maja-petric-8287-unsplash Shavuot A Season of Giving
maja-petric-8287-unsplash Shalom! A s a Christian, you might not be familiar with the biblically mandated holy day known as Shavuot. But more than likely, you have heard of Pentecost the holiday that Jesus followers were observing in Jerusalem when the Holy Spirit was given to them. Since Pentecost is the Greek word for 50, and as Shavuot occurs 50 days after the first day of Passover, it was referred to as Pentecost in the New Testament. But what exactly were Jesus followers observing during Pentecost? During the times of the First and Second Temples, Shavuot was a harvest festival. Sheaves of barley (the winter crop) were brought to the Temple each day, beginning on Passover until Shavuot, the Shavuot is rich in meaning for both Christians and Jews, and to that end, we have prepared three Bible studies exploring three major themes associated with this Season of Giving: God As Our Refuge and Provider The Giving of the Law The Giving of the firstfruits beginning of the harvest season 50 days later. It was a joyous celebration, with the people bringing the firstfruits of their harvest to the Temple with thanksgiving to God for His provision. With the destruction of the Second Temple and the expulsion of the Jewish people from their land, the celebration focused more on the anniversary of the giving of the Torah to Moses at Mt. Sinai which also fell 50 days after the first day of Passover. As Moses, in Deuteronomy 4:10 13, reminded the people: Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb [Sinai] You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness. Then the LORD spoke He declared to you his covenant, the Ten Commandments, which he commanded you to follow and then wrote them on two stone tablets. Today, Jews in Israel and around the world celebrate Shavuot by staying up all night studying and learning the Torah. At synagogue services on Shavuot morning, the Ten Commandments are read, and the people reaffirm their commitment to treasure and obey God s Law, uttering the same words as their ancestors did thousands of years earlier at the foot of Mt. Sinai: All that the LORD has spoken we will do (Exodus 19:8). Our hope and prayer is that your faith will be deepened and your bond with Israel and her people will be strengthened through these studies. 2018 International Fellowship of Christians and Jews ifcj.org page 2
Shavuot A Season of Giving Lesson One: God, Our Refuge and Provider Lesson Objectives Through the study of the Book of Ruth and related passages, students of the Bible will understand the underlying principles of the Jewish celebration of Shavuot, which are: That God is the source of all material blessings, and thankfulness is our appropriate response; That God is the source of all spiritual blessings, and our appropriate response is faith; and That God gave us His Word (Torah), and our appropriate response is to renew our commitment to God and His Word. Key Bible Verse May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge. (Ruth 2:12) Scripture to Read: Ruth 1:1 4:22 Before You Begin An illustration of Ruth gleaning the harvest from the fields, reminding us of God s fruit and The Feast of Firstfruits marked the day on which faithfulness in supplying our needs. the first produce of the winter barley harvest was presented to the Lord. Seven weeks later, Shavuot marked the day on which the first produce of the summer wheat harvest was presented to the Lord (Exodus 34:22). The period between Firstfruits and Shavuot is known as Sefira (Hebrew, counting ). It derives this name from the instructions to Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath (Leviticus 23:16). For this reason, it later became known as Pentecost (a Greek word meaning fifty ). Firstfruits offerings required giving God the first portion of the produce: You must not eat any bread, 2018 International Fellowship of Christians and Jews ifcj.org page 3
Lesson One or roasted or new grain, until the very day you bring this offering to your God (Leviticus 23:14). A storm or plague of insects could destroy the crop before the harvest could be completed, so it required faith to give God everything and trust Him to provide for one s needs. At the end of the harvest, in response to God s provisions, the people were to give a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings the Lord had given them (Deuteronomy 16:10). After the destruction of the Temple as a place of offerings, the focus of Shavuot shifted from agriculture to the Torah. In the same month as Shavuot, God had given the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:1), so Shavuot has become a time to renew one s commitment to God and His Word. Even today, it is customary for people to stay up all night to study and discuss Torah in observance of Shavuot. The Book of Ruth is traditionally read on Shavuot because it takes place during the harvest season. Further, the book describes Ruth as a foreigner from Moab who made a commitment