I’ve been curious for awhile about the idea of firstfruits. I’m not sure how it started. I think I read something about how Jesus is the firstfruits. In any case, studying this concept has been on my to-do list, and today, I got to it. I’m not finished, and I stopped part way through to try to digest what I had already learned. The rest should come soon, but I thought I’d share what I’ve learned so far.
Firstfruits are discussed in several different ways. The first several, in Exodus and Leviticus, explain the feast of firstfruits as part of the law.
Lev. 23:11-12 (KJV) with expanded definitions from Strong’s:
And he (the priest) shall wave(lit. to quiver, also to shake) the sheaf (lit. a heap) before the Lord, to be accepted (lit. delight, be acceptable) for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
It became so clear to me as I read this that Jesus is the fulfillment of the law. His grave shook as his body- as a heap- was resurrected on the day after the Sabbath so that WE could be acceptable to God through His work.
This is one of those things that amazes me about God: He is so big and yet so precise with details. I am quite encouraged to remember that the God of my Bible is the God of my life.
Life and Stuff Like it 
Enjoyed this one. When I hear the term firstfruits, I always thought it to be when someone backslid and needed to repent and ask Jesus into his/her life again. Am I thinking right? Maybe that answer will be in part 2… 🙂
I am trying to stir up the memories about the Resurrection and its timing in the Jewish calendar. If I remember correctly, Jesus rose on the first day of the festival of the Firstfruits. Additionally, many (converted) Jews believe that Jesus ascended to the Father on that day with a firstfruits offering of those who were dead before He appeared to the women at the tomb.
Hi Ang, I was reading you Leviticus passage and I’m pretty sure that Lev. 23:11-12 is referring to the second day of Passover. On the second day of Passover the two sheaves are waved and the counting of the Omer (50 days) begins. (Take a peek at Lev. 23:17 and you’ll see “first fruits” again only during a different feast.) On the 50th day is Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks (Pentacost) which I believe is your feast of first fruits that you are looking for. (Although first fruits is mentioned on multiple festivals and feasts) Shavuot is the day that the Israelite received the Torah at Mt. Siani. The really cool thing is that in Acts chapter 2 it just so happens to be Shavuot when “Pentecost” happens and the ministry of the Holy Spirit begins. The Word was given on Shavuot and etched within our hearts on Shavuot/Pentecost. Not to mention that whole “Word became the flesh” thing.
Anyway, I’d love to keep chatting and researching because it’s much more exciting that what I’m actually supposed to be doing (taking care of my patients at work) but alas, duty calls. Can’t wait to rest part 2!
Kurt, I think you may be thinking of the term “first works” from Revelation 2:5, where Jesus tells the church at Ephesus to return to their first love, repent, do the first works.
Jon, according to a calendar you sent out with the dates of the festivals and the death and resurrection of Jesus for last Easter, the resurrection and the Feast of Firstfruits line up. I’ll post the picture in the second post on firstfruits.
April, I’ve been researching that more. I’m glad you brought up the Shavuot and Pentecost- I want to explore it.
It seems that there is conflict among sources about whether the Feast of Firstfruits and the Feast of Weeks are the same thing or different. Some sources say that the waving of the sheaf on the second day after the sabbath is the firstfruits of the barley harvest and that Feast of Weeks is the firstfruits of the wheat harvest. The waving of the sheaf in Lev. 23:11-12 is definitely the second day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover).
On a slightly different note:
The Life Application Bible that I use most frequently includes a chart of feasts that separates them and has the importance of each feast. Firstfruits “reminded the people how God provided for them.” What a cool reminder for us of how God provided for us in Jesus!
Oh that’s right. 🙂 – Thanks Angela