s true name. The closest we have is the Hebrew letters יהוה, usually pronounced “Yahweh”. That doesn’t stop us from having a chance to get to know Him though His many names though. Each name used to refer to God reveals a different aspect of His character so studying these names can help us to get to know Him better. Through learning the characteristics that give Him these names, we get to learn more of who He is!
In many cases, the names given to God are given not by Himself but by people that encounter Him. Like much of the Bible, one of the ways we get to know God is through the relationship He has with His people and the names they give Him are not an exception to that. When the patriarchs of the people of Israel give God a name, that name reveals to us an aspect of God’s character.
Below are the basic names of God but they’re only a starting point. There are many, many more names of God. To see more, click on the links in the headings.
This is the name that God used to refer to Himself as “I AM THAT I AM” in Exodus 3:14 when Moses asked what to say when the people ask who sent him. He said again to tell the people that “I AM” sent Moses and He followed that by referring to Himself as “Elohim”. Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh can also be translated as “I will be what I will be”.
Why did He give such a complicated answer instead of just a name? We often forget when thinking about God that we’re attempting to get our mortal minds around the supernatural Creator of the Universe. Such a creature would have to be far beyond our understanding for if He fit within the confines of it, He could not be the all-powerful being He is. So it makes sense that a name which labels this awesome supernatural being would be beyond our human capability to understand as well!
Furthermore, this name gives us a glimpse of our God’s eternal nature. He has no beginning and no end – at least not by our human comprehension. He exists now and always has and always will. But to say that he merely exists is too passive. He’s not just “there”. He’s active. He creates, loves, judges, etc., constantly and forever. He simply is.
Found almost 7,000 times and in all but three books of the Old Testament, these 4 Hebrew letters, יהוה, are the consonants used to refer to God. This name is often referred to as the Tetragrammaton, which is a Greek word meaning “made of four letters” and it’s translated into English as “LORD”.
Since no vowels accompany these four consonants in the original Hebrew texts, there’s some speculation on the pronunciation of this name. Many agree that it’s pronounced “Yahweh” (or “Yahveh”), with the vowels appearing as יַהְוֶה, yet others propose that the vowels are as such instead יְהֹוָה. This second pronunciation would render another familiar name for God – “Yehovah” or the common translation of “Jehovah”.
Regardless of pronunciation, יהוה comes from the root word meaning “to be”. This would make sense as God referred to Himself as “I AM”, which is a form of the verb “to be”.
As the name of God is holy, many don’t speak it out of reverence and respect. Instead, it’s often replaced by “HaShem”, meaning “the Name” or “Adonai”, meaning “my Lord” as well as other terms of honor.
The name יהוה is used in situations where God’s interacting with His people, like when He appeared to Moses in the burning bush or breathed life into Adam. It’s combined with other words to show us His character even more specifically.
Plural for Eloah (אֱלֹוהַ ) and from the word El (אֵל), this is the first name of God given in the Bible in Genesis 1:1, just before God created the universe. This name implies God’s mighty nature. Like יהוה, Elohim is attached to other words to expose additional aspects of His character.
Elohim doesn’t just refer to the God of Israel but to gods in general or even to angels, although it’s not capitalized in this case to indicate that. For example, it’s the word used in Exodus 20, verse 3, in the command “You shall have no other gods before Me”.
Why is the plural form Elohim, used? Well, the Bible doesn’t directly explain it but it’s not uncommon in Hebrew for something we think of as singular to be found in the plural form. Some examples are “water”, which is mayim (מַיִם) and “face”, which is panim (פָּנִים). Some say Elohim in the plural form refers to the Trinity but others say that it’s a form of royal “we”, or an “honorific plural” used by or in reference to those of great importance and power.
Elohai, meaning “my God”, can be found where Ruth stays with Naomi in Ruth 1:16, when she says “Your people shall be my people and your God, my God”. It’s used in many places throughout the Old Testament and was used by Jesus when he quoted David (Ps. 22:1) before his death on the cross by saying “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”.
Translated into English as “Lord”, Adonai is an extended form of the word Adon (אָדוֹן), which is also a name for God but can be used to refer to men or angels as well.
As I said above, Adonai is also often used as a substitute for יהוה when reading scripture or praying out loud out of respect for God’s name. It’s also said in Jewish liturgy when יְיָ has been written in place of יהוה.
This name of God can be found in combination with Yahweh as Adonai Yahweh (אֲדֹנָי יַהְוֶה), which is another name translated as “Lord GOD” as in Genesis 15:2, “Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will You give me…”.
Adonai can also be conjugated to be “our Lord” or “our Master” as Adoneinu (אֲדֹנֵנוּ) and Adoni (אֲדֹנִי), which means “my Lord”. These are shown in 1 Samuel 16:16 and Joshua 5:14, respectively.
