For a balanced explanation of this Topic I reccomend this article by John McKee
Jewish Understanding of Counting The Omer
The omer refers to the forty-nine day period between the second night of Passover (Pesach) and the holiday of Shavuot. This period marks the beginning of the barley harvest when, in ancient times, Jews would bring the first sheaves to the Temple as a means of thanking God for the harvest. The word omer literally means "sheaf" and refers to these early offerings.
The Torah itself dictates the counting of the seven weeks following Pesach:
"You shall count from the eve of the second day of Pesach, when an omer of grain is to be brought as an offering, seven complete weeks. The day after the seventh week of your counting will make fifty days, and you shall present a new meal offering to God (Leviticus 23:15-16)."
In its biblical context, this counting appears only to connect the first grain offering to the offering made at the peak of the harvest. As the holiday of Shavuot became associated with the giving of the Torah, and not only with a celebration of agricultural bounty, the omer period began to symbolize the thematic link between Peach and Shavuot.
While Pesach celebrates the initial liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt, Shavuot marks the culmination of the process of liberation, when the Jews became an autonomous community with their own laws and standards. Counting up to Shavuot reminds us of this process of moving from a slave mentality to a more liberated one.
When to Count the Omer
The counting of the omer begins on the second night of Pesach. Jews in the Diaspora generally integrate this counting into the second seder.
The omer is counted each evening after sundown. The counting of the omer is generally appended to the end of Ma'ariv (the evening service), as well.
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As Messianic Believers our thoughts should be on Yeshua daily and the counting of the Omer is a time to reflect on our relationship with Him and prepare our hearts for The Feast Of Shavuot.
The Daily Devotional is meant for just that, a tool to search our hearts. It is not meant to cause arguments or debates.
Yeshua is the CENTER of all we do in this ministry and our only desire is to bring glory to Him.
I have been in ministry for over 35 years and have been living a Messianic lifestyle for over 10 years. I do not claim to be authority on every subjest. My husband and myself are Messianic Pastors/Shepherds and Teachers.
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We all are learning and until we Sit At The Feet Of Our Great Shepherd Yeshua we will continue to learn. None of us KNOW IT ALL, we simply walk in the gifts that He has placed within us.
Our only desire is to Serve Our Master and Glorify Him.
Shalom and Ahava In Yeshua
His Bond Servants
