After a very blessed and God organized Passover in China I, and some of you, were excited to see what God had in store for Shavuot. He did not disappoint. Shavuot fell on Sunday, May 24 this year, two days before we left our ministry site. Before I share with you how we celebrated let me share why.
Some of you may have never heard of Shavuot, but you probably know it by another name, Pentecost. Shavuot is the fourth festival on God’s Calendar (Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits all happen in the same week in the spring). Shavuot is celebrated 50 days after the Sabbath of Passover Week (Lev 23) so the date itself fluctuates each year but it is always on a Sunday.
God’s festivals memorialize the establishment of His people and reveal His plan of redemption. Together God’s festivals tell His story. Passover is the WAY of the Kingdom. At the original Passover, God provided a way of salvation for the Israelite people. Two thousand years later on Passover, Yeshua died as our perfect Passover lamb providing THE way of salvation for anyone who accepts Him as savior. Shavuot is the POWER of the Kingdom.
We have all heard the Exodus story: Moses, Aaron, burning bush, “Let my people go”, plagues, Passover, Red Sea, columns of fire and cloud. That is usually where the Sunday school story ends, but God didn’t leave His people at the banks of the Red Sea. Two months after Passover the People arrived at Mount Sinai. In Exodus 19, it is recorded that God descended on Mt. Sinai, called Moses up, and told him to tell the people to stay back from the mountain. Then Moses ascended the mountain and received God’s Commandments, His Ways and Covenant with His People. At Mt. Sinai God is holy yet distant.
The Torah, God’s Commandments and instruction book for life, given to Moses on Mt. Sinai has a two-fold purpose. First, Torah shows us how to live a righteous life, a holy life. Second, Torah points to Yeshua by showing us our desperate need for a savior. Torah sets God’s people apart and binds us in covenant to Him.
In Torah we also find when and how God’s festivals are to be celebrated. All of God’s people were required to travel to Jerusalem for Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot. In His wisdom God arranged for all of Israel to be present to witness the death of Messiah. Now He had arisen, given final instructions, and ascended leaving the disciples. Then on Shavuot, Israel once again witnessed God’s power as Holy Spirit descended to indwell those who had accepted Yeshua as Messiah (Acts 2). No longer is God distant!
All who accept Yeshua as Messiah have a direct link to God! Holy Spirit is God in us. We can speak to God and hear Him directly. Holy Spirit is our comforter and guide. How cool is it that God wants to hang out with us!?
Shavuot is a time to celebrate God giving His commands as well as Holy Spirit. Through both He sets His people apart and empowers them to live a righteous life in communion with Him. When celebrating Shavuot back home three elements stand out to me: worship, dance, and prophetic prayer. I had spoken to some of our leadership and tried to work out a plan for celebrating, but everything came together when I sat down with my squadmate Joy. Joy suggested we make the day a worship night with the kids, an idea several on the squad had expressed.
Simeon agreed to lead worship using a song book we found in the library. Joy accompanied on the djembe, Tori and Debbie were our lead singers, and all of the children and most of the squad joined. As we sang we danced, but this night the kids were not wild like on our dance night. This night they were dancing to praise our Father. It was a beautiful, joyous praise session.
Then I shared with them about Shavuot. That week in chapel another team had used The Prince of Egypt to tell the kids the Exodus story. The last scene of the movie is Moses with the Ten Commandments, so I was able to easily connect it to Shavuot. I told them a child’s version of what is written above and encouraged them to accept Yeshua as their Savior so that Holy Spirit will come into them as well.
We ended the night by praying over our buddies, listening prophetic prayer. In listening prayer, one listens for God to give the words to be prayed and receives visions or words for the person being prayed for. Many of the Racers were deeply moved by how God spoke through them for their buddies. Some received visions for several children.
None of us brought cameras, wanting instead to focus on the night and be in the moment. None will soon forget the images of that evening. Simeon, Joy, Tori, and Debbie lifting their voices with eyes closed worshiping. Children with arms raised praising our Father as others, wrapped in blankets, leaned against their buddies. Racer’s praying as they held tightly to children they would be saying goodbye to in just two days.
It was a powerful night of worshiping and glorifying God. Once again He provided. A songbook for Simeon. The Exodus story in chapel. Teaching and practice in listening prayer. A willing and excited squad. God is good!