Other Names of God
There are many names of God that aren’t used in conjunction with Yahweh, Elohim, or Adonai but are important to learn in that they also reveal attributes of God that can help us get to know Him. They’re words typically used to describe human attributes, such as Chatan (חָתָן), meaning “bridegroom” or Shofet (שֹׁפֵט), meaning “judge”.
In studying these names, we conclude not that God is human-like but that we are somewhat God-like. This aligns with what we already know about our creation, that we’re created in God’s image. Thus the human attributes we use to describe God are actually His attributes that we get a glimpse of even through our humanity.
If you’re being blessed by the study of God’s names and attributes, make sure not to miss the many additional names by clicking on the links found in the headings above.
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Shavuot is the celebration of God’s provision – His Law, His Spirit, and His son as our Savior. Since milk and honey represent provision and plenty in the Bible, food served at Shavuot is often dairy-based and sweet. Here are some recipes for your Shavuot celebration.
Try these for a delicious gourmet Shavuot breakfast. A rich cheese filling in a thin egg wrap, and a fruity topping make this the perfect addition to your celebration!
I’ll just be honest here and say that this danish requires a lot of self control from me. I could eat the whole thing! It tastes great but is relatively simple to make.
A unique Jewish tradition, kugel can be made many different ways. This recipe is very much like cheesecake, making it fitting for your Shavuot table. This is the kugel my family likes best and it’s wonderful for Rosh Hashanah/Yom Teruah as well!
Here’s a simple appetizer that’s both satisfying and attractive. Dress it up with fun appetizer toothpicks to make them more festive and serve on a pretty platter.
This rich and filling Middle Eastern dessert is just heavenly! The heartiness of the nuts balances the sweetness of the honey, all encrusted in buttery, flaky phyllo dough.
Serve them tea style, on a tiered or decorative platter and remove the crusts for a delicate touch. You can make it spicy if you’d like but it’s also just wonderful without the heat.
I can think of many ways this recipe can be served during Shavuot. It would make a great salad topping, as well as a tasty addition to a tossed salad or to accompany fruits, nuts, and meats on a charcuterie platter.
This is the only way my family eats mashed potatoes. I have some potato haters but they (and the rest of us) like this rich and creamy recipe. It’s great with or without gravy!
You can make changes to this recipe to tailor it to your liking. Change the fruit on top, garnish with chocolate shavings, or serve with ice cream! The crust could be changed to an Oreo or Graham Cracker crust if that’s what you prefer.
While this recipe isn’t dairy or sweet, challah bread is often served during Shavuot. Two loaves are served to celebrate God’s lavish provision. This recipe will make two medium-sized loaves.
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Shavuot is one of the seven Biblical feasts listed in Leviticus 23. While many Christians don’t yet celebrate these important days, they’re so meaningful to our faith because all of them in some way point to Jesus as our Messiah!
Many Christians know Shavuot as Pentecost. The apostles were celebrating Shavuot when the Holy Spirit was given to them. As they praised God for giving His Law, He gave them the Holy Spirit, which enabled the Law to be written on hearts—theirs and ours!
The command to celebrate Shavuot includes bringing offerings to the Temple, which is not currently standing. Because of this, we can’t keep that command as stated in the Bible. But we can keep the tradition in order and focus on the themes of the celebration – God’s provision of both His Law and the Holy Spirit.
Since most of us aren’t yet experts at celebrating Shavuot, it’s helpful to have some ideas of how to observe it. Here are 10 great ways we can celebrate Shavuot as Christians.
1. Pray
As this is a celebration of the giving of the Holy Spirit, communicate with the Spirit in prayer. Ask for more of the Spirit’s influence in your life. Make sure to keep your heart open to what He has to teach you and convict you of.
To help you focus your prayers, the Holy Spirit’s roles include guiding, convicting, teaching, being the source of God’s power and wisdom in us, giving spiritual gifts, sealing our salvation, interceding for us, sanctifying us, and giving knowledge.
Shavuot is also known as the Feast of Proclamation so use this time to give praise to God. Proclaim that He’s your God and that you belong to Him. Proclaim His provision, salvation, and His commands given to set us apart.
2. Read the Stories
The themes of Shavuot include the giving of the Law, the giving of the Holy Spirit, and God’s provision, both for our spiritual and physical needs. A Jewish Shavuot tradition is to pull an all-nighter, studying the Bible around the clock! However you choose to study, here are some Bible selections to read to focus your mind and heart on the themes of Shavuot.
The Law: Exodus 19; Psalm 1:2, 19:7-11, 29:18, 112:1-6, 119, 128; Proverbs 4:2, 6:20-23; Matthew 5:17-20; Romans 3:31; James 1:25
Slavery in and rescue from Egypt: Exodus 3-15 (Summary here)
Slavery to sin: John 8:31-35, Romans 6, 8:1-25; Titus 3:1-10
Holy Spirit: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Joel 2:28-29; John 14:16-31; Acts 2; Romans 8:26-27
Since the command for Shavuot says that it should be a Sabbath, make rest a priority. This Sabbath differs from others in that food preparation is just fine, but it’s otherwise a time of rest. Be deliberate about choosing activities that promote togetherness and focus on God. Find some ideas in my post, “What DO we do on the Sabbath?”. Don’t let Shavuot go by without intentionally stopping and focusing on the God that provides!
