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. Leviticus 23:10
Anybody who ever grew up on a farm knows what firstfruits are. As a youngster, I used to climb through the apple trees in August to find the first apples to ripen. In the days and weeks after grain and other crops were planted, we would watch the fields for the first shots to emerge, then when the grain was fully grown, we would watch for the first sign of the golden colour of maturity and readiness to harvest. The first strawberry of the season was a delightful discovery, as were the first edible of all the vegetables in our gardens and the first ripened of all the fruit and berries we had access to. Our text speaks of a cause for celebration when the first of the grain in Israel was harvested each year. The firstfruits were important, as a promise of more abundance to come.
Our Lord Jesus is described as the firstfruits of those risen from the dead. The disciples who rejoiced when they saw the risen Lord had more to rejoice over than they realized. They could celebrate not only their Lord’s resurrection but also their own. The abundant crop that followed the resurrection of Christ includes not only the disciples but also every believer who has since then trusted Christ, including you and me. As the firstfruits, Christ has defeated death and him who had the power of death, and has given to us a glorious hope of an eternity of life and joy.
Consider the farmer in Israel who would first find a field of grain ready for reaping, and who would gather that first sheaf to be presented to the priest. He would tell his family and his neighbours, and hurry with the sheaf to the House of the Lord. How excited he must have been as he presented that sheaf to the priest! And how excited must the priest have been to receive it. Beyond the sheaf, they would see an abundant harvest and the proof of God’s goodness and provision. As we consider our sheaf of firstfruits, we are also thrilled at the prospects that lie before us. As the world roils in financial, political, and social turmoil, the child of God has the certain outlook of prosperity, peace, and comfort.
There is more proof that Jesus Christ rose from the dead than that Christopher Columbus discovered America. That He arose is certain. That we shall rise with Him is also certain. – Jim MacIntosh