to the people, culture, and God of Judaism. Her commitment serves as a reminder for all to renew their faithfulness to God and His Word. Finally, Ruth s conversion and marriage resulted in God s blessing as she became the great-grandmother of King David, placing her in the lineage to the Messiah. Our narrative in the Book of Ruth begins during a time of famine in the land of Judah. Elimelech and his wife, Naomi, and their two sons departed from Bethlehem for the land of Moab to live for a while (1:1). Bethlehem means house of bread and suggests a fertile land, but apparently the bread basket of Judah was empty at the time. Elimelech died in the foreign land, and his sons married Moabite wives, Ruth and Orpah. Then the sons died too, leaving the three women as widows. Naomi heard that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them (1:6), so the three women set out for Bethlehem. Leaving Moab 1. The events of the book of Ruth occur In the days when the judges ruled (1:1). How does Judges 21:25 summarize the moral climate of the time? In what ways did Ruth and Boaz live in contrast with the values of society? Is it possible to live a godly life in the midst of a selfish, sin-saturated society? Ruth s marriage to Boaz is a blessing bestowed on each for their faithfulness to God. 2. Naomi urged Ruth and Orpah to go back to their parents (Ruth 1:8) and Orpah obeyed. Naomi told Ruth: your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods (1:15) but Ruth responded, Your people will be my people and your God my God (1:16). 2018 International Fellowship of Christians and Jews ifcj.org page 4
Lesson One Ruth s commitment to God meant leaving behind her homeland, friends, family, culture, and religion. Put yourself in Ruth s place. What would you have done? What lessons can we learn from Ruth about our decision to follow God? Write out your own affirmation of commitment to God as a way to honor Shavuot. Returning to Bethlehem 3. When Naomi returned to Bethlehem, she told her friends not to call her Naomi, which means pleasantness, but to call her Mara, which means bitterness. Naomi s misfortune had made her empty and bitter. Trace Naomi s progression from despair to hope by describing her actions and attitudes in the following passages. Passage Action/Attitude Result Ruth 1:20 21 Ruth 2:19 20 Ruth 3:1 2 Ruth 3:3 4 Ruth 3:16 18 Ruth 4:13 16 4. Ruth and Naomi arrived in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning (1:22). In the Mosaic Law, God instructed landowners not to be selfish, but to remember the poor during the harvest season. What provision did God make for people such as Ruth? (See Leviticus 19:9; 23:22; and Deuteronomy 24:19.) What does this tell you about God? 5. Boaz expressed a genuine concern for Ruth s well-being (2:8 9). Read Ruth 2:1 23 and list the ways that Boaz protected and provided for Ruth. 2018 International Fellowship of Christians and Jews ifcj.org page 5
Lesson One The Kinsman-Redeemer 6. When Ruth returned home with a generous portion of grain to show for her efforts and leftovers from her mid-day meal with Boaz, Naomi revealed that Boaz was one of our kinsman-redeemers (2:20). A kinsman-redeemer was the next of kin. According to the following verses, what were the duties of a kinsman-redeemer? Leviticus 25:25 Leviticus 25:47 48 Numbers 35:20 21 Deuteronomy 25:5 10 7. Naomi instructed Ruth on how to approach Boaz to ask him to fulfill his duties as a kinsman-redeemer (3:1-4). After Boaz went to sleep at the threshing floor (a public place where others would have protected their grain piles by sleeping near them), Ruth uncovered his feet. When Boaz awoke, she made her request known: Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer (3:9). In Hebrew, the word corner can also be translated as wings. Compare Ruth 2:12, where Boaz prayed that Ruth would be blessed by God, under whose wings you have come to take refuge. Read Psalms 36:7; 57:1; and 91:4. What concept or quality of God is conveyed by this expression? 8. For a man to spread his outer robe (like wings) over a woman was a legal and symbolic gesture that indicated he intended to provide for the needs of the woman as his wife. Boaz agreed to serve as Ruth s advocate before the closer relative. If the rightful kinsman-redeemer refused to marry her, Boaz promised to do so. Initially, the kinsman-redeemer agreed to purchase the land, but why did he change his mind (Ruth 4:5 6)? 9. Boaz said to Ruth: All my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character (3:11). In the Hebrew Bible, the sequence of books places Ruth after the book of Proverbs, so Ruth becomes a real-life example of a woman of noble character as described in Proverbs 31:10 31. Compare the following verses and note some of the qualities that Ruth demonstrated. 2018 International Fellowship of Christians and Jews ifcj.org page 6
