Shabbat Chol HaMo’ed Pesach
After the first day of Passover, we count 50 days of the omer in anticipation of the arrival of the festival of Shavuot.
In the Torah, God commands the Children of Israel to count these days. By doing so, God makes a clear link between the two appointed times. One cannot celebrate Shavuot without first experiencing Passover, and Passover is incomplete without Shavuot!
For at Passover, God redeemed the Children of Israel from the rule of Pharaoh for the very purpose of bringing them under His rule, His covenant at Shavuot.
Likewise at Passover, God redeemed the Children of Israel from the rule of the prince of this world for the very purpose of bringing them into His Kingdom and New Covenant at Shavuot.
The purpose of the redemption is to prepare the people to enter into greater covenant relationship with God! Without the redemption, this covenant relationship is not possible. And without the covenant relationship, the fourth expression of redemption (I will take you as my own people – Exodus 6:7) would be unfulfilled!
So on the journey from Passover to Shavuot, we are in a period of renewal and growth in preparation for the increased intimacy with God offered to us in this time!
As we count the 50 days of the omer, we reflect on various aspects of our spiritual growth preparing ourselves so we will be found faithful at the return of Yeshua our Messiah!
But one who looks intently at the perfect Torah, the Torah of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.
James 1:25