NIGHT SERVICE FOR SHAVUOT
1. INTRODUCTION
Shavuot is known as Z'man Matan Torateinu, the celebration of the giving of the Torah.
On Passover, we celebrate the miraculous Exodus of the People of Israel from Egypt. At the end of the seven weeks of spiritual preparation as they journeyed to Mount Sinai, Yahweh God presented them with the covenant contract which we know as the Torah/law and in so doing they became His kingdom of priests on the earth, His holy nation.
Tonight we commemorate the original giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai which is the written terms of the covenant agreement of our betrothal unto Him, and rejoice in the light that His Word gives to our Way. We also rejoice in the giving of the Living Word to us in Yeshua the Messiah which we have received through the outpouring of the Spirit that he sent after His ascension to sit at the Father's right hand on the day of Pentecost/Shavuot, seven weeks (50 days) after His Resurrection. The experience at Sinai was a 'miqra', a rehearsal of what took place at the commemoration of that event in 30AD when Yeshua the Messiah wrote the Torah upon the fleshly tablets of our hearts by the manifestation of His Spirit in tongues of fire. (Acts 2: 1-4; 2 Corinthians 3: 3)
This day is the anniversary of the Birth of the new covenant Assembly.
When they stood at Mount Sinai, Moshe "brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because Yahweh descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. And when the blast of the shofar sounded long and became louder and louder, Moshe spoke, and God answered him by a voice." (Exodus 19:17-19)
2. BLOW SHOFAR - One long blast
This is the first shofar of the prophetic year, Yahweh Himself sounded the shofar as He will also when He returns. The final shofar, the last trump, the Great Shofar, is blown on the Day of Atonement and finalises Yahweh's redemptive plan for mankind.
3. CANDLE LIGHTING - (Shavuot begins after the start of the Biblical day, so as to give the forty-nine completed days)
Blessed are You Yahweh our God, Who has given us Your Word to be a lamp unto our feet and a light to our path. (Psalm 119:105) As You came on Sinai with Your lightnings - light up our lives with Your Presence and renew Your Spirit within us, we pray.
Blessed are you Yahweh our God, King of the Universe, You have given us Your Torah of Truth, and have planted everlasting life within our midst and enabled us to reach this time. Amen
4. SHAVUOT GREETINGS - "Chag Shavuot Sameach" (Happy Celebration of Shavuot/Pentecost)
5. OPENING PRAYER
6. SCRIPTURE READING - Numbers 28:26-31; Psalm 24: 3-10; Revelation 19:7-8
7. CEREMONIAL HAND-WASHING - Rachatz
"Yahweh said to Moses - go to the people and consecrate them - let them wash their clothes" (Exodus 19:10)
For us that speaks of our spiritual garments - that they are washed and clean. As we have been Counting the Omer, we have been going through a process of sanctification to come to this day with the joy and expectation of meeting with Yahweh.
Yeshua the Messiah came by water and by blood and it is the Spirit that bears witness. As we go through the washing in this water, in an act of faith we apply the cleansing power of the blood to our lives and it is the Spirit Who bear witness, to cleanse us and sanctify us to enter His holy Presence this night. (1 John 5: 6-8) (Hand washing in bowl of water)
Blessed are You Yahweh our God, Who has ordained the washing of the water by the Word to sanctify us (Ephesians 5:25)
8. PRAYER
Reader - Praise Yahweh to whom all praise is due. Congregation - Blessed be Yahweh to whom all praise is due forever and ever. And in Your great compassion I will come into Your house. There will I bow, there will I fear Your holiness.
9. BLESSINGS OF THE TWO CHALLAH LOAVES - (to be set aside)
These two loaves represent the firstfruits of the first harvest season, of God's spiritual harvest from the earth. They represent His two witnesses in the earth, the Houses of Judah and Ephraim or Jew and Gentile as it is today. We set these wave loaves and all they represent, apart and consecrate them as a testimony and a tribute to the Lamb.
"For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth." "Blessing and honour and glory and power be to Him who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb, forever and ever! Amen" Revelation 5: 9-10, 13) Blessed art Thou, Yahweh our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us in the blood of the Messiah, and commanded us to separate the challah.
