First-fruits before YHWH

Nearly one thousand five hundred years before the fulfilment of this appointed day, YHWH, the One who knows the end from the beginning, commanded Moses saying, ‘Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, “When you enter the land which I am going to give to you and you gather 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; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.”’ [Lev. 23:9-14].

Three days and three nights after being crucified as the Passover Lamb, the Messiah rose from the dead. Exactly according to YHWH’s appointed calendar, on the day after the Sabbath that immediately followed Passover, the Messiah rose as a first-fruits wave offering before the Father. Paul writes to the Corinthians, ‘But the fact is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of those who are asleep.’ [1Cor. 15:20].

Today, on this Day of First-fruits, a day the Father commanded us to remember as a permanent statute throughout all generations, I remind myself of the hope I have – a hope born from the surety of my redemption which was paid by the Lamb of YHWH that was slain on Passover. I remind myself that soon, not very long from now there will be another resurrection – a resurrection of those who belong to the Messiah, at the time of His coming [1Cor. 15:23]. At that time, in a twinkling of an eye, those in this resurrection will be transformed into imperishable beings [1Cor. 15:52] and made just like the Messiah in all His glory [Php. 3:21]. This will be followed by the reign of the Messiah over the whole earth for 1000 years. Then comes the culmination, when He hands over the Kingdom to God the Father, after having put an end to every rulership, yes, to every authority and power [1Cor. 15:24]. At that time, there will be the second resurrection when all who were not part of the first resurrection shall be judged, each according to his own deeds [Rev. 20:5,12].

While I remind myself, with gratitude for the grace and mercy shown me, of the hope of being in the first resurrection, I exhort myself not to take this favour lightly. For when the sickle is thrown to gather in the harvest, like wheat is separated from tares, there will be a separation too. Blessed are those who walk by the ways of the Spirit and not by the ways of the flesh [Rom. 8:4].

At the appointed time, on the Day of First-fruits, Yeshua, the Messiah was raised, as the first-fruits of the rich harvest of the righteous. Grant grace and strength to me, Saviour of my soul, that I may be ready at the harvest of the righteous when Yourr appointed time comes again.

Choosing the Lamb!

Just when the God of Israel was about to redeem His people from bondage, He commanded them through Moses saying, ‘On the tenth day of this month (the first month in the calendar that the Lord Himself instituted, now known as the Jewish calendar), each man is to take a lamb for his family, one per household…’ [Exo. 12:3]. He also commanded that they were to keep this lamb ‘until the fourteenth day of the month’ when all Israel will slaughter their lambs at dusk [Exo. 12:6]. This is the Passover which the One who knows the future commanded should be remembered and celebrated as a festival to the Lord from generation to generation as a perpetual regulation [Exo. 12:14].

Several thousand years later, on precisely the tenth day of the first month (which, this year, falls on 10 April), the Lord's Anointed One, Yeshua the Messiah, entered Jerusalem riding on a colt before all Israel. The people lay branches on the road and spread their cloaks before Him, crying 'Hoshiana! Blessed is He who comes in the name of Adonai.' The translation of the Hebrew word, 'Hoshiana', is 'Save us' or 'Rescue us'.

Orchestrated by the Father, Israel on precisely the tenth day of the first month, selected the lamb that would be the Passover lamb - the Lamb of God who would take away their sins, and not only theirs, but the sins of the whole world too.

From tomorrow evening (10 April 2022) until dusk on 11 April, is the tenth day of the first month in the biblical calendar. Just as Israel was commanded to prepare for the Passover by removing all leaven from their homes. May, we, even those who were once Gentiles but now have been made a part of Israel through the mercy and kindness of the Father, prepare for the Passover (which is from the evening of 14 April to dusk on 15 April) by removing all leaven from our homes and our lives. 

This Pesach, let us remember the great privilege we have been granted by the Passover Lamb. For through Yeshua, all who have believed in Him and have passed over from death to life, YHWH, El Elyon, who is also Elohe T'seva'ot, says to such, 'I will be your God and you will be My people.' 

Separate yourselves as a people whose lives, through obedience to His word, will magnify His Name and proclaim His excellencies. For to such He says, 'If you will pay careful attention to what I say and keep My covenant, then you will be My own treasure from among all the peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you will be a kingdom of cohanim for Me, a nation set apart' [Exo. 19: 5,6]. 

Shalom!