Ancient Roads: Real Israel Talk Radio
ABOUT ME and THIS PODCAST: I am Avinoam ("Avi") ben Mordechai. I am an old veteran of the radio broadcast industry. For me, radio programming was very different when I started in the early 1970s as a California "rock jock" radio personality and later in the 1980s as a Colorado radio programmer and secular and religious content talk show host. I selectively do live on-air radio programming where I find opportunity, but ultimately, whatever I pursue with my years of radio broadcast training is not formal. I seek to serve Yehovah with the gifts and talents that He has given to me.
Today, I am passionate about teaching the Bible in an understandable way to modern readers of ancient Scripture. The biblical studies I engage in through my teaching monologues and, in some cases, interviews with knowledgable academic researchers, are, at the very core, Hebraic studies, as I seek to connect the dots, so to speak, between the biblical Hebrew Bible and the Brit Hadasha (the New Covenant or "New Testament").
I aim to help Yehovah's students better understand His Word. I try hard to provide the Almighty Eternal One's students with the tools necessary to become thinking and reasoning followers in the Messianic claims and teachings of Yeshua from the Second Temple period of Israel's Judaism. I strive to provide a safe, nurturing, non-judgmental, and advanced learning environment where students of biblical Scripture can learn, grow, and develop in their knowledge of the Word of Yeshua HaMashiach (the promised Messiah for Jews and non-Jews alike) through a personal relationship with Yehovah, the Almighty Eternal One of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Each posted podcast has a running time of 50 minutes divided into two 25-minute program segments. You may freely listen to and download them at your convenience. My strict policy is never to monetize them, meaning to turn them into opportunities for moneymaking or to accept advertisers. I do not ask any of my listeners to donate money to this program. If you are moved to give to this outreach ministry, this is between you and your great Father in Heaven.
Go in spiritual and emotional health.
Avinoam ben Mordechai
Ancient Roads: Real Israel Talk Radio
Analysis of the Passion Week Timeline (PART 22) Ascension, First Fruits, and the Omer Event 27
Let us examine the biblical terminology often called “First Fruits” or “Bikkurim.” This terminology is often confused with another ceremony called the Omer Wave-Sheaf offering, more accurately referred to in biblical parlance as Reisheet Katzir – Harvest of the First Cutting of the Grain.
"First Fruits" is about the scriptural festival of Shavuot or Pentecost. The timing of the festival was understood from Leviticus 23:15-16 and based on two different points of view.
- 1. The House of the Pharisaic Separatists performed their wave sheaf offering of freshly cut barley on the 16th day of the first chodesh or month. The 16th came to be called Day 1 in the 50-day count of the Omer. Also, their counting of seven weeks of Sabbaths began during the Festival of Matza (Unleavened Bread).
- 2. The House of Tzadok performed their wave sheaf offering of freshly cut wheat on the 26th day of the first chodesh or month. The 26th came to be called Day 1 in the 50-day count of the Omer. Also, their counting of seven weeks of Sabbaths began at the end of the Festival of Matza (Unleavened Bread).
These two conflicting counts are easily resolved in a study of the timeline of Yeshua's 3rd-day resurrection (Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:1-2, Luke 24:1, John 20:1) and 40th-day ascension (Acts 1:3).
The chronology of both events is played out based on the following timelines:
- The 19th Day of the 1st Month ("Aviv" or "Nisan") after Yeshua’s Sabbath resurrection to the 28th Day of the 2nd month is 40 days (Acts 1:3)
- The 26th Day of the 1st Month ("Aviv" or "Nisan" = Day 1 of the Omer) to the 28th Day of the 2nd month is the 33rd Day of the Omer (Acts 1:9 - Lag B’Omer).
- The 2nd Day of the 2nd Month ("Iyar") to the 15th Day of the 3rd month (Shavuot or Pentecost) is the morrow after 7 Sabbaths (Leviticus 23:15-16).
We will take a look at all these details on this episode of Real Israel Talk Radio. Join us!