4. Teach the Children
It’s so important Biblically that we pass our faith on to the next generation! If you don’t have children of your own, consider teaching your grandchildren or those at your church or synagogue about Shavuot and the amazing truths of God that it highlights. Here are some resources for children on the subject of Shavuot.
I use the Bible Pathway Adventures Activity Books for my own children and recommend them highly! This one covers the Feast of Shavuot and the other Spring Feasts—Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits. It also includes lessons on Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection!
PJ Library has provided our family with so many helpful resources for teaching our children about Biblical and Jewish holidays and traditions. This page has both crafts and recipes for kids that are relevant to the themes surrounding Shavuot.
5. Provide for the Less Fortunate
Within the command for Shavuot, God specifies that, when harvesting their fields, the Israelites were to leave the corners of the fields and not pick up the harvested grain that fell to the ground during the harvesting process. This was a provision for the poor, the widowed and otherwise, who were without the ability to produce their own food.
Today, provision for the poor looks very different, but we can still demonstrate this care for those who have similar needs in our culture and communities. Your church may have a food pantry that offers supplies to the needy in your community. Even small cities have food banks that are always grateful for donations. Crisis pregnancy centers provide necessities to mothers without the means to get what they need for their little ones. With so many ways to help available, it’s simple for us to reach out and see where we can help those less fortunate.
6. Celebrate Milk and Honey
One Shavuot tradition is to prepare dishes that are sweet and dairy-based. This is to remember God’s provision as milk and honey often symbolize in the Bible. God promised that He would bring the Hebrew people into the “land of milk and honey,” which meant the Promised Land. Of course, He kept His promise as He always does, and they did (eventually) get there!
He provided for them in their land, on the way, and He still provides for all of His people’s needs and will continue! Here are some recipes for dishes to serve during Shavuot to remind you and your family of God’s perfect provision.
This recipe is so versatile! You can top it with any fruit you like, ice cream, or chocolate shavings. The crust can be vanilla wafers, as called for in the recipe, or you can use an Oreo or Graham Cracker crust.
Kugel is a traditional Jewish recipe commonly served at Rosh Hashanah. This delicious kugel recipe is very similar to cheesecake, making it a fitting dish for Shavuot as well. My family likes this recipe, but it’s also the one I used when I won the kugel contest at our synagogue! Since this was only the second kugel I’d made in my life, winning surprised me more than anyone else there!
While many serve two loaves of Challah bread on Shabbat (the Sabbath) weekly to celebrate God’s provision, Shavuot is another opportunity to celebrate it as well. Serving two loaves shows that God has given us plenty but also reminds us of the two loaves required as an offering in the Shavuot command in Leviticus 23.
Here is the Challah Bread recipe I use. It will make two medium-sized loaves or three small ones.
Another part of the command in Leviticus, a holy convocation, is a get-together, not just for fellowship but to focus on God. During Shavuot, we focus on His blessings, His Laws, and His Spirit. This would be a great time to find a Messianic synagogue near you and visit if you don’t already have one. The UMJC and MCC both have directories if you need help finding one in your area. You could also have a Shavuot get-together with people from your church or Bible study. The focus here should be on worshipping and studying as a community of believers.
9. Get Baptized
If you’ve considered being baptized as an outward expression of your faith, and haven’t yet, Shavuot is a great time to do it! The significance of celebrating the indwelling of the Holy Spirit on the day of your baptism would be very special!
10. Make a Pilgrimage
Shavuot is one of three “pilgrimage festivals” in the Bible. The command for this says that all males should present themselves before the God of Israel and offer a sacrifice three times a year, on Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot. Due to the Temple’s absence, we don’t offer sacrifices there on these days but any one of them would be a great time to plan a trip to the city of Jerusalem!
The things we celebrate at Shavuot – God’s provision, His Laws, and the Holy Spirit are so central to our faith as Christians! Check out my calendar for the dates of Shavuot for this year and make some plans to observe it, even if you never have. I bet you’ll find it deeply spiritual and be blessed by setting this time aside to focus on what God has given.
If Shavuot and its significance to our faith is a new concept for you, here’s some further reading on the subject. Written by David Brickner from Jews for Jesus, Christ in the Feast of Pentecost will give you a greater understanding of Shavuot and the countdown to it, as well as how they relate to our Savior.
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One of the seven God-ordained Feasts in Leviticus 23, Shavuot, is also called the Feast of Weeks. It’s a harvest festival, specifically the wheat harvest, a type of Biblical Thanksgiving. It celebrates God’s provision for our physical and spiritual needs. Jews mainly observe Shavuot, but Pentecost, Shavuot’s English name derived from the Greek, is celebrated in the Catholic and some Protestant churches today.