10. MESSAGE
When Yahweh thundered from Sinai, His voice took the form of visible sound waves and actually formed as liquid, audible tongues of fire which looked like streaks of lightning that encircled the camp of Israel and came to rest on each individual person present. God’s voice as a "fiery substance" split into first seven voices, and then into seventy tongues, of the 70 known languages on earth at that time and the people saw the thunderings (sound waves) and lightnings (tongues of fire - plural, not singular thunder/lightning) and each of the nations represented there heard the Torah in their own language. The Rabbis say that the 'tongue' of fire came to each one seeking their acceptance of the Torah and then like a laser beam engraved the two tablets of stone. At Pentecost the Word was engraved upon the tablets of the human hearts (Exodus 20:18; Shabbat 88b; Shemot Rabbah 5:9; Midrash Chazit; Midrash Tanchuma 26c) Israel had a Pentecostal experience in the wilderness!
When the Spirit was poured out on the believers in the Messiah, who had waited according to His instructions in the upper room, they knew the story of the words of fire resting on each individual. They knew the story of God’s voice speaking to all mankind in every language. Therefore they understood the significance of it all in the miracles, signs and wonders that came upon them with the tongues of fire. The speaking in every tongue was replicating the Sinai experience of receiving the Torah, not on a mountain top, but in them, making them living witnesses of His power and glory in the earth. The demonstration of power that was manifested at Sinai was poured into human vessels making them vessels of the living word.
"But we have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of the mighty shofar blast and the voice of Yahweh's words which were so overpowering they could not endure it. But you have come to Mt. Zion and to the city of the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Yeshua the Mediator of the new covenant" (Hebrews 12:19-23 Free translation)
We have come to the new covenant which has given us an impartation of His Spirit to prepare us for the coming harvest of souls, a Firstfruit offering from the earth which will be presented in the heavenly sanctuary at Messiah's coming. (I Corinthians 15:20-23). This is what is pictured by the two loaves of bread offered to God on the day of Shavuot/Pentecost!
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost 30 AD, is likened to the "former rain" that ripened the Spring harvest that was gathered as an initial harvest of the apostolic era.
But the Husbandman is waiting for the precious fruit of the earth until it receive the former and the latter rain (James 1:18; 5:7) When the harvest is ready, in the eyes of the Father, the Messiah will return. But, He cannot return to this earth until the latter rain has brought the final crop to maturity and the "first-fruits" are ready to be reaped. His return cannot occur until there are "firstfruit' sheaves to be made into wave loaves for the offering, that is, until the Bride has made herself ready! (Revelation 19: 7)
There will be a final outpouring of the Spirit of grace to bring the harvest to maturity. This outpouring of the Spirit is likened to the falling of the latter rain; and it is for this spiritual enabling that we are told to petitions Yahweh, the Lord of the harvest ‘in the time of the latter rain.’ In response, ‘Yahweh shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain.’ ‘He will cause to come down . . . the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain’" in the first harvest. (Zechariah 10:1; Joel 2:23)
Pray for the tongues of fire to consume all that is fleshly, all that has its origin in the natural realm of this world. Pray for the tongues of fire to inscribe upon your heart the image and likeness of Yeshua, the Holy One of God.
Tarry and wait until you be endued with power from on high and are worthy to be chosen as His firstfruits from the earth and rule and reign with Him in His kingdom.
THANKSGIVING OFFERING Deuteronomy 14:22-27 - our firstfruits A Season to Be Thankful. Pentecost is a season to be thankful for material and spiritual blessings
BLESSING THE BREAD AND WINE - Kiddush
The festival meal begins with the traditional recitation of kiddush. Leader holding bread: Blessed art Thou, Yahweh our God, King of the universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth.
Leader holding cup: Blessed art Thou, Yahweh our God, King of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine. Amen.
FESTIVAL MEAL
Blessed art Thou, Yahweh our God, King of the universe, Creator of various kinds of foods. Amen.
AARONIC BLESSING
Yahweh bless you and keep you. Yahweh make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. Yahweh lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. In the name of the Prince of Peace, Yeshua the Messiah. Amen.
TIKKUN - (literally, "the fixing", of the night of Shavuot)
A spiritual exercise in waiting upon Yahweh in prayer, worship and scripture reading. Usually concluded at 12.00 pm. with supper of coffee and cheesecake or an all night session concluded with a festive breakfast.
