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Following Passover and during the days of Unleavened Bread, the count to
Feast of First fruits, or as it is more commonly called today, Pentecost,
begins. Pentecost means “fiftieth” as it falls on the fiftieth day following
the first weekly Sabbath during the Days of Unleavened Bread. This count begins
on the day the wave sheaf is offered of the first fruits of the grain harvest.
You can read about this in LEV.23:9-21.
The
Wave Sheaf offering and the count to Pentecost ties in directly with the
Sabbatical year of rest for the land and the year of Jubilee, celebrating
release and restoration. These days also tie in directly to Yahshua, His death,
resurrection and return. We will make these connections in a later study.
The feast of Pentecost or First Fruits was very important to the people
of Israel. If they did not have a bountiful grain harvest they would experience
severe food shortages. Grain was the staple of the Israelites. Without it there
would be no flour for bread and all of the other goods made with grain. However
if they had a bountiful harvest they would have plenty of food for all. Since Yahweh controlled their agricultural blessings the festival revealed His blessings and curses on the nation. It showed whether they were living in obedience to the covenant they had made with Him. (DEUT...29:9 TO 30 :1-20) The bounty of their harvest depended on obedience. YAHWEH’S HARVEST
This Feast of Weeks festival takes on much deeper meaning for us as
followers of Yahweh in this age. It points to our true destiny, to be born into
Yahweh’s Kingdom. It shows us what we must do to be part of the first harvest
of mankind as members of Yahweh’s family.
To understand that this festival indeed does signify that we are part of
the first harvest, let’s turn to a parable of Yahshua. MATT.13:21-30 Notice in this parable Yahshua likens
harvesting to our entering the Kingdom of Yahweh . He tells about the wheat and
an enemy coming in the night planting tares. In the same chapter VERSES 1-23 Yahshua compares Yahweh’s Kingdom to planting and harvesting.
As an aside here, notice that Yahshua said that an enemy planted tares
among the wheat. The workers wanted to pull up the tares but were told not to
just in case, while they were pulling up the tares, they might mistakenly pull
up some of the wheat. They were told to let them grow together till harvest time
and then they would be easier to separate. Have you ever wondered why the
workers were not allowed to pull up the tares? Could they not tell the
difference between wheat and tares?
Many years ago I spent a summer on a grain farm on the prairies in
Saskatchewan. When the wheat was planted and began to grow, weeds came up as
well. They were called Darnel or imitation wheat. They are the same as tares in
the scriptures. They looked very much like the wheat plants. One couldn’t tell
the difference unless one was an expert at spotting them. This similarity
remained until the wheat headed out and began to ripen. At that time the darnel
or tares were much easier to recognize. By the time of harvest they would be
readily recognized as impostors and much easier to separate. This holds a lesson
for us. Yahweh’s assemblies will never be without impostors until the time of
the spiritual harvest at the return of Yahshua. They will be with us until
Yahshua weeds them out at the end of the age. Satan plants them and Yahshua will
weed them out at the appropriate time. Now, back to the subject. In
MAT.
9:37-38 Yahshua said, “The harvest is plentiful but
the harvesters are few. Therefore pray the Master of the harvest to send out
labourers into the harvest.” Yahshua is talking about the harvest of His
people into the Kingdom of Yahweh, into the very family of Elohim, at His
return.
Lets now begin to understand the deeper meaning of this festival as it
relates to us as followers of Yahweh in this age and our ultimate salvation. The
day of the wave sheaf offering in the early spring begins the count of seven full Sabbaths to the day following the seventh
Sabbath which is Pentecost. LEV.
23:9-16 The
Wave Sheaf symbolizes Yahshua’s acceptance into the Melchizadek priesthood and
to the throne of Yahweh in Heaven when He was resurrected from the dead. JOHN 20:16-17 This resurrection and His
ascension into Heaven makes possible the resurrection or harvesting of
Yahweh’s people at the return of Yahshua. For a clearer understanding read; HEB. 9:12-15, 1 COR.15:50-53,
ROMANS 5:9-10 James says that we are a kind of first fruits of His creatures. How do we
become first fruits of the harvest and what is required for us to enter the
kingdom of Yahweh?
