◄ Leviticus 23:16 ►
You shall count off fifty days until the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the LORD.
Study Bible
You are to count
The Hebrew root for "count" is "סָפַר" (safar), which means to recount or number. This command to count emphasizes the intentionality and mindfulness required in observing God's appointed times. It is a call to be attentive and deliberate in our spiritual journey, marking each day as significant in our walk with God.

fifty days
The number fifty is significant in biblical numerology, often symbolizing liberation and new beginnings. It is the culmination of the seven weeks of counting, known as the Counting of the Omer, leading to the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. This period is a time of anticipation and preparation, reflecting the journey from Passover to the giving of the Torah at Sinai, and in the New Testament, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

until the day after the seventh Sabbath
The phrase "the day after the seventh Sabbath" indicates the completion of a cycle of seven weeks. The Sabbath is a day of rest and spiritual renewal, and the completion of seven Sabbaths signifies a period of fullness and completion. This timing underscores the importance of rest and reflection in the rhythm of life, leading to a time of celebration and offering.

and then present
The act of presenting is an act of worship and obedience. The Hebrew word "קָרַב" (qarab) means to draw near or approach. This is not merely a ritualistic act but a heartfelt offering, symbolizing the worshiper's desire to draw near to God and acknowledge His provision and blessings.

an offering of new grain
The "new grain" offering, or "בִּכּוּרִים" (bikkurim), represents the firstfruits of the harvest. It is an expression of gratitude and trust in God's continued provision. Offering the first and best to God is a principle that runs throughout Scripture, reminding believers to prioritize God in all aspects of life and to recognize Him as the source of all blessings.

to the LORD
The phrase "to the LORD" signifies that the offering is dedicated to Yahweh, the covenant-keeping God of Israel. It is a reminder of the relationship between God and His people, a relationship based on His faithfulness and their response of worship and obedience. This offering is not just a religious duty but an act of love and devotion to the One who sustains and redeems.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The prophet and leader of the Israelites who received the laws from God, including the instructions in Leviticus.

2. Israelites
The chosen people of God who were given these laws to follow as part of their covenant relationship with Him.

3. Mount Sinai
The place where Moses received the Law from God, including the instructions for the Feast of Weeks.

4. Feast of Weeks (Shavuot/Pentecost)
A significant Jewish festival occurring fifty days after Passover, marking the end of the grain harvest and the giving of the Law at Sinai.

5. The LORD (Yahweh)
The God of Israel who commands the observance of these feasts as a sign of His covenant with His people.
Teaching Points
Counting the Days
The practice of counting fifty days (the Omer) teaches patience and anticipation. It reminds believers to be mindful of God's timing and to prepare their hearts for His blessings.

Offering of New Grain
This offering symbolizes gratitude and recognition of God's provision. Believers are encouraged to offer the first and best of their resources to God as an act of worship and trust.

Spiritual Harvest
Just as the Israelites celebrated the physical harvest, Christians are called to participate in the spiritual harvest, sharing the gospel and making disciples.

Fulfillment in Christ
The Feast of Weeks finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Believers are empowered by the Spirit to live out their faith and witness to others.

Community and Celebration
The festival was a communal event, emphasizing unity and shared joy. Christians are encouraged to gather in community, celebrating God's goodness and encouraging one another in faith.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the practice of counting the days to the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) enhance our understanding of waiting on God's timing in our lives?

2. In what ways can we offer the "firstfruits" of our time, talents, and resources to God today?

3. How does the celebration of the Feast of Weeks in the Old Testament connect to the events of Pentecost in the New Testament?

4. What role does the Holy Spirit play in empowering us for the spiritual harvest, and how can we be more receptive to His leading?

5. How can we foster a sense of community and shared celebration in our local church, reflecting the communal aspects of the Feast of Weeks?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 34:22
This verse also mentions the Feast of Weeks, connecting it to the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, emphasizing the agricultural aspect of the festival.

Acts 2:1-4
The New Testament account of Pentecost, where the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles, fulfilling the promise of empowerment for witness and mission.

Deuteronomy 16:9-12
Provides additional instructions for the observance of the Feast of Weeks, highlighting the joy and gratitude associated with the harvest.

1 Corinthians 15:20-23
Paul refers to Christ as the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep, connecting the concept of firstfruits to the resurrection.

James 1:18
Speaks of believers as a kind of firstfruits of God's creatures, linking the idea of firstfruits to the new birth in Christ.
Sermons
The FestivalsR.A. Redford Leviticus 23:1-44
Feasts of the LordW. H. Jellie.Leviticus 23:2-44
God's FestivalsHenry, MatthewLeviticus 23:2-44
God's Holy DaysHenry, MatthewLeviticus 23:2-44
Seven Feasts Mentioned in This ChapterD. C. Hughes, M. A.Leviticus 23:2-44
The Great FeastsJ. C. Gray.Leviticus 23:2-44
The Holy FestivalsJ. A. Seiss, . D. D.Leviticus 23:2-44
The Feast of PentecostJ. B. Lowe, B. A.Leviticus 23:15-17
The PentecostR.M. Edgar Leviticus 23:15-21
Day of PentecostR.A. Redford Leviticus 23:15-22
Piety in ProsperityW. Clarkson Leviticus 23:15-22
The Feast of HarvestJ.A. Macdonald Leviticus 23:15-22
People
Ephah, Israelites, Moses
Places
Teman
Topics
Cereal, Count, Counting, Fifty, Grain, Meal, Meal-offering, Meat, Meat-offering, Morning, Morrow, Numbered, Oblation, Offer, Offering, Present, Sabbath, Seventh, Week
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Leviticus 23:9-20

