Shabbat Lounge – Shavuot Reflections
I don’t know what most of you are doing today or when you might watch this, but for some of us, Shavuot is tomorrow. People count the Omer differently depending on their calendar. Jake and I, as well as others in our Torah fellowship, don’t all follow the same count—and we’re not going to split hairs over it. I hope you’re in a similar place and not dividing your fellowship over when to celebrate these things.
If you have experienced division over this, I ask you to seek reconciliation. Because honestly, none of us really know the exact timing. The calendar can be a bit of a guess. What we do know is that Messiah is coming back, and He’s going to set it straight.
One thing that weighed heavily in my decision was studying the final days of Yeshua’s life, especially the Passover meal. It seems possible that there were two calendars observed at the time. Maybe Yeshua didn’t follow the Pharisees’ calendar. And He didn’t say anything to correct it—He simply went with it. So I came to the conclusion that He’ll correct it when it’s time, and until then, we each follow our convictions.
Happy Shavuot
So happy Shavuot—the Day of Pentecost. If you’re new to this walk, you’ve probably heard of Pentecost before. “Pente” means fifty, because it occurs fifty days after Passover.
Keep studying. Don’t take my word for it. Don’t take Jake’s word. Don’t even take any Torah teacher’s word for it online. Be careful who you listen to. You don’t know me—at least not all of you. Some of you see me weekly, but many don’t.
People can present a great image online, but you don’t really know their lives. You don’t see what they say or don’t say, where they go, how they treat their spouse or raise their kids. That goes for any online Torah teacher. So take it with a grain of salt.
Instead, I encourage you to find real fellowship—with real, in-person people. No one’s perfect. We’ve all got issues. But in face-to-face community, you can see how people really live. You can observe their fruits over time. You can see what kind of spouse and parent they are.
Hosting Fellowship
If you don’t have fellowship, check out Psalm 119 Ministries—they have a great fellowship finder. We’ve also embedded it at Sabbath Lounge.
Our group is simple. We gather, read the Torah portion, eat a meal, and share the duties. Some people bring the same dish every week. We also rotate homes because we don’t want a building, a payment, or a pastor. Every man leads his own household, and we operate with autonomy and caution.
We don’t let just anyone join right away. We vet people first. Because let’s be honest—there are some wild teachings out there, and you have to be careful.
You don’t need a big house. We packed 26 adults and kids into our small home weekly. People don’t care about your square footage. They just don’t want to host. But if you’re willing, people will come. Don’t let insecurity about your home stop you.
Patterns of Shavuot
Let’s talk Shavuot patterns in scripture.
Most people think of Acts 2 when they hear “Pentecost.” But the first time “congregation” is mentioned is actually at Mount Sinai. That’s the original gathering.
And yes, the Acts 2 church is more mature—but the first Shavuot was at the Golden Calf incident, and it was a mess.
Now in Numbers 11, about 50 days after their one-year Passover anniversary, the people complain again. First, they’re hungry. Then they complain about manna. They’re like:
“Manna again? What are we eating tomorrow? More manna?”
So Yah gives them quail—so much that it comes out their noses. That’s how tired He is of the complaining.
Patterns to Look For
Here’s a pattern to study for Shavuot in scripture:
- Mixed Multitude – Exodus and Numbers talk about a group that wasn’t just Israelites.
- The Number 70 – Ties back to the 70 nations of Genesis 10.
- The Spirit – In Numbers 11, Yah puts the Ruach that was on Moses onto 70 elders.
- Fire and Smoke – A column of smoke descends. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
- Prophecy – The Spirit causes the elders to prophesy, just like in Acts 2.
- Wind – Yah sends a wind that brings quail, just like the rushing wind in Acts.
Similar to Acts 2
There’s a clear parallel between Numbers 11 and Acts 2:
- In both cases, the Spirit comes down.
- In both, people prophesy.
- In Acts 2, the Spirit rests like fire on the disciples.
- In Numbers, it rests on the elders.
Even two men not in the group still received the Spirit and prophesied. Joshua wanted to stop them, but Moses replied:
“I wish all of Yah’s people were prophets.”
Paul echoes this later when he says:
“I wish you all would prophesy.”
Mixed Multitude Means Everyone
The term mixed multitude is critical. Torah was always for all people, not just Jews. That’s vital to understand. Some people argue, “Why are you trying to be Jewish?” But it was never about ethnicity. It was about being part of Yah’s covenant community.
The leaders in Numbers 10 weren’t just priests. Every tribe had people who were supposed to know the Torah and keep the priests accountable. When they didn’t, things fell apart.
Final Encouragement
Shavuot is a moedim, a commanded gathering. If you’re celebrating it—whether it was last week, today, or tomorrow—do it with other believers. Take off work. Rest. Gather.
Use Sabbath Lounge as a resource. We’ve got Torah portions, videos, and notes. Check out the Straight and Narrow by Joshua Myers. His “As the Torah Scrolls” book is fantastic—illustrated chapters of Torah in cartoon form, perfect for all ages.
Read Numbers 11 alongside Acts 2. Look at the connections. See the cyclical nature of scripture. Yahweh speaks through patterns.
Final Thoughts
We’re just two dads trying to raise our kids in a pagan world and follow the ways of Yah. Don’t take our word for it. Open your Bible. Study it for yourself.
Shalom.
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