Counting The 'Seven Sevens"

"And you shall count... "

Passover is behind us and Shavuot (Feast of 'weeks' ~ 'seven sevens') is seven weeks away. What is the meaning and importance of counting the 'Seven Sevens' and what is our part in fulfilling this commandment "to count"?

"And you shall count... from the day after you brought the wave offering (day after passover); seven Sabbaths (weeks - Shavuot) shall you complete. The day after the seventh Sabbath you shall number fifty days; (Pentecost = 50), and you shall celebrate by offering a new meat offering unto Yahveh."  Leviticus 23:15-16

Starting the the first Sunday after Passover, we are commanded to begin counting seven weeks (49 days), until the festival of Shavuot. This is called "The Counting Of The Omer" - the wave offering. This counting connects the two festival, Passover and Shavuot, and commemorates two major events in the history of Israel. On Passover we commemorate the physical birth and liberation of the Jewish nation. On Shavuot we commemorate the spiritual birth of this newborn nation and the begining of a personal relationship (chosen-ness) with Yahveh, through the giving of the Torah, including the Ten Commandments, on Mount Sinai. 

With these gifts ~ Freedom and Torah ~ Yahveh established an everlasting bond (covenant) with the children of Israel. However, we must keep in mind that freedom always carries with it great responsibilities. Israel was not freed from Egypt (slaves from birth till death) to live their lives any way they saw fit. Their freedom was granted so that they could enter into their Promised Land, the Priesthood and the Service of Yahveh. They were now free to do Yahveh's will and receive more "Torah"  (instruction) for holy and righteous living.

Yahveh's gift of the Torah is like no other gift ever given to any man or nation, and has immeasurable value, whether we realize it or not. Israel could have never received it while yet slaves in Egypt, and for that primary reason they were brought out of the darkness of slavery. By accepting This Gift, Israel became responsible not only to keep it for themselves, but to also preserve it for future generations, peoples and nations. They became the Guardians of The Truth, especially chosen by Yahveh for this awsome task.

We too, must take personal inventory of our thoughts and actions in relations to Torah instruction, as we prepare ourselves for that "Big Day" when the Word Himself, the Torah Giver, shall come for us. That "Big Day" ~ the Day of Yahveh is at hand.

As we count the days between Passover and Shavuot (Pentecost), we are counting with anticipation, the days until we reach our final spiritual liberation, when we see our Messiah face to face. It is therefore fitting that during these days, we prepare ourselves by increasing our study of the Torah (Yahveh's Holy Word), by improving our relationship with our brothers and sisters, and most of all, by drawing ever closer to our Savior Yashua Hamashiach, through prayer and praise.

The time between Pesach and Shavuot, the counting of the "Seven Sevens" is a time for us to reflect on why we were saved from a life of slavery to sin, and how we can use this freedom to better serve in Yahveh's Kingdom. We count the "Omer" (Wave offering) with Thanksgiving, and Praise Him for all the wonderful things He has done for us, as the song goes: