The Sheaf of the Firstfruits

The Sheaf of the Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:10-11) A. Remember that the O.T. tabernacle service and the Levitical priests' work served “...unto the example and shadow of heavenly things” (HEB 8:1-5). 1. The Levitical service was under the bondage of corruption: sinful men making offerings of sin-burdened creatures for sinful men and for the very place of sacrifice. EXO 29:36-37; LEV 16:16. 2. The heavenly things themselves required the superior sacrifice of Christ. HEB 9:23-24. 3. Some of the types and shadows of Christ in the Levitical system are relatively easy to discern with the light of the N.T., such as: a. Christ fulfills the passover lamb. EXO 12:1-13 c/w 1CO 5:7. b. Christ is both the sacrificed goat and the scapegoat of the Day of Atonement. LEV 16:15, 22 c/w JOH 1:29; 1PE 2:24. 4. Other types/shadows/patterns of Christ are not as easily discerned but are there. B. During the feast of harvest (EXO 23:16), the firstfruit wave sheaf offering was to be observed. LEV 23:10-11. 1. This observance was only to be kept, “...When ye be come into the land...” (LEV 23:10), i.e., into the promised land. 2. This ceremony was not meant for the time of their wilderness wanderings: it was only for the season in which they entered the promised land. 3. Upon entering Canaan, Israel was not to partake of the firstfruits of their harvest until the priest had waved a sheaf of it before the LORD. c/w LEV 23:14. 4. This order is consistent with the general principle that the “first” belongs to God. a. Abel by faith offered the firstling of his flock. GEN 4:4 c/w HEB 11:4. b. The firstborn of man and beast was God’s. EXO 13:2. c. No prizes were to be taken of Jericho, the first city conquered in Canaan. JOS 6:17-19. d. God is honored with firstfruits. PRO 3:9-10. C. God’s children are deemed His firstfruits, redeemed unto Himself. JAM 1:18; REV 14:4. 1. The redeemed crowd are also called “...the children of the resurrection” (LUK 20:36) since Christ not only redeems them by His blood but guarantees to raise them to glory at the last day. JOH 6:37-39. 2. Jesus Christ is the firstfruits of that harvest of the present world. 1CO 15:20-23. 3. As the sheaf of the wave offering was the first to be harvested and accepted by God for Israel (LEV 23:10-11), Jesus Christ was accepted by God as the firstfruits of the divine harvest of the earth for us. D. The Levitical priest was to wave the sheaf before the LORD “...on the morrow after the sabbath...” (LEV 23:11). 1. This presentation could only occur after the accomplished rest, even as Christ arose and presented Himself to God after He had completed the work of redemption. HEB 10:12. a. wave: trans. In the Levitical law: To elevate and move from side to side (an oblation or wave-offering) before the altar. Obs. b. The O.T. priest basically made by motions a cross. 2. Also, Christ had arisen bodily from His tomb before the women arrived there in the dark early morning following the weekly sabbath. MAR 16:1-3 c/w JOH 20:1. a. At first contact with Mary Magdalene, Christ would not let her touch Him since He had not yet ascended to the Father. JOH 20:17. b. Our High Priest had evidently not yet bodily ascended to the Father to be accepted The Sheaf of the Firstfruits 10-18-23 Page 1 of 2  for you (LEV 23:11) in satisfaction of this Old Testament wave offering. c. Later that day He appeared to His disciples and allowed contact. MAT 28:9. d. Christ must have ascended and presented Himself as the firstfruits of the resurrection for us and God “...made us accepted in the beloved” (EPH 1:6). e. The Father accepted Jesus as our personal Savior! f. Christ is the firstfruits of them that slept Who presented Himself to the Father in heaven FOR US, “...a kind of firstfruits of his creatures” (JAM 1:18). g. In reserving contact with Himself until after He presented Himself to God as the firstfruits of earth, Jesus basically honored PRO 3:9. E. Christ was a “...man of sorrows...” (ISA 53:3) Who wept about and for sinners (LUK 19:41; JOH 11:35) and shed tears over what He knew He must endure. HEB 5:7. 1. But He also knew there was a joy set before Him which He now lives. HEB 12:2. 2. His was temporary weeping in anticipation of joy. c/w PSA 30:5. 3. This was for His elect, the precious seed who are the heirs of promise. GAL 3:28-29. 4. He victoriously presented His sheaf to God as the firstfruits of earth’s harvest at Resurrection Day (MAT 13:39) when He brings the already harvested to unite with the to- be-harvested. 1TH 4:14-17. 5. (Psalms 126:6) He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. The Sheaf of the Firstfruits 10-18-23 Page 2 of 2