There are four things that a crop needs to be successful, seeds, soil,
light and water. 1 YAHWEH’S CALL - THE SEED
There can be no crop without the sowing of the seed. Yahweh the Father
calls those He wishes to follow Yahshua in this age. JOHN 6:4 Yahshua sows the seed,
MATT.13:37.
Without this calling and the planting of
the seed of truth in our minds through the Holy Spirit we cannot begin to grow COL.1:9, 1
COR.2:9-13. Knowledge comes from study. Understanding and
spiritual discernment come from Yahweh through the Holy Spirit.
This calling in this age is limited to the minority. The majority are
deceived by satan the devil REV.12:9. Uncalled people
without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit cannot understand the deep spiritual
truths of Yahweh 1 COR.2:14-16. Their
calling will come, but not in this age. The majority of the people of this world do not
keep the feast of Pentecost and therefore miss this important aspect of
Yahweh’s plan of salvation.
The feast of First Fruits or Pentecost occurs at the beginning of the
small, late spring early summer harvest. This first harvest of people for Yahweh
is a small harvest. Yahshua said, “Many are called but few are chosen,”
MAT.22:14,
LUKE 12:32. Yahshua says we are a little flock.
The large general harvest of the whole world is later toward the fall. It
is pictured in a festival called The Last Great Day which will be covered in a
future study. The late harvest is a large diverse harvest of, fruit ,
vegetables, and late grains, etc. So the second calling after this age will be a
large diverse calling of peoples all over the world. The first harvest is a
specialised harvest of the early grains. We are that early harvest. 2 AN OBEDIENT MIND - THE
SOIL
In order for seeds to grow and develop
they need good soil with the nutrients they will require to reach maturity.
People Yahweh calls are no different. The seeds that Yahshua plants must be in
good soil. That soil is our minds. Fruitful soil is receptive to and utilises
the nutrients that are in it or added to it. Yahweh’s law is the major
nutrient that fertilises our mind. We must be receptive to it and obedient. An
obedient mind is fruitful soil.
MATT.19:17 Yahshua said, “If you
would enter into life , keep the commandments.” Another scripture that tells us that an obedient
mind is required for spiritual growth is 1
JOHN 2:4, “He who says I know Him (Yahweh), and
does not keep His commandments, is a liar and the truth is not in him.”
Just as seeds that sprout without the nutrients required for reaching
maturity will wilt and die, so those who live in disobedience to Yahweh’s law
will not attain spiritual maturity. 3 YAHSHUA - LIGHT
In the absence of light, grain cannot grow. We are no different. Without
the light in the person of Yahshua we are lost in darkness and cannot hope to
come to spiritual maturity. We are immersed in sin and the darkness of deception
that comes with it. In ACTS
4:12 we are told that there is no other name given
under Heaven by which we may be saved. Yahshua says, “I am the light of the
world. He who follows me will not walk in darkness, but have the light of
life,” JOHN 8:12 . Yahshua provides for us access to Yahweh the Father, the forgiveness of
our sins, and the true way of life through Yahweh’s law. Without these
nutrients we can not grow to spiritual maturity. 4 THE HOLY SPIRIT - WATER
Without water grain will not grow. Water is the mainstay of all life.
Without water things dry out and die. Water is what keeps plants at the right
temperature to grow as they absorb it and give off moisture in the hot sun. Life
depends on water.
For Yahweh’s people the Living Water of Yahweh’s Holy Spirit is what
we depend on for life. JOHN 7:37-39 Yahshua said, “If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who
believes in me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart shall flow rivers of
living waters.” He went on in verse
39 to say that this living water would come through
the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of Yahweh nourishes our mind with all
the truth knowledge and understanding we need to reach spiritual maturity. ROM.8:1-17 It is Yahweh’s Spirit that gives life. Without it, as without water,
life is not possible.
