Firstfruits and the Counting of the Omer Leading to Shavuot
by MMin Kevin "Oriyan" Phipps

     Many of us who have celebrated Passover have recognized the blatant error of Christian tradition that celebrates the death of Yeshua on Friday and the resurrection two days later. Well, it appears that Jews and Messianics have missed a similar boat when it comes to Firstfruits and the counting of the omer in preparation for Shavuot. Neither observances have specified dates in Scripture, and the supporting Scripture is a bit confusing. The following is the result of four  of us at KSM studying Leviticus 23:5-21 and coming to a consensus of meaning based solely on the text. 
     This year, the Christian holiday schedule for Easter and Pentecost is as follows:
Good Friday – Friday, April 10
Easter – Sunday, April 12
Pentecost – Sunday, May 31 (50 days later)

     Jews and Messianics that I know of follow the following schedule:
Biblical Passover (and death of Messiah for Messianics) – Wednesday, April 8
Traditional Passover (observed by Jews) Feast of Unleavened Bread (1st day) – Thursday, April 9 (holiday Sabbath)
Firstfruits and 1 day of the Omer – Friday, April 10
Regular Sabbath – Saturday, April 11
Resurrection Day – Sunday, April 12
Shavuot – Friday, May 29 (50 days  [7 weeks + 1])

     As I look at the text, I see several problems with the above Jewish and Messianic schedule.

" 'From the day after the day of rest — that is, from the day you bring the sheaf for waving — you are to count seven full weeks, until the day after the seventh week; you are to count fifty days; and then you are to present a new grain offering to Adonai. [Vayikra/Leviticus 23:15-16]
 
    In this passage, it is important to understand the Hebrew word which is translated week is actually Shabbat. So we are to count 7 complete Shabbats and the next day is the 50th day, which is Shavuot. So regardless of whether anyone thinks the first offering of Firstfruits and the beginning of the counting of the omer is after the Feast of Unleavened Bread Shabbat or the end of the week Shabbat, Shavuot has to take place after a Shabbat and there is no Shabbat on May 28 to justify having Shavuot on Friday. This can only happen if Shavuot is on a Sunday. If Shavuot is on a Sunday, then Firstfruits is on a Sunday and the Shabbat mentioned is the end of the week Shabbat. Also, by starting on Friday, April 10, if you count 7 Shabbats and add a day you come to May 24, which is 45 days, not 50. We can never forget math when interpreting Scripture. 
     The other significant thing I see in this:

You are not to eat bread, dried grain or fresh grain until the day you bring the offering for your God; this is a permanent regulation through all your generations, no matter where you live. [Vayikra 23:14]

    Normally, if you cannot do something until a certain time, then it is implied that after that time it is allowed. It does not make sense for God to tell us not to eat bread (lechem which is leavened) until Firstfruits if it happens during the feast of Unleavened Bread when even after the offering it is still not allowed. Not only this, but, with the exception of the regular Sabbath, there are no Biblical holidays which overlap other holidays. Also, we see in verses 5-8 of Vayikra 23 the instructions for Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, all eight days, and then God gives us the instructions for Firstfruits. This tells me the Firstfruits is not during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, but begins the following week, the Sunday after the feast is over. We also see that after the Feast of Unleavened Bread is over, no grain of any kind is to be eaten until Firstfruits. Because of this, the members of KSM will be following Firstfruits, the counting of the Omer, and Shavuot on the following Schedule:

Firstfruits and 1st day of the omer – Sunday, April 19 
Shavuot/Pentecost and second Firstfruits – Sunday, June 7

 We know this makes Shavuot a full week after Pentecost, but since the church is counting 50 days from a pagan holiday, Pentecost is more accurately celebrated on June 7 as well.
 If we err, let our error be the result of our own study of God’s Word, not the result of blindly following someone else’s error. For those who think it doesn’t matter, tell me your birthday and I will send you a card a week later to see what you think.