The Season of Resurrection | Ariel Blumenthal

About this sermon

Happy Resurrection Day! Wait, isn’t it a little late for that? Actually, according to the biblical calendar and the Book of Acts, the focus of the timing of the resurrection is not just a single day—it’s an entire season of 49 days!! Yeshua rose from the dead on the day of First Fruits, the first Sunday, at the end of Passover. But He did not immediately rise also to heaven. Our resurrected Lord spent at least 40 more days appearing to the disciples before His ascension (Acts 1:3-8). This was, and still is, according to the Torah the time of the counting of the Omer between Passover and Shavuot—the only feast that is determined by counting the days from the previous one, rather than simply pegging it according to the month and day of the biblical calendar. (Lev 23:15) The counting of the days, this intentional marking of each day of this season, is designed to create in us a watchful heart, one that is waiting to see God act. We know from the Gospel accounts and from Acts 1, that Yeshua was very intentional in His multiple appearances to, and teaching of, the disciples. The major themes are summed up in Acts 1:3-5: His suffering/crucifixion, the reality of the new life of His resurrection body, the promised outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and the coming of the Kingdom of God. Amazingly, many of the events of the birth and continuing life of the modern State of Israel took place or are commemorated during this season: Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day (rebirth of the state of Israel), Birthday of Theodore Hertzel, Lag B’Omer (“celebration” on the 33rd day of the Omer, in remembrance of tragic but important events in the early history of Rabbinic Judaism), Yom Yerushalayim (recapture of Jerusalem in 1967). And, of course, it all leads up the feast of Shavuot, when, according to Jewish tradition, the Torah was given on Mt. Sinai and according to New Testament fact, the disciples experienced the outpouring of the New Torah to be written on their hearts by the Holy Spirit. We are right in the middle of the counting of the Omer (Day 26). Is it coincidence that so many events in the national “resurrection” of the Jewish state take place during this season of the Omer, of the resurrected Yeshua dwelling on this earth? No way! It is all part of the plan of God, and we are praying and watching to see what He is going to do this time around! Please join us! Happy Resurrection Season! WATCH the Global Broadcast today as Ariel shares insights and encourages us to be vigilant in anticipation of what is yet to come.

Topics

• Resurrection