Part 3

Feast of Firstfruits (HaBikkurim)

Leviticus 23:9-11 “The Lord spoke to Moses saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf if the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: and he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.”

Notice: this feast was not celebrated until after Israel entered into the Promised Land, some 40 years after the Exodus. The reason being was Israel’s disobedience and rebellion kept them in the wilderness much longer than it should have [approximately two weeks]. Once in the Promised Land they began harvesting and observing the Feast of Firstfruits on the day after the Sabbath. Passover was on a day when no common work was to be accomplished, so it was observed the day after the Sabbath or the 15^th day of Nisan.

Sheaf: a bundle, or basket

The firstfruits was a bundle or sheaf of the first fruit harvested from the land, usually barley grain, as that was the first crop to be harvested. It might be a basket of fruit or whatever represented the first of the harvest. It thus became a tithe and offering to the Lord.

The sheaf was to be given to the priest to wave it before the Lord as an acceptable offering. Each family was required to have a wave offering to present to the priest. Read Deuteronomy 26:5-10.

Mere Ritual or Tradition

As with most any sacred thing it is easy for it to become a simple ritual or tradition to be followed. However the tithe and offering is also a remembrance of God’s mighty deliverance from the bondage of sin and,  the deliverance from Egyptian slavery for the Jews.

Jesus our Firstfruits [Harvest]

1Corinthians 15: 20-24 “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.”

Just as the firstfruits was given to the priest to be offered as a wave offering so also Christ became our “wave offering” or firstfruits when he rose victorious from the grave. Christ was in fact the firstfruits of those yet to come.

Note: remember the Jews are still looking for their Messiah/firstfruits.

With Jesus as our firstfruits:

·         It guarantees our resurrection to eternal life 1Cor.15:23

·         Firstfruits is always a token of that which is yet to follow

·         Firstfruits is also an offering of praise and thanksgiving

·         The firstfruits was to be waved, by the priest, before God for his acceptance; likewise Christ was waved before the Father and accepted for our salvation. Rom.4:24-25. Isaiah 53:1-12 (10) [it pleased the Lord to bruise him].

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esus arose from the grave on Sunday the day after the Sabbath [the Sabbath is always on Saturday, Sunday is always the first day of the week].

 Matthew 28:1 “In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher.

He arose on Jehovah’s intentional design, the Sunday after Sabbath. Therefore, it was not coincidental for him to rise on that particular day. Jesus rose from the grave to fulfill the holy Torah—on HaBikkurim—the day of life and everlasting freedom.

Resurrection Predicted in Old Testament and Christ in New Testament

·         Exodus and Leviticus, to begin with, have already established and foretold of Christ’s resurrection.

a)    Psalm 16:10; 22:12-21; 49:15; 71:20

b)    Isaiah 53:1-12

c)    Daniel 12:2

d)    Hosea 13:14

·         Numerous times Jesus foretold of his death, burial, and resurrection and subsequently ours.

a)    Matthew 24:1-3; 27:63

b)    John 5:25; 640; 11:25; 12:1-8;14:1-7

c)    Acts 2:23-24; 3;14-15; 4:33; 10:39-41; 17:2-3

d)    Romans 1:4; 4:25; 10:9;

e)    1Corinthians 15:4

f)     Ephesians 1:20

g)    1Thess.4:14

h)   1Peter 1:3

Matthew 28:6 “He is not here: for he is risen, as he [Jesus] said. Come see the place where the Lord lay.”

Luke 24:5 “And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek the living among the dead?”

John 20:3-7 “Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulcher. So they ran together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulcher. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet he went not in. then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulcher, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.”

Recall: how the unleavened bread was broken, and one half was wrapped in fine linen hidden then later sought after. So also, the body of Christ was wrapped in linen [the ancient custom for burial] (Matthew 27:57-60) hidden in the tomb, and later sought after only to find the tomb empty and the linen or burial cloths lying by themselves. HE IS RISEN AS OUR FIRSTFRUITS!

Leviticus 23:15 “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.

1Corinthians 15:1-26 this is the power chapter regarding the resurrection or firstfruits, for it is the apology for Christ’s resurrection and seals ours.

Note: there are those who believe Christ arose in spirit form only, denying the bodily resurrection. They are among those in the series “Spiritual Mirages”, and are not Christian in the strictest sense of the word, for they deny the bodily resurrection of Christ. Hence, Paul’s treaty in 1Cor.15 plainly declares such individuals as having a vain [worthless] faith, still in their sins, and most miserable vs.19, and they also declare there is no resurrection of the dead vs.12. see also Romans 10:9.

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he Feast of Firstfruits, therefore, is a pinnacle doctrine for the Christian faith. We, who are believers, are indeed freed from our sins through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus the anointed Son of God!

Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

Hebrews 7:1-28 explains the change of the priesthood from the tribe of Levi, to the Jesus Christ being order after Melchisedec [not Levi or Aaron] who became our high priest vs. 26 who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. Therefore, He, being the firstfruits, offered himself up as a wave offering [as high priest] to the Father.

Indisputable Evidence of the Resurrection

1.    Jesus spent much time predicting his own death, burial and resurrection.

2.    Tomb was carefully guarded by Roman soldiers [penalty of death if they failed] Matthew 27:64-66.

3.    A great stone, hewn out of rock (Matthew 27:60) was placed over the tomb entrance.

4.    Stone rolled away.

5.    Empty sepulcher and linen wrappings.

Numerous witnesses:

6.    Rose the third day as predicted.1Corinthians 15:3

7.    Seen of Cephas, then twelve. 1Cor.15:5

8.    Seen of five hundred. 1Cor.15;6

9.    Seen of James, then apostles 1Cor.15:7

10. Last seen of Paul 1Cor.15:8

Intricate details of God’s timing:

Spring Feasts (four) [historical events; Jews still looking for Messiah]

·         Exodus 12:1 new year for Hebrews

·         Vs.3 10^th day to take a lamb

·         Vs.5 firstling of goats or sheep; without spot or blemish [sinless Christ]

·         Vs.6-7 14^th day to kill, roast, eat, blood on doorposts

·         Vs.8 at even or night

·         Vs.15 unleavened bread begins the day after Passover, for seven days

·         Vs.19 no leaven in houses for seven days.

·         Vs.35-36 Egyptians spoiled

Fall Feasts (three) [future or end time events]

·         Leviticus 23:11 firstfruits offering the day after the Sabbath

·         Vs.16 fifty days after the seventh Sabbath is the feast of Pentecost

·         Vs. 24 feast of trumpets;  first day of the seventh month

·         Vs. 27 feast of atonement; tenth day of seventh month

·         Vs.34 feast of tabernacles; fifteenth day of the seventh month.

Faith Building Practice and Review

1.     Why is the Feast of Firstfruits such an important doctrine to the Christian faith?

2.    If a person claims to believe in Jesus the Christ, but does not believe in the resurrection of the dead—are they truly a Christian? Explain.

3.    What does the resurrection of Christ guarantee for believers?

4.    Give three evidences of his resurrection.

a)     

b)     

c)     

5.    Can you discover any others? If so list them.

6.    List four Old Testament predictions of His resurrection.

                a)

              b)

              c)

              d)

 7. From these three studies, can you begin to see God’s intricate design and timing?

 8. What once seemed mundane and taken for granted now has become real and powerful. Do you agree?

 9. God, in His infinite wisdom, provided numerous witnesses of the resurrection. List them here.

10. Can you find any more? If so list them.

11. Are the Spring Feasts history or future? Explain.

12. To whom are they history and to whom are they future events? Explain.

13. What does a sheaf represent?