Cut to the Heart – A Shavuot Story
“There is no turning back now.” Josh’s message had hit cyberspace. He was anxious, excited, and remorseful, all at the same time – such a strange mix of emotions.
How did I get to this point?
Josh had scarcely given any serious thought about “religion” or anything remotely spiritual for a number of years. But that all changed about 16 months earlier when he took a job with a well-respected tax and accounting firm.
Josh thought it nice that the two people he worked with the closest, who became good friends, were also Jewish as he was. But as he got to know them, they caused him to question what he believed. Is there a God? What exactly does it mean to be Jewish? And the big question: is death really the end?
One friend, Chaim, was a very Orthodox Jewish man, who had been drawn to Josh quickly because he liked Josh’s frankness and wit. And Reuben, the second man, was a Christian, or so Josh had thought, because soon after meeting him he had heard Reuben talking about Jesus. But Reuben said, “I call myself a Messianic Jew or just a follower of Jesus.”
Well, Josh had no problem with that, but it seemed Chaim certainly did.
Josh found Reuben to be intelligent, witty, loyal, and open about his faith. Josh considered himself agnostic, because he really could see valid arguments and observations for the existence of God. But Josh just did not know. What he did have was a “feeling,” – a kind of sweeping nudging that poked his conscience whenever he saw a breathtaking sunset, or the first time he went snorkeling and saw the amazing colors, the coral, the fish, the morphing of an octopus.
Such encounters made Josh think of something or someone larger who created such wonders. On the other hand, rampant violence, the lack of justice, and the Holocaust, made Josh wonder about a God who would allow such evils. Chaim and Reuben did not seem to struggle with these thoughts. They appeared quite confident, settled in their beliefs.
Josh was drawn to them also, because like him, they were Jewish. Both men were happy to talk with Josh about their beliefs, especially when the biblical holidays rolled around.
Shavuot was approaching. Josh’s interest was really piqued by a major difference that both men claimed was God’s gift for the Jewish people: – His covenant with them!
To one a formula, to the other a forecast
Josh noted how often Chaim referred to the rabbis and the Talmud in their conversations. Reuben only spoke about what the Bible said, which Josh knew included the New Testament. Chaim once warned Josh about trying to simply read and understand the Tanakh (Hebrew Scriptures) without knowing Hebrew or reading the opinions of the rabbis.
Contrarily, Reuben not only recommended that Josh read the Bible, he challenged him to do so, to see for himself, and to pray that if there is a God, He would reveal Himself.
Chaim’s life was very structured with community life and specific rituals and observances for the holidays. Reuben loved the holidays and often spoke of how he believed the biblical holidays were a forecast pointing to a plan for Israel, the nations, and revealing the Messiah, even future events! Josh found this intriguing.
Well, what about Shavuot?
Chaim and Josh both spoke about the coming holiday, the Feast of Weeks, Reuben called it, or in Hebrew, Shavuot.[1]
Chaim spoke of the importance of the feast because it was when Moses received the Law at Mount Sinai: the Torah, revealing God’s covenant with Israel.
Josh was surprised when Reuben, who also spoke often of the Torah, said, “Well, I cannot say for certain this was when the Law was given according to the Scriptures. But I can say for certain that on this day God’s Spirit came in a new way. This was to fulfill the promise God spoke of in the Tanakh that He would put His Spirit within people, and He would remember their sins no more, and He would write His Law on their hearts, which was to be the New Covenant.[2]
Reuben then asked Josh a funny question. “You did not grow up religious and neither did I. But do you remember when you had cheesecake on a certain day every year?”
Josh laughed, “Yeah, matter of fact I do. Is that Shavuot?”
Reuben smiled. ”Yep, we did it too, and I still don’t know why.”[3]
That night, Josh went home and decided he was going to read about when the Law was given in the Tanakh from the Bible Reuben had given him a few months earlier. Josh had written down chapters in the Tanakh and New Testament about Shavuot, the giving of the Law, and especially Chapter 2 in the New Testament book named Acts of the Apostles.
3,000 – He could not get the number out of his mind.
Josh read and he read, fascinated. There it was, the account of the golden calf. He had heard about it but had never read it. Josh was shocked by the sin of the Israelites – dancing to an idol they praised as their deliverer from Egyptian bondage. He read how later Moses sent the sons of Levi through the camp to kill those involved in this sin. The number of people killed was 3,000.[4]
Josh turned to the New Testament, to the story Reuben had spoken of in Acts. As Josh was reading, he couldn’t help thinking, “This is Jerusalem, the temple, these are Jews.”[5]
Josh was riveted by the story he read of a man named Peter, who Josh surmised was a follower of Jesus. Peter preached to the gathered crowd about what had happened to Jesus and who He was.[6]
Josh had never really heard or paid much attention to anything about Jesus or Christianity. He was mesmerized by the words that told of how many were “cut to the heart” by the message. Josh grew uncomfortable, very uncomfortable, as if something was being stirred in his own heart.
Again, 3,000
Josh read the account of the number of the people who believed the message about Jesus on that day – and it was 3,000![7] Josh knew immediately, this is no coincidence. He had just read in Exodus about 3,000 people too.
He continued to read about the first-century drama. As a result of believing in Jesus, those 3,000 became a community; they shared, there was much joy, and praising God![8] Such a stark contrast to what Josh had read with Moses and the people not long after they had received the Law. And the resulting disobedience to the Law brought death to 3,000 people.[9]
Josh sat in silence. But Josh’s mind was racing. He thought of how Reuben had spoken of Passover and events with Jesus that happened on the feast days.[10] And now on another feast, this! Could this be that New Covenant Reuben had talked about?
“Cut to the heart”
Josh knew what those words meant as he reached for his phone and composed a text. “Hi Reuben, hope all is cool. Give me a call tomorrow after 2:00 if you can – I’ve got some questions. Thanks.”
The inside of Reuben’s jacket started to pulsate and he fished his phone from the inner pocket. It was a text from Josh. Reuben smiled and silently prayed….
Written by Jeff, Life in Messiah staff
Want to learn more about Shavuot (also known as the Feast of Weeks and Pentecost)? Check out this page.
Shavuot starts the evening of May 25, 2023 according to the Jewish calendar. Christians celebrate Pentecost on May 28, 2023. How will you celebrate it? Consider reading some of the Scripture portions listed in this blog.
If you consider yourself an honest seeker, like Josh, are you open to talk about the New Covenant’s connection to the Jewish Scriptures? Do you have questions about God? Contact us at www.insearchofshalom.com.
Endnotes:
[1] https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/shavuot-101/.
[2] Jeremiah 31:33-34; Hebrews 8:5-13.
[3] https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/why-cheesecake-on-shavuot/.
[4] Exodus 32:1-35.
[5] Acts 2:1-13.
[6] Acts 2:14-2:41.
[7] Acts 2:41.
[8] Acts 2:42-47.
[9] Exodus 32:28.
[10] Crucified on Passover as the Passover Lamb; Sinless Lamb of God/Bread of Life/Unleavened Bread. Rose from the dead on the Feast of First Fruits, as the First Fruits of the dead: 1 Corinthians 15:20-23.