Old Testament Festivals
And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the Lord. You shall bring from your dwellings two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven. They are the firstfruits to the Lord. Leviticus 23:15-17
Again with the sevens! The Sabbath was the seventh day, and after seven of those seventh days after the Feast of Firstfruits, Israel would celebrate the Feast of Weeks, sometimes called The Reaping. With the final harvest of the later grains came (or should come) thanksgiving to God. This, like the Passover, required people from all Israel to journey to Jerusalem for a big Thanksgiving feast.
This feast is perhaps somewhat unfamiliar to us because we celebrate our Harvest of Thanksgiving in November, and the fields lay barren for the winter. In Palestine, the fields lay barren during the hot summer months, so their “Thanksgiving” happens in the Spring (Sivan = May or June). Besides, the Feast of Weeks does not reflect any historical significance to the Exodus and the formation of Israel. Traditionally, the Jews use this feast to commemorate God’s giving of the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai, but that doesn’t really fit with the timeline God established. So does this feast have any significance for us?
Well, Jesus came. You have surely heard of what happened “fifty days” after Easter. The Greek name “Pentecost” brings it to light. Jesus did not come to bring in a harvest of fruits and vegetables. Rather, He brought in a harvest of souls. In Acts chapter two we read about three thousand souls being added to the church in one day. And the numbers keep growing. Jesus took the Feast of Weeks and upgraded it to the harvest of souls. You are that harvest.
Even so, Lord, quickly come To Thy final Harvest-home;
Gather Thou Thy people in, Free from sorrow, free from sin,
There, forever purified, In Thy garner to abide.
Come with all Thine angels, come, Raise the glorious Harvest-home.
The Lutheran Hymnal 574:4