Firstfruits Unto God
I have done several articles recently concerning the rapture of the church. This is another part of the whole in understanding the principle players, and the timetable the Father has framed concerning the coming of Jesus Christ for His bride.
The reason for this article is to cement the perception of what (Firstfruits) meant to the Jews in the times Scriptures were written. A discussion I had recently with a certain person centered around Rev.14:4, concerned the 144,000, they being called, "The firstfruits unto God and the Lamb."
Rev.7:3, "Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, not the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads."
Noah and Lot were taken from God's judgement, yet exposed to the trials. So also will these 144,000 Jews. So also will other Jews who receive Christ during the tribulation. So we can say they are delivered out of God's judgements, but not out of the tribulation to come.
These 144,000 are Christian Jews that will precede others who will turn to the Lord during the trials of the tribulation.
Rev.13:7, "It was given unto him (anti-christ) to make war with the saints."
The Jews here are meant for the saints. Anti-christ will change their times and their laws. True Israelites cannot join in the worship of the beast, any more than a true Christians can. In this they will not receive the mark of the breast, 666.
These firstfruits, the first part of the whole, the 144,000 and those who are Israel will join closely together during the tribulation in it opposition to the beast.
So the main focus of this article is to make clear what the term "FIRSTFRUITS," means as it was used by John in Rev.14:4.
A great conundrum of false ideas, thoughts, and teaching are circulating throughout the Christian church today concerning this matter.
Following is the Greek and Hebrew words for,
Firstfruit: Firstfruits: 536. It means to offer first-fruits, to sacrifice,
In the N.T. the first-fruits, were usually consecrated to God;
Firstfruits, the first part, earnest, of any thing. Earnest meaning, something of value given by a buyer to a seller to bind a bargain with the full balance to follow. A token or a part of what is to come; A pledge.
The firstfruits are the first portion of the whole. As in metaphor, spoken of the patriarches and ancestors of the Jewish nation, as succeeding generations of patriarches followed. Lets take a closer look first at Rom.11:1 thru 15, and Rom.11:16.
In Rom.11:1, we are told that God has NOT cast away His people Israel.
Ver.4, God has always reserved for Himself a certain number to be used for His purpose.
Ver. 7, The election (elect) have obtained grace, and the rest of the Jewish people were blinded.
Ver.8, They have been given the spirit of slumber. (Not death.)
Ver.9, Jesus became a stumbling stone of offence to them.
Ver.11. Through their fall, salvation came to the Gentiles, but this will provoke them (the Jews) to jealousy.
Ver.12, Then fullness will come to the people and the nation.
Ver.15, They will again be received, as one coming from death unto life.
Lets examine a few O.T. verses for a more completed answer to,
Rom.11:16, "For if the first-fruits be holy, the lump is also holy."
Num.15:20, "Ye shall offer up a cake of the FIRST of your dough (lump) for an heave offering."
The cake made from the FIRST ground meal of the wheat harvest was set aside and made an holy offering to God. This ground meal was in its prepared state.
This is a good example to what we are speaking of in this article. In its prepared state, the cake, the first part of the dough would represent 144,000 Jews marked by God before the tribulation begins.
The lump represents all those Jews that receive and then suffer for the Gospel message during the tribulation period.
Lev.28:10-11, "Reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you."
This offering is in its raw state (unprepared.) The sheaf of the firstfruits represents the 144,000 Jews, the remainder of the harvest would represent those Jews that receive Christ during the tribulation.
Firstfruits as a trope or metaphor,
Rom.8:23, "Not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit."
This firstfruits represent the first gifts of the Spirit, the earnest, the pledge, of future and still greater gifts to come.
Spoken of first in time as in,
Rom.16:5, "Greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ."
Epaenetus was the Firstfruit meaning the first in Asia Minor who embraced the Christian religion, as others would soon follow.
1 Cor.16:15, "Ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia." The same applies here.
James 1:18, "Of His own will (God) begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." Note the indefinite article (a kind,) implying there are others to follow.
Rev.14:4, "These (The 144,000) are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb."
In 1 Cor. 15:20-23, Christ is called the firstfruits, "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming."
The risen Christ, the first who has been raised from the dead. Others will follow. See Matt.27:52-53.
In the Hebrew language. the following is taken from Gesenius' Hebrew Lexicon and Hebrew and English Dictionary 1837.
Firstfruits mean, the beginning of something, the commencement, the principal thing of something. the most considerable, noble, the origin, also first fruits of produce.
Septuagint: Ex.23:19, "The FIRST of the FIRSTFRUITS of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God."
Septuagint: past particle, expressing a completed action. It is an offering of first-fruits; an offering.
So there we have it. Firstfruits meaning the first part of the whole. Lets talk more about Rev.14:4.
Rev.14:4, "These (144,000) are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb."
At the beginning of the tribulation, Rev.7:3, The command is to not hurt the earth, sea or trees until the 144,000 Jews who represent the 12 tribes of Israel have been given the seal of God in their forehead.
At the end of the 7 years of tribulation we read in Rev.14:1, These same 144,000 Jews are standing on Mt. Sion with the Lamb of God. Then in verse 7, we read, "Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of His judgment is come."
All Jewish believers in Christ are considered the first-fruit. But, these 144,000 elect are the earnest, the down payment, the security of the promise of many more who will follow. These 144,000 will not be raptured up with the church at this time, but are sealed by God before the tribulation begins.
Rom.11:15-26-27, "For if the casting away of them (the Jews) be the reconciling of the word, what shall the receiving of them (the Jews) be, but life from the dead? Ver.26, "And so all Israel shall be saved: -- There shall come out of Sion (Israel) the Deliverer (Jesus,) and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob (the 12 tribes.)"
First the bride will be taken into heaven. The bride consisting of both Jews and Gentiles who had received Christ during the period of grace.
These 144,000 Jews will be marked by God, and remain on earth. They will be gathered together at the end of the 7 years. What will they be doing. I believe they will be doing the Lords work, most likely preaching the truth of the Gospel message. God's mark in their foreheads is their protection from anti-christ and his followers.
Following the 144,000 are those that have turned to Christ during the tribulation. Many will die. The context indicates that the blessing is for those who die in the Great Tribulation. This is the major part of the harvest, and final harvest of firstfruits.
John sees these who did not receive the mark of the beast, those who had been beheaded (killed) in the 70th week of Daniel, now alive and reigning with Christ 1000 years.
For those who rejected Christ, we read in Rev.14:18-19-20, the angel thrusting in his sickle and casting those who received the mark of the beast into the winepress of the wrath of God.
This is as far as I would like to take this article. It explains itself concerning firstfruits unto God, the raptured church, the great persecution and salvation of the Jews. This scenario also fulfills God's unconditional covenant with Abraham and the Jewish people (Abraham's seed) and the nation of Israel.
I agree there is yet a great deal for me to learn. We must all be patient until the Holy Spirit unfolds this great event before our eyes. Thank you,
Phil LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com