CHAPTER 5
The Festival of First Fruits
(Bikkurim)
The fifteenth of Nisan begins Hag HaMatzah
(the Feast of Unleavened Bread), which is a high sabbath, a
shabbaton. It is a seven day feast to the L-rd. The day following
the sabbath during Passover is called the Feast of First Fruits
(Leviticus [Vayikra] 23:10-11).
The Feast of First Fruits can be found in
Leviticus (Vayikra) 23:9-14, as it is written:
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak
to the sons of Israel and say to them, 'When you enter the land which I
am going to give to you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring in
the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. And he shall
wave the sheaf before the Lord for you to be accepted; on the day after
the sabbath the priest shall wave it. Now on the day when you wave the
sheaf you shall offer a male lamb one year old without defect for a
burnt offering to the Lord. Its grain offering shall then be two tenths
of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil an offering by fire to the Lord
for a soothing aroma, with its libation, a fourth of a hin of wine.
Until this same day, until you have brought in the offering of your God,
you shall eat neither bread nor roasted grain nor new growth. It is to
be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling
places' " (Leviticus [Vayikra] 23:9-14 NAS).
Understanding the Festival Ceremony
The observance was carried out in this manner,
when the standing ripe harvest of barley and wheat was ready to be
reaped. The celebrant would take one sheaf from the standing harvest and
bring it to the priest. The lone sheaf was called "the sheaf of the
first fruits." The priest was then to take this one sheaf and wave it
before the L-rd in His house. This was to be done "the day after the
sabbath." Prescribed offerings were also to be presented along with the
sheaf.
The Sheaf of First Fruits in the Bible
G-d commanded the people to bring a sheaf of the
harvest (Leviticus [Vayikra] 23:10). The Hebrew word for
"sheaf" is omer. An omer is defined as "a measure of
dry things, containing a tenth part of an ephah." The definition of an
omer being a tenth part of an ephah is found in Exodus (Shemot)
16:36. An ephah contains 10 omers of grain. Remember, three
times a year G-d commanded the people to come to Jerusalem (Yerushalayim)
to celebrate the festivals of Passover (Pesach), Pentecost (Shavuot),
and Tabernacles (Sukkot). All three of these festivals are
agricultural harvest festivals. Passover (Pesach) is the barley
harvest. Pentecost (Shavuot) is the wheat harvest. Both of
these festivals are first fruits harvests before the final harvest that
was to come at the end of the year during the festival of Tabernacles (Sukkot),
which is the fruit harvest.
The harvest represents all who would put their
faith, trust, and confidence (emunah) in the Messiah Yeshua
(Matthew [Mattityahu] 13:39; Mark 4:26-29; Luke 10:1-12;
Revelation 14:14-16). So, the sheaf is the first of the first fruits.
Since a sheaf in the Bible is used to typify a person or persons
(Genesis [Bereishit] 37:5-11), a sheaf spiritually represents
people who accept the Messiah into their hearts.
The nation of Israel was familiar with the
concept of first fruits or the firstborn. The first fruits were always
the choicest, the foremost, the first, the best, the preeminent of all
that was to follow. They were holy to the L-rd. The concept of first
fruits or firstborn is a major theme in the Bible. This can be seen by
the following Scriptures: Exodus (Shemot) 23:16,19: 34:26;
Leviticus (Vayikra) 2:12,14; 23:20; Numbers (Bamidbar)
18:12-15,26; Deuteronomy (Devarim) 18:1-5; 26:2-4,10; 2
Chronicles 31:5; Nehemiah 10:35-39; Proverbs (Mishlai) 3:9;
Jeremiah (Yermiyahu) 2:3; Ezekiel (Yechezekel) 44:30;
48:14; Malachi 3:8-14; Hebrews 6:20; 7:1-8.
Everything on the earth, both man and beast, was
to be presented before the L-rd as first fruits to Him.
- The firstborn of both man and beast were sanctified (made holy)
and presented to the L-rd
(Exodus [Shemot] 13:2;
22:29).
- The first fruits of all the earth were presented to the L-rd at
His altar in praise and thanksgiving (Deuteronomy [Devarim]
26:1-11).
