THE FEAST DAYS OF ISRAEL / FIRST FRUITS
Lev. 23:10-11
The 3rd feast is held on the Sunday following Unleavened Bread: text
The way the Jews did this was on the 14th day of Nisan delegates of the Sanhedrim would go out to the field and tie together bundles of barley to be cut down the next day.
When the time of cutting arrived, the evening of the 15th, (even though it was Sabbath) three men would go out each with a sickle and basket and start to work.
Before they actually started cutting they would ask bystanders watching three times each: Has the sun gone down? Into this basket? On this Sabbath? Shall I reap?
Having been answered affirmatively they cut down the designated barley and brought it into the court of the temple.
God wanted a special feast during which the Israelites would acknowledge the fertility of the land that He had given them. They were to bring the early crops of their spring planting (First Fruits) to the temple to be waved before the Lord for their behalf.
This was to be done "the morrow after the Sabbath," or Sunday. Now since the feast of Unleavened Bread was seven days long, one of those days would be a Sunday, and that Sunday would be the First Fruits each year.
We have all come to call this feast Easter, Ishtar the Babylonian goddess of fertility. We even continue to use the objects of fertility - the rabbit, the egg etc. the celebration is supposed to be over God's replanting of the earth in the spring.
We miss a very important biblical truth by not using the term "First Fruits" as the name for this time of the year. The reason that I say that is because if there is a 1st that implies to me that there must be a 2nd and a 3rd and that is the real meaning of the feast.
We do not just celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on First Fruits, but even more so what Jesus accomplished; the awaited resurrection of the entire church. We shall all be resurrected to go to Heaven "every man in his order".
1Co 15:22 For1063 as5618 in1722 Adam76 all3956 die599, even2532 so3779 in1722 Christ5547 shall2227, 0 all3956 be made alive2227. 1Co 15:23 But1161 every man1538 in1722 his own2398 order5001: Christ5547 the firstfruits536; afterward1899 they that are3588 Christ's5547 at1722 his846 coming3952.
Paul makes very clear the point of this feast. The resurrection of Jesus is without a doubt very important and worthy of our worship and celebration, but we should not be surprised by it. After all Jesus raised the dead Himself, He could walk on water, calm the storm with words, feed 5k, turn water into wine, etc.
The real miracle is that each one of us mortal sinners will experience this same resurrection! We will be changed in the moment of the twinkling of an eye, and we will receive a glorified body just like Jesus has.
I don't know if you have ever heard this or not, but apparently we all have a number, and will go in that order.
Job 14:5 Seeing518 his days3117 are determined2782, the number4557 of his months2320 are with thee, thou hast appointed6213 his bounds2706 that he cannot pass5674;
Jesus' number was 1; He was the First Fruits, the 1st man to be resurrected permanently. You father has a lower number than you and your grandfather has a lower number than him, if you were saved in that order. Nevertheless the save will all go. "The dead in Christ shall rise first" because they all have lower numbers.
1Th 4:16 For3754 the Lord2962 himself846 shall descend2597 from575 heaven3772 with1722 a shout2752, with1722 the voice5456 of the archangel743, and2532 with1722 the trump4536 of God2316: and2532 the dead3498 in1722 Christ5547 shall rise450 first4412: 1Th 4:17 Then1899 we2249 which3588 are alive2198 and remain4035 shall be caught up726 together260 with4862 them846 in1722 the clouds3507, to1519 meet529 the Lord2962 in1519 the air109: and2532 so3779 shall we2071, 0 ever3842 be2071 with4862 the Lord2962.
How simple it all is when we understand the Feasts of God.
Jesus of course celebrated the Sunday of the week of His crucifixion by rising from the dead. It was not Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday. It was Sunday, the very day of the feast of First Fruits. He was on schedule, and He performed the appropriate action just as He did with the Passover and Unleavened Bread.
Jesus even went as far as to present to the Father the proper First Fruits offering. The Bible tells us that graves were opened and dead people rose and was seen in Jerusalem after Jesus' resurrection.
Mat 27:52 And2532 the graves3419 were opened455; and2532 many4183 bodies4983 of the saints40 which3588 slept2837 arose1453, Mat 27:53 And2532 came1831 out of1537 the graves3419 after3326 his846 resurrection1454, and went1525 into1519 the holy40 city4172, and2532 appeared1718 unto many4183.
Jesus just like the Jewish planters showed God the Father the early crops of what will be a magnificent harvest later on.
The feast of First Fruits is the last of the feasts that Jesus was seen personally fulfilling on the earth.
Pastor
Brandon Dona
709 Union
Bonham, TX
903-583-4716
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