MORNING SERVICE FOR SHAVUOT
1. INTRODUCTION In the morning of Shavuot in 30 AD, at 9.00 am. the priest offered the two prepared wave loaves before Yahweh in the Temple as instructed in the Torah which was a commemoration of the time Yahweh manifested His glory on Mount Sinai and called the nation to be His Firstborn of all the peoples of the earth (Exodus 4:22; Psalm 89:26-29).
At that same time, the scripture tells us, Yeshua exercised His High-priestly ministry at the right hand of the Father and dispatched the Ruach, the holy Spirit of Yahweh upon the waiting disciples in the upper room. (Luke 24:52-53; Acts 1: 4-5; 2: 1-4)
They had imparted to them the "firstfruits" of the Spirit, the initial deposit which was to bring them to maturity as sons of the living God. (Romans 8:22-23; Ephesians 1:13-14)
2. BLOW SHOFAR - One long blast
When Yahweh blew the shofar at Sinai, the rocks and the trees split apart, the whole mountain quaked and melted with His manifestation into the physical realm. The next time He blows the shofar the Lamb will stand on Mount Zion with His firstfruits offering of those who are without fault before the throne of God. (Revelation 14: 1-5)
3. CANDLE LIGHTING
Blessed are You Yahweh our God, Who has given us Your Word as a lamp unto our feet and a light to our path. (Psalm 119:105) Blessed are you Yahweh our God, King of the Universe, You have given us Your Torah of Truth, and planted everlasting life within our midst Amen
4. SHAVUOT GREETINGS - Extend the blessing of peace to one another - Shalom Aleichem!
5. OPENING PRAYER
6. SCRIPTURE READING - Revelation 1: 4-8; 4:1-11; 20: 4-6
7. CEREMONIAL HAND-WASHING - Rachatz Yeshua prayed the Father to sanctify us by the truth - "Your Word is truth"
Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments (Hand washing in bowl of water)
8. BLESSING OF THE TWO WAVE LOAVES
Blessed art Thou, Yahweh our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us in the blood of the Messiah, and commanded us to wave the bread of firstfruit. (Two loaves are waved. One loaf left to right and one loaf up and down over the first loaf)
Blessed art Thou O Yahweh, Who gave the Torah to our fathers on Mount Sinai in those days at this season. And Who gave us Y'shua, Your blessed only begotten Son to fulfill the Torah, And Who did send Your Holy Spirit, Ruach haKodesh, as a first-fruit of the Resurrection of Y'shua.
We bless You Yahweh our God, that according to Your sovereign will You brought us forth by the Word of truth to be a kind of Firstfruits of Your creatures. (James 1:18)
We present these two wave loaves to You as a symbol of our lives dedicated to be Your witnesses in the earth.
We pray for the restoration of Your House, the two sticks of Ephraim and Judah to come together in these days that we might offer to you an offering in righteousness.
Blow the great shofar to free us, and lift up the banner to gather us in from our exile (galut), and gather us together from the four ends of the earth. Blessed are you, Yahweh who regathers the scattered of his people Israel.
9. MESSAGE
At Sinai, Yahweh gave to us His "ketubah", the terms of our betrothal contract with Him, written by the finger of God upon the sapphire tablets, in the form of the ten commands. Now we have that betrothal agreement inscribed upon our own hearts by Yahweh Himself as our guarantee of the anticipated Marriage celebration to come.
"And God spoke all these words saying, .. ... .. ... " (Read Exodus 20: 1-17) "Now therefore if you will indeed obey My voice and Keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people .. .. .. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." (Exodus 19: 5-6) And the people said, "Whatever Yahweh speaks we will do and learn" (Exodus 24: 7)
The Bible tells us in that at Mount Sinai, God betrothed Israel to Himself (Jeremiah 2: 2) Israel entered into a covenant relationship with God, and agreed to be obedient to Him.
The ketubah, or written betrothal contract, is understood to be the Torah (Exodus 19:3-7; 24: 4,7) which detailed the mutual terms of the marriage contract between Yahweh and Israel as obligations between a "husband and wife". (Jeremiah 3:14)
We as believers in Y'shua the Messiah are spiritually betrothed to Him. At His second coming, He will marry His new bride, Redeemed Israel. We will enter the full marriage and physically dwell with Him during the Messianic age known as the Millennium, with all the promises of the covenant brought to realisation.