The Seventeenth of Nisan --
Resurrection and Salvation
The theme of the festival of First Fruits is
resurrection and salvation. There are several important events that
happened on this day in the Bible.
- Noah's (Noach) ark rests on Mount Ararat
(Genesis 8:4).
- Israel crosses the Red Sea (Exodus [Shemot]
3:18; 5:3, 14).
- Israel eats the first fruits of the Promised Land
(Joshua 5:10-12). The manna that G-d gave from Heaven during the
days in the wilderness ceased the sixteenth day of Nisan after the
people ate of the old corn of the land. The day following was the
seventeenth of Nisan, the day when the children of Israel ate the
first fruits of the Promised Land.
- Haman is defeated (Esther 3:1-6). In the Book of
Esther, Haman plotted to kill all the Jews in Persia and Media.
Haman had ten sons (Esther 9:12). By this, we can see that Haman is
a type of the false Messiah (antichrist). A decree was sent out on
the thirteenth of Nisan that all the Jews would be killed (Esther
3:12). Upon hearing this news, Esther proclaims a three-day fast,
which would be Nisan 14-16 (Esther 4:16). On the sixteenth of Nisan,
Esther risked her life when she came to King Ahasuerus. The king
asked her, in effect, "Tell me, what do you want?" Esther said, "If
it please the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the
banquet that I have prepared for him" (Esther 5:4 NAS). This was the
sixteenth day of Nisan. At the banquet, the king again asked Esther
what she wanted, and she asked the king to come to another banquet
to be held the next day, the seventeenth of Nisan. On this day,
Haman (a type of the false Messiah or antichrist, as well as of
satan [Ha satan]) is hanged.
- The resurrection of Yeshua, the Messiah (John
12:24; 1 Corinthians 15:16-20). Yeshua celebrated the
festival of First Fruits by offering Himself as the first fruits to
all future generations (Matthew [Mattityahu] 27:52-53).
Yeshua Is the First Fruits of
the Barley Harvest
- Yeshua is the firstborn of Miryam
(Mary)
(Matthew 1:23-25).
- Yeshua is the first-begotten of G-d the Father
(Hebrews 1:6).
- Yeshua is the firstborn of every creature
(Colossians 1:15).
- Yeshua is the first-begotten from the dead
(Revelation 1:5).
- Yeshua is the firstborn of many brethren
(Romans 8:29).
- Yeshua is the first fruits of the resurrected ones
(1 Corinthians 15:20,23).
- Yeshua is the beginning of the creation of G-d
(Revelation 3:14).
- Yeshua is the preeminent One (Colossians
1:18).
Yeshua is indeed the Most Holy One of
G-d and is sanctified by the Father. Yeshua is the first, the
choicest, the preeminent One. He is both the firstborn of G-d and the
first fruits unto G-d. Yeshua is the sheaf of the first fruits.
First Fruits Is Prophetic
of the Resurrection of the Messiah
The festival of the sheaf of the first fruits is
prophetic of the resurrection of Yeshua. Yeshua
prophesied that He would rise three days and nights after He was slain
on the tree (Matthew [Mattityahu 12:38-40; 16:21; Luke
24:44-46). This was foreshadowed to happen in the Tanach (Old
Testament) by type and shadow (Genesis [Bereishit] 22:1-6;
Exodus [Shemot] 3:18; 5:3; 8:27; Esther 4:15-17; Jonah 1:7;
2:1-2).
Since Yeshua was slain on the tree on
the day of Passover (Pesach), the fourteenth of Nisan, and He
arose from the grave three days and nights after He was slain,
Yeshua arose from the grave on the seventeenth of Nisan, the day of
the festival of First Fruits. In fact, Yeshua is called the
first fruits of those who rise from the dead.
But now Christ has been raised from the
dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came
death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam
all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. But each in his own
order: Christ the firstfruits, after that those who are Christs' at His
coming (1 Corinthians 15:20-23 NAS).