Lesson One Proverbs Ruth Proverbs 31:10 Ruth 3:11, 4:15 Proverbs 31:15 Ruth 2:18 Proverbs 31:17 Ruth 2:6 7 Proverbs 31:23 Ruth 4:1 3 Proverbs 31:31 Ruth 3:11, 4:11 12 10. The Book of Ruth indicates that both human decisions and God s providence play a significant role in the course of individual lives and human history. Which two instances mentioned God s intervention (Ruth 1:6 and 4:13)? Also, what does Nahum 1:7 say that might summarize the theme of the Book of Ruth? Something to Think About Childless widows, such as Ruth and Orpah, usually returned to the home of their parents (Genesis 38:11; Leviticus 22:13), but Naomi s godly character must have impressed her daughters-in-law because both of the young widows set out with Naomi (1:7) and both initially refused to go back (1:8). Consider in what ways your own character is an example to others. What areas would you like to improve? Who has influenced you? Why? Extra Credit Although God promised His people His blessings for obedience (Deuteronomy 28:2), sometimes personal loss and economic difficulty will occur in life. Ruth and Naomi persisted in their faith despite their suffering. Faith in God goes beyond what God can do for us. Habakkuk 2:20 3:19 is also read on Shavuot. Describe Habakkuk s attitude toward God in Habakkuk 3:17 19. Personalize your own faith and circumstances right now using Habakkuk s words as a model. SOuRCES Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, How Firm A Foundation, Paraclete Press, Brewster, Massachusetts, 1997. Kevin Howard and Marvin Rosenthal, The Feasts of the Lord, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee, 1997. F. B. Huey, Jr., Ruth, Expositors Bible Commentary, Zondervan Reference Software, 1989 2001. John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews, and Mark W. Chavalas, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, Intervarsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2000. Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. 2018 International Fellowship of Christians and Jews ifcj.org page 7
Shavuot A Season of Giving Lesson Two: The Giving of the Law Lesson Objectives Through this lesson, students of the Bible: Will gain insights into the nature of covenant in Israel s world, and why it became an important biblical concept; Will understand more fully the history and purpose of the giving of the Ten Commandments; and Will appreciate more deeply God s desire to communicate with us by giving us His Word. Key Bible Verses What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today? Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when he said to me, Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere me as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children. (Deuteronomy 4:7 11) Scripture to Read: Exodus 20 24; Deuteronomy 4:1 40 Before You Begin Moses descending from Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments in hand. Where does the Bible begin? Where does any good story begin? At the beginning, of course. For the Bible, it would seem most obvious that this beginning is the Book of Genesis. After all, Genesis is at the front of the Bible as we have become familiar with it. More than that, Genesis deals with origins, as its very name implies. But simply because the pages are found in a certain order does not mean that the first ones we encounter necessarily came into being prior to those that follow. What is the Bible s own understanding of its origins? 2018 International Fellowship of Christians and Jews ifcj.org page 8
Lesson Two It soon becomes apparent that we need to start by looking at the events that took place at Mount Sinai, in the middle of the Book of Exodus. Why? Because none of the stories reported in the Bible as occurring prior to the Sinai event makes mention of or implies the presence of a divinely inspired written document. For instance, as important as he was to biblical history, Adam had no Bible. Nor did Noah, during all those years that he tried to hear a voice speaking of impending world destruction. Even Abraham, whose story is so central to the biblical record, was not guided by a collection of sacred writings to which he could turn for devotional reflection each morning. The Children of Israel bow before and worship God on Mount Sinai. In clear and unambiguous testimony, the Bible s own internal evidence is the writing down of important ideas or history. That sourcebook of revelatory insight began when the Israelites encountered God in a unique way at Mount Sinai. It was there, according to the pages of Exodus, that God and Moses collaborated to create written documents. Those writings would travel with the community that became the nation of Israel. So it is imperative to understand more clearly what was taking place at Mount Sinai. To do that, we need to know something of the broader history of the second millennium B.C.E. One of the dominant civilizations of that era was the Hittite kingdom. Somewhat secluded in the mountainous plateaus of Anatolia (eastern Turkey today), the Hittites shaped a vast web of international relations which, at the height of their power in the 14th century