Ketubah Poem - Optional
My Beloved went down to His garden, to His bed of spices, To delight in the princess, and to spread over her the canopy of His peace; "King Messiah made for Himself a Palace"
My beloved, My doe, Come with Me to My chamber, my hall, For your sake I have left all the legions above, and their host; "And I have betrothed you unto Me forever." Said the Awesome One, You Who from the time of love I have heard, And I love Him with an Eternal love, "May He kiss me with the kisses of His Mouth!"
And the Groom swears to fulfill them all for His congregation, And to bequeath "Substance" ("Yesh,") to those who love Him And who do His will, "Yahweh swore with His Right Hand."
And the Bridegroom Acquired five Possessions, And among them were the Torah and the Testimony, And the Treasure betrothed, "And He laid the corner-stone."
Let the Bridegroom rejoice with the Bride, He takes for his possession, And let the heart of the Bride rejoice With the husband of her youth, And let her say to the one who sings His praises, "Happy is the People for whom it is so!"
10. PRAYER OF DEDICATION
The disciples prepared themselves prior to the reception of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost by earnest prayer, confession and forsaking of their sins, and consecration of themselves to God. Offering of ourselves Romans 12: 1
11. BLESSING THE BREAD AND WINE - Kiddush
The two loaves representing the Firstfruit-Offering of Jew and Gentile was made of the best quality grains of wheat, ground together and sifted into very fine flour. All the chaff and foreign matter was removed to become, no longer individual grains, but a corporate Loaf permeated by the leavening influence of the Ruach of Yahweh.
In partaking of this Bread we are declaring ourselves part of the covenant people as One Bread offered to the Father.
As part of this corporate Body and members of one another, we are not only in covenant with Yahweh, but also with one another. Messiah is the "bread of life," and we -- those in His true Assembly -- are also "one bread," through Him. Partaking of this true "bread," therefore, makes us one in Him, and members of each other. It is a symbol of our divine fellowship in, with and through Yeshua the Messiah. We are instructed to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace so that there will be no schism in the Body. To do this we must examine ourselves so that we come together as one Body without issues between us which break the unity of the spiritual Body of Messiah.
Leader holding bread: Blessed art You, Yahweh our God, King of the universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth. (Share the loaves)
At Passover He redeemed us and told us to count the days - This is our annual rehearsal for our betrothal as His Bride. The outpouring of His Spirit was our engagement ring in promise of our future union. In a ketubah contract of marriage, if the Bride accept the terms of the marriage contract, she drinks the cup of wine offered to her.
Tonight, we drink the cup which symbolises the wine of His Spirit in renewal of our covenant vows of betrothal unto Him.
This is the cup of our betrothal To Y'shua Who loved us and gave His life for us to purchase us for Himself.
When He initiated the betrothal, He said, "In My Father's house are many mansions, if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto Myself that where I am there you may be also." John 14:1-2 - He's gone to prepare a nuptial chamber and will return and take us into the Marriage Supper with Him. There'll be the sound of the Shofar and we'll hear the cry "Behold the Bridegroom comes - Go ye out to meet Him"
We want to be ready for that day - adorned in garments of righteousness and glory ready for our Bridegroom.
Leader holding cup: Blessed art You, Yahweh our God, King of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine. Amen. Let's drink the cup!
"Your Maker is your husband, Yahweh of Hosts is His Name, and Your Redeemer the holy one of Israel, the God of the whole earth shall He be called" Isaiah 54: 5
12. THE HALLEL - Psalms113-118 Short Version
13. SONGS & WORSHIP
14. KADDISH
Congregation: Glorified and sanctified be God's great Name throughout the world, which He has created according to His will. May He establish His kingdom in your lifetime and during your days, and within the life of the entire house of Israel, speedily and soon; and say Amen.
May His great Name be blessed forever and to all eternity. Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honored, adored and lauded be the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, beyond all blessings and hymns, praises and consolations that are ever spoken in the world; and say, Amen.
May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and life, for us and for all Israel; and say, Amen.
He who creates peace in His celestial heights, may He create peace for us and for all Israel; and say, Amen.
"Now unto Him who is able to keep us from falling and to present us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever, Amen" (Jude 24)