By Karl D. Coke, PH.D.

The Apostle Paul wrote encouraging words to the believers in Corinth concerning their resurrection. He said in I Corinthians 15:20, "But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." In these encouraging words, Paul used the word firstfruits to describe the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus has been raised from the dead as a "firstfruit" of the great resurrection of all saints. Regarding this, Paul says, "So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body" (1 Corinthians 12:42-44). The resurrection of Jesus made Him the "firstfruits" of the believer’s soon coming resurrection.

THE CONCEPT OF FIRSTFRUITS

Where does this idea of "firstfruits" originate? "On the same general principle that the firstborn of man and beast belonged to the God of Israel and were to be devoted to Him, the first fruits, including the first grain to ripen each season, were to be brought as an offering to God. Every Israelite who possessed the means of agricultural productivity was under this obligation (Exodus 23:19; 34:26; Numbers 15:17-21; 18:12-13: Deuteronomy 26:1-11). A frequent synonym for bikkurim (from root work bekhor meaning firstborn) is reshit, ‘the first [fruits]’" Encyclopaedia Judaica, Volume 6, p. 1312.

"The first fruits were brought in a basket to the sanctuary and presented to the priest, who was to set the basked down before the altar. Then, the offerer recited the story of Jacob’s going to Egypt and the deliverance of his posterity from there. He then acknowledged the blessings with which God had visited him (Deuteronomy 26:2-11)" The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, p. 429. "After the time of Solomon the corruption of (Israel) let to neglect of these (offerings) as well as of other legal enactments, and their restoration was among the reforms brought about by Hezekiah (II Chronicles 31:5, 11). Nehemiah also, after the captivity, reorganized the offerings of first fruits of both kinds and appointed places to receive them (Nehemiah 10:35,37; 12:44). An offering of first fruits, brought to Elisha, was miraculously increased so as to feed one hundred persons (II Kings 4:42-44)" The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, p. 430.

It seems that the Feast of Firstfruits at the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, would be Sunday, Nissan the 16^th. In his book Day by Day in Jewish History, Abraham Bloch, on page 154 notes the following events on Nissan 16, "Birth of Levi; the supply of manna was exhausted six days after the Jews had crossed the Jordan into Palestine; and, the Omer was offered for the first time by Jews in Palestine." It is clear that the resurrected Jesus, as our "firstfruits" entered His Melchizdek priesthood, ended his earthly role as our bread, and, as the Omer "waved" in Israel, became the "firstfruits" for all believing Jews and Gentiles.

There are many uses in the Bible of the phrase "First Fruits." "For Paul, believing Jews were the first fruits of the Jewish people (Romans 11:16; cf Numbers 15:20f.). For James, Christians are the first fruits of God’s creatures (James 1:18), and in Revelation 14:4 those who follow the Lamb are first fruits to God. Christ is the first fruit of them that slept (1 Corinthians 15:20, 23); Epaenetus if the first fruit in Asia (Romans 16;5) and the household of Stephanas, the first fruit in Achaia (! Corinthians 16:15). The present possession of the Holy Spirit is the first fruit of the Spirit (Romans 8:23), an indication of that which is to come" The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol. 2, p. 541.

The third of seven Feasts of the LORD is called First Fruits (Hag Bikkorim or by a synonym, Hag Roshit). This third feast is the Sunday within the Feast of Unleavened Bread which is celebrated on Nissan 15 through Nissan 21. The Feast of First Fruits is designed to have the Jews acknowledge the fertility of the land given them by the LORD. All seven feasts are called the "Feasts of the LORD" and should not be called "Jewish Holidays." The reason this is important if found in Leviticus 23:2 where God told Moses, "Speak to the Israelites and say to them" ‘These are my appointed feasts, the appointed feasts of the LORD, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.’" The key word "appointed" is used twice in this verse. It is the Hebrew word "moedim" which is understood to mean "set times." The LORD’s Feasts are His "set times" and are not therefore to be confused with "holidays." God does His redemptive works on His "set times."

