Feast of the First fruits
Leviticus 23:9-14
We have been studying the offerings and feast given by the Lord to Israel. In review of the Passover season, which lasted for 8 days during the spring of the year. We have seen that the Passover feast was a picture of redemption. A lamb slain on their behalf, was a picture of Christ sacrificial death. The next day was the start of the feast of unleavened bread, which last for 7 days. This was a picture of sanctification, as Christ body was not allowed to see corruption so our lives should lead to sanctification. (Rom 6:19)
The feast of first fruits took place on the days after the start of the feast of unleavened bread. This was the beginning of the harvest of the winter barley crop and it was a guarantee that the rest of the harvest would be realized.
The teaching of this feast to us is that it was a guarantee of the coming resurrection. I Cor 15:20 states “but now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep”. Christ was the first, an ironclad promise that all will be resurrected in the future. There is life after death.
But as in a grain harvest, there are two parts wheat and chaff, so to in the resurrection there will be two parts. Daniel 12:2 reads “and many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt”. The question is: to which resurrection will you be in? Christ stated in John 5:24-29 “believe in me [and you] will have eternal life … those who have done evil go to the resurrection of judgment”.
The resurrection is a sure event; the choice you make concerning Jesus Christ will determine which resurrection you will be in.
In conclusion the entire 3 feasts of the Passover season is an illustration of the Gospel. I Cor 15:3-4 “that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scripture (Passover feast), that He was buried (Feast of Unleavened bread), that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scripture (Feast of First Fruits)”