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Remember how the first month of the year is derived?  This is important to help be timely for the Firstfruits of Barley.  If the barley was not in green heads (ears) at the beginning of the month it could not be harvested in the middle of the month and an offering made to the Lord.

This is important because in the middle of the first month an offering of the first cuttings of the Barley is offered to Israel (the creator).  Beginning that day, the harvesting of the crop may begin.

The Firstfruits of Barley is a spring harvest, at the end of the winter growing season.  This Barley is a winter crop.  Like any crop, as soon as the Barley is ready, it should be harvested.  Generally, this Barley is harvested at early Spring, just after the Spring Equinox.

Leviticus 23:10-20 outlines the Firstfruits practice.  The day after the Sabbath that happens during the week of Unleavened Bread [Exodus 23:15-19 en1 and Leviticus 23:11 en2.1], the Priest shall make an offering of the first cut (sort of like a sample) from the field.  The timing of this offering is said to be “on the morrow”, which means simply – day.  So, sometime on the first day of the week (or the day after Sabbath), probably in the morning, the offering is made.

This was the “wave sheaf offering” of Barley, which Israel (the creator) called the Firstfruits of Barley.

Looking at Leviticus 23:15-17 en2.1, we find that we should count 7 Sabbaths and then one more day, making a count of 50 days.  This brings us to the next Firstfruits offering, know as the Firstfruits of Wheat.  Penta is “fifty” and Pentecost is “fiftieth day”.  Hence, we celebrate Pentecost on the fiftieth day following Firstfruits of Barley to celebrate Firstfruits of Wheat.

The time between Firstfruits is called the “Feast of Weeks” [Exodus 34:27 en 3].  It is important for other studies to observe that this is the only reference to Sabbath(s) where they are counted.  It is also important to observe that weeks were measured and counted by the Sabbaths, being that from one Sabbath to the next is one week.  Everything was referenced to the Sabbaths.  An example, is to say “the day after Sabbath” or “the day before Sabbath”, to identify the days of the week.

In both instance of Firstfruits, an offering is made to Israel (the creator).

During the Feast of Unleavened Bread the waving of the sheaf of the Firstfruits of Barley is offered.  The wave sheaf is an offering to Israel (the creator) and parallels the resurrected Yahshua the Messiah  as the firstfruit of the harvest of the human race.  Yahshua was resurrected from the dead at the end of the weekly Sabbath (just at or after dark).  Offering the firstfruit wave sheaf occurred on the evening of the first day of the week, Leviticus 23:9-14 [en 2.3].  The waving of the sheaf began the count toward Pentecost, Leviticus 23:15-16 [en 2.4].  Although this is not an official holy day, we remember this firstfruit offering as synonymous with the resurrection of Yahshua (“Israel”) the Messiah, on the first day of weeks (which also is the first day of the week) during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Seven full weeks (the Feast of Weeks) after the offering of the sheaf of Firstfruits of Barley, we arrive at the only first day of the week pronounced holy by Israel (the creator).  This single feast day, called the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost, is observed giving thanks to Israel (the creator) for the spring harvest.  It represents the time when Yahshua ascended to Heaven after giving his disciples the gift of tongues.

On Pentecost, we recall how the apostolic assembly began this day when the Holy Spirit was poured out on all who would receive it by showing their obedience to Israel (the creator) [Acts 2 en 4].

Yahshua was the firstfruits and those he selects at the end days are also known as firstfruits [1 Corinthians 15:20 & 23 en5].  He was offered up to Israel (the creator) on the day of Firstfruits of Barley and then in his ascension, he was again offered on the day of Firstfruits of Wheat.

Then those who have the spirit to follow the Messiah (Israel or Yahshua) and found worthy, will be redeemed and taken as the Firstfruits of the harvest of man [Romans 8:23 en 6 and Revelation 14:4 en 7].
 

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Exodus 23:15 Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)
 16 And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.
 17 Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD.
 18 Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until the morning.
 19 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.

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Leviticus 23:4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.
 5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S passover.
 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.
 7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
 8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
 9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
 10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:
 11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
 12 And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD.
 13 And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin.
 14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
 15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:
 16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
 17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.
 18 And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD.
 19 Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.
 20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest.
 21 And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.
 22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.

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Exodus 34:18 The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the month Abib: for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt.
 19 All that openeth the matrix is mine; and every firstling among thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male .
 20 But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.
 21 Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest.
 22 And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year's end.
 23 Thrice in the year shall all your men children appear before the Lord GOD, the God of Israel.
 24 For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders: neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the LORD thy God thrice in the year.
 25 Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the passover be left unto the morning.
 26 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.

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Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
 5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
 10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
 11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
 12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
 13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

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1 Corinthians 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

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Romans 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
 24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
 25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
 26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Revelation 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
 3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
 4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
 5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
 6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

Tribble
April 2003
revised: September 2003
revised January 2004
revised March 2005

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