Without the Holy Spirit one cannot obey Yahweh’s law. Paul said that
the carnal mind (Without Yahweh’s Spirit) will not and cannot be subject to
(be obedient to) Yahweh’s law. ROM.8:7 In fact they will be hostile towards it. Do we see that every day?
Yahweh’s Spirit empowers us to keep the law of life. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that Yahweh
will inaugurate us into His Kingdom.
We can receive this life giving water of the Holy Spirit through
repentance and immersion into the name of Yahshua the Messiah. ACTS 2:38 We are promised it as a gift from Yahweh
once we meet those two requirements. (You can read about these steps by asking
for our free mini study, Baptisms Deeper
Meaning).
On the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Yahshua, Yahweh sent the
Holy Spirit in the form of tongues of fire to indwell His assembly who were
gathered together. This is the same Spirit promised as a gift to us. Without
this Spirit we cannot become members of the spiritual body of Messiah. If we
don’t have the Holy Spirit we don’t belong to Yahshua. ROM.8:9 THE PURPOSE OF THE FIRST FRUITS
At the return of Yahshua we will enter into Yahweh’s Kingdom. For what
purpose? What will we be doing there? Are we just called for our own personal
salvation with no other purpose? The answers are crucial to the understanding of
this festival of First Fruits and why we are a part of it.
Yahweh centred His Holy Days around the harvest seasons in Israel. This
was not by accident. Yahweh does nothing without a reason and a plan. Yahshua
told many parables likening the Kingdom of Yahweh to the harvest seasons. This
was no accident either.
Since we are called the first fruits and they are of the early grain
harvest let us follow Yahshua’s lead and use that to help us understand our
purpose once we are harvested. Is the grain planted and tended and harvested for
its own benefit? Is it left in barns and granaries to serve no further purpose?
No, it is harvested to provide food for the people who depend on it for
sustenance. It serves a very great purpose.
We as the first fruits harvested into Yahweh’s Kingdom also serve a far
greater purpose than just serving ourselves. We will be serving all of mankind.
We are to be a kingdom of priests. REV.5:10 A royal priesthood. 1 PETER 2:9 Notice what this royal priesthood will be doing. We are to declare the wonderful deeds that Yahweh
did when He called us out of darkness into the light. We are to bring praise and
honour to the harvester by teaching the world about Him and His Son. Yahshua is
the King of Kings. To be a King of Kings there must of a necessity be other
kings under Him. We will be those kings, a ruling priesthood. Yahshua will be
king over us and the whole world.
Kings rule and priests teach. MAL.
2:7 We will be teachers of Yahweh’s truth and loving rulers for the
benefit of the people as Yahshua is of us. A kingdom ruled by Yahweh’s
standards is not a democracy. It is a government by the King for the people.
Mankind has never been able to do this, but Yahweh can and as members of His
Kingdom we will too.
There will be people who survive the great tribulation and still inhabit
this earth as human beings after the return of Messiah. They will be called by
Yahweh to follow Yahshua as we were in this age. We will be their teachers. We
will be teaching them the way of Yahweh. We will be leading them to obey as
Yahshua led us to obey. But we will be teaching them something else during the
thousand years after the return of Yahshua.
REV.20:1-6
NOTE VERSE 5 “The
rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.”
Picture this. Billions of people suddenly coming to life as flesh and blood
humans once again. EZ.37 :1-28 Where
will all of these people live? What will they wear? What will they eat?
Preparations must be made. They will be made during the thousand years
preceding their resurrection. We in this first fruits small harvest will be
preparing for those who come up in the last great general harvest of mankind
when all will finally have the chance to know accept and live by the truth of
Yahweh’s word.
Is this festival of First Fruits important to understanding Yahweh’s
plan for mankind? We will have a part in proving the word of Yahweh as delivered
by Yahshua in the words of the bible. 1
JOHN 2:1-2 Yahshua is the expiation for not just
our sins but the sins of the whole world.
The god of the religions of this world leave the vast majority of mankind
out of the salvation plan. According to his plan most will be relegated to an
ever burning, torturous hellfire as they have never even heard of the saviour
and never will in this age. They will never have a chance for salvation.
