What is the counting of the omer, and why is it not taught in the “church”? The counting of the omer is the period of time from the Feast of Firstfruits until the Feast of Weeks. The Feast of Firstfruits is the first day of the barley harvest, and the Feast of Weeks is the first day of the wheat harvest.
The Feast of Firstfruits is the first day of the week that follows the weekly Sabbath that follows Passover. It is always the first day of the week, as it is the first day of the barley harvest (which was always a work day, not a day of rest—the day of rest and holy convocation is still the seventh day, not the first day of the week. SUNday assembling is a lie of christianity).
On the Feast of Firstfruits, the high priest would wave a sheaf of barley as a wave offering signifying the first day of the harvest. Then every day for seven weeks, the high priest would offer a sheaf of barley to the Father. That was the counting of the omer.
The Feast of Weeks commemorated the giving of the physical covenant—the Ten Commandments—seven Sabbaths plus one day from the Feast of Firstfruits, which is the first day of the week that follows the weekly Sabbath after Passover. So, the counting of the omer signifies the period of time from the Passover to the giving of the covenant at Mt. Sinai.
Also, both barley and wheat are planted at the same time, but barley is harvested seven weeks before wheat—and, that has vast spiritual meaning, when the prophetic meanings of the harvests are understood. The barley signifies the bride, while the wheat symbolizes the tribulation saints (who are the friends of the bride in the wedding).
Messiah was crucified on Passover, and He rose again on the Feast of Firstfruits. Fifty days from Firstfruits, ON THE FEAST OF WEEKS, the spiritual covenant was revealed for all mankind—the seal of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2). He is what the Ten Commandments foreshadowed. That is why those who are led by the Spirit are not under the law, as the written law was only the shadow, the Spirit is the real substance.
Now, regarding the COUNTING OF THE OMER, which is the daily offering of a sheaf of barley, the word “OMER” in the Hebrew literally means “PROMISE.” Each day during the 50 days, the PROMISE of Yah’s covenant being given was offered back to Him, in anticipation of the completion of that promise—the giving of the covenant.
In Ephesians 1:13, Paul says, “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation– having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of PROMISE.”
Being led to the mountain and receiving the covenant are two different things. Your belief and the giving of the Spirit’s seal are two different things. Once one believes, his genuine faith will cause him to offer back to Yah, daily, the promise He made concerning giving His covenant to those who believe, knowing that He will fulfill that promise by sealing the believer with the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the OMER, or promise, to the bride, who is the barley! The counting of the omer is the adding of barley to the harvest by the giving of the Holy Spirit to those who believe. Those whose belief in Yahoshua the Messiah has been completed have that evidence within them—the witness (1 John 5:10), and they receive a personal confirmation of that directly from Him.
Salvation is not a decision man can make, but is the giving of the covenant to those who identify with Messiah’s Passover sacrifice, and who offer the promise of the covenant back to Yah as they endure in their belief (counting of the omer) until the covenant is given. Those who receive the covenant will then be told directly by the Holy Spirit that they have been made children of Yah.
Those who have never received that confirmation have no claim to being adopted by the Father. They are those who have believed the false teaching of christianity that salvation is a decision that man makes, which is not salvation at all, but spiritual delusion.
Salvation BEGINS with Passover, but is COMPLETED by Weeks—the giving of the covenant. The counting of the omer represents the period of time from one’s repentance of unbelief, which is to believe, until he receives the seal of the Holy Spirit, which is the spiritual covenant given to Messiah Yahoshua’s bride Y’isra-el. The counting of the omer represents enduring in belief, and the covenant (salvation) is not given apart from that.
For more information: Between Belief and Salvation