The most apparent reason for celebrating Shavuot is that God commanded it. However, we can’t keep it exactly as it was commanded since there’s no Temple. It’s one of seven Feasts God told the Israelites to keep in Leviticus and one of the three in Deuteronomy (Deut. 16:16). It was to be observed 50 days (seven Sabbaths and one day) after the Day of First Fruits during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete sabbaths. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to the LORD” Lev. 23:15-16 (NASB)
When the Egyptians enslaved the Hebrew people, God brought ten plagues upon their captors. The last of these was the plague of the firstborn, in which the firstborn in each household died, except that of the Israelites. Out of obedience to God’s instructions, they painted the blood of a lamb on their doorposts and were then passed over by the final plague. The death of the firstborn finally caused the Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. After they left Egypt, they crossed the Red Sea and headed out into the desert.
It was 50 days after the Passover in Egypt when the Hebrew people were camped at the foot of Mount Sinai, that God gave the Hebrew people the gift of the Torah. Having been freed from slavery, they were free to serve God, and He chose this time to finalize His covenant with them by giving them His Law.
Likewise, 50 days after Passover, Shavuot is to be celebrated. The Day of First Fruits, or Yom HaBikkurim, during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, is when the counting of the omer began. On this day, the priest would wave a sheaf of green barley, an omer, to start the count. A male lamb would also be sacrificed, and God’s people would count up to Shavuot. Today, some Believers celebrate not only the First Fruits but the next 49 days also as days of spiritual introspection. Since these days lead up to the day God’s Law (the Torah) was given on Shavuot, these days are preparation to receive the word of God.
“But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Jere. 31:33 (NASB)
Jeremiah prophesied that God would make a new covenant with His people, in which the Law would be on their hearts.
Jesus also prophesied the gift of the Holy Spirit in Acts 1.
“Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Acts 1:4-5 (NASB)
In the New Testament, the apostles of the early church observe Shavuot, which is then called Pentecost, which is derived from the Greek word meaning “fiftieth.” While gathered for Shavuot, in celebration of God giving His law to them, God chose this time to give the gift of His Spirit to His people.
“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance” Acts 2:1-4(NASB)
None of this is a coincidence. The apostles knew what and why they were celebrating on Shavuot, and the timing of God giving His Spirit wasn’t lost on them. Having been newly freed from the slavery of their sin, it had come time for God to finalize the New Covenant with His people. Jesus had been crucified 50 days before to atone for our sins, ushering in a way for sinful, imperfect people to commune with a Holy God. God then solidified this New Covenant by giving us His Spirit and writing His Word on our hearts, just as He promised 1,200 years prior!
So, while Jews have gathered for Shavuot from the time of Moses to the early church in Acts and still celebrate it even today, it has meaning for Gentile Believers also. As the grafted-in or adopted people of God, the promise of the New Covenant is for us and the people of Israel. When we recognize Jesus as Messiah, we enter a Covenant with God and have not only His Torah but also His Law written on our hearts through His gift of the Holy Spirit.
Sounds like a reason to celebrate, right!?
If you’d like to explore Shavuot and Pentecost more deeply, I recommend Christ in the Feast of Pentecost by the Senior Researcher and Executive Director of Jews for Jesus. It’s a quick read but very informative.
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The Bible has a lot of guidance on how to be a Godly woman. One need only look to Jesus’s example of service to get a picture of what that looks like but there are also some straightforward ways the Bible instructs us. Proverbs provides some wonderful metaphors concerning women. Here are some I find interesting as well as challenging.
As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
Prov. 11:22
Unlike animals, where the males tend to be the more beautiful of the species, human females are the ones that shine through when it comes to beauty. Both men and women naturally desire to adorn women with beautiful clothes, valuable jewelry, etc.
But who in their right mind would adorn a pig with a ring of gold? What a waste! Solomon says it’s the same with beautiful women who lack discretion. So, use your God-given discernment and judgment to filter out the things that don’t belong in your life.
An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones.
Prov. 12:4
We all know there are ups and downs in marriage but who of us doesn’t want to strive for titles like “excellent” and “crown of her husband”? No matter my disagreement with my husband, I would never want to shame him and be like decay in his bones!
The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.
Prov. 14:1
I’m sure you can think of a person in your life who is your own worst enemy. As women, we can get preoccupied with keeping up with our peers, feeling neglected as we care for our families, and many other things. We often then react to those things in such a way that we tear our own homes down. We have so much control over our home’s environment; let’s make sure to use that to build and not tear it down.
…a slanderer separates intimate friends.
Prov. 16:28b
The word “slanderer” in this verse can also be translated as “gossip.” For good reason, women are SO in tune with people. We can see people’s motives and read their non-verbal messages. We can see where others are hurting and address their needs. But we can also use this skill to do damage to others. Women can be the worst when our hearts aren’t focused on God and His will! We can get such sinful satisfaction out of gossip and manipulation, though it leads to the destruction of others. We need to accept this tendency, repent for it, and move forward in our relationships with the heart for people that God desires in us.
