Firstfruits — He Is Risen!

Scripture Focus: Leviticus 23:9–14; 1 Corinthians 15:20–23; Matthew 28; Romans 6:8–11

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On April 20, 2025, the Feast of Firstfruits is celebrated on the day after the weekly Sabbath during Passover week. This appointed time marks the beginning of the barley harvest in Israel, when the first sheaf (omer) was brought before the LORD as an offering of thanksgiving and trust in God’s provision. Yet for those who belong to Christ, this feast takes on even deeper significance. It is the day that death was defeated. It is the day the tomb was found empty.

What Is Firstfruits?

In Leviticus 23, the LORD commanded:

“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 first fruits of your harvest to the priest… He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord for you to be accepted” (vv. 10–11).

This sheaf represented the very first yield of the harvest. Offering it was a declaration of faith: if God accepted the first, He would bless the rest. It was an act of consecration and trust.

Jesus, the Firstfruits of the Resurrection

Paul connects this feast directly to Christ:

“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20).

Just as the priest would wave the sheaf of barley as a representative of the harvest to come, so Jesus was raised as the first of a new creation—a living guarantee that those who belong to Him will also rise.

“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 will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming” (vv. 21–23).

His resurrection wasn’t an isolated miracle—it was the down payment of a coming harvest. The tomb is empty, and because of that, ours will be too.

Raised to New Life

Firstfruits is not just about the future resurrection. It also proclaims newness of life now:

“Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him… Consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:8, 11).

Resurrection is not only our hope—it is our identity. The same power that raised Jesus from the grave now works in those who believe (Ephesians 1:19–20).

Celebrating with Barley: A Symbol of Consecration

To mark this day, many believers choose to incorporate barley into their celebration as a physical reminder of the spiritual harvest. Barley was the first crop to ripen in Israel and was seen as a humble offering from the land—one that God Himself chose as the symbol of resurrection.

Ideas for a Simple Firstfruits Celebration:

• Barley Bread or Soup: Prepare a meal using barley and pray together, giving thanks for Christ, our Firstfruits.
• Wave Sheaf Symbol: Create a small bundle of barley or another grain and wave it before the Lord as a declaration that your life is His.
• Thanksgiving and Testimony: Reflect on how Christ has brought resurrection life into your home. Share testimonies of spiritual renewal.
• New Commitments: As the sheaf was a symbol of consecration, use this day to rededicate your heart, family, or home to God’s purposes.

Counting the Omer: From Resurrection to Empowerment

Leviticus 23:15–16 gives this command:

“You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete Sabbaths. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to the Lord.”

This count begins on Firstfruits and continues for fifty days until Shavuot (Pentecost). It was a season of expectancy—a time of waiting for harvest, revelation, and empowerment.

In Acts 1–2, we see the ultimate fulfillment of this period. From the resurrection to the pouring out of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the disciples waited together in prayer and obedience. On the fiftieth day, the Spirit descended.

For us today, counting the omer is a way to remember that salvation is not the end—it is the beginning of sanctification and mission. Each day is a step of preparation to be used by the Lord.

Suggestions for Counting the Omer:

• Read one Psalm each day or walk through the Book of Acts.
• Journal how God is forming Christ in you during this season.
• Focus on “bearing fruit” in the Spirit: love, joy, peace…

We do not count up to Pentecost in obligation but in anticipation—we await the fullness of what God intends to do through His resurrected and Spirit-filled people.

Devotional Reflection: Living as the Harvest of God

Read Together: Leviticus 23:9–14; 1 Corinthians 15:20–23; Romans 6:8–11

Discuss:

• What did the offering of Firstfruits symbolize for Israel?
• How is Jesus the fulfillment of this feast?
• How does our future resurrection shape the way we live now?
• What does it mean to be “alive to God”?

Reflect: Thank God for the risen Christ. Let His resurrection become more than a doctrine—let it become your daily joy, strength, and expectation. We are not merely waiting for resurrection; we are already walking in it.

Pray: Father, thank You for raising Jesus from the dead as the firstfruits of the resurrection to come. Thank You that in Him we are made alive—now and forever. Help us to live each day in the power of His resurrection, bearing fruit that glorifies You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

He is risen—and so shall we be.

Note:

Orthodox Judaism follows the Pharisaic / Rabbinic Interpretation (Majority of Modern Judaism), not necessarily a literal reading of Leviticus 23.

• “Sabbath” = the first day of Unleavened Bread (which is a “High Sabbath,” not necessarily Saturday)
• Therefore, Firstfruits = Nisan 16, regardless of the weekday
• In 2025, Unleavened Bread begins at sundown April 13 (Nisan 15), so Firstfruits (Nisan 16) = April 14 evening to April 15 evening

Messianic Jews and many Christians who celebrate the feasts follow the Sadducean/Temple-era practice, which aligns with Jesus rising on Sunday and Paul calling Him the “Firstfruits” (1 Corinthians 15:20–23).

• “Sabbath” = the weekly Sabbath (Saturday)
• Firstfruits = the Sunday after that Sabbath, always a Sunday resurrection picture
• In 2025, the weekly Sabbath during Passover week is April 19, so Firstfruits = Sunday, April 20