     4442   firstfruits

Leviticus 23:9-22

     8644   commemoration

Leviticus 23:10-16

     4464   harvest

Leviticus 23:15-16

     1653   numbers, 6-10
     4456   grain
     4951   month
     8270   holiness, set apart

Leviticus 23:15-17

     4404   food
     7480   wave offering

Leviticus 23:15-18

     5222   baking

Leviticus 23:15-21

     4506   seed
     4975   week
     7355   feasts and festivals, nature of
     8642   celebration

Leviticus 23:15-22

     4208   land, divine responsibility

Library
The Consecration of Joy
'And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 34. Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord. 35. On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 36. Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord; on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Of a Private Fast.
That we may rightly perform a private fast, four things are to be observed:--First, The author; Secondly, The time and occasion; Thirdly, The manner; Fourthly, The ends of private fasting. 1. Of the Author. The first that ordained fasting was God himself in paradise; and it was the first law that God made, in commanding Adam to abstain from eating the forbidden fruit. God would not pronounce nor write his law without fasting (Lev. xxiii), and in his law commands all his people to fast. So does our …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

In the Last, the Great Day of the Feast'
IT was the last, the great day of the Feast,' and Jesus was once more in the Temple. We can scarcely doubt that it was the concluding day of the Feast, and not, as most modern writers suppose, its Octave, which, in Rabbinic language, was regarded as a festival by itself.' [3987] [3988] But such solemn interest attaches to the Feast, and this occurrence on its last day, that we must try to realise the scene. We have here the only Old Testament type yet unfilfilled; the only Jewish festival which has …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Deputation from Jerusalem - the Three Sects of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes - Examination of their Distinctive Doctrines.
APART from the repulsively carnal form which it had taken, there is something absolutely sublime in the continuance and intensity of the Jewish expectation of the Messiah. It outlived not only the delay of long centuries, but the persecutions and scattering of the people; it continued under the disappointment of the Maccabees, the rule of a Herod, the administration of a corrupt and contemptible Priesthood, and, finally, the government of Rome as represented by a Pilate; nay, it grew in intensity …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Chronology
45. The length of the public ministry of Jesus was one of the earliest questions which arose in the study of the four gospels. In the second and third centuries it was not uncommon to find the answer in the passage from Isaiah (lxi. 1, 2), which Jesus declared was fulfilled in himself. "The acceptable year of the Lord" was taken to indicate that the ministry covered little more than a year. The fact that the first three gospels mention but one Passover (that at the end), and but one journey to Jerusalem, …
Rush Rhees—The Life of Jesus of Nazareth

"But if the Spirit of Him that Raised up Jesus from the Dead Dwell in You, He that Raised up Christ from the Dead Shall Also
Rom. viii. 11.--"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." It is true the soul is incomparably better than the body, and he is only worthy the name of a man and of a Christian who prefers this more excellent part, and employs his study and time about it, and regards his body only for the noble guest that lodges within it, and therefore it is one of the …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Jesus Living at Nazareth and visiting Jerusalem in his Twelfth Year.
(Nazareth and Jerusalem, a.d. 7 or 8.) ^C Luke II. 40-52. ^c 40 And the child grew [This verse contains the history of thirty years. It describes the growth of our Lord as a natural, human growth (compare Luke i. 80); for, though Jesus was truly divine, he was also perfectly man. To try to distinguish between the divine and human in Jesus, is to waste time upon an impracticable mystery which is too subtle for our dull and finite minds], and waxed strong [His life expanded like other human lives. …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Healing Peter's Mother-In-Law and Many Others.
(at Capernaum.) ^A Matt. VIII. 14-17; ^B Mark I. 29-34; ^C Luke IV. 38-41. ^c 38 And he arose out of the synagogue [where he had just healed the demoniac], ^b 29 And straightway, when they were come out of the synagogue, they came { ^c entered} ^b into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. [Peter and Andrew had dwelt at Bethsaida (John i. 44). They may have removed to Capernaum, or Bethsaida, being near by, may be here counted as a part, or suburb, of Capernaum. Its name does not contradict …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Jesus Attends the First Passover of his Ministry.
(Jerusalem, April 9, a.d. 27.) Subdivision A. Jesus Cleanses the Temple. ^D John II. 13-25. ^d 13 And the passover of the Jews was at hand [We get our information as to the length of our Lord's ministry from John's Gospel. He groups his narrative around six Jewish festivals: 1, He here mentions the first passover; 2, another feast, which we take to have been also a passover (v. 1); 3, another passover (vi. 4); 4, the feast of tabernacles (vii. 2); 5, dedication (x. 22); 6, passover (xi. 55). This …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.
(from Bethany to Jerusalem and Back, Sunday, April 2, a.d. 30.) ^A Matt. XXI. 1-12, 14-17; ^B Mark XI. 1-11; ^C Luke XIX. 29-44; ^D John XII. 12-19. ^c 29 And ^d 12 On the morrow [after the feast in the house of Simon the leper] ^c it came to pass, when he he drew nigh unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, ^a 1 And when they came nigh unto Jerusalem, and came unto Bethphage unto { ^b at} ^a the mount of Olives [The name, Bethphage, is said to mean house of figs, but the …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Leviticus
The emphasis which modern criticism has very properly laid on the prophetic books and the prophetic element generally in the Old Testament, has had the effect of somewhat diverting popular attention from the priestly contributions to the literature and religion of Israel. From this neglect Leviticus has suffered most. Yet for many reasons it is worthy of close attention; it is the deliberate expression of the priestly mind of Israel at its best, and it thus forms a welcome foil to the unattractive …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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