The human condition of anticipation and excitement is a universal one. Everyone likes a countdown, right? Imagine what Times Square would look like on New Year's Eve if we didn't. For whatever reason, humans love counting the months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, or even seconds until their goal is reached. This is why we have advent calendars, digital countdown clocks, timers, and stopwatches. There are hundreds and thousands of cardboard boxes with tiny doors to cultivate excitement in children when leading up to modern holidays like Christmas and Easter. Entire industries have sprung up around this aspect of our humanity.

But as with everything, we have to ask ourselves... Is it biblical?

The answer is an overwhelming and resounding YES.

¹⁵ “Then you are to count from the morrow after the Shabbat, from the day that you brought the omer of the wave offering, seven complete Shabbatot. ¹⁶ Until the morrow after the seventh Shabbat you are to count fifty days, and then present a new grain offering to Adonai. ¹⁷ You are to bring out of your houses two loaves of bread for a wave offering, made of two tenths of an ephah of fine flour. They are to be baked with hametz as firstfruits to Adonai. ¹⁸ You are to present, along with the bread, seven one-year-old lambs without blemish, one young bull, and two rams. They will become a burnt offering to Adonai, with their meal offering, and their drink offerings, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to Adonai. ¹⁹ Also you are to offer one male goat for a sin offering and a pair of year-old male lambs for a sacrifice of fellowship offerings. ²⁰ The kohen is to wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before Adonai, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to Adonai for the kohen. ²¹ You are to make a proclamation on the same day that there is to be a holy convocation, and you should do no regular work. This is a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.

- Leviticus 23:15-21 🔗

This mandated observance is what we call "The Counting of the Omer." With prayer and gratitude, the children of Israel spend the time between Passover and Shavuot counting. Now, fifty days seems like a long time to be on the edge of your seat, waiting for the next big thing. But traditionally, this waiting period corresponds to the time that the Israelites waited for Moses to be given the Law. And then, in the days of Yeshua, this waiting period was the time that the disciples waited in the Upper Room for the Comforter that Yeshua promised. For forty of the fifty days, Yeshua was actually with them! And then, just as Yeshua promised, the Ruach arrived a few days later on the feast of Shavuot, when all of Israel had been commanded to assemble in Jerusalem.

To them He showed Himself to be alive after His suffering through many convincing proofs, appearing to them for forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

- Acts: 1:3 🔗

 ¹ When the day of Shavuot had come, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ And tongues like fire spreading out appeared to them and settled on each one of them. ⁴ They were all filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh and began to speak in other tongues as the Ruach enabled them to speak out. ⁵ Now Jewish people were staying in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.

- Acts 2:1-5 🔗

In both cases, the Counting of the Omer led to a spectacular, world-altering event. 

So, as we find ourselves once more in this season of Counting the Omer, it might be time to ask ourselves what world-changing event we can anticipate at the culmination of our wait. 

The Jewish people have lived on a routine, annual journey with Adonai for over three millennia, knowing when and where to meet Him for communion. And despite this continuous cycle, each year, we are surprised and delighted to see His hand at work in our lives! We know what to expect from Him, based on the verified experiences of His character in years past. He is the same God that met Moses on the mountain, who sent His Son as a final atonement, who provides for His people, who parts the waters and destroys the enemies of His children. His character does not change. 

So, this year, as you count the Omer with us, try to build anticipation for whatever mighty and amazing thing God has in store for you! Greatness is on the horizon!