B.C.E., encompassed most of the ancient Near East. Similar to the feudal system of the Medieval Period, the more powerful entity, the suzerain, would control foreign affairs, while the weaker powers, or vassals, had limited domestic autonomy. In order to establish appropriate structures to spell out their ongoing interactions with subjected peoples, the Hittites developed a prescribed treaty form, or covenant code, that was widely used (see sidebar on page 6). What makes this bit of ancient historical trivia so intriguing for biblical scholars is the uncanny correspondence between the elements of this Hittite covenant code and the literature at the heart of Israel s encounter with God at Sinai. Note the following: When God is first heard speaking from the rumbling mountain, the words are essentially the PREAMBLE of a Suzerain-Vassal covenant: I am the Lord your God (Exodus 20:1). Immediately following is a brief HISTORICAL PROLOGUE reminding the people of the events that precipitated this encounter:... who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage (Exodus 20:2). Then comes a recitation of STIPULATIONS that will shape the ethics, morality, and lifestyle of the community, including the Ten Commandments, which functions as a summary of the whole (Exodus 20:3 23:19). Moses vents his anger against idol worshipping in place of God. Following these are the CURSES AND BLESSINGS (Exodus 23:20 33) of a typical covenant document. What is unusual in this case is that the order is reversed so that the blessings precede the 2018 International Fellowship of Christians and Jews ifcj.org page 9
Lesson Two curses. This provides the same rigors of participatory onus, but gives it a freshness of grace and optimism that is often absent from the quick condemnation of the usual ordering. The WITNESSES are the Elders of the Israelite community (Exodus 24:1 2), bringing authentication of this process and these documents into the human realm, when it was often spiritualized in other covenants by listing local gods as moderators of these events. Finally there is the DOCUMENT CLAUSE (Exodus 24:3 18) that spells out the ratification ceremony. It will be followed by a further reflection on the repositories of the covenant document copies once the Tabernacle has been built. There is striking resonance between the usual form of the Hittite Suzerain-Vassal Covenant and the essential first speech of God to Israel at Mount Sinai. In other words, the first biblical documents were the written covenant documents formulating the relationship between a nation and the (divine) ruler who earned in battle with the Pharaoh of Egypt (Exodus 1 11) the right to order the world. This is why the word covenant becomes an essential term for all the rest of the literature that will be garnered into the collection eventually known as the Bible. The Bible begins with a covenant-making ceremony that produces certain documents, and then continues to grow as further explications of that covenant relationship are generated. Using this widely copied and commonly understood tool of shaping political, cultural, and religious relationships in society, God owned Israel through the covenant, but Israel also owned God, both in the very best of ways. Israel became God s partner in the divine mission to redeem and restore to full spiritual health all nations of the earth; and God became Israel s daily partner in the struggles of life. How the Ten Commandments became a part of the Shavuot celebration The celebration of Shavuot, which initially was a celebration tied to the agricultural harvest, became associated with the giving of the Ten Commandments and the Torah after the destruction of the Second Temple and the forced separation of the Jewish people from their land. With no formal worship center in which to carry on the traditions, the theme of the anniversary of the Sinai revelation and covenant and the giving of the Torah achieved dominance. Although the Torah itself does not offer this rationale, a computation based on the narrative shows that the revelation on Mount Sinai took place exactly 50 days after the Exodus from Egypt, which is the same day as Shavuot (see Exodus 19). (From How Firm a Foundation, pp. 89 90) 2018 International Fellowship of Christians and Jews ifcj.org page 10
Lesson Two Covenant and the Nation of Israel 1. Compare the Sinai Covenant (including the Ten Commandments) of Exodus 20 24 with the structures of the Suzerain-Vassal Covenant popular in ancient Israel s world. Suzerain-Vassal Covenant elements God s Covenant with Israel (summarize) Preamble Exodus 20:1 Historical Prologue Exodus 20:2 Stipulations Exodus 20:3 23:19 Blessings and Curses Exodus 23:20 30 Witnesses Exodus 24:1 2 Document Clauses Exodus 24:3 18 (ratification ceremony) How does this understanding of the relationship between God and Israel help your understanding of Israel s religion? 2. Read Exodus 20:3 17. What are the primary concerns of each of the Ten Commandments, and how do they summarize well the divine/human relationship as outlined in the whole of the Covenant? Commandment Primary Concern Relationship First Commandment Second Commandment Third Commandment Fourth Commandment Fifth Commandment Sixth Commandment Seventh Commandment Eighth Commandment Ninth Commandment Tenth Commandment 3. Read Deuteronomy 4:1 31. How does Moses speech in Deuteronomy 4 confirm and further illuminate these matters? 2018 International Fellowship of Christians and Jews ifcj.org page 11
