Feast of the First Fruits

This regulation for the first fruits are common for all types of harvest. However the First Day (Sunday) following the Pesach was a special day when the first fruits of Barley was presented in the temple. When the barley is ready to be reaped which fell during this period, one sheaf from the standing harvest is cut with a sickle and is brought to the priest. The priest was then to take this sheaf and wave it before the Lord in the Temple. This was to be done "the day after the sabbath." i.e on the Sunday following the Passover. Among the Malankara Syrian Christians, the sheaf is tied in a bundle and is hung in front of the granary. Prescribed offerings and sacrifices were also to be presented along with the sheaf. The Hebrew word for "sheaf" is omer. An omer is defined as "a measure of dry things, containing a tenth part of an ephah." The definition of an omer being a tenth part of an ephah is found in Exodus 16:36. An ephah contains 10 omers of grain. Thus along with the sheaf one omer full of the grain was also presented at the temple.

The Children of Israel clearly understood the meaning of this feast and that which were the firstfruits of their labour. It spoke of the firstfruits of the harvest and of the firstborn of both man and beast. The firstfruits were considered the choicest. The firstfruits were holy unto the Lord. The firstborn of both man and beast were sanctified and presented to the Lord (Exodus 13:2 ;11-13, 22:29). Thus all the firstborn were to be dedicated to the Lord. They were to be the Priests. (These were redeemed by delegating the priesthood to Levites) . Even today in every Christian family, the eldest son was to beome an evangelist. The firstfruits of the earth were to be presented to the Lord in praise and thanksgiving. At times they were also presented to the priests and the Levites (Lev. 19:23-25. Neh 10:34-39). All the firstfruits belonged to God for they were holy.

This feast always occurred on the 1^st day of the week i.e . on Sunday. The feast portrays evidently the resurrection of Jesus. Firstfruits prophetically speaks of the resurrection of the Jesus from the dead. He rose again defeating death on the first day of the week. That "one sheaf" represented the whole harvest. It was the prelude and the guarantee of a plentiful harvest to follow.

The Seventeenth of Nisan

The theme of the festival of First Fruits is resurrection and salvation. There are several important events that happened on this day in the Bible.

On this day Noah's ark rests on Mount Ararat (Gen. 8:4). It was the beginning of the new man giving man another chance with a clean slate.
Joseph in a dream saw eleven sheaves bow down before his sheaf. The interpretation is clear, as it showed that his eleven brothers would bow down before him (Genesis 37:5-11). Joseph is a type of sufferring servant, the Mesiah. Like Joseph, Jesus was rejected by his brothers and was later brought to glory because he maintained a righteous life. The Jews were indeed expecting a mesiah Mesia-Ben-Yusuf (son of Joseph) Just as the sheaf of Joseph stood up and all the eleven bowed down before it, the first fruit Jesus is glorified
Israel crosses the Red Sea (Ex. 3:18; 5:3; 14). This day Israel received a new chance to live a free life.
Israel eats the first fruits of the Promised Land (Joshua 5:10-12). The manna that God gave from Heaven during the days in the wilderness ceased on the sixteenth day of Nisan after the people ate of the corn of the land. The day following was the seventeenth of Nisan, the day when the children of Israel ate the first fruits of the Promised Land. Manna was the food for the journey, but on entering the Promised Land the temperary food stopped and the permanent residence and provisions take effect for all believers. Again this was a new start in a new land with all the privileges thereof.
In Psalm 126, which is a Song of the degrees we see the significance more clearly. Song of degrees are songs sung as the first fruits were carried to the temple - as the believers went up the steps of the temple one by one carrying the first fruits. This is a prophetic Psalm. " A song of ascents. When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him"

In His first advent, Jesus went forth weeping bearing precious seed on the streets of Jerusalem. At the Second Coming, He will come with rejoicing at the time of the great harvest, bringing His sheaves with Him. He will then take up his seat on the throne of Israel.
It also speaks of the final harvest when the elect will be taken to his presence Mathew 13 :37-43 describes it: "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. ….. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. .. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.
Haman was defeated on this day(Esther 3:1-6). A decree was sent out on the thirteenth of (On the day when the Passover lamb was to be killed) that all the Jews would be killed (Es, 3:12). Upon hearing this news, Esther ( who is a type of Jesus) proclaims a three-day fast, which would be Nisan 14-16 (Esther 4:16). On the sixteenth of Nisan, Esther risked her life when she came to King Ahasuerus thereby saved the elect. This was on the sixteenth day of Nisan. On the seventeenth of Nisan Haman was hanged.

Jesus Is the First Fruits of the Harvest

	Jesus is the firstborn of Mary (Matthew 1:23-25).
	Jesus is the first-begotten of God the Father (Hebrews 1:6).
	Jesus is the firstborn of every creature (Colossians 1:15).
	Jesus is the first-begotten from the dead (Revelation 1:5).
	Jesus is the firstborn of many brethren (Romans 8:29).
	Jesus is the first fruits of the resurrected ones (1 Corinthians 15:20,23).
	Jesus is the beginning of the creation of God (Revelation 3:14).
	Jesus is the preeminent One (Colossians 1:18).
	Jesus is indeed the Most Holy One of God and is sanctified by the Father. Jesus is the first, the choicest, the preeminent One. He is both the firstborn of God and the first fruits unto God. Jesus is the sheaf of the first fruits. On that day Jesus resurrected from the dead and went up to His Father and presented himself as the first fruit of all New Creation Man (John 12:24; 1 Cor 15:16-20). He told Mary not to hang on to him because he has to present himself before the Father first before declaring the harvest season open. Jesus celebrated the festival of First Fruits by offering Himself as the first fruits of all generations of believers (Mat. 27:52-53). "But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the Firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep" 1Cor 15:20.
	This feast also represents the resurrection of the believer. "But now is risen from the dead, and has become the Firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: the Firstfruits, afterward those who are the ’s at His coming" 1Corinthians 15:20-23.