Seeing Jesus In The Jewish FeastsSample

Feast of First Fruits: The Resurrection

Leviticus 23 outlines the Feast of First Fruits celebrated by the Israelites. Seven days after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of First Fruits falls on a Sunday and is also known as a high Sabbath. 

In verses 9-10, God basically tells Moses, “If you want to have complete success, cut down your first crop, bring it to the priest, and wave it before the Lord.” They were declaring by faith that they were expecting a harvest. 

When you read through the Old Testament, you see several examples of First Fruits:

• The Ark landed on Ararat on the First Fruits Sabbath, beginning anew what God was going to do on the earth (Genesis 8:4).
• The Red Sea was opened on a First Fruits Sabbath (Exodus 13-14).
• When the Israelites came into the Promised Land they ate of the first fruits of the promised land on that First Fruits Sabbath (Joshua 5).
• Haman was defeated on the First Fruits Sabbath (Esther 7).

The most important example is Jesus rising from the dead on a First Fruits Sabbath (Matthew 28). God “sowed” his only Son and reaped us—the body of Christ—as the full harvest of the cross. 

1 Corinthians 15:22-23 says, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.” Jesus is coming back, and we’ll be the harvest of the resurrection (see Revelation 14:14-16). 

You can hope and know there is more than just this life!