Lesson Two 4. What were the consequences of obeying God s laws? (vv. 6 8) What were the consequences of disobedience? (vv. 26 28) 5. What would be the final result if the people disobeyed, and why? (vv. 29 31) 6. Moses strongly encourages the Israelites to make the Ten Commandments obvious and active in their daily lives (Deuteronomy 4). How does this instruction shape the lives of God s people today, both as community and as individuals? How should we apply the Ten Commandments in our lives? 7. If you were to be transported back in time to the events at Mount Sinai in Exodus 19-24, what would you be thinking, seeing, experiencing, hearing? What questions would you want to ask Moses? Why? 8. If Moses were to be transported ahead in time to visit your congregation, what would he be thinking, seeing, experiencing, hearing? How might he suggest that your church use the Ten Commandments? Why? 2018 International Fellowship of Christians and Jews ifcj.org page 12
Lesson Two Suzerain-Vassal Covenant Documents The typical Hittite Suzerain-Vassal Covenant included these parts: Historical Prologue outlining the events leading up to this relationship, so that it could be set into a particular context and shaped by a cultural or religious frame. Stipulations which specified the responsibilities and actions associated with the relationship. Curses and Blessing that evoked the negative and positive outcomes if this covenant were either breached or embraced by the parties. Witnesses who were called to affirm the legitimacy of this covenant-making event, and who would then hold the parties accountable. Document Clauses which described ratification ceremonies, specified future public recitations of the treaty, and noted the manner in which the copies of the covenant were to be kept. Something to Think About In the Jewish tradition, the people demonstrate their love for God and devotion to His Word by counting the days between Passover and Shavuot when the Torah was received. Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein writes, Just as a groom longingly awaits the time when he can live with his bride, so, explain the Jewish mystics, we count the days until we can greet our beloved, the Torah (How Firm a Foundation, p. 90). By linking the two celebrations, Passover and Shavuot, the Jew declares that man does not attain complete freedom through physical liberation alone. In the Jewish mind, the Exodus from Egypt was incomplete without a spiritual redemption. While most would associate laws with restrictions, in what ways did receiving God s commandments and covenant give spiritual freedom to the nation of Israel? In what ways does God s Law provide spiritual freedom for you? Extra Credit Psalm 119 is a repetitive meditation on the beauty of God s Word and how it helps us stay pure and grow in our faith. The psalm is divided into 22 carefully constructed sections, each corresponding to a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet and each of the eight verses in a section beginning with the letter of its section. Like a song, it is written so that God s people could easily memorize it and pass it along. In almost every section, God s Word, with its many benefits, is mentioned. Read several of the sections from Psalm 119 and reflect on the psalmist s attitude toward God s Word. How do the psalm writer s thoughts reflect your own? In what ways might you need to change your views? Select one of the following verses (or choose your own) to memorize as a challenge to meditate and reflect on God s Word: Psalm 119:9 11; Psalm 119:33 34; Psalm 119:44 45; Psalm 119:73 74; Psalm 119:103; Psalm 119:105; Psalm 119:124 125; or Psalm 119:174 175 Wayne Brouwer teaches at Hope College and Western Theological Seminary, both in Holland, Michigan. He is the author of many articles and books, including Covenant Documents: Reading the Bible Again for the First Time. 2018 International Fellowship of Christians and Jews ifcj.org page 13
