Shavuot 2015 – An appointed time of great significance

Shavuot, the feast of oaths, an appointed time with our Heavenly Father. On this day we seven ourselves, we re-dedicate ourselves to YHVH.

We were in Jerusalem, the place YHVH chose to put His name forever. It was once again a privilege and an unforgettable experience. We also had wonderful weather and fellowship. A stark contrast to Pesach. Pesach taught me that going up to Jerusalem is first and foremost an appointment with our Father. Fellowship is important, but secondary. The same goes for the weather. I was disappointed at Pesach because our friends were unable to come to Israel and the weather was cold, windy and rainy. It made me realize that I had my priorities wrong and I had to turn from my ways. This time, my priority was YHVH and I had such an expectation for the feast. We were not disappointed, the feast was memorable in so many ways and we were blessed with a wonderful gathering, lots of fellowship and excellent weather.

You may wonder why I mention the weather so much. Coming from the Netherlands, weather is probably the most discussed topics due to the changeable nature of it. We could easily have three to four seasons in one day, mostly wet and cold. So, going up to Jerusalem was like going on a summer holiday, lots of sunshine and good weather to be expected. Anyway, as I said, YHVH showed me where my focus should be. He expects us to put Him first and when we do, He may bless us with all the other great things.

Let me get back to the feast. Shavuot is a very significant feast. Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying this to diminish the importance of the other feasts. There just seems to be a different nature to Shavuot, I don’t quite know how to explain it. Our previous experiences with both Pesach and Sukkot were us being more focused on the family, teaching the kids about the exodus at Pesach, the focus primarily on redemption. On this day, YHVH redeemed Israel from slavery. Y’shua fulfilled this feast by Him giving His life for our eternal redemption. Sukkot, on the other hand focusses more on being thankful for YHVH’s provision. It will have a future fulfillment as the wedding feast we will celebrate when Y’shua returns.

We have come to experience Shavuot as focusing on our relationship with YHVH, both individually and nationally. It does make sense because on this day- according to tradition- the Torah was given and later the Holy Spirit. Both the Torah and the Holy Spirit enable us to have a relationship with our Heavenly Father. The Torah teaches how to be set apart and the Holy Spirit enables us to be obedient to these instructions.

We have been privileged to experience Shavuot, like this since 2012. We have written about this in previous articles. Every Shavuot, since 2012, were as if YHVH wanted us to do something specific and He did not only put it on our hearts, but also in the hearts of others. It is almost as if there is a certain theme to every Shavuot, 2012 being the most significant. In 2012, believers from 6 of the seven continents were together (none from Antartica) confessing sins on behalf of themselves and their fathers, making intercession to YHVH on behalf of all twelve tribes. We prayed the prayers Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1)and Daniel (Daniel 9) prayed on behalf of those who were in exile and re-dedicated ourselves to YHVH. You can read more about this here Trip Report – Shavuot – Our proclamation

Then in 2013, Shavuot in Jerusalem 2013 – I will be your Elohim and you shall be My people we re-committed ourselves to YHVH stating that all He has spoken we will do, just like the Israelites did before they were given the Torah at mount Sinai. In 2014, we once again did some introspection to see if we have clean hands and a pure heart, or in other words, if we were indeed living what we proclaimed the previous year. What we did outwardly should be a reflection of what is inside of us.

This time was focused on national repentance, the receiving of the kingdom of Heaven and re-unification of Ephraim with Judah. The gathering in the city of David was truly like it is described in the Apostolic writings in 1 Cor 14:26, one had a hymn, another a word of wisdom and another a prophecy.

Here is an excerpt of a song we sang. It is called “Call to Ephraim” by Lenny and Varda.

http://www.lennyandvarda.com/musicclips/RESTORATION/4-6%20CALL%20TO%20EPHRAIM.mp3

The song has such beautiful words:

It is also interesting to know that 2012 was the third year of the Sabbatical cycle and this year is the sixth. These years are very significant as they are the year of the tithe to the widow, orphan, stranger and the poor. Could there be even more significance to these years?

Divine appointments

We have found Jerusalem to be the city of divine appointments. This time, many of us have special encounters with Jewish people.

