As we continue our study of how Jehovah’s feasts are all pertaining to Jesus, we will look at how they have been fulfilled first in the feast of First Fruits.
Leviticus 23:9 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 23:10 "Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest, 23:11 and he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, so that you may be accepted.
On the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. This feast was one of thanking God for the first harvest but also giving Him praise before any other harvesting would be allowed.
Leviticus 23:14 And you shall eat neither bread nor grain parched or fresh until this same day, until you have brought the offering of your God: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
Jesus was our first fruits and until He presented Himself to the Father, the rest of the harvest of the kingdom could not begin. That doesn’t mean no one was saved, but the harvest could not be brought in until the Father accepted Jesus offering.
John 20:15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." 20:16 Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).
20:17 Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"
Quite clearly Jesus indicates that He cannot be touched by anyone until He presents Himself to the Father. Yet, later HE not only allowed it but invited people to touch and discover for themselves. What was the difference?
Luke 24:36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, "Peace to you!" 24:37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. 24:38 And he said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?
24:39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." 24:40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 24:41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?"
Is there any other First Fruits examples to help in our understanding? Yes! When Jesus finally said “It is finished.”, the curtain in the Temple was torn in two. But, what else happened?
Matthew 27:51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.
27:52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 27:53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
These saints were raised but did not go into the city until after His resurrection or more specifically, after His first ascension to present Himself to the Father. Then and only then would the harvest truly be manifested. Here right in Jerusalem, the first evidence was revealed in the bodily resurrection of these long dead saints.
More on the next feast next time.