Shavuot A Season of Giving Lesson Three: The Giving of Firstfruits Lesson Objectives Through this lesson, students of the Bible: Will understand more fully the history and significance of the Jewish celebration of Shavuot; Will understand how giving our very best to God is a concept found throughout Scripture; and Will understand what it means to give God our firstfruits. Key Bible Verses Then you shall declare before the Lord your God: My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, putting us to hard labor. Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with miraculous signs and wonders. He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, O Lord, have given me. Place the basket before the Lord your God and bow down before him. And you and the Levites and the aliens among you shall rejoice in all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household. (Deuteronomy 26:5 11) Scripture to Read: Deuteronomy 26:1 15 Before You Begin In offering their thanksgiving, workers bring baskets from the firstfruits of their harvest to the Levitical priest, bowing down before God, thanking Him for their provisions. When the people of Israel began to settle into the Promised Land, the celebration of Shavuot became an agricultural holiday that celebrated the Lord s provision for His people. In Deuteronomy (the final book of the 2018 International Fellowship of Christians and Jews ifcj.org page 14
Lesson Three Torah), Moses reminded the people to faithfully celebrate Passover (Deuteronomy 16:1 7), Unleavened Bread (Deuteronomy 16:8), the Omer Count (Deuteronomy 16:9), and Shavuot (Deuteronomy 16:9 11): Count off seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain. Then celebrate the Feast 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 at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, the Levites in your towns, and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows living among you (Deuteronomy 16:9 11). The Hebrew word sheva means seven, shavu ah means week, and shavuot means weeks. So exactly seven weeks after the first harvest of barley is the celebration of Shavuot. As one of the three pilgrimage holidays, the people of Israel were to come to the Temple to present the firstfruits of their spring crops before God. The Greek translators of the Torah later called this day Pentecost, or the fiftieth [day], since Shavuot occurs 50 days after Passover. The firstfruits were called bikkurim, and referred especially to the seven fruits of the Promised Land wheat, barley, olives, figs, pomegranates, dates, and grapes (Deuteronomy 8:8). As soon as the farmer saw evidence of a ripening fruit, he would tie a string or ribbon around it and designate that firstfruit as bikkurim. Later, he would pick that fruit, put it in a basket (wicker for the poor or one woven with strands of gold and silver for the more well-to-do), and bring it to the Temple. At the Temple, each family would present their basket of fruits to the priest and repeat the verses from Deuteronomy 26:5 11: Now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, O Lord, have given me (Deuteronomy 26:10). Shavuot was a time of great rejoicing and celebration. It was a time for the people to remember all that God had provided for them in the Promised Land, and it was a time to express joy and thanksgiving to God. As you work through this study, reflect on the many ways that God has provided for you and on your response to His provision. Giving to God 1. The concept of giving back to God a portion of what He has provided can be found in the Book of Genesis. Read Genesis 4:1 7, and then answer the following: What did each of the two brothers bring to God? Abel s offering rises to heaven in thanksgiving. What was the difference between Abel s and Cain s offerings? Why do you think God was not pleased with Cain s offering? What does this tell you about what God expects when we bring our offerings to Him? 2018 International Fellowship of Christians and Jews ifcj.org page 15
Lesson Three 2. In Leviticus 23:9 14, God gives Moses instructions on how the people are to celebrate the Festival of the Firstfruits. Read that passage and then answer the following: What were the people supposed to bring to the priest as an offering? What were they not supposed to do before bringing that offering? (v. 14) Why do you think God gave them that instruction? 3. Read 2 Chronicles 31:2 8. As part of King Hezekiah s religious revival, he restored the celebration of the annual festivals. How did the people respond to Hezekiah? What other practice did Hezekiah also restore? (vv. 4 8) 4. Read the following passages and write down what you learn about firstfruits from each. Reference Nehemiah 12:44 Psalm 78:51 Proverbs 3:9 10 Jeremiah 2:3 Ezekiel 44:30 Romans 8:23 25 1 Corinthians 15:20 James 1:17 19 Lesson 5. Read Malachi 3:6 12. How were the people cheating God? What was the result because of their actions? What would happen if they repented? 2018 International Fellowship of Christians and Jews ifcj.org page 16
Lesson Three 6. Read Luke 6:38. What is the principle of giving that Jesus states? Are God s blessings always material? In what other ways does God bless us when we give? 7. Giving back a portion of what God gives to us is an important concept in Paul s teachings as well. Read 2 Corinthians 8:1 14 and then answer the following: How did Paul characterize the giving of the Macedonian church? How did the Macedonian church view giving? (v. 4) What did they do first? (v. 5) According to Paul, why should we give generously of our resources? (vv. 8 9) According to Paul, how does God want us to give? (vv. 10 12) 8. Based on what you have just read, what changes, if any, do you need to make in your giving? In your attitude toward giving? 2018 International Fellowship of Christians and Jews ifcj.org page 17
