Wave Sheaf Offering April 21, 2014 Last Day of Unleavened Bread
As we look back at the special
Sabbath, the weekly Sabbath that is in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, there was
a special ceremony happening and I would like for us to look at it.
To me, this ceremony has very
little interest in the past, it is very hard to understand in some ways because
we very seldom even look at it or even talk about it, and is largely ignored by
Christians today, but it is very encouraging to each of us when we understand
it.
This ceremony is called, the Wave
Sheaf Offering. It must be important;
otherwise, why would God put it in with all the Feasts of the Lord in the book
of Leviticus.
This day is called, the
beginning of the harvest, sometimes confusingly called Feast of Firstfruits.
Let’s turn to the book of
Leviticus.
(Lev 23:9 NIV) The LORD said to Moses,
(Lev 23:10 NIV) "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 (firstfruits ) you harvest.
This
did not start until they enter and settle in the land
(Lev 23:11 NIV) 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.
(Lev 23:12 NIV) On the day you wave the sheaf, you must
sacrifice as a burnt offering to the
LORD a lamb a year old without defect,
(Lev 23:13-15 NIV) together with its grain offering of
two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil--an offering made to the
LORD by fire, a pleasing aroma--and its drink offering of a quarter of a hin (liquid
measure) of wine. {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. {15} "'From the day after the Sabbath, the day you
brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks.
The Apostle Paul wrote this
letter around 60 AD, around 25 to 30 years after the resurrection of Jesus to a
Gentile congregation that we learn was observing the Feast of Unleavened Bread
and Paul alerts us to the fact that the Holydays contain a prophetic component:
a ‘shadow of things to come’. With this parallel in mind, we can
better discern the purpose of the Wave Sheaf Offering.
(Col
2:16-17 NIV) Therefore do not let anyone
judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a
New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. {17} These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality,
however, is found in Christ. Now, let’s
look at this.
The agricultural cycle of ancient Israel revolved around three seasons of harvest each year, some say two. The spring harvest began in the first month with the offering of the wave sheaf during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This first harvest consisted of barley and lasted for forty-nine days--exactly seven weeks, until Pentecost. The barley harvest was followed by a summer harvest of wheat and a fall harvest of grapes. The end of each year's harvesting was celebrated by observing the Feast of Tabernacles. Before any grain could be harvested in the spring, this unusual ceremony took place to start the spring harvest season.
Notice, No one was to eat any
of the grain of the harvest until the first sheaf of the harvest was brought to
the priest, who in turn waved it before God.
This
ceremony was done each year by the Priests until the destruction of the Temple.
Why is this ceremony important
to us today.
What are “firstfruits?” The
firstfruits are the best of the first produce of a harvest to mature and ripen.
The wave-sheaf offering is the very first
of the firstfruits.
How and what did the
Priests do for this ceremony.
The sheaf offering was strictly arranged by the priesthood, and
performed by the priest in the Temple; The sheaf offering was offered only, once a year;
offered in the springtime, during the Days of Unleavened Bread.
We
have to remember, the spring harvest
season could not begin until the wave-sheaf offering was made to and accepted
by God
Typically,
the priests from the Temple, in preparation of the sheaf offering for all the people would perform the
following.
They
would initially select and cut a bundle of barley from the field, as a type of firstfruits
selection.
From
this selected and tied barley bundle; on
the evening of the Sabbath (as
the Sabbath was coming to an end, which is the weekly Sabbath during the Days
of Unleavened Bread),
"When
the time for the cutting the sheaf had arrived, .... just as the sun went down,
three Priests each with a sickle and basket formally set to work.
The
Priests made sure that this ceremony stood out,
they
first asked the bystanders three times, each of these questions: `
· Has the sun
gone down?’
· `With this
sickle?' `
· Into this
basket?' '
· On this
Sabbath?’ –
· and lastly,
`Shall I reap?’
Having
each time been answered in the affirmative, they cut down barley to the amount
of ten omers. Though ten omers, of
barley, was cut down, only one omer of flour, .... was offered in the
Temple."
They
would take this bundle and cut out
or select out about
three pints worth and bring it into the Temple.
This
cut out or selected out portion was called
the sheaf.
The
priests did not wave a sheaf. The word "sheaf' is translated from the
Hebrew word "omer", which means a measurement of about two quarts or
two liters.
There
in the Temple the sheaf was prepared, ground into barley flour.
This
preparing was performed throughout the night.
The
fine barley flour was then presented to the Eternal at the Wave Sheaf offering ceremony early
in the day.
The
sheaf was not burned on the alter, but only presented symbolically before God.
They
would through a handful on the altar, then they would leave the rest for the
use of the priests. Thereafter, all are
pemitted, publicly or individually, to begin harvest.
The
preparing of the Sheaf took place during the night of the first day of the
week, on the morrow after the Sabbath,
and during the day it was waved before the Eternal.
The timing of this sacrifice was at 9 a.m.—the third hour of the day.
We
have to remember, is the fact that the sheaf was part of the firstfruits;
the sheaf was taken from among a portion of the firstfruits. The firstfruits is
considered dedicated and holy unto God. The sheaf is therefore, the first of the firstfruits;
This
feast is mark the start of the counting of the omer, thereby initiating the
forthy nice day countdown to the harvest festival of Shavuot or Pentecost.
Now, why
should this affect us today.
We find this same term used in the Bible-describing, our Lord and Creator, Jesus Christ.
