What Does the Counting Down of the Omer Mean for a Modern-Day Believer?
The Counting Down of the Omer is the 50-day period from Passover to Shavuot. It is the time between the freedom you received at Passover and the instruction released at Shavuot. During those 50 days, as a Believer, you can take an opportunity to get quiet with the Lord, asking the Spirit to…
- Remind you of the freedom you have under the blood of the Passover Lamb, Yeshua
- Prepare you for His instruction that will equip, teach, and correct you as you move into a new season
The Counting Down of the Omer begins on the second night of Passover. God instructed the Israelites to count seven weeks from the firstfruits Passover offering, which included their first grain offering of a sheaf of barley—the Omer offering. Then, after counting ‘down’ the 50 days to Shavuot, they would give their second, ‘new’ grain offering from the wheat harvest—two loaves of bread. These grain offerings, traditionally brought to the Temple yearly at Passover and Shavuot, were each measured as two-tenths of an ephah (which is equal to two omers—roughly four quarts of grain).
“The Omer” counted daily with blessings and prayers, and continuing until the night before Shavuot would help the Israelites remember God’s gracious provisions and the goodness of His abounding grace and merciful love to those who seek Him on their spiritual journey between Passover (freedom from bondage) and Shavuot (the receiving of God’s instruction).
Counting Down of the Omer and the Believer
As Believers, we know that God has a calling and a purpose for us.
“…that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.”
—Ephesians 1:4-6
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”
—Romans 8:28-30
The problem many of us face throughout the year is intentionally setting aside a time period to get quiet before the Lord. We may set aside time each day, or the Sabbath once a week, and while those are incredibly valuable, there is something unique and revelatory about the Counting Down of the Omer.
This is a time set aside by God, according to His calendar, and we are given an opportunity to come into alignment with Him on His timetable for an extended period of time.
“And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the Lord.”
—Leviticus 23:15-16
“You shall count seven weeks for yourself; begin to count the seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the grain. Then you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the Lord your God with the tribute of a freewill offering from your hand, which you shall give as the Lord your God blesses you. You shall rejoice before the Lord your God… And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful to observe these statutes.”
—Deuteronomy 16:9-12
The point the Lord is making here is that it is crucial we remember. He intentionally established His calendar to remind us of our freedom and to anticipate His coming instruction. We can respond by coming into alignment with His divine timeline.
Key Point: The Counting Down of the Omer is a 50-day introspection, remembering our freedom in Yeshua and looking forward to the instruction we receive through the fire of the Holy Spirit.
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
—John 14:26
Choosing to Ignore the Counting Down of the Omer…
When we choose to ignore the call of God to set aside this time for introspection, we, like the Hebrew spies who spoke in disbelief, will also miss opportunities in the Promised Land.
Furthermore, we can be blind to attacks from the enemy.
“But the men who had gone up with him said, ‘We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.’ And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, ‘The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.’”
—Numbers 13:31-33
This bad report was born out of unbelief. The enemy had distracted Israel from the promise, attempting to rob them of the passion and confidence they had already been given.
Don’t be like the spies, believing what you see rather than standing securely in the pure faith of the Lord.
Instead, be like Joshua and Caleb. Know your identity and the promises of God.
“But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: ‘The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, “a land which flows with milk and honey.” Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.’”
—Numbers 14:6-9
Key Point: New beginnings come with personal responsibility to humble ourselves and listen to the still small voice of God in this season.
3 Things to Remember During the Counting Down of the Omer
- Remember the Passover Promises
There are nine blessings released at Passover listed in Exodus 23. The word “remember” is written hundreds of times throughout the scriptures. The Lord knows we are prone to forget what He has given us, which is why He instructs us to remember.
Following Passover, remember the blessings that were released…
- Divine protection
- Positioning and alignment
- Divine authority
- Supernatural health and Kingdom prosperity
- Protection for multiplication and longevity
- Fear and respect from your enemies
- Relief from enemy threats
- Dominion and inheritance
- Freedom
- Remember to Align with the Lord
Alignment involves reconciling the soul. The soul is the mind, will, and emotions. Each year, we can grow in our faith and become more and more like Yeshua. The Passover season is a time the Lord peels back the layers in our souls that do not align with Him.
However, while we may have received the impartation when our feet were beneath His table, the transition from the soulish desires of last year often takes time to be removed.
This is why God gives us the 50-day period to reflect and inquire before we arrive at the place of instruction at Shavuot. If we do not deal with the soul-ties in our hearts, we cannot move forward—we remain stuck and tied to the old way of thinking.
In order to abide in the aligning power of His presence, we must listen and obey during the strategic season of the countdown.
- Remember to Guard Your Self with Truth
When God has called us to set time aside with Him, whether in our daily devotions or in a moed on God’s calendar, we must not get distracted.
The Bible is full of examples of those who chose to operate in their own understanding, rather than search the scripture and hearken to the voice of God.
So, too, during times like the Counting Down of the Omer, be prepared for interference to come. Make up your mind today to stay focused on Him and the transformation that is taking place within you.
Word of caution… Anything that we are not willing to let go of Satan will use as a distraction.
God is preparing each of us in the 50-days between Passover and Shavuot to become so worn out with ourselves that we are willing to lay down our own agendas in exchange for the fresh fire of God that burns away anything that He doesn’t fully ordain.
As You Move Toward the End of the Counting Down of the Omer
It is critical, as you move toward the end of the Counting Down of the Omer, to hold tight to your identity in Christ and put on the armor of God. This is the truth that will equip you to persevere. Don’t quit. Stay focused on Him, continue to pray, and let your requests be known with thanksgiving. This will guard your hearts and minds (Philippians 4:6-7).
Put on your belt of truth, for it represents authority and identity. For a modern-day Believer, in the spirit, the “belt of truth” represents who we are in Christ and the authority from which we operate as a child of God.
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness.”
—Ephesians 6:10-14
Hold on with pure faith that His armor will fully protect you as you receive the fire of instruction that will prepare you for your promotion.