I am writing this special article for the benefit of those Messianics and others who are either today, or over the next three or four days - depending which variation of the calendar they are using - celebrating or are about to celebrate, the fourth annual biblical festival known as Shavu'ot or Pentecost.

Scripturally and historically, we know that the Omer Count - the period between Yom haBikkurim (Day of Firstfruits) and Shavu'ot (Pentecost) begins the day after the High Shabbat on the 16th of Aviv. For reasons we will not get into today, but which you can read about in just a moment, Judaism has established a tradition (uncritically imitated by Messianics) that this time period is 50 days long, making Shavu'ot (Pentecost) a late spring festival. We shall prove today, by carefully studying the apostle Paul's journey from Philippi (where he observed the Passover Season and from whence he began the Omer Count), that his trip took far more than the 50 days that would have been expected had the Jewish tradition been true, but somewhere between 69 and 97 days. This accords perfectly with the Torah teaching that the Omer Count consists of seven sabbaths followed by another 50 days making a total of about 100 days (depending on the timing of Rosh Chodesh), putting the festival somewhere between July and August.

Before I offer this proof, I recommend that you obtain some background information about Shavu'ot (Pentecost) in the following articles:

• 1. Shavu'ot: The Double Pentecost Truth
• 2. The Sacred Number 50: Make Sure You Observe the Right Shavu'ot!
• 3. The Wrong Shavu'ot: The Winter Wheat Error Exposed
• 4. The True Shavu'ot Count
• 5. Wrong Pentecost! Shavu'ot is Not in May or June
• 6. Shavu'ot Preparations: The Right Place & A Right Heart

We shall now prove that the traditional 50 day count, beginning on the 16th of Aviv, cannot account for Paul’s travels and aim to be back in Jerusalem before by Shavu'ot (Pentecost). This study is not exhaustive

• Paul only left Phillipi for Troas (Troy) after the days of Chag haMatzah (Unleavened bread) (Acts 20:6). This means at least 6 days of the traditional Shavu'ot Omer count would have been counted before he left - total 6 days;
• Paul’s journey from Phillipi to Troas (Troy) took 5 days (Acts 20:6) - total 11 days;
• Paul stayed in Troas (Troy) for 7 days (Acts 20:7) - total 18 days;
• Paul travels by land from Troas (Troy) to Assos (about 40 km away), agreeing to meet Luke there (Acts 20:13). This would have taken 1 day by foot - total 19 days;
• Paul meets Luke in Assos, where he boards a ship and sails to Mitylene. From there it takes 1 day to come to Chios, another day to reach Samos (1 day), and another to get to Miletus (1 day) – 3 days total are accounted for (Acts 20:13-16) - total 22 days;
• From Miletus Paul sends for the elders at Ephesus – how long would it take a messenger to go by foot and for the elders to return to see him? Anywhere between 4-6 days (let's say, 5 days), depending if the messenger and elders travelled by ship or by foot - total 27 days;
• Paul leaves from Miletus for Cos, the next day travels to Rhodes (1 day), and from there to Patara. From Patara they find a ship crossing the Mediterranean to Phoenicia (Acts 21:1-2), a journey of about 12 days - total 32 days;
• They land at Tyre. Seeking out the talmidim (disciples) they remained there for 7 days (Acts 21:4) - total 49 days;
• They leave Tyre for Ptolemais (about a 2 day journey), and stayed with the brothers there for 1 day (Acts 21:7) - total 53 days;
• They leave Ptolemais and come to Caesarea (about a 1 day) where they stay at Philip the evangelist’s house (Acts 21:8) - total 54 days;
• They stayed for ‘many days’. We note in Scripture that when the description ‘many’ is used, it can usually be up to, or close, to 40 or more days. Examples where Scripture describes Yah'shua (Jesus) being seen "many days", and another place confirming He was seen 40 days. The description ‘many stripes’ has also been used to refer to the maximum punishment of 40-1 stripes (lashings) (39) to be given. From other writings, we see that the reference to ‘many days’ is usually considered more than 7 days (Luke himself mentioning at least twice when they had only stayed 7 days). A very conservative number that may be safely given for our purposes is 10 days but there is the very real possibility that they remained far more - total 64-94 days;
• From there Paul leaves Caesarea for Jerusalem (Acts 21:15-16). Caesarea to Jerusalem is about 96 km (60 km as the crow flies), and about 130 km (80 miles) travelled by dirt roads (about 3 days) - total 67-97 days;

• Paul is received with gladness by the believers in Jerusalem (1 day) - total 75-101 days;
• The day after Paul’s arrival in Jerusalem, he goes to see James (1 day) (Acts 21:17-18) - total 76-102 days ;
• The next day after meeting James, Paul purified himself and goes with 4 men to the temple (Acts 21:23-24, 26). This is the first of Paul’s 7 day purification/dedication time. Before the 7th day is complete, the Jews arrest him in the temple. (Acts 21:27) Paul is beaten, brought to the tribunal where he speaks to the people before being taken to be flogged, only to be discovered to be a Roman Citizen (Acts 21:30 – Acts 22:30);
• The next day, the Cohenim (Priests) are assembled to face Paul. Paul cries out that he is being judged for the Resurrection – the Romans take Paul away from violent outburst that arises among the Jews, and is later returned to the Barracks. That night Yah'shua (Jesus) appears to him, telling him to take courage (1 day) (Acts 22:30 – 23:11);
• The Jews plot Paul’s death and tell Cohenim (Priests) their plan and oath. Paul’s nephew discovers the plot and makes the tribunal aware of it. Paul is escorted out of Jerusalem that night (1 day);
• Travels the day by horseback. Overnights in Antipatris (1 day);
• Reaches Caesarea. Felix says he will not judge until his accusers arrive (1 day);
• 5 days later the Cohen Gadol (High Priest) and elders arrive (5 days), etc..

Based on the evidence of Paul's journey from Philippi at Yom haBikkurim to Jerusalem where he meant to observe Shavu'ot (Pentecost) where he was arrested, we can categorically state that the tradition of the Jewish elders that the Omer Count is only 50 days is FALSE. Paul could not possibly have made the journey in so short a time given all the stop-overs he made along the way. Taking this together with all the other evidence that Shavu'ot (Pentecost) was a summer festival, since this was also the WHEAT HARVEST and the EARLY GRAPE HARVEST, we can safely dismiss yet another false tradition of the "synagogue of Satan" (Rev.2:9; 3:9) which, like pagan Rome, has changed the set-apart "times and seasons" and honour Yahweh in the correct way. Make Teshuvah (repent), abandon the falsehoods of the rabbis, and align yourself with the true Luni-Solar Creation Calendar! I will see you at the true Shavu'ot (Pentecost) in August. Amen.