It was prophesied that Yeshua, the
Messiah, would be buried in the tomb of the rich (Isaiah [Yeshayahu]
53:9; Matthew [Mattityahu] 27:57; Luke 23:51). Why was
Yeshua placed in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea? Arimathea was
another name for Ramah, where Samuel dwelt. It is five miles north of
Jerusalem (Yerushalayim). In fact, this place is still called
Ramah today. In ancient times, it was customary for Jews to be buried in
Jerusalem (Yerushalayim). In fact, this practice is still done
today because it is a traditional belief in Judaism that the
resurrection of the dead will take place in Jerusalem (Yerushalayim)
first.
In the Book of Genesis (Bereishit),
Joseph (Yosef) the son of Jacob (Ya'akov), made the
children of Israel take a vow that when they went to the Promised Land,
they would carry his bones with them (Genesis [Bereishit]
50:24-26). Ramah was a term that represented idolatry. Two countries
were called the seat of idolatry in the ancient world: Babylon and
Egypt. Joseph (Yosef), the son of Jacob (Ya'akov), was
also known as Joseph of Ramah. Moses (Moshe) took the bones of
Joseph (Yosef) with him when he and the children of Israel
journeyed to Succoth (Exodus [Shemot] 13:19-20). Therefore,
Joseph's (Yosef) tomb in Egypt was empty. The empty tomb of
Joseph (Yosef) of Arimathea (Ramah), which stood for
wickedness, was a fulfillment of Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 53:9.
Joseph (Yosef) was a type of the role
of Yeshua during His first coming when He came to fulfill the
role of the suffering Messiah known as Messiah ben Joseph. The
bones of Joseph (Yosef) were carried to Succoth. Succoth is a
type of the Messianic age also known as the Millennium. This is also a
picture of Yeshua being both Messiah ben Joseph and
Messiah ben David -- as Yeshua who suffered during His
first coming to earth will be King during His second coming to earth.
The Spiritual Understanding of First
Fruits
Spiritual Application (Halacha).
A sheaf in the Bible is used to typify a person or persons (Genesis [Bereishit]
37:5-11). Yeshua will return to earth (Zechariah 14:4)
during His second coming as King over all the earth. He also will bring
the sheaves (the believers in Yeshua as the Messiah) with Him
(Psalm (Tehillim) 126; Jeremiah (Yermiyahu) 31:9-14;
Joel 3:11-13; Zechariah 14:3-5; Matthew [Mattityahu] 13:37-39;
Mark 4:26-29; Hebrews 12:1; Jude 14; Revelation 1:7).
The 144,000 Jewish witnesses who witness of
Yeshua during the Chevlai shel Mashiach, the birthpangs of
the Messiah (also known as the tribulation) are first fruits to G-d
during the tribulation (Revelation 14:1-4).
Let's look at some Scriptures in the Bible
concerning first fruits.
- The natural is before the spiritual
(1 Corinthians
15:46).
- Israel was G-d's firstborn (Exodus [Shemot]
4:22). But, the first will be last and the last will be first (Mark
10:31). Therefore, the Gentiles (the goyim) became the
first to receive the Messiah (as a corporate people; there are many
non-Jews who do not) (Isaiah [Yeshayahu] 60:1-3; 62:1-3;
Acts 15:14-16). At the end of this present age, the Jews as a
corporate people will accept Yeshua as Messiah as well.
- The gospel (basar) was preached to the Jew first and
then to the non-Jews (Romans 1:16; 2:9-10; Matthew [Mattityahu]
10:5-6; 15:21-28; Acts 1:8).
- We are called to seek first the Kingdom of G-d (Matthew
[Mattityahu] 6:33).
- Yeshua was the first to rise from the dead
(Acts 26:23).
- The early believers were a kind of first fruits (James
[Ya'akov] 1:17-18).
- Those who arose from the dead with Yeshua during His
resurrection became the first fruits of all those who would rise
from the dead (Matthew [Mattityahu] 27:52-53;
Ephesians 4:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
- Yeshua first loved us, and He is to be our first love
(1 John [Yochanan] 4:9; Revelation 2:4).
- Yeshua is the first (Aleph) and the last (Tav)
(Revelation 1:8,11,17; 22:13; Isaiah [Yeshayahu] 41:4;
44:6; 48:12).