The Jewish festival called First Fruits is not as well-known as Passover. But God told Moses to start this festival too. Leviticus 23 tells us about seven special festivals Moses gave to the people. We have already learned about Passover and the Sabbath and how Jesus fits with them in special ways.
It is interesting that Jesus’ death happened exactly on these festivals Moses gave 1500 years before.
Jesus’ crucifixion occurred on Passover (Day 6) and his rest occurred on the Sabbath (Day 7)
But what does this mean?
The next festival after Passover and Sabbath is called First Fruits. Moses gave these rules for it.
Hebrew First Fruits Festival
9 The Lord said to Moses, 10 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest,bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest. 11 He is to wave the sheaf before the Lord so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath.
Leviticus 23:9-11
14 You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain, until the very day you bring this offering to your God. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.
Leviticus 23:14
First Fruits Harvest
God told Moses to tell the people: When you come to the land and harvest your crops, bring the first grain to the priest. The priest will wave it before the Lord on the day after the Sabbath.
People were not allowed to eat any new bread or grain until they brought this offering to God. This rule was to last forever.
The “day after the Sabbath” means the third special festival, First Fruits. Every year on this day, the High Priest went to the Temple to offer the first harvest of grain. This showed the start of new life after winter and promised a good harvest so people could live well.
This was the day after the Sabbath when Jesus was resting in death. It was Sunday, called Nisan 16. The Bible tells us what happened on this day. The High Priest offered the First Fruits of new life. Now, this day is called Easter Sunday, which gives new life to us just like the old festival promised.
Jesus Risen from the Dead
Early on the first day of the week, some women took spices to Jesus’ tomb. They found the stone moved away and Jesus’ body was gone. Two men in shining clothes told them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? Jesus is not here; he has risen! Remember he said he would be killed and rise again on the third day.” The women remembered what Jesus had said.
They told the eleven disciples, but the disciples did not believe them. Peter ran to the tomb and saw the linen cloths but was still unsure what happened.
The Women at the Tomb
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered his words.
9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles.11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
Luke 24: 1-12
On the Road to Emmaus
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them;16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
That same day, two men were walking to a village called Emmaus, talking about what had happened. Jesus came and walked with them, but they did not recognize him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19 “What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him;21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
Jesus asked what they were talking about. They told him about Jesus of Nazareth, how he was a prophet, and how the leaders had him killed. They hoped Jesus would save Israel, but now it was the third day and some women said Jesus was alive, but others did not see him.
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the Prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets,he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke itand began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
Luke 24: 13-35
Jesus said they were slow to believe what the Prophets said about the Messiah suffering and then coming to glory. He explained to them from the Scriptures how this was true.
When they reached Emmaus, Jesus acted like he was leaving, but they asked him to stay. At dinner, Jesus broke bread, and then they recognized him. Then he disappeared. They felt their hearts burning as he talked to them about Scripture.
They went back to Jerusalem and told the other disciples that Jesus was alive and had appeared to Simon Peter.
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish,43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.
While the disciples were talking, Jesus stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” They were scared, thinking he was a ghost. Jesus showed them his hands and feet and said, “Touch me; I am real. I have flesh and bones.” They were still amazed but believed. Jesus ate fish in front of them.
Jesus is Risen
44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you:Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.
Luke 24: 36-48
Jesus said everything written about him in Moses’ Law, the Prophets, and Psalms must happen. Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. He told them the Messiah would suffer, rise on the third day, and that people should repent for forgiveness of sins. This message would be shared with all nations, starting at Jerusalem. The disciples were witnesses to these things.
First Fruits Victory of Jesus
When Jesus rose from the dead on the First Fruits festival, he won over death. Both his enemies and followers thought this was impossible. His victory showed good winning over evil.
The Bible says when we become alive in Christ, death loses its power. Death’s power comes from sin, and sin comes from the law.
54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
1 Corinthians 15:54-56
First Fruits changed everything. Before, death had power over people, but now Jesus has power over death. By dying without sin, Jesus opened the way to defeat death. He said he would do this when he entered Jerusalem the week before.
Victory for you and me
But this was not just a victory for Jesus. It is also a victory for you and me, guaranteed by its timing with First Fruits. The Bible explains:
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Jesus’ victory is not just for him but for all of us. The Bible says Christ is the first to rise from the dead. Because death came through one man, Adam, resurrection comes through one man, Jesus. Everyone dies because of Adam, but through Christ, everyone can live again. First Christ rises, then those who belong to him will rise later. After that, God will give Jesus the kingdom and destroy all powers against him. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Jesus rose on First Fruits so we know he invites us to share in his new life. First Fruits was about new spring life with hope for a bigger harvest later. Jesus’ rising on First Fruits means that we who belong to him will also rise later.
Jesus is the new Adam. By beating death, he started a new age. As his children, we will also share in victory over death by rising like Jesus. Jesus rose first, like First Fruits, and we will rise later like the full harvest. He invites us to receive this new life so our resurrection can come.
Easter: Celebrating that Sunday’s resurrection
Today, we call Jesus’ resurrection Easter. Easter Sunday remembers the day Jesus rose. How people celebrate Easter is not as important as remembering Jesus’ resurrection as the true First Fruits and receiving its blessings.
We can see this in the timeline of the week:
Jesus rose from death on First Fruits – offering new life to us.
9 But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
Hebrews 2:9
The Bible says Jesus was made lower than angels for a short time, but now he has glory because he suffered death. He died for everyone. Good Friday is good because Jesus died for us.
resurrection of Jesus considered
Jesus showed he was alive many times after rising, recorded here. His first followers thought the resurrection was hard to believe.
…seemed to them like nonsense
Luke 24: 11
Jesus explained to them from Moses and the Prophets what was written about him.
27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
Luke 24:27
And again later:
44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
Luke 24:44
Because rising from the dead is so surprising, even Jesus’ disciples had to be shown the truth.
When people hear about Jesus rising, they may find it hard to believe too. How can we be sure Jesus really rose? How do we know God plans to give us eternal life?
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