The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts of the body.
Prov. 18:8
Here’s another one about gossip and slander. God knows us a little too well, doesn’t He? And yet He still loves us and offers us forgiveness through Jesus. We can’t just sit around and take that for granted. We can strive to be who he made us to be to the people around us!
…the contentions of a wife are a constant dripping.
Prov. 19:13b
I want to say I don’t know what it’s like to be driven to the breaking point by something annoying like a constant drip, but that’s not me. A persistent annoyance like that becomes so pervasive in my concentration and activities that I feel like I cannot go on without addressing it. How frustrating! Let’s ensure we’re not the contentious, constantly dripping type of wife to our men!
House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the Lord.
Prov. 19:14
Ladies, we have such an opportunity to be a blessing to our husbands and our households. As married women, our giftedness is given to us not for our personal gain but for that of God’s glory in our lives, through our marriages and otherwise. Prudence is wisdom and sensibility. Let’s employ those for the betterment of our marriages!
It is better to live in a corner of a roof Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
Prov. 21:9
The corner of a roof! Can you imagine? No protection from the elements, constantly uncomfortable, not having access to the safety of the house when you need it? The word “contentious” in this verse can also be translated as “quarrelsome.” This verse is repeated in Proverbs 25:24 so it surely needs our attention! Is fighting every point of yours so vital that you’re willing to put your man in this position? I don’t think so!
It is better to live in a desert land Than with a contentious and vexing woman.
Prov. 21:19
Now it’s a desert – just in case we missed the point in the last few examples. It’s becoming more evident that being quarrelsome or contentious puts our husbands and others around us in some pretty undesirable spots. Since we tend to have selective blindness regarding our shortcomings, pray about this. Ask God to reveal if you’re a quarrelsome wife. If so, ask for forgiveness from God and your husband and set yourself on the path to being a better wife and bringing glory to God through your marriage!
Have you found honey? Eat only what you need, That you not have it in excess and vomit it.
Prov. 25:16
Our culture offers many offers so many opportunities for overindulgence. It’s not just with food, either! Sleep, comfort, beautiful homes, social media, and time for ourselves are some ways we can overindulge. As Christian women, we need to restrain and discipline ourselves to enjoy the blessings in our lives but not be distracted by the comforts, lest we forget what we are really here for – serving others and glorifying God.
Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.
Prov 26:17
Although not specifically directed toward women, we can all identify with a love of drama. This attraction to drama is why those cheesy soap operas and trashy talk shows keep afternoon television booked for years! It takes a conscious and targeted effort to avoid drama as a woman. Our weakness is to get sucked into the business of others and we need to stand against that and only get involved if it’s necessary and beneficial to all parties.
For lack of wood the fire goes out, And where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.
Prov. 26:20
While we have the power to cause destruction with our words and focus on others, we also can make peace with it. We can be where the rumors and the gossip come to die. We can uplift one another by how we talk about them. We can use our ability to see the weaknesses of others to walk with them and pray for them.
What should we do?
Many direct “do not” type statements come through as you read the above Proverbs, but our God does not leave us without further instruction. We must align ourselves with what He wants for us and those around us through His plan. We’re given a clear goal at the end of Proverbs.
A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants.
She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.
In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.
She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
Though not unattainable, it will take discipline and obedience on our part as the Spirit provides continued guidance and instruction to live up to becoming a Proverbs 31 woman. Be encouraged in that we’re all a work in progress. When convicted of things in our lives that need to change, we can ask God for help and do all in our human power to transform our lives into the wives, mothers, and women God calls us to be and bring all the glory to Him! *Drops microphone*
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Sometime between Passover and Shavuot, many people “count the omer.” While that may sound complicated, it merely means counting each of the 50 days until Shavuot.
But why count? Can’t we just look at our calendars to see when Shavuot is? What should we be doing while we’re counting the days? Most importantly, what’s the significance of this command? Exactly what is God teaching us through the process of counting? To answer these questions, let’s first look at the omer count and where it came from.
What’s an Omer?
Literally speaking, an omer is a sheaf or bundle of grain. In this case, the grains referred to are barley and wheat. It’s also a unit of measure: 1/10 of an ephah equals about 2-1/2 quarts. In Exodus, an omer is the amount of manna God provided each Israelite each day in the desert.
The Command
In Leviticus 23, God lays out the way of life He desires for His newly freed people. After He covers the instructions for the Tabernacle and the priests, God tells the people what to celebrate, when, and how.
He gives instructions on observing the Sabbath and the seven Feasts—Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Shavuot, Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot. We find the command to count between the instructions for First Fruits and Shavuot.
You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to the LORD.
Lev. 23:16
The command to count the omer follows the command for the Festival of First Fruits. After Passover and during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the countdown to Shavuot begins on the day of First Fruits. It may seem random that God would connect these Feasts, but it’s not because they’re directly connected. Here’s a small summary of these spring Festivals in the order they occur on the calendar and are listed in Leviticus 23.
