The counting of these days between Pesach and Shavu’ot was not just to know the date of Shavu’ot (that could have been easily designated by day and month, i.e. the 6^th of Sivan), but each day was to be specifically identified and numbered. The Jews have called this time the "Counting of the Omer." The "omer" is translated as "sheaf" or "measure" of grain.

Why call it "Counting the Omer" rather than counting the days. It was because the first ‘omer’ or sheaf from the barley harvest was waved before the Lord on the third day as a first of the firstfruits, and at the end of the 50 days, the omers of firstfruits gathered by all the Israelites were brought to the temple at the Feast of Shavu’ot.

During the 49 days between Pesach and Shavu’ot the Israelites were not just counting the days, but identifying and preparing their firstfruits. Farmers would go into their fields and as new grain or produce came from up from the soil, they would choose stalks and branches and tie a ribbon or a reed around the chosen "Bikkurim" or Firstfruits. They would then carefully tend to these firstfruits, watering the plants and removing weeds, each day "counting the omer" till the day of Shavu’ot would arrive. Then they would take these Bikkurim or Firstfruits and in a festal procession carry them in baskets woven with gold and silver bringing them to the Temple in Jerusalem. Other groups joined in the grand procession as they came to the city accompanied by music and parades.

As they offered their Firstfruits in the temple they declared these words before Yahweh: "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....Look down from heaven, your holy dwelling place, and bless your people Israel and the land you have given us as you promised on oath to our forefathers, a land flowing with milk and honey." (Deut. 26:5-15)

They would place their basket before Yahweh and bow down in worship before him. The Priest would take the Firstfruits offerings and place the baskets on the altar before Yahweh, and declare this blessing over those who offered their firstfruits to Yahweh: "The LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he promised." (Deut. 26:18-19)

Why is all this significant for us today. Simply for this reason: as we learn to worship Yahweh in his prescribed ways, it releases his hand to bless us according to his prescribed blessings. In Proverbs 3:9-10 we read,

Honor the LORD with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;

then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.

We can, of course, offer firstfruits at any time to the Lord. However, as we learn to honour Yahweh according to his determined Feasts or Holy Convocations and appointed times, it carries greater authority to release a greater measure of His grace.

The 49 days between Pesach and Shavu’ot is a very special time in God’s calendar, a time where Firstfruits carry extra authority for the release of greater things to come. Think of the first 49 days after the Passover when Yeshua, the Lamb of God was sacrificed, and the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out. It was during this counting of the Omer that Yeshua rose from the dead as the first of the firstfruits, on the very day the Priest was waving the first omer of barley grain as a wave offering before Yahweh. Paul declares, "But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." (I Cor. 15:20).

It was during this counting of the Omer that he commissioned his disciples to go under his authority to make disciples of all nations, that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit would come on them, so that what was started as firstfruits in Jerusalem would go to the ends of the earth. It was during these days that Jesus appeared in bodily form first to his disciples and closest followers and then to more than 500 of the brothers at one time (I Cor. 15:6) as firstfruits for when every eye will see him. (Rev. 1:7) It was in this period of time that Jesus ascended into Heaven until he was hidden by a cloud, as firstfruits for the time when "the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." (I Thes. 4:16-17)

I believe that what the Spirit of God is teaching us, is that we have a unique window of time between Pesach and Shavu’ot (49 days to be exact) where we are called to identify and prepare our firstfruits while "counting the omer" in anticipation of Shavu’ot, which significantly is also called the "Feast of Harvest" (Ex. 23:16) and the "Day of Firstfruits." (Num. 28:26)

Ask the Holy Spirit what firstfruits he wants you to identify and tend to during these 49 days of Counting the Omer. Then on the Day of Firstfruits (the 50^th day) present it to Yahweh so he can bless and release the harvest. The people of Israel prepared their "Bikkurim" or Firstfruits from seven different species: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates. This represented the range and variety of produce from the land. In the same way our firstfruits can come from every aspect of our lives and society. The Holy Spirit may point to firstfruits in business, in church-related ministry, in family or relationships, or any other part of our day-to-day lives that we can identify and tend to as our firstfruits offering. By intentionally identifying these firstfruits, "tying a ribbon around them," tending to them, and offering them to Yahweh at the Feast of Shavu’ot, he can bless and multiply the harvest in these areas presented before him.

This is our opportunity to walk in step with the Spirit in keeping with Yahweh’s "HaMoyadim" his Appointed Time, to see his appointed blessings and harvest released for our communities, our churches our families – for his Kingdom to come and for his Glory to be manifest.