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"And from the day on which you bring [the omer], the sheaf of the elevation offering- the day after the Sabbath-you shall count off seven weeks. They must be complete: you must count until the day after the seventh week-fifty days; then you shall bring an offering of new grain to the Lord." Leviticus 23:15-16, NJPS
This 7-week prayer journey will take you from thanksgiving for the past, to intercession for the future, to a final expression of worship as we contemplate the fulfillment of God’s purposes in Messiah.
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Remember to set aside some money each day of the Omer. You can make your Shavuot online here, through Paypal. This donation helps Messianic Jews in Israel .
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The 49 days from Passover until the eve of Pentecost or Shavuot are the traditional counting of the omer, or sheaf of firstfruits, based on Leviticus 23. In the UMJC family, we join in prayer through this period on the theme Honoring the Past; Embracing the Future. The first three weeks honor God for his past deeds on behalf of Israel and all nations. The second three weeks embrace the future laid out in Scripture for Israel and the nations. The final week brings everything together with prayers welcoming Yeshua to return and fulfill the words of the prophets that we have repeated in our prayers.
Here's how to count the omer:
1. Recite the blessing,
Baruch atah Adonai Elohenu melech ha-olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al sefirat ha-Omer.
Blessed are You O Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us by His commandments and commanded us concerning the count of the Omer.
2. Recite the count of the omer, saying:
"Today is three weeks and 5 days of the omer."
Week 4 May 11-17 (alternate 5/17-5/23): Embracing the Future: Israel
Daily Omer Counting - Day 26, evening of Thursday, May 15th
Scripture for Day 26:
For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, And her salvation as a lamp that burns. (Isa. 62:1-3)
Commentary:
In this well-known passage,
we see wonderful imagery of how the Lord wants us to be certain in our
beliefs and actions, and shining like a crown for all the world to see
the glory of the Lord reflected in us. Using this passage as a guideline,
we should pray for boldness in our faith, that the Lord would bless
us in our abilities to share His love with the world around us. As ever,
we should continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, as well as for
her people, that they will cleave to the Lord's righteousness and
turn from the ways of the world, so that the nations will see her as
an example and cry out to the Lord, accepting Yeshua as their King and
Redeemer. Pray for the Messianic believers pioneering the way in the
Land, that they would continue to be strong and do the work, preparing
Israel for the return of the Lord. Indeed, for Zion's sake may they
not keep quiet, but keep proclaiming the Word of the Lord as the truth,
so that the non-believers would see His light and come to know Him.
Jamie Eaton
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