Passover
In the celebrationof Passover, the Hebrew people were to remember God rescuing them from their captivity in Egypt, as well as the provision of the Passover lamb whose blood covered them, protecting them from the plague of the firstborn brought upon Egypt.
At Passover, celebrated on the 14th day of the month of Nissan, we remember what God has done for us, both in supernaturally rescuing the Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt and from our sin through Jesus. The blood of the Passover lamb caused God to overlook those covered by it in the plague of the firstborn. In somewhat the same way, the blood of Jesus, our Passover lamb, covers our sin and allows our unholy selves to have access to God.
Not literally a “feast,” this is a time of living without the leaven (yeast) that we normally do—both in our homes and our diets. God told His people to go without leaven for seven days, starting the day just after Passover.
Leaven is often used to symbolize sin in the Bible, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread effectively portrays sin in our lives. It’s not only everywhere in our diets and homes; it’s difficult to get completely cleaned out and uncomfortable to live without, just like sin. There are little “crumbs” of sin all over our lives—some we don’t want to get rid of for various reasons, and some we aren’t even aware of!
But this points us right to Jesus! He covers the sins we can’t and gives grace for even the whole “loaves” of sin we must throw in the trash. We have him to thank for allowing us to sleep at night even though there are sins we may not even be aware of in our lives.
To summarize the command for First Fruits, God tells the Hebrew people not to eat any new barley that ripens first until they have given their offering. They’re to take a sheaf (omer) of it to the priest at the Tabernacle, along with a defect-free male lamb and wine as offerings. Having no Tabernacle or Temple today, we cannot obey this command.
However, it’s traditionally thought that the day of First Fruits is the day that Jesus rose from the dead, and that’s really something to celebrate! It’s also a day on which we can remember the First Fruits offering and focus on always giving our first and best to God.
God told the Hebrew people to bring bread baked with the flour of the wheat harvest, including twice as much as the First Fruits offering, two omers. If First Fruits is to bring the very first part of the harvest as an offering out of faith that more will be provided, Shavuot is to bring another offering, this time out of the abundance of the later harvest, 50 days later.
For thousands of years, God’s people have celebrated Shavuot, when God gave His Law to the Hebrew people on Mt. Sinai. As newly freed people, they were privileged to be given a way of life that pleased their God and set them apart from the surrounding people as His chosen. In Acts, Shavuot was what the apostles were celebrating when the Holy Spirit was given to them.
During Shavuot, we remember God’s provision, not looking forward to it in faith as we did on First Fruits, but showing our gratefulness for what’s been given.
The Connection
The Spring Feast Days tell the story of our redemption. Passover reminds us of the Lamb’s blood that covers and saves us. Unleavened Bread symbolizes why we need our Savior, and First Fruits is when we look forward to God’s provision! Shavuot then celebrates God providing His rescued people with the way to live through His Laws on our hearts and through His Spirit.
Since counting the omer is from First Fruits to Shavuot, it’s helpful to see the connection between them. At First Fruits, we look forward in faith, and at Shavuot, we celebrate God’s faithfulness and provision.
During the 50-day counting period, we focus on maturing in righteousness—not to obtain salvation but to live as people belonging to people and worthy of being indwelt by His Spirit. It should be a time of cleansing our hearts to prepare them for the Holy Spirit to live in us and guide us as people of God.
The number 50 in the Bible represents liberation. Each 50th year was to be the year of Jubilee, where slaves were set free, and the land was returned to its original owner. The word “Pentecost” means 50 and is the name of the Christian holiday celebrating God’s giving of the Holy Spirit.
A Time for Growth
If we focus on the Holy Days, the Hebrew people went from being slaves to Mount Sinai, where God made His covenant with them. In the same way, Jesus was crucified during Passover, raised on First Fruits, and then 50 days passed until the Holy Spirit was given to the apostles. On that Shavuot, a New Covenant was made, as God has now written His Laws on the hearts of His people.
Our Spiritual growth is the same. In the “Passover” season of our lives, we accept Jesus as our Passover Lamb. The Unleavened Bread portion of our faith is where we genuinely repent and continually try to align our lives with God’s desires. Out of our growing faith, we then celebrate that Jesus has risen and his victory over death. As our faith matures, we Christians move toward a place where the Holy Spirit can live inside us, enabling us to follow His Laws and do His work on Earth.
At the beginning of the Counting of the Omer, we’ve just experienced the celebration of Passover. We remembered what God did for the Hebrew people and us. We also observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread, where we took inventory of our lives, repented, and worked diligently to ensure there wasn’t a mess of sin left that God wouldn’t want there.
Then we arrive at the Feast of First Fruits, where we remember that we give God the best of what we have out of faith. We step forward by putting our faith in God to provide for us in the future. On Shavuot, He will provide His Law and write it on our hearts through His Spirit.