Christians have mistakenly come to call the Sunday, Feast of First Fruits (in the midst of the Feast of Unleavened Bread), "Easter." This may have resulted from a seemingly deliberate error in translating Acts 12:4 (in the King James Bible) where "Easter" is used instead of "Passover." The word Easter does not even appear in the Greek text of Acts 12:4. The actual word translated "Easter" is (pesach), which is a literal transliteration of the Hebrew word (pesach), which is Passover. The word Easter

Comes from the Babylonian pagan goddess of fertility, Ishtar. The problem with this is that Christians miss a very important teaching about Jesus Christ being the firstfruits. We should include with our celebration of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ the resurrection of the entire Church! If Jesus is the "first" fruits, then all believers are the remaining fruit to be resurrected. Paul said in I Corinthians 15:22-23, "For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him."

Why has the Church continued to name the Feast of Firstfruits "Easter?" A simple answer is that the Church has been anti-Semitic. But deeper thought must be given as to why the Church willingly calls Firstfruits "Easter." Is Satan involved? One must recognize that Ishtar is the goddess of love and fertility and "was worshiped widely throughout Babylonia and Assyria where temples were dedicated to her in the main cities and chapels in many towns. In addition, in Babylon alone, there were 180 wayside open-air shrines, for hymns and prayers to her as goddess of fertility were frequent. As ‘Lady of the lands’ she was revered throughout the ancient Near East though sometimes under other names. She was identified with Isis (Egypt)…Astarte (Greece) and Anat (Syria)" The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Volume 3, p.334.

Jeremiah wrote painful words to those who worshipped Ishtar in Jeremiah 7:16-19. He said for the LORD, "So do not pray for this people nor offer any plea or petition for them; do not plead with me, for I will not listen to you. Do you not see what they are doing in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead the dough and make cakes of bread for the Queen of Heaven [Ishtar] …[This sentence sounds like a Christian family preparing for an Easter egg ritual-author]."

SEVEN FEASTS AND THE MENORAH

Leviticus 23 lists the seven Feasts of the LORD. These seven feasts have been superimposed upon the Menorah for ease of memory. Also mentioned in Leviticus 23:3 is Shabbat, the most important Feast of the Lord. Notice Shabbat superimposed upon the base of the Menorah on the figure at right.

The Menorah is a great visual aid in learning the LORD’s Feasts. There are three branches on the left side, and they represent the three Spring Feasts – Passover, Unleavened Bread and First Fruits. The main candlestick in the center represents the Summer Feast of Pentecost. There are three branches on the right, and they represent the three Fall Feasts – Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles.

Jesus fulfilled the law according to Deuteronomy 16:16 requiring Him to be in Jerusalem three times each year. Also, Jesus completed His work for mankind on these "set times" of the LORD. He died, and was buried sinless and resurrected on Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Firstfruits respectively. He returned to Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost in the person of God’s Holy Spirit. He will return following the sounding of the trumpet (Matthew 24:3`). He will judge on the Day of Atonement (II Timothy 4:1), he will return to the Mount of Olives with all His holy ones to tabernacle with them (Zechariah 14:4-5).

It is important to note that the third feast, Feast of Firstfruits, is the Sunday inside the week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread. Depending upon which day Passover falls (always the 14^th day of Nissan [Abib] which is when the moon is full), the week called Feast of Unleavened Bread begins. If Passover falls on Tuesday, Unleavened Bread begins on Wednesday. In this case, one would wait four days for the Feast of First Fruits. If Passover falls on Friday, Unleavened Bread begins on Saturday and the very next day would be Sunday, Feast of Firstfruits. It can be said that the Feast of Firstfruits moves regarding Passover. "They pour out drink offerings to other gods to provoke me to anger. But am I the one they are provoking? Declares the LORD. Are they not rather harming themselves, to their own shame?" Who would want the followers of Jesus, the firstfruits from the dead, to "innocently" worship Ishtar in order for God not to listen to their prayers? Who would want the followers of Jesus to harm themselves to their own shame?

Jesus is the firstfruits of all those awaiting the resurrection. It is past time that Christians put aside their Germanic Ishtar egg mentality regarding the Sunday in the Feast of Unleavened Bread called the Feast of Firstfruits. It is now time for Christians to take back their rich heritage revealed in the third "set time" of the LORD. As we approach the immanent return to earth of the Lord Jesus, may we let go of the childish Easter egg hunt and begin to look for lost men and women in order to tell them about Jesus Christ, the firstfruits. Believers should be gathering souls to lay before the Lord rather than trying not to "ruin" their children’s ungodly fantasy of rabbits laying eggs.