Lag B’Omer is the date according to a section in the Talmud (Yevamot 62b) that relates to a tragic story about Rabbi Akiva, one of the greatest Jewish leaders of his time. According to the Talmud, he had 24,000 students who died from a terrible plague all in one year during the Omer period. This plague was sent by God to punish the students for their deep-rooted divisions and rivalry that cost them their lives which ended on Lag B’Omer the 33rd Day.
The parallels for this spiritually are obvious. When we allow Satan to sift us as wheat instead of being the centre of our lives, we will destroy each other as surely as a plague devastates people and nations.
Satan would have us so busy protecting ourselves against each other that instead of celebrating together as His people we are reduced to a hollow imitation. It is a plague that when manifested is no less devastating in the spiritual realm as in the physical.
Why then, did God stop the plague on the 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer?
This psalm that is shared over the period that covers Lag B’Omer is Psalm 78 which opens with the following intriguing words:
“Beloved ones, listen to this instruction. Open your heart to the revelation of this mystery that I share with you. 2 A parable and a proverb are hidden in what I say—an intriguing riddle from the past.”
The Hebrew word for “riddle” (‘chidoth’) comes from the verb meaning “to tie a knot.” It is something that must be untied and unraveled by the Spirit of God. One of these riddles or wordplays is the name of Yeshua hidden in plain sight for us. This is revealed in verse 22 where we read, “For they turned away from faith and walked away in fear; they failed to trust in his power to save (L’ishmor – YESHUA) them when he was near.”
Psalm 78 chronicles an overview of the history of Israel that was punctuated with moral and spiritual failure caused by disobedience and active rebellion against the commands of God. All this led to a fractured relationship between God and His covenant people and inevitably between the people themselves until we get to the final verses from verses 65 to the end:
“65 Then all at once the Almighty awakened as though he had been asleep. Like a mighty man he arose, roaring into action! 66 He blasted into battle, driving back every foe, defeating them and disgracing them for time and eternity. 67 He rejected Joseph’s family, the tribe of Ephraim. 68 He chose instead the tribe of Judah[g] and Mount Zion, which he loves. 69 There he built his towering temple, strong and enduring as the earth itself. 70 God also chose his beloved one, David. He promoted him from caring for sheep and made him his prophetic servant. 71–72 God prepared David and took this gentle shepherd-king and presented him before the people as the one who would love and care for them with integrity, a pure heart, and the anointing to lead Israel, his holy inheritance.”
Why did God break the plague on Lag B’Omer? The number 33 derives some of its meaning from the total number of times ‘three’ or ‘third’ is used in the book of Revelation 11 times. It can represent, because it is the product of 3 x 11, God’s judgment.
Thirty-three is also the numeric equivalent of the word “Amen.” (Faithful)
The 33rd person from Adam is King David from whose lineage was birthed Yeshua.
The 33rd time Jacob’s name is found in scripture where he promised to give a tenth of all he had to God following his vision of a ladder reaching to heaven (Jacob’s ladder – Gen 28) that is connected to the Counting of the Omer. He journeyed out as Jacob and returned as Israel.
God’s judgement is fair, He is faithful and true and even as He transformed Jacob to Israel, so He can make all things new for us and stem the plague of sin that has ruled our lives.
In all of this we see that whatever Satan seeks to steal, killl and destroy, whether it be God’s people (Jew or Gentle) there will always come a point where God will say ‘Enough is enough!’ and turns a bad situation into something good for His glory!
I would also like to add one more thing related to current events in Israel with the tragic accident on Thursday evening where at least 45 people were killed and hundreds wounded at a mass gathering of ultra-Orthodox Jews in northern Israel to mark the festival of Lag B’Omer.
This is an annual event that takes place at the tomb of a 2nd Century sage Shimon bar Yochai (Rashbi) on Mount Meron in the Upper Galilee with hundreds of thousands of people in attendance marking the occasion with bonfires and prayers.
Shimon bar Yochai is said to have died on Lag B’Omer and is revered by certain ultra-orthodox Jewish sects because he revealed deep kabbalistic secrets that formed the basis of the book of Jewish mysticism known as the Zohar. (Enlightenment) The Zohar is steeped in the occult and forms the basis of Satanic rituals and practice in Satanism.
Whilst we mourn the death of even one person, let alone 45 of whom several were children, not everyone is aware of the deep-rooted occult connections these ultra-orthodox Jews have which form a central basis within their beliefs and practices that are strictly forbidden in the Bible. In addition, they actively persecute Messianic Believers in the land and curse the name of our Lord and Saviour.
Many questions are being asked regarding the complete disregard for safety proceedings at the event although there had been many warnings on previous occasions. Had they been heeded the tragedy would most certainly have been averted. For example, why were 100,000 people including children allowed in an area reserved for 10,000 who were dancing and celebrating on sub-standard bleachers for hours on end? In all of this, we continue to pray for Israel and the Jewish people for their salvation and well being in these perilous times in which we live.
Raphael ben Levi