Ready for the Spirit
During the time between First Fruits and Shavuot, we grow in our faith so that we’re ready to have God’s Spirit inhabit us. As Christians, His Spirit already lives in our hearts, so this time of counting allows us to refocus on our faith and ensure that we’re growing in maturity as we should throughout our walk. Starting at Passover, we focus on moving from slaves to free people dedicated to God and in His service.
The Counting of the Omer reminds us daily that God not only deserves our best and is worthy of our faith in Him but that He provides for us at the count’s completion and always! While we count, we examine our hearts and our faith to see if they’re worthy of the Holy Spirit we’ve been given. Spoiler alert: They’re not. But as Jesus covers the sin remaining in our hearts, we do our best to make sure there’s less and less as we grow and continually align our hearts to what God wants in our lives.
Since God has a purpose for all He does, when He told the Hebrew people to simply count, He knew they needed to do that for some reason. It’s the same thing with us. Counting focuses us on the symbolism and lessons of the surrounding Feast Days. It reminds us that God is faithful. He’s provided all we need in the past and will in the future. Counting the Omer is a time of strengthening our faith.
What to Do During the Count
However, humans are doers, so being given an activity like counting over 50 days seems ambiguous. I know that it’s a time to examine my faith and growth in righteousness, but I can’t help but wonder what we DO during this time. In Orthodox Judaism, a blessing is said each evening of the count, as well as the number of the day and the week. Some also focus on different attributes of God throughout the count.
Here are a few things that will get your heart and mind in the right place for this time of counting and prepare you for the celebration of Shavuot.
Count, Of Course!
One way to take this command literally is to cross off each day on a calendar or omer counter made just for this purpose. I’ve used this one from torahcalendar.com, but there are many available! Here are some, and there’s even a LEGO Omer Counter that they’ll love!
2. Communicate with God
Wait. That doesn’t sound out of the ordinary at all! It shouldn’t be, but you and I both know that most of us allow things to creep into our daily schedules that threaten our time with God, which should be a priority. Prayer and studying God’s Word often go by the wayside when other things are put first.
During this time of counting, make it a high priority to be in constant conversation with God. Be humble and honest so you can hear what He says – even those things you’d rather not! During times of self-examination, I find it helpful to pray the following verse.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.
Psalm 139:23-24
Share the Count
During the Counting of the Omer, the Jewish people say a blessing each evening of the count, along with stating the day and week number. This blessing clarifies that each day has been counted and that God is getting the glory.
However you observe the omer count, don’t keep it to yourself! Include your family and your children and encourage them to grow in their faith during this time. And, as with everything you do, make sure God gets all the glory!
Part of the reason for the count is to look forward to the giving of God’s Law on Sinai and the Holy Spirit to the apostles. This makes preparing for Shavuot a very appropriate activity during the count. Make a plan of how you and your family will celebrate Shavuot and what supplies you’ll need. Read the stories of the giving of the Law and the Holy Spirit in Exodus 19 and Acts 1, respectively.
Thank God for His perfect Laws and for the Spirit that allows those Laws to be written on our hearts. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you specifically which of His Laws you need to work on. Soften your heart so you can hear His answer.
The Counting of the Omer is an important time for Believers to grow in their faith and cleanse themselves spiritually. It’s a time for us to respond to the faithfulness and provision God has lavished upon all of us.
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As Gentile believers in Jesus as the Messiah (a.k.a. Christians), Paul says in Romans 11 that we’re “wild olive” branches and that we’re “grafted in” to the “olive tree” to become partakers in the original tree – God’s promises to His people. Paul’s analogy is descriptive, showing how Gentile believers have a part in the Kingdom of God.
And I like being called a wild olive branch, don’t you? It sounds like we’re untainted in our wildness yet dignified in that we’re part of something rich and established. While this may be part of what Paul meant, there’s a lot more in this analogy for us as Christians.
Before the Wild Branch
To get some background, look at what’s going on at the beginning of Romans chapter 11. Paul is in the middle of telling his Jewish audience that they missed the messiah. By rejecting Jesus, they missed the message of grace they were offered and were still focusing on being saved by their works while waiting for the messiah. Verses 11-16 describe how the Gentiles have a chance at the Messiah because Jesus’s own people rejected him. Paul still wanted the Jewish people to see their need for Jesus (and some of them did!), but he describes their rejection as the “reconciliation of the world” (Rom. 11:15).
How blessed we are, Brothers and Sisters? It is so sad that God’s people, the Jews, shunned the messiah they had prayed for over so many years, but God brings a blessing in even something as heartbreaking as this. And it’s for us! Because of this, we have access to Israel’s Messiah, now the Savior to the entire world!
I love gardening more than most, but I haven’t attempted grafting. It isn’t easy. It’s an expert-level sort of thing. A tree farmer must do a graft correctly and carefully and take great care of the scion – the area where the two trees are attached. Even after a LOT of work and attention to detail, the graft may not take! Even when it does take, the new offshoot may not be productive. A well-grafted branch not only grows but also produces well.