The true Elohim’s plan is far superior as it includes salvation for all
of mankind who eve lived. No one is left out. How awesomely wonderful is the
truth!!!
This is why our calling is so very important. We must truly and deeply
with great gratitude to Yahweh and Yahshua, appreciate our calling. We must be
deeply committed to obeying the word of Yahweh at all cost and be a part of the
First Fruit harvest. The whole of mankind depends on us.
As we keep this festival of First Fruits let us meditate on its many
meanings and celebrate it with jubilation as we remember our release from the
bondage of sin and death that Yahweh provided through Yahshua the Messiah by
including us in this first small harvest.
May Yahweh bless your studies.
HalleluYah Elder David Ganton
The following article was taken off of an Internet site entitled firstborn.com. No links, identity of the author, email address, etc., was available. The site is replete with pertinent information. We would suggest that if you are in the Internet, that you would visit this site in order to learn a great deal concerning the Scriptures. JH Why
“Firstborn”? What is “Firstborn”? Is the birthright still relevant in
our day? What does Scripture say about the “Firstborn”? What do the
“Firstborn” have to do with the priesthood, with redemption, and with the
Kingdom of [Elohim],
in the past, present and future? The
importance of this concept and its relationship to the above questions, as well
as its relevance to the present, is what inspired the name of this site. Let
us depict a few features of the “Firstborn” and also examine first fruit. The
first reference to firstborn is in Genesis 4:4, when Abel brought to the Creator
the firstborn and choicest
of his flock, while his brother Cain brought of the fruit of the ground, but not
first fruit. Cain’s offering
was not accepted, as it was not in accordance with the requirements of the
Creator. Somehow, even at that early stage of human existence an understanding
regarding the importance of this concept was established. Subsequent to
disobedience and unbelief, Cain lost his rights as a firstborn to his brother
Abel. What
Does it Mean to be a Firstborn or a First Fruit? The
firstborn son in the family was assigned several important functions. He was the
kinsman-redeemer of family members who were captured, abducted, or taken in
slavery. The stories of Judah and Tamar, and Boaz and Ruth depict the role of
the firstborn head of the family as one who “raised” the name and seed of
the dead, which was tantamount to the act of resurrection. The firstborn was
also the blood avenger, if any family member had lost his life at the hand of
another. He was responsible to restore family property that had been lost, taken
or seized. In order to be able to respond to all these contingencies the father
bestowed upon his firstborn, before death, a ‘double portion’ of his
material wealth. With the death of the father, the firstborn son became the head
of the family. Up until then he was more like a regent or a prince. In taking
full responsibility for all matters in his family, he became to his kin like a
king or ruler and a servant of YHVH, as well as a judge and a guardian of Torah.
Abraham, for example, was instructed to command his children in the ways of
righteousness (see Genesis 18:19) Also, the Levites, who were given the
priesthood of the firstborn, were to bestow, inspire, and be an example of
“life
and peace” (Malachi 2:5) But,
in order to meet the standards required for this all-important role, the
firstborn had to fulfill several prerequisites. He had to prove his faithfulness
to his father and to the Torah of Elohim.