The very day of the wave-sheaf ceremony pointed forward to Christ. History records that the sheaf was harvested on Saturday night, which began the first day of the week.
It was around this time that Jesus was resurrected back to life. It was then waved before and accepted by God on the first day of the week (Sunday) during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Three days and three nights later—near sundown on the afternoon of the weekly Sabbath (Saturday)—Jesus was resurrected. The next day—early in the morning on the first day of the week (Sunday)—He ascended to the throne of the Father in heaven
Jesus had ascended to His Father. After Jesus ascension, He could be touched but before He could not be touched. Jesus was the very first to be raised from the dead in God's spiritual harvest of mankind. Jesus opened the way for all men to have the opportunity for eternal life.
(1
Cor 15:20-23 NIV) 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 his
own turn: Christ, the firstfruits;
then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
(Col
1:15 NIV) He is the image of the
invisible God, the firstborn over all
creation.
(Acts
26:23 NIV) that the Christ would suffer
and, as the first to rise from the dead,
would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles."
As the wave-sheaf offering represented Jesus Christ Sacrifice as First of the fristfruits, then later, those of us who are called and faithfully obey God in this life, are God's firstfruits.
In the book of
Romans, Paul writes to Christians, saying
(Rom
8:23 NIV) Not only so, but we ourselves,
who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,
groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of
our bodies.
(James
1:18 NIV) He chose to give us birth
through the word of truth, that we might
be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
Jesus Christ, the first of the firstfruits and firstborn from the dead.
As the wave-sheaf offering was the necessary forerunner of the Firstfruits offering, so was Jesus Christ the necessary forerunner of God's people, we are His spiritual firstfruits, Jesus is the First of the Firstfruits.
We
who are followers of our Lord Jesus cannot have everlasting life without
Christ’s sacrifice and dying for our sins and His resurrection as the First of
the Firstfruits so we can be the Firstfruits into God’s Kingdom.
Jesus Christ Himself had told
His followers that He had to leave before the Holy Spirit could come to them
(John
16:7 NIV) But I tell you the truth: It
is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not
come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
(John
16:13 NIV) But when he, the Spirit of
truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own;
he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
The Holy Spirit was not poured out on individuals until after Jesus returned to the Father.
(Acts
1:1-9 NIV) In my former book,
Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach {2} until the day he was taken up to heaven,
after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had
chosen. {3} After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many
convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty
days and spoke about the kingdom of God. {4} On one occasion, while he was
eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but
wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. {5}
For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the
Holy Spirit." {6} So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord,
are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" {7} He said
to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set
by his own authority. {8} But you will
receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my
witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth." {9} After he said this, he
was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
Jesus accented to the Father
The wave-sheaf offering ceremony foretold the precise day of the week Christ would return to the Father and be accepted by the Father more than 1,400 years before this day actually occurred.
After Jesus resurrection back to life, Jesus would not let His followers touch Him until after He had accented or returned to His Father.
(John
20:17 NIV) Jesus said, "Do not hold
on to me, for I have not yet returned (ascended) to the Father. Go instead to
my brothers and tell them, 'I am
returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"
Only after Jesus had risen to the Father and returned to them again were they allowed to touch Him.
(Mat
28:7-10 NIV) Then go quickly and tell
his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into
Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." {8} So the women hurried
away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
{9} Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.
{10} Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers
to go to Galilee; there they will see me."
The apostle John, referring
to us as firstfruits.
(Rev
14:4 NIV) These are those who did not
defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the
Lamb wherever he goes. They were
purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb.
When properly appreciated,
the wave-sheaf offering brings a great message of hope and salvation to God’s
people. The wave-sheaf of grain is called the "firstfruits."
The wave-sheaf offering was
offered to God by Israel's high priest on behalf of the people. The phrase,
“accepted for you,” is most revealing. The wave-sheaf pictures Jesus Christ
being offered to God the Father and accepted on our behalf.
When God the Father formally accepted Jesus Christ, it
became possible for us to become future sons and daughters of God – Children of
God.
The wave-sheaf ceremony shows us the completion of the perfect plan of God and our salvation in it. We can now have hope and expectation that God the Father will accept us to glory, just as Jesus Christ was glorified during the Days of Unleavened Bread so many years ago.
The meaning
of this ceremony is important, even though it is no longer performed, since the
Old Testament priesthood is no longer needed during this age.
The Wave Sheaf Ceremony marked the official beginning
of the physical ‘early’ harvest season, while Pentecost celebrates its
completion.
The Wave Sheaf Offering, which is composed of MANY individual grains, (or
individuals) offered together, made possible by the sacrifice of Christ,
represents those called of God during this age, as His "FIRSTFRUITS"!
It was offered to
the Father AFTER the sacrifice of Jesus, because there is NO WAY the Father
could accept us BEFORE our sins were pardoned, and atoned for, and wiped away
and washed away by the blood of Jesus!
But since Jesus became our Savior, and qualified by living a perfect
life, and DIED for us on the stake and was resurrected, setting at the right of
the Father and as our High Priest and King, this made possible OUR acceptance
before the throne of God in Heaven!
John wrote:
(Rev 19:5-8 NIV) Then a voice came from the throne, saying:
"Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and
great!" {6} Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar
of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns. {7} Let us rejoice and be glad and give him
glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself
ready. {8} Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine
linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) That is you and me as we are the firstfruits.
The Father accepting Jesus
as the First of the Firstfruits. That is
what this celebration really means.
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