Feast of Firstfruits
| Feast of Firstfruits | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | Feast of Firstfruits |
| Date | The day (Sunday) after the first Sabbath following the Feast of Unleavened Bread |
| Origin | The day the Israelites landed safely after crossing the Red Sea |
| Ritual | A sheaf of the first grain was presented as a wave offering before God |
| Fulfillment of prophecy | Resurrection of Jesus Christ |
The Feast of Firstfruits is the third feast among the seven feasts in three times recorded in the Bible, following the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It was observed on the day (Sunday) after the first Sabbath following the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and it became the pattern of the Resurrection Day in the New Testament times.
Origin of the Day of Firstfruits
Around 1500 B.C., after observing the Passover, the Israelites were freed from Egypt following approximately 400 years of bondage.[1] They departed from Rameses, Egypt’s northern border, and traveled through Succoth, Etham, and Pi-hahiroth in the wilderness.[2][3][4] However, Pharaoh changed his mind and led his army in pursuit of Israel, trapping them at the Red Sea. As the Egyptian army closed in, the Israelites faced a moment of fear and desperation.[5]
By God’s mighty power, the sea was parted, allowing the Israelites to cross safely. By dawn on the 22nd day of the first month (according to the sacred calendar), they reached the other side—which corresponded to Sunday in today’s weekly system. Meanwhile, the Egyptian army was swallowed by the returning waters and perished in the Red Sea.[6] To ensure that this miraculous event would be remembered by future generations, God established the Day of Firstfruits, commanding His people to commemorate it annually.
The Ceremony of the Day of Firstfruits
The Day of Firstfruits, meaning “the first fruit,” was a sacrificial offering in the Old Testament, where the first sheaves of the harvest were presented to God. The people brought a sheaf of the first grain to the priest, who waved it before God as a special offering on the day after the Sabbath.[7]
Additionally, a one-year-old ram without blemish was offered as a burnt offering, along with 4.4 liters of fine flour kneaded with olive oil as a grain offering. A liter of wine was also poured out on the altar as a drink offering. The people were able to eat new grain after the ceremony of the Day of Firstfruits.[8]
Fulfillment of the Prophecies
In the Old Testament times, the offering of the Day of Firstfruits represents Jesus Christ.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Through His resurrection, Jesus Christ became “the firstfruits of those who had fallen asleep.” According to the feast of the Old Testament, He was offered as a sacrifice for the Day of Firstfruits. Just as the offering of the Feast of Firstfruits was presented on the day after the Sabbath, Jesus’ resurrection was also destined to occur on the day after the Sabbath, fulfilling prophecy. By rising from the dead on the first day of the week (Sunday), Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of the Day of Firstfruits, becoming the firstfruits offered to God.
When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.
After Jesus rose from the dead early on Sunday morning, the first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons.
According to the fulfillment of this prophecy, the Resurrection Day, which commemorates Jesus’ resurrection, is biblically observed on Sunday—the day after the first Sabbath following the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
See also
- Day of Resurrection
- Passover
- The Feast of Unleavened Bread
- Feast of Weeks
- Feast of Trumpets
- Day of Atonement
- Feast of Tabernacles
- The Feasts of God
Related videos
- Sermon: The Day of Firstfruits & the Hope for Resurrection