Had he violated these requirements he stood a good chance of losing this
position to a younger brother (as did Esau and Rueben) He also had to be willing
to forfeit his own life for the sake of his family members. In other words he
had to be his “brothers’ (plural) keeper”. In
mankind’s early days, those who were the natural firstborn (and thus
designated for spiritual leadership also), held the position of king-priest
within their immediate and extended families (e.g. Noah), which constituted all
of humanity at that time. This position was passed on from one firstborn to
another (as we can observe in the genealogies of Genesis), but because of
longevity it was not always from father to son. Eber, for example, lived all the
way to Jacob’s day. Around that time mankind had increased into many goyim
(nations), therefore the Creator conferred the position of firstborn (the
kingly-priestly role) upon a nation whose progenitor was also a firstborn. This
was a nation of His choice, through whom He intended to manifest His presence,
in contrast to the other families/nations/ goyim who came under the rebellious
rule of Nimrod (Genesis 10:8-10; 11:1-9) Since Abraham was that firstborn, YHVH
cut a covenant with him: “Now YHVH said to Abram: "Get out of your
country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will
show you. I will make you a great nation [goy];
I will bless you and make your name great.” (Genesis
12:1-2)
The covenanted promise and birthright were passed on to Isaac and then to Jacob,
who was the first one to epitomize that chosen nation. Thus, when Jacob was
still in the womb of his mother Rebecca, it was said to Her: “There are two
nations in your womb and two peoples shall be separated from your bowels; and
the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall
serve the younger.” (Genesis
25:23)
It seems that only after Eber and Isaac died could the ‘new order’, of a
firstborn nation versus an individual, come into effect and it was for this
reason that Jacob was called a “nation”. This nation would bear the name of
its forefather Eber – hence Hebrews (i.e. ‘Eberites’) However,
when the time came for Jacob to transfer the birthright to his firstborn, the
situation was different. Jacob was the father of twelve sons, all of whom were
destined to be the founders of the Hebrew nation. Jacob, however, denied his
firstborn Reuben the birthright, because he did not find him worthy. (The second
and third, Simeon and Levi, were likewise found to be undeserving; Genesis
49:5-7) Jacob favored and groomed one of his sons (Joseph) more than the others,
but because he was not the firstborn of the first wife, he could not grant him
full firstborn rights: "If a man has two wives, one loved and the other
unloved, and they have borne him children, both the loved and the unloved, and
if the firstborn son is of her who is unloved, then it shall be, on the day he
bequeaths his possessions to his sons, that he must not bestow firstborn status
on the son of the loved wife in preference to the son of the unloved, the true
firstborn. But he shall acknowledge the son of the unloved wife as the firstborn
by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of
his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.” (Deuteronomy
21:15-17)
Jacob
did, however, find a way around this Torah principle, later to be recorded by
Moses. He adopted Joseph’s two sons, “as Reuben and Simeon” (Genesis
48:5), into Leah’s (the unloved wife) side of the family. In this way Jacob
could legally give Joseph, through his son Ephraim, his right hand blessing and
the double portion of the birthright. So, we read in 1st
Chronicles 5:1: “…Reuben the firstborn of Israel, for he was the firstborn;
but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the
sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after
the birthright.” Jeremiah 31:9 says, “For I am a father to Israel, and
Ephraim is my firstborn son.” At the same time, Judah was the one who would
take the position of leader and teacher of Torah (Genesis 49:8-12) Thus
Jacob chose not to accord any one of his sons the full priestly-kingly position
according to the “order of Melchizedec” (who is a proto-type of a
king-priest, and is therefore like Yeshua) Rather, Jacob divided the position
into two parts. The ruler’s staff went to Judah (ref. Genesis 49:9,10), while
the priestly role went to none other than… Joseph/Ephraim, “the one who was
[to become] a nazarite to his brothers”, (Genesis
49: 26 literal translation),
denoting a priestly position, albeit unlike the Levitical one. In Hosea 4:6,
within text addressed specifically (see also Hosea 4:15) to the northern house
of Israel (which was headed by Joseph’s tribes), YHVH says: “Because you
have rejected knowledge I will also reject you from officiating as a priest to
me.” (literal translation) Since the ruling status, which was designated for
the People of Israel, was divided up, it was only natural that the nation would
split into two distinct groups, (after the death of King Solomon) The physical
reunification of the two peoples (Israel/Ephraim and Judah), which has not taken
place yet, will only come about by Divine intervention (ref. Ezekiel 37) Because
of the division of the birthright there was no firstborn in the full sense of
the position in the family of Israel, even though several hundred years later
YHVH did declare that the Israelite People, as a whole, was His firstborn
(Exodus 4:22) But in saying that, the nation as such has never taken up that
position, nor was it ever (actively) “a holy nation and a royal priesthood,”
even though it was, and still is, destined for that position. Jacob’s act was
also connected to the fact that since there was no one who was without sin
(Psalm 14:3; Romans 3:23), none could actually qualify for a joint office of
king and priest in YHVH’s kingdom. This could only take place upon the removal
of sin from those called to kingship and to the priesthood. Thus, when
Yeshua
came on the scene of Israel’s history He fulfilled all the righteous
requirements of a firstborn. Then, in His sinless perfection, he became the
sacrifice for sin and atoned for the
two
nations (Israel and Judah) “Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH… And He
shall build the temple of YHVH. Yes, He shall build the temple of YHVH. He shall
bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on
His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both [the
two positions/”thrones” of priesthood and kingship]."