We have told you about the work Shoshana Miriam does in a previous post. She is an eighty-three year old widow who has, with her family, has been helping others in need her whole life. We reached out to them, because this year is the sixth year of the Sabbatical cycle and we wanted to give our third year tithe to the widow, the orphan and the poor. They were so thankful. We went back to visit her again at her apartment. We were welcomed like family, it was the day after Shavuot and she said if they had known we were in Jerusalem, they would have loved to have us celebrate Shavuot with them.

Another encounter was with a dear Jewish man from Canada. He came to Jerusalem to celebrate Shavuot and visit family. He asked us our reason for being there and we told him that we come up to Jerusalem for the pilgrimage feasts. He was stunned to hear that. I asked him how he, being an observant Jew, sees this and he answered that it is the fulfillment of prophecy.

A good friend of ours, Chris, also had an experience that could be seen as a sort of microcosm of this future re-unification of Judah and Israel (the ten lost tribes or Ephraim). Here it is as recalled by our friend John Williams:

I am sure there were many more encounters we were not even aware of. What we are seeing is the beginning of the restoration. We, as believers in Y’shua, are being awakened to the truth. We as believers are a part of Israel, or more accurately Ephraimites who were scattered and lost our identity. YHVH, is opening our eyes and showing us this, and we are returning to Him in obedience. This awakening has become quite prominent since 2006. People from all over the world are re-discovering YHVH’s ways and are turning from their old ways which was rooted in lawlessness.

What we are beginning to see is preparation for the future re-unification of all twelve tribes. It may still take quite a while, but it is happening. This restoration was promised by YHVH if we return to Him.

Promised restoration

Deuteronomy 30:1-8
¹ So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all nations where YHVH your Elohim has banished you, ² and you return to YHVH your Elohim and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons, ³ then YHVH your Elohim will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where YHVH your Elohim has scattered you. ⁴ If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there YHVH your Elohim will gather you, and from there He will bring you back. ⁵YHVH your Elohim will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. ⁶ Moreover YHVH your Elohim will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love YHVH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live. ⁷ YHVH your Elohim will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. ⁸ And you shall again obey YHVH, and observe all His commandments which I command you today.

We are these people in the nations YHVH is referring to. We are returning to YHVH and are obeying His commandments where we are in the nations. He said if we do this, He would restore us from captivity. What a glorious day that would be.

A warning

There is, however, a warning that goes with this. There is a Jewish legend of a premature exodus from Egypt. The legend states that a large group of Ephraimites left Egypt based on their calculations of when the exile would have been over. They calculated the 400 years from the time the prophecy was given instead of from the birth of Isaac. This caused them to leave Egypt prematurely and they were killed by the Philistines. Here is the source http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview/id/719411.html

Many believers who have been awakened to the truth have a strong desire to return to the land. Many of these people will do anything to be able to call Israel their home. The danger in this is that they easily fall prey to anti-missionaries who convince them to convert to Judaism and come live in the land. In order to convert, they have to deny Y’shua. A friend of ours has written about this previously, A love of all things Jewish.

Denying Y’shua as the Messiah will not serve you any purpose. We have salvation through Him and Him alone. Is it worth losing your salvation to live in Israel?

Even if you are able to live in the land without having to convert, there is a danger that you are not in the Father’s will. If we were to go and live in Israel pre-maturely, we might be killed just like the Ephramites in the legend were killed. A time of war is coming and we will have to be where YHVH wants us to be. It certainly is YHVH’s will for some people to return to the land, but we are to prayerfully consider this. The time of return for all is not yet. Wait on YHVH and do His will.

Please consider this before you follow some group or leader’s deception. Focus on your relationship with YHVH and He will tell you what to do. Don’t follow man, it will lead to destruction.

Proverbs 14:12
¹² There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

Proverbs 16:25
²⁵ There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

This is repeated twice in Scripture. Take heed of these words.

Proverbs 12:15
¹⁵ The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.

We are to follow YHVH’s counsel in all we do. Not our own ideas or other people’s. Follow YHVH and ask Him to reveal His will for your life to you.

We have included some comments about this day written by some of the people who were there.

From some of those who were there with us

This is how Chad & Marilyn Wilhelms experienced the day:

And John Williams:

Here is what Jason wrote:

We hope you too have experienced Shavuot in a meaningful way. Please share your experience with us. May YHVH bless and strengthen each and every person who choose and obey His ways.