Lesson Three Something to Think About Read the account of the birth of the church in Acts 2:1 42. The momentum of the stories told in the Book of Acts is derived from a single critical incident that took place in Jerusalem during the celebration of Shavuot (also called Pentecost because it occurred 50 days after the Passover). Jesus instruction for his disciples to stay in Jerusalem and wait to receive a special gift (Acts 1:4) must have seemed vague at the time, but the arrival of the explosive power of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost made great symbolic sense. This celebration was both a harvest festival and a time for recalling the gift of the original covenant documents to Moses at Mount Sinai. In what ways are these two themes reflected in the events that occurred and followed at Pentecost? In what ways were the results of Peter s sermon to the crowd that day a reflection of firstfruits? Extra Credit Read Psalm 65 aloud. This harvest psalm praises God the Creator as reflected in the beauty of nature. Nature and our surroundings help us to understand something of God s character. The Jews believe that God s care of nature is a sign of His love and provision for us. Nature is also a sign of God s generosity. Spend a few moments this week outdoors. Take time to reflect on your surroundings and give thanks to God for all that He has provided you and your family. Write your own psalm of thanksgiving to God, our Provider! The Feast of Firstfruits Regulations for the celebration required all Israelites to assemble at the Temple in Jerusalem, bringing with them the first sheaf of grain from their fields. As the time of harvest approached across the land, even before the regular reaping started a single bundle of grain was cut on each farm and toted off to the Temple. There it was waved before the Lord as an offering (Leviticus 23:11) along with two loaves of bread that were baked from the newly harvested grain (Leviticus 23:17). Furthermore, to broaden the impact of the event, two male lambs were also brought from the first castings of each flock (Leviticus 23:12). As these gifts were presented to God in the Temple courts, all of the men danced around the altar that carried the smoke of the gifts toward heaven. The crowds of women, children, and elderly men too old to jump around formed a large circle around these revelers and sang Psalms 113 118. 2018 International Fellowship of Christians and Jews ifcj.org page 18
Photo: Yossi Zwecker Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein In 1983, Rabbi Eckstein founded the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship), devoting his life to building bridges of understanding between Christians and Jews and broad support for the State of Israel. He is an internationally respected Bible teacher and acknowledged as the world s leading Jewish authority on evangelical Christians. Under his leadership, The Fellowship now raises over $125 million annually, making it the largest Christian-supported humanitarian nonprofit working in Israel today. Copyright 2018 by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, Inc. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise noted, all quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Published by the International Fellowship of Christians & Jews, Inc. with offices in Canada, Israel, South Korea, and the United States. 2018 International Fellowship of Christians and Jews ifcj.org page 19
Building Bridges. Saving Lives. T he International Fellowship of Christians and Jews was founded in 1983 by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein to promote understanding between Christians and Jews, and to build broad support for Israel through these ministry programs: Blessing Jews in Need Around the World On Wings of Eagles Helping bring Jews to the Holy Land Isaiah 58 Providing lifesaving aid and assistance to impoverished Jews in the former Soviet Union Guardians of Israel Guardians of Israel Assisting needy Jews in Israel with food and other lifesaving needs and providing security against terror attacks Understanding the Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith Holy Land Moments daily radio program on Jewish life, culture, history, and faith Devotions and Hebrew Word of the Day from Rabbi Eckstein Teaching videos on the Jewish roots of Christianity Online resources on Jewish holy days and festivals Advocating for the Jewish People and the State of Israel Stand for Israel Mobilizing support to stand with Israel through advocacy Fellowship Prayer Team Joining in prayer for Israel Israel in the News Covering issues of the day relevant to Israel and her people Join us today at ifcj.org 800-486-8844 CANADA ISRAEL SOUTH KOREA UNITED STATES