(Zechariah
6:12, 13)
First
Fruit and Firstborn Do Not Belong to Themselves In
Exodus we find the first mention of the ordinance of first fruit: "The
first of the first fruits of your land you shall bring into the house of YHVH
your God.” (Exodus
23:19)
In today’s world, there is very little significance attached to first fruit or
to firstborn. However, in the eyes of YHVH and in His plan of redemption the
principle of firstborn, or first fruit, is of paramount importance. In his
epistle, after addressing the twelve tribes, James writes: “Of His own will He
brought us [Israel]
forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruit of His
creatures.” (James
1:18)
Paul also says, that if we are in the Messiah we are a new creation, having the
first fruit of the Spirit (ref. 2nd
Corinthians 5:17; Romans 8:23) James’ mention of the twelve tribes is not a
mere coincidence; for they were the ones who had been designated as first fruit
– firstborn (as we saw above), even before Messiah’s redemptive work had
been executed. The
Hebrew word for firstborn, in Exodus 13:12, is “peh’ter”, meaning to
separate, or first to open. Other meanings for the same root are: remove, set
free, depart, split, and break through. Interestingly, the injunction to “set
apart” or to “dedicate” (as translated in English), in the above verse
(12) is derived from the same root as the noun for “Hebrew”. (Note:
generally, the root for “to set apart”, or “to consecrate” is k.d.sh,
and for “firstborn” it is b.ch.r.) This unusual choice of words in Exodus
13:12 seems to draw attention to the ones who are the first to break through and
pass over, while at the same time also acknowledging them as belonging to YHVH.
This emphasizes the fact that the Hebrew People, whose name originates, as
mentioned above, from their forefather Eber, who himself was of the genealogy of
the firstborn, are a firstborn nation dedicated and set apart unto YHVH their Elohim.
According
to the Torah statute, being a firstborn or a first fruit, means that one does
not belong to oneself, and neither to anyone or anything else except to YHVH.
Those who are His are identified as His property by being stamped (literally, or
figuratively), or marked out through circumcision (flesh and/or heart) This
principle of possession is articulated in the oft-occurring expression: “for
My namesake”. The notion of ownership and possession, commonplace in the
world, applies no less to YHVH’s relationship with His people. Moses, for
example, who was commissioned by YHVH to bring His people out of Egypt, was sent
to Pharaoh with this message: “Israel is My son, my firstborn.” (Exodus
4:22)
Later, after killing all the firstborn of Egypt, YHVH announced to Israel:
"Consecrate to Me all the firstborn; whatever opens the womb among the
children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine." (Exodus
13:2)
And, "You shall set apart to YHVH all that open the womb, that is, every
firstborn that comes from an animal which you have; the males shall be YHVH’s.”
(Exodus
13:12)
Before entering the land, Moses was told to remind them (the next generation)
again of who they were: "But YHVH has taken you and brought you out of the
iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be His people, an inheritance, as you are this
day.” (Deuteronomy
4:20)
“For YHVH'S portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance.” (Deuteronomy
32:9)
In YHVH’s instruction to Moshe, which included an explanation of the Israelites’ identity and His plan for them, it is evident that as a firstborn nation they also had the priestly calling: “You are My first born Son, My precious possession; you shall be My treasured inheritance among all the peoples of the earth and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Exodus 19: 5-6) As a nation of priests, the call of Israel was to be a light to other nations of the world by revealing YHVH to them through the teachings and practice of YHVH’s Torah. In this way, other nations would want to know more about |
