Shavuot…Shavuot isn't commemorated by most Christians, but Christians are well familiar with the event it recalls: the giving of God's Law to the Israelites at Mount Sinai. Those Ten Commandments-still recited each week in Christian churches around the world-defined for ancient Israel and for us today the standards to which God holds his covenant people accountable.

The giving of the Law is described in Exodus 19-20:

In the third month after the people of Isra'el had left the land of Egypt, the same day they came to the Sinai Desert. After setting out from Refidim and arriving at the Sinai Desert, they set up camp in the desert; there in front of the mountain, Isra'el set up camp.

Moshe went up to God, and Adonai called to him from the mountain: "Here is what you are to say to the household of Ya'akov, to tell the people of Isra'el: 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you will pay careful attention to what I say and keep my covenant, then you will be my own treasure from among all the peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you will be a kingdom of cohanim for me, a nation set apart.' These are the words you are to speak to the people of Isra'el." – Exodus 19-20 (CJB)

The Ten Commandments themselves are listed in Exodus 20. Jesus famously summarized them like this:

'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. – Matthew 22:34-40(NIV)

Christians believe that Jesus has redeemed and forgiven our offenses against God's Law, making us citizens in good standing of God's Kingdom. But the Law remains important-not as just a list of rules to follow, but as a standard against which we can measure our lives. It is through this Law that we understand the importance of holy living. And it is the Law that illuminates our need for a Savior in the first place. For more about how Christians today understand God's Law, see these two devotional articles:

Between Pentecost and Memorial Day this weekend, you might not have the mental bandwidth to process a third holiday. But take a few minutes to think about the Law-what it meant to the Israelites who first received it, and what it means in your everyday life. It is through God's Law that we begin to understand the character of God-and how we, as sin-haunted men and women in need of redemption, relate to Him.

How well do you know your Jewish holidays?

I hadn't heard of Shavuot until a week or two ago. It's not as well-known as Passover or Purim, but it represents a foundational moment in Jewish history: the giving of the Torah (the first five books of the Bible, also called the Pentateuch) to the Israelites on Mount Sinai.

The date of celebration falls seven weeks after Passover; on the Gregorian calendar, it starts on June 7th at sunset and ends at nightfall (about an hour after sunset) on June 9th. Passover was the day the Hebrews escaped from Egyptian slavery; Shavuot is considered the day that God made them into their own nation.

While there's no official mention of Shavuot in the Bible, the story of the giving of the Torah begins in Exodus 19 and continues from there:

The Lord Reveals Himself at Sinai

19 Exactly two months after the Israelites left Egypt,[a] they arrived in the wilderness of Sinai.2 After breaking camp at Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai and set up camp there at the base of Mount Sinai.

3 Then Moses climbed the mountain to appear before God. The Lord called to him from the mountain and said, "Give these instructions to the family of Jacob; announce it to the descendants of Israel: 4 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. 6 And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.' This is the message you must give to the people of Israel."

7 So Moses returned from the mountain and called together the elders of the people and told them everything the Lord had commanded him. 8 And all the people responded together, "We will do everything the Lord has commanded." So Moses brought the people's answer back to the Lord.

9 Then the Lord said to Moses, "I will come to you in a thick cloud, Moses, so the people themselves can hear me when I speak with you. Then they will always trust you."

Moses told the Lord what the people had said. 10 Then the Lord told Moses, "Go down and prepare the people for my arrival. Consecrate them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their clothing. 11 Be sure they are ready on the third day, for on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai as all the people watch. 12 Mark off a boundary all around the mountain. Warn the people, 'Be careful! Do not go up on the mountain or even touch its boundaries. Anyone who touches the mountain will certainly be put to death. 13 No hand may touch the person or animal that crosses the boundary; instead, stone them or shoot them with arrows. They must be put to death.' However, when the ram's horn sounds a long blast, then the people may go up on the mountain.[]"

14 So Moses went down to the people. He consecrated them for worship, and they washed their clothes. 15 He told them, "Get ready for the third day, and until then abstain from having sexual intercourse."

16 On the morning of the third day, thunder roared and lightning flashed, and a dense cloud came down on the mountain. There was a long, loud blast from a ram's horn, and all the people trembled. 17 Moses led them out from the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in the form of fire. The smoke billowed into the sky like smoke from a brick kiln, and the whole mountain shook violently. 19 As the blast of the ram's horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God thundered his reply. 20 The Lord came down on the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses climbed the mountain.

21 Then the Lord told Moses, "Go back down and warn the people not to break through the boundaries to see the Lord, or they will die. 22 Even the priests who regularly come near to theLord must purify themselves so that the Lord does not break out and destroy them."

23 "But Lord," Moses protested, "the people cannot come up to Mount Sinai. You already warned us. You told me, 'Mark off a boundary all around the mountain to set it apart as holy.'"

24 But the Lord said, "Go down and bring Aaron back up with you. In the meantime, do not let the priests or the people break through to approach the Lord, or he will break out and destroy them."

25 So Moses went down to the people and told them what the Lord had said.

Footnotes:

On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt-on that very day-they came to the Desert of Sinai. After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.

Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites."

So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the LORD had commanded him to speak. The people all responded together, "We will do everything the LORD has said." So Moses brought their answer back to the LORD.

The LORD said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you." Then Moses told the LORD what the people had said.

Continue reading on Bible Gateway.

There are no hard-and-fast rules governing the celebration of Shavuot, but a few traditions have arisen:

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