Sermon Tone Analysis

Shavuot in Torah

We will begin today by reading 2 passages: Deut.

16:16-17 and Lev.

23:15-22:

Passover to Shavuot

Passover is not complete until Shavuot.

The last cup during the Passover Seder is Ex 6:7 “I will take you to Myself as a people, and I will be your God.

You will know that I am Adonai your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.”

Passover is just the engagement, Shavuot is the marriage!

God brings them to Mt. Sinai in chapters 19 and 20 of Exodus, and enters into a marriage covenant with them by giving them the Ten Commandments (a ketubah).

Now even though it shouldn’t have taken so long, the time it took for them to get from Egypt to Mt. Sinai was 50 days.

This is significant because the number 50 symbolizes Jubilee (or new beginnings), and after 30 days a slave can be eligible to marry (Deut.

21:10-14).

Theophany of Theophanies

The central event in the Hebrew Scriptures is receiving the Torah from God.

It is called by some, “The Theophany of all Theophanies.”

This may be because this theophany is seen in Exodus 19 as a wedding between God and Israel where they received the Torah from God and became His people through covenant.

We are all are familiar with the Apostle Paul’s analogy of the congregation as the bride of Messiah, but are unfamiliar with where he is getting that analogy.

It is God’s marriage with Israel at Mt. Sinai.

Marvin Wilson writes that:

The 10 commandments may be seen as a ketubah or ‘marriage contract.’

It is a “document detailing the obligations and terms of the union, and is read to the bride before she is asked to make her final commitment to the bridegroom.

The rabbis point out that this act is biblically depicted when God, on Sinai, declared to Israel, ‘Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.’

(Exodus 19:5).”

Cup of Betrothal

This is the same as when Yeshua offers the cup of the new covenant.

1 Cor.

11:25-26

Many scholars see this cup as the cup of betrothal.

This is where the groom-to-be would drink from the cup, pass it to the bride-to-be, and her drinking of this cup signified her acceptance of the proposed marriage.

The following quote is from Jon D. Levenson who shows the true heart of the covenant at Sinai.

Israel’s part in the covenant is “to realize her love in the form of observance of her master’s stipulations, the mitzvot, for they are the words of the language of love, the fit medium in which to respond to the passionate advances of the divine suzerian.

It is not a question of law or love, but law conceived in love, love expressed in law.

The two are a unity.

To speak of one apart from the other is to produce a parody of the religion of Israel.”

It is the love of God which moves Israel to embrace His law at Sinai.

Does not Jesus (Yeshua) even say Jn. 14:15

Establishing Covenants

Two major events have occurred on Shavuot, The first was the giving of the Torah, and the second was the giving of the Ruach, Who writes the Word of God on our hearts.

Ex. 20:18-22

Concerning the giving of the Torah, Rabbi Johanan said:

“Every single word that went forth from the Omnipresent was split up into seventy languages.”

The Babylonian Talmud (Sabb 88a) also says,

“Like a Hammer that breaks the rocks in sparks so every single word that went forth from the Holy One, blessed be He, split up into seventy languages.”

And again Philo writes,

“From the midst of the fire that streamed from heaven there sounded forth, to their utter amazement, a voice, for the flame became articulate speech in the language familiar to the audience, and so clearly and distinctly were the words formed by it that they seemed to see them rather than hear them.”

Notice all of these sources talk of the sound of many languages, and the fire that was seen.

This should bring to our mind the giving of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:1-11

The Ruach HaKodesh had been promised many times and in many ways.

John the baptizer said of Yeshua, Matt.

3:11 ““As for me, I immerse you in water for repentance.

But the One coming after me is mightier than I am; I am not worthy to carry His sandals.

He will immerse you in the Ruach ha-Kodesh and fire.”

Yeshua, himself, said to wait for the “Promise of the Father” and that “John baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

(Acts 1:4-5) Peter quotes Joel in saying that God will pour out His Spirit on all flesh . . .

(Acts 2:17-21) and he states “This is what was spoken of.”

Promise of the Ruach HaKodesh

Here are several other places where the outpouring of the Ruach was specifically talked about.

Isa.

44:1-5, Eze.

36:25-28, Eze.

39:28-29

These last two prophesies of Ezekiel are very interesting, especially considering that they were given while in exile, although they were partially fulfilled in Acts 2, their fulfilment was not as encompassing as mentioned.

This leads the understanding that, a latter day outpouring is what is being referred to.

[Read testimony of Sid Roth, https://youtu.be/-ITXEuOIfw4

]

Filled with the Ruach, Why?

But why are we to be filled by the Ruach HaKodesh?

The prophet Jeremiah says that through the Ruach we would know Adonai, fear Adonai, and remain with Adonai.

Jer.

31:33, Jer.

32:39-40

Ezekiel says that because of the Ruach we will follow His Word from our hearts and that we would witness to the nations.

Eze.

36:27, Eze.

36:23

Yeshua said that through the Ruach we would receive power to be His witnesses.

Acts 1:8

Peter then demonstrated this by going from someone who denied Yeshua to speaking.

Acts 4:8

And the rest of the disciples also did the same.

Acts 4:31

Paul says that the Ruach is the seal of our Salvation, the One who sanctifies us, and the One who changes our hearts desires.

Eph: 1:13, Titus 3:5, Gal.

5:22-23

John then says that the Ruach is the evidence that Adonai abides in us. 1 Jn.

3:24

Who is the Ruach HaKodesh for?

Who then can receive this gift of the Ruach HaKodesh?

And how often can we be filled?

Peter said to the Jewish people in Jerusalem: Acts 2:38-39

And then with Cornelius the Gentile the Spirit fell on all those who heard the word.

Acts 10:44

How often should we be filled?

In terms of how often should we be filled, Acts 4:23-31 shows us that the filling of the Holy Spirit should be an ongoing lifestyle.

What should we do?

I long for the Ruach HaKodesh today! 1 Cor.

2:1-5 What is our faith in, the wisdom of men or the power of G-d?