Tag: Israel

First Fruits, Holy Days

Firstfruits — He Is Risen!

Rooted & Raised

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

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
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Holy Days, Passover

🕊️ Passover: God’s Appointed Time

Rooted & Raised

Passover was instituted by God Himself:

“Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance.”
— Exodus 12:14, NASB 1995

Jesus honored the Passover with His disciples the night He was betrayed (Matthew 26:17–19). He did not replace it, but fulfilled its meaning as the Lamb of God (John 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:7).

The early Church—especially Jewish believers and even many Gentile believers—continued to commemorate Christ’s death and resurrection in the context of Passover, not outside of it.

⚔️ The Schism: From Obedience to Imperial Power

🔹 Ignatius of Antioch (Early 2nd Century)

  • One of the earliest voices urging a departure from “Judaizing.”
  • He instructed believers to no longer observe “the Sabbath” as Jews did, but to honor “the Lord’s Day” (Sunday) instead.

This wasn’t merely honoring Christ’s resurrection—it became a repudiation of the Jewish calendar and practice.

🔹 Quartodeciman Controversy (2nd Century)

  • Quartodecimans (Latin for “Fourteeners”) observed the death of Christ on the 14th of Nisan, the biblical Passover.
  • Others (especially in Rome and Alexandria) preferred celebrating on a Sunday—regardless of the biblical calendar—to distinguish themselves from Jewish practices.

This dispute was widespread and intense. Yet the Quartodecimans were simply following the pattern found in Scripture—what the Apostles and early Church had done.

🔥 Council of Nicaea (AD 325)

This is where the divide became enshrined by law.

Emperor Constantine, who presided over the council (despite being unbaptized and still involved in pagan worship), said:

“…it appeared an unworthy thing that in the celebration of this most holy feast we should follow the practice of the Jews… Let us then have nothing in common with the detestable Jewish crowd…”
— Eusebius, Life of Constantine, Book III, Chapter 18

They decreed that the resurrection should be celebrated on a Sunday, not according to the Jewish calendar, and thus severed the Church’s celebration of Christ’s death and resurrection from its biblical roots.

⚠️ The Result: Easter Replaces Passover

  • “Easter” eventually became associated with the pagan spring festival to the goddess Eostre (from which the English name derives).*
  • Biblical timing was replaced with ecclesiastical calendars.
  • Man-made tradition overtook God’s ordained moedim (appointed times).

“Thus you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.”
— Matthew 15:6, NASB 1995

✝️ What Did the Early Believers Do?

The Ante-Nicene Church—those who followed Christ between the time of the Apostles and the Council of Nicaea—did not separate the crucifixion and resurrection from Passover. They recognized Jesus as the fulfillment of it, not a replacement.

They obeyed the appointed times (moedim) not as legalistic requirements but as prophetic celebrations pointing to Christ’s redemptive work.

🔥 Final Thoughts: Can Man Override God’s Calendar?

No.

Though councils may decree, emperors may impose, and theologians may rationalize, God’s Word stands.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”
— Matthew 24:35, NASB 1995

God ordained the feasts as shadows of the substance in Christ (Colossians 2:16–17). They are not to be discarded, but fulfilled in truth and Spirit, not severed from their purpose.

✅ What We Know Historically

*The Name “Easter” Appears in English and German Only
The English word “Easter” is derived from the Old English Ēastre or Ēostre.

The 8th-century historian Bede (in De Natura Rerum and The Reckoning of Time) claimed that the month Ēosturmōnaþ (April) was named after a Saxon goddess called Ēostre, and that Christians adopted the name when celebrating Christ’s resurrection.

“Eosturmonath, which is now interpreted as the Paschal month, was once called after a goddess of theirs named Eostre…” — Bede, The Reckoning of Time, ch. 15

🔍 However:

Bede is the only ancient source who ever mentions this goddess.

There is no archaeological or written evidence (outside of Bede) for a goddess named Eostre being worshiped in Anglo-Saxon or Germanic paganism.

So, while the name might have originated from a springtime festival month, the goddess connection is weakly attested and largely speculative. Nevertheless, man-made tradition overtook God’s ordained moedim (appointed times).

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Holy Days, Summary

Appointed by God, Fulfilled in Christ

Rooted & Raised

According to Leviticus 23, God established seven appointed feasts (moedim), and these were given in order as prophetic markers—each one fulfilled in Christ, either in His first coming or still to be fulfilled at His second coming.

Here’s a complete list:

🌿 SPRING FEASTS – Fulfilled in Christ’s First Coming

  1. Passover (Pesach) – Christ’s crucifixion “Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed” (1 Cor. 5:7)
    • Fulfilled: Jesus died on Passover as the Lamb of God (John 1:29)
  2. Unleavened Bread – Christ’s burial and sinlessness
    • Fulfilled: Jesus was buried, His body without sin or corruption (Acts 2:27)
  3. Firstfruits – Christ’s resurrection “Christ has been raised… the firstfruits of those who are asleep” (1 Cor. 15:20)
    • Fulfilled: Jesus rose on the day of Firstfruits, the “first of the harvest”
  4. Pentecost (Shavuot / Feast of Weeks) – Giving of the Spirit “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” (Acts 1:8)
    • Fulfilled: 50 days after Firstfruits, the Spirit was poured out (Acts 2)

🍂 FALL FEASTS – To Be Fulfilled at Christ’s Return

  1. Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah) – Return of the King “…at the last trumpet… the dead will be raised” (1 Cor. 15:52; Matt. 24:31)
    • Awaiting Fulfillment: This feast foreshadows the resurrection, rapture, and announcement of the King’s return
  2. Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) – Final Judgment and National Repentance “They will look on Me whom they have pierced” (Zech. 12:10; Rom. 11:26–27)
    • Awaiting Fulfillment: A picture of Israel’s future repentance and the full revelation of Christ as High Priest and Judge
  3. Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) – Millennial Kingdom, God dwelling with man “The tabernacle of God is among men…” (Rev. 21:3)
    • Awaiting Fulfillment: Points to the Messianic Kingdom and God’s permanent dwelling among His people

✨ BONUS: Shemini Atzeret – The Eighth Day of Completion

Not a separate feast but a concluding assembly—a prophetic picture of eternity and the new creation. It follows Tabernacles and looks beyond the millennial reign into the eternal state where God dwells with His people forever (Revelation 21–22).

There are no additional holy days listed in Leviticus 23 beyond these seven feasts + the 8th Day. These encompass the entire redemptive timeline of Christ’s work—from the cross to the crown.

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