Firstfruits

1. The law ordered in general that the first of all ripe fruits and of liquors, or, as it is twice expressed, the first of first-fruits, should be offered in God?s house. (Exodus 22:29; 23:19; 34:27) It was an act of allegiance to God as the giver of all. No exact quantity was commanded, but it was left to the spiritual and moral sense of each individual.
2. On the morrow after the passover sabbath, i.e. on the 16th of Nisan, a sheaf of new corn was to be brought to the priest and waved before the altar, in acknowledgment of the gift of fruitfulness. (Leviticus 2:12; 23:5,6,10,12)
3. At the expiration of seven weeks from this time, i.e. at the feast of pentecost, an oblation was to be made from the new flour, which were to be waved in like manner with the passover sheaf. (Exodus 34:22; Leviticus 23:15,17; Numbers 28:26)
4. The feast of ingathering, i.e. the feast of tabernacles, in the seventh month, was itself an acknowledgment of the fruits of the harvest. (Exodus 23:16; 34:22; Leviticus 23:39) These four sorts of offerings were national. Besides them, the two following were of an individual kind.
5. A cake of the first dough that was baked was to be offered as a heave-offering. (Numbers 15:19,21)
6. The first-fruits of the land were to be brought in a basket to the holy place of God?s choice, and there presented to the priest, who was to set the basket down before the altar. (26:2-11) The offerings were the perquisite of the priests. (Numbers 18:11; 18:4) Nehemiah, at the return from captivity, took pains to reorganize the offerings of first-fruits of both kinds, and to appoint places to receive them. (Nehemiah 10:35,37; 12:44) An offering of first-fruits is mentioned as an acceptable one to the prophet Elisha. (2 Kings 4:42)

(Heb. resit [tyivaer]; Gk. aparche [ajparchv]). The concept of firstfruits derives from God's creation work. Because God created everything that exists, all of creation belongs to him (Psalm 24:1). Consequently, that which is first and best belongs to him and is to be given to him.

Because of God's creative power and ownership of all, the Bible instructs believers to give God the best of the animal sacrifices (see Lev. 1-5). The land is also viewed as a gift from God and the best of it, its "firstfruits, " is to be given to him—crops (Exod 23:16,19), the wheat harvest (Exod 34:22; Lev 2:14; 23:20), olive oil (Num 18:12; Deut 18:4), the finest new wine (Num 18:12; Deut 18:4), honey (2 Chron 31:5), sheep wool (Deut 18:4), and fruit (Neh 10:35). The Old Testament makes it clear that everything that God's people have is to be viewed as from God and gained through his providence (Psalm 50:10).

Believers are the "firstfruits" of God—"a kind of firstfruits of all he created" (Jas 1:18). Spiritual "firstfruits" may be the first converts in an area (Rom 16:5). As "firstfruits" believers are a testimony to God's power in salvation. They are his first born, redeemed by Christ's blood. In their holy standing, believers are God's firstfruits—"holy to the Lord, the firstfruits of his harvest" (Jer 2:3). God's people are therefore to present themselves as holy firstfruits to God, as "living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God" (Rom 12:1). In having the "firstfruits of the Spirit, " the work of the Spirit in effecting the present redemption of their souls, believers are given the guarantee that they will have the future redemption of their bodies at the second coming of Christ (Rom 8:23).

In 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23, Paul teaches that Christ in his bodily resurrection is the "firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." As such, he is the guarantee that all those who belong to him will be raised from the dead at his second coming. In the natural world, the first sheaf of the crop was to be brought to God (Lev 23:10,11,17) as a guarantee that the rest of the harvest was coming. So it is in God's redemption harvest. First, Christ the "firstfruits" has triumphed in his resurrection; then, the rest of his "crop, " the redeemed, will be raised triumphantly at his second coming (1 Cor 15:23).

In light of this, God's people, as his "firstfruits, " are to have a sanctifying effect on others (1 Cor 5:6-7), just as Abraham and the patriarchs had a sanctifying effect on disobedient Israel (Rom 11:14-16). Believers are to be true followers of the Lamb, just as the saints in the second coming, who are described as holy in life, "purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb" (Rev 14:4).

W. Harold Mare

Bibliography. P. Levertoff, ISBE, 2:307-8; J. P. Lewis, ZPED, 2:541.

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[S] indicates this entry was also found in Smith's Bible Dictionary

In addition to the offerings of firstfruits by private individuals, there were offerings of firstfruits at Israel’s national festivals. These included the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Lev 23:10-11), the Feast of Harvest, or Pentecost (Lev 23:15-17), and the Feast of Tabernacles, or Ingatherings (Exod 23:16; Lev 23:39). (For details see FEASTS.) The firstfruit offerings became the property of the priests and so formed one source of their food supply (Num 18:12-13).

Since people had to present their firstfruits before they could use the remainder of the harvest for themselves, firstfruits had a symbolic meaning. They were a sign of hope, a guarantee of greater things to come. This is the meaning of the New Testament illustrations of firstfruits. The risen Christ is called the firstfruits of believers who have died, because his resurrection guarantees the resurrection of all believers (1 Cor 15:20,23). The Holy Spirit, whom believers have already, is the firstfruits, or guarantee, of future glory (Rom 8:23).

Just as the firstfruits of the Israelites were the finest from their harvest, so God wants Christians to be the finest creatures in all his creation (James 1:18). Like the firstfruits, they belong especially to God (Rev 14:4). Paul sometimes spoke of the first people who became Christians in a locality as the firstfruits of the church in that place (Rom 16:5; 1 Cor 16:15).