Grafting only works when the new branch is of the same family as the original tree. For example, you can’t graft a cherry branch onto an orange tree. A successful graft requires a sort of “communication” between the old and new trees, which can only occur between trees of the same type.
A Farmer’s reasons for grafting may vary, but the overall goal is to get the best of both varieties. Combining the trees into one shouldn’t obscure the character of one and highlight the other but reserve the essence of both. Generally, one of the two trees has quality rootstock, and the other produces desirable fruit. Grafting gives the gardener the best of both worlds – a tree with solid roots and good fruit. The nature of each tree is reserved while allowing the best qualities of both to shine through.
Two Types of Olive Trees
In the Middle East at the time of Paul and today, two main olive tree types are commonly grafted – the wild and the cultivated varieties. The cultivated trees grow olives used for food and to produce olive oil. Wild olive fruit isn’t as flavorful and is not usually eaten. Grafting won’t make a wild branch produce olives of cultivated quality or change the solid root structure of the original tree. It would, however, allow the wild branch to benefit from the established roots and healthy base of the cultivated tree and help it to produce healthy fruit of its unique variety.
Understanding Paul’s Symbolism
To clarify Paul’s analogy, Gentiles that recognize Jesus as the messiah and thus their need for him are the wild olive branches. The cultivated olive tree and its roots represent the promises of God given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Old Testament. He is saying that, although God made these promises to the Jewish people, we have a part in them, as Gentiles, due to our belief that Jesus is who he says he is. Our faith strengthens us and allows us to be “sons of Abraham” (Gal. 3:7).
So, now that we’re grafted in, what are we? While the grafting process entitles us to be heirs to God’s promises to the Jews, it does not make us into Jews. After the graft, we maintain our original character – Jews stay Jews, and Gentiles stay Gentiles. The change is that we’re then one in our Messiah, Jesus.
The Branches Broken Off
When grafting, cutting some branches off the original tree is usually necessary to allow space or a better nutrient load for the new branch. Paul says in his grafting analogy that Jesus came to save his people, the Jewish people, but most of them rejected him as the messiah. He says that these branches were “not spared” and that they were “hardened.” Sadly, the Jewish people who did not recognize Jesus as their messiah were broken from the tree of God’s promises.
But Paul doesn’t stop there. He states that God will never abandon His people Israel. Also found in 1 Samuel 12:22 and other places, God is clear about His undying love for the Jewish people. Paul continues, saying that God will readily re-graft them when they turn from unbelief.
He also says that it was the disobedience of the Jews in rejection of Jesus that made a place for Gentile believers in the Kingdom of God. Because they fell away and were broken from the tree, we can now be grafted into that tree where we wouldn’t otherwise have had a part. This redemption is just part of God’s character. He makes a perfect plan, and people mess it up, then he brings blessing out of the terrible situation that is beyond what we could have imagined. It’s part of who He is!
What should our lives look like today as successfully grafted wild olive branches? How do we reflect our roots while maintaining our Gentile character? Paul answers this as well.
Stay humble. Paul first warns us of arrogance. Because branches were broken off, allowing us to be grafted in does not give us the right to think of ourselves as superior to the Jewish people. In verse 18, he said that we should remember that it is the root that supports us and not the Gentiles that support the root. As branches that benefit from the root, Christians should stand firmly against anti-Semitism and work diligently to bridge the deep chasm between Christians and Jews that has been built throughout history.
Pray for the Jewish people. Praying for their salvation should be our prayer for the Jewish people today. If seeing them turn to Christ and be re-grafted in is a desire of God’s heart, it should also be ours!
Learn more about the tree. Being grafted in brings the opportunity for salvation to us as Gentiles. Some Christians say that the Old Testament is no longer relevant to our faith, but this couldn’t be further from the truth! Genesis 12:1-3 contains God’s promise to Abraham to give him land and numerous descendants and to bless all the people of the earth through him. But the whole bible contains our story as God’s people, from Genesis to Revelation. God’s character is revealed throughout His word, and we should make it our life’s work to get to know Him and the promises (both fulfilled and yet to be) upon which our faith is built.
Have a faith worthy of jealousy. Not in a middle school mean girl way, but one where our faith is so pure and solid that outsiders, including Jews, want what we have. Paul suggests that this jealousy was one of the reasons salvation was extended to the Gentiles. Is your faith capable of making someone jealous for it? Do outsiders see your relationship with the God of the Bible and hope in our Savior and want that in their own lives?
Produce good fruit. Like a grafted branch, we are to be productive offshoots. In John 15:8, Jesus says, “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” We glorify God by bearing good fruit, including the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23.
The analogy of being grafted in as wild olive branches demonstrates how we, as Gentiles, have access to God’s promises to the Hebrew people. Without this grafting and some branches being broken from the original tree, we wouldn’t have a part in these promises and wouldn’t have our Messiah, Jesus. As successfully grafted and productive branches, we should produce fruit that glorifies God and humbly honor our roots and the spiritual nutrition they provide.
