Festival of Shavuot!

Today, I woke up at 4:15 am, got dressed, jumped in a cab, and showed up at the crack of dawn by the Western or “Wailing Wall.” It was packed as thousands and thousands of Jews had come to celebrate Shavuot. The Festival of Shavuot or the Festival of Weeks commemorates the anniversary of the day God gave the Torah to the entire Israelite nation assembled at Mount Sinai. The holiday is one of three Biblical pilgrimage festivals. (The law of Deuteronomy required that every male Jew go to Jerusalem three times each year for the 3 important festivals - the feast of Passover, the feast of Shavuot and the feast of Tabernacles.) Some of the practices during this festival include the consumption of dairy products like milk and cheese, the reading of the Book of Ruth, and the all-night study of the Torah which ends at the crack of dawn.

As I stood in the crowd, I noticed a diversity of Judaic believers. Some were Orthodox or Hasidic; others where not. Some wore elaborate head gear (yarmulkes, kippas, and hats); others wore simple yamakas. Some wore nice black pin-striped suits; others wore Adidas track pants. Some were from Jerusalem; while others had made the pilgrimage from far away (I had a nice converation with 2 young 20 years olds from Kansas City!). Young, old, male, female – there was a diversity of Jewish believers. However, regardless of their tradition, they were all essentially doing the same thing - reading the Torah, singing, and praying. It was quite the experience. I had never been in such a large outdoor crowd of people involved in personal prayer and worship.

It was 2,000 years ago during the festival of Shavuot that something else happened. As thousands of pilgrims came to Jerusalem to worship, the following took place:

Acts 2: 1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them. 5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?

It was during Pentecost or Shavuot that the Holy Spirit fell on the disciples.

No wonder there were so many pilgrims in Jersualem during that time. No wonder there was the need to speak in different languages and tongues. No wonder this incident happened so early in the morning (9:00 a.m in Acts 2:15). It was in the context of Shavuot that the Holy Spirit came – and on that day 3,000 heard Peter’s message, was touched by the Spirit, and were baptized!

Come Spirit come!