In a recent blog, I showed that Yeshua’s initial visit to Bountiful likely took place at Passover, where he conducted back-to-back Seders on each of the first two days of the feast.

In this blog, I intend to show that throughout the counting of the Omer, Yeshua “did show himself often unto them, and did break bread often, and blessed it, and gave it to them” (3 Nefi 12:1). He then ascended back to heaven at Shavuot, after presenting a special teaching to his Talmidim that contained many Shavuot themes.

Lifting Up Typology

Shavuot is marked by the ceremony of the lifting up and waving of two wave loaves:

[15] And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:

[16] Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.

[17] Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD. (Lev. 23:15-17 KJV)

One can imagine that this ceremony was taking place as Yeshua said:

And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the Tz’lav. And after that I had been lifted up upon the Tz’lav, I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men, even so should men be lifted up by the Father to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil. And for this cause have I been lifted up. Therefore, according to the power of the Father, I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works. (3 Nefi 12:5)

Then when He concluded His teaching, Yeshua ascended, as we read:

And it came to pass that when Yeshua had spoken these words, he touched every one of them with his finger, except it were the three who were to remain, and then he departed. (3 Nef 13:4)

Translation of Enoch and the Three Nefites

On this same day and event, the Three Nefites also ascended and were transfigured:

And behold, the Heavens were opened, and they were caught up into Heaven and saw and heard unspeakable things. And it was forbidden them that they should utter, neither was it given unto them power that they could utter, the things which they saw and heard. And whether they were in the body or out of the body, they could not tell; for it did seem unto them like a transfiguration of them, that they were changed from this body of flesh into an immortal state, that they could behold the things of Elohim. (3 Nefi 13:4)

And now behold, as I spoke concerning those whom YHWH had chosen, yes, even three who were caught up into the Heavens, that I knew not whether they were cleansed from mortality to immortality, but behold, since I wrote, I have inquired of YHWH; and he has made it manifest unto me that there must necessarily be a change worked upon their bodies, or else they must taste of death. Therefore, that they might not taste of death, there was a change worked upon their bodies, that they might not suffer pain nor sorrow except it were for the sins of the world. (3 Nefi 13:6)

This parallels the translation of Enoch, as we read in Hebrews:

By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. (Hebrews 11:5 KJV)

This event, according to the Book of 2 Enoch, occurred on the sixth of Sivan (the Rabbinical date for Shavuot):

“…and [Enoch] was again taken up to heaven on the sixth day of the month Sivan, on the very day and hour when he was born.” (2 Enoch 68:3)

The Birth of Israel

Shavuot is also understood in Jewish tradition as the anniversary of the giving of the Torah on mount Sinai and the birth of the nation of Israel. As we read in the Talmud “Our Rabbis taught: On the sixth day of the month [Sivan] were the Ten Commandments given to Israel.” (b.Shabbat 86b) This is paralleled by the Shavuot event of Acts 2 in which about three thousand souls were “added to the Assembly” (Acts 2:41, 47).

This theme is also paralleled in Yeshua’s teaching at Shavuot in Bountiful, when he addresses the name and building up of the Assembly:

And they said unto him, Adon, we will that you would tell us the name by which we shall call this assembly, for there are disputes among the people concerning this matter. And YHWH said unto them, Truly, truly I say unto you, why is it that the people should murmur and dispute because of this thing? Have they not read the scriptures which say you must take upon you the name of Mashiach, which is my name? For by this name shall you be called at the last day. And whoever takes upon him my name and endures to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day. Therefore, whatsoever you shall do, you shall do it in my name. Therefore, you shall call the assembly in my name, and you shall call upon the Father in my name, that he will bless the assembly for my sake. And how is it my assembly unless it is called in my name? For if an assembly is called in Moshe’s name, then it is Moshe’s assembly; or if it is called in the name of a man, then it is the assembly of a man; but if it is called in my name, then it is my assembly, if it so be that they are built upon my besorah. Truly I say unto you that you are built upon my besorah; therefore, you shall call whatsoever things you do call in my name. Therefore, if you call upon the Father for the assembly, if it be in my name, the Father will hear you. And if it so be that the assembly is built upon my besorah, then will the Father show forth his own works in it. But if it be not built upon my besorah, and is built upon the works of men or upon the works of HaSatan, truly I say unto you, they have joy in their works for a season, and by and by the end comes, and they are cut down and cast into the fire from where there is no return, for their works do follow them. For it is because of their works that they are cut down. Therefore, remember the things that I have told you. (3 Nefi 12:4)

And just as the Torah was given to Israel on the first Shavuot, the Messiah spoke of “the things that you must do in My Assembly” in his Shavuot address at Bountiful:

Truly, truly I say unto you, this is my besorah, and you know the things that you must do in my assembly, for the works which you have seen me do, that shall you also do. For that which you have seen me do, even that shall you do. Therefore, if you do these things, blessed are you, for you shall be lifted up at the last day. (3 Nefi 12:5)

The Gift of the Ruach HaKodesh and Shavuot

The giving of the Ruach HaKodesh “tongues of fire” event of Acts chapter two was a repetition of an event that took place at the first Shavuot. According to the Midrashim, when the Torah was given at Mount Sinai the Torah message was divided up into the seventy languages of the Gentiles:

Elohim’s voice, as it was uttered, split into seventy voices, into seventy tongues [leshonot], so that all the nations should understand. (Midrash from Exodus Rabbah 5:9)

The Midrash also describes this event in even more detail:

In the occasion of Matan Torah [the giving of the Torah], the Bnai Yisrael [children of Israel] not only heard Hashem’s Voice but actually saw the sound waves as they emerged from Hashem’s mouth. They visualized them as a fiery substance. Each commandment that left Hashem’s mouth traveled around the entire Camp and then to each Jew individually, asking him, “Do you accept upon yourself this Commandment with all the halochot [Jewish law] pertaining to it?” Every Jew answered “Yes” after each commandment. Finally, the fiery substance which they saw engraved itself on the luchot [tablets]. (The Midrash Says; Rabbi Moshe Weisman. Benei Yakov Publications (1980) p. 182)

This parallels the events of the New Testament in which Yeshua, just before his ascension from the Mount of Olives, instructs his Talmidim to remain in Jerusalem until they have power poured out on them from on high:

And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. (Luke 24:49 KJV) 

This promise was fulfilled in Acts 2:

[1] And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
[2] And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
[3] And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
[4] And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
[5] And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
[6] Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
[7] And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
[8] And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
[9] Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
[10] Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
[11] Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
[12] And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
[13] Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
[14] But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
[15] For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
[16] But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
[17] And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God,I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
[18] And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
[19] And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
[20] The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:

(Acts 2:1-20 KJV)

And in his Shavuot address at Bountiful, Yeshua says:

Now this is the mitzvah: Repent all you ends of the earth, and come unto me, and be washed by immersion in my name, that you may be sanctified by the reception of the Ruach HaKodesh, that you may stand spotless before me at the last day. (3 Nefi 12:5)

And Yeshua concludes with:

And the Ruach HaKodesh bears record of the Father and me, and the Father gives the Ruach HaKodesh unto the children of men because of me. (3 Nefi 13:3) 

Conclusion

The various allusions Yeshua makes to clear Shavuot imagery and typology, lead to the conclusion that Yeshua appeared the Nephites often during the Counting of the Omer, and ascended to Heaven on Shavuot. This internal evidence provides yet another testimony that the Stick of Joseph is an authentic ancient Jewish record.