The Firstfruits of God
1st Corinthians 15:20-23
¶ 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.
Jesus is risen! He arose from the dead and death on the cross, buried in the tomb and resurrected into life to enter into the heavens and is seated at the right hand of Almighty God.
Jesus is the firstfruits to God.
What does that mean that Jesus was the firstfruits unto God?
The firstfruits were a special offering brought by the children of Israel to YHWH Almighty God under the Old Testament or Old Covenant.
Exodus 23:14-19
Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. 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 YHWH thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother’s milk.
The firstfruits were most holy to YHWH; presented to God out of the best and first crop at the ingathering of the harvest.
The firstfruits also consisted of items offered to YHWH, such as bread and meat offerings. The best of the best was only given to YHWH.
Christ Jesus is our firstfruits holy offering unto YHWH Almighty God, his children, those born-again believers in Christ are of the very crop Jesus has sown in the world and shall be brought before God as a holy offering at the ingathering of the harvest.
Christ Jesus is also the firstborn from the dead.
Colossians 1:18-22
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
Christ is the firstborn from the dead. He is alive forever more. Jesus was the first of those to die (a death on the cross) and live again, into glory having made peace through his blood on the cross for us sinners and now believers in Christ, in order to present us as a holy offering in God’s sight.
The apostle James wrote about the firstfruits.
James 1:17-18
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
We, the baptized believers in Christ Jesus are a kind of firstfruits, a holy offering of first ripe crop to God to be accepted and brought into his temple.
In the letter to the Colossians Paul writes about baptism.
Colossians 2:12-15
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13 ¶ And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
The physical act of water baptism is symbolic of the glorious operation of God. When we are submerged, covered by the water we are buried in Christ’s blood baptism. When we emerge up out the water, we are risen with Christ anew into life everlasting!
We have been cleansed by the Blood of Jesus and forgiven all trespasses and given the Holy Spirit of God who now indwells in us and our bodies.
This is the promise of God that the Apostle Peter spoke of on the day of Pentecost.
Acts 2:36-39
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 37 ¶ Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
This exhortation by Peter to the men of Jerusalem and others that day, is the fulfillment of the risen Christ Jesus!
As Paul writes to the Corinthians “Now Is Christ Risen!”
1st Corinthians 15:20
¶ 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.
For since man first sinned, there came the curse of death upon man and all of mankind. God used therefore a Man to bring a resurrection of man. This was the Christ, the Anointed of YHWH!
In Adam all men will die, but the Man and Son of God, born of God, all men will be made alive.
Paul speaks of this holy order where Christ is the first and a holiest offering to God; after him then come his children of God, those who have put their faith in Christ Jesus and were baptized in his holy name.
Christ the firstfruits, and then all others in Christ at his coming.
Christ will come again, and when he comes, all the dead in Christ shall be raised, resurrected!
Those in Christ will be resurrected to Glory!
What a wonderful God we serve; who saved us by his own blood sacrifice on the cross to not only take away our sins, but remove the curse of death! That through faith in Christ Jesus, we have redemption and are given the hope of Life everlasting to live with God; having by the promise of God received is his Holy Spirit and we look forward to be conformed to God’s own image of Holiness and in the heavenly realm of his kingdom!
The Apostle Paul explained the change we will undergo through Christ, brilliantly.
1st Corinthians 15:50-56
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 ¶ Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
It’s through Christ Jesus we have great hope, a great victory over the devil, and death, and our sin!
Won’t you join me in praise and thanking our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ and God, Almighty YHWH, for his Mercy in giving us his Son as a holy sacrifice for our sins!
If you do not yet know of Jesus, then I invite you to learn a brief bit about him and why he came to save you, and I, and all others who would in faith, believe in Jesus the Christ.
Please read this article “Do You Know Jesus?”
If you already feel you know Jesus, then read this article on the blood of the lamb.