This week we read about the festival of First Fruits in Deut. 26. What can you tell me about it? How is it connected to our faith?
The Feast of First fruits is a Biblical festival
It should be studied by all believers.
It points to a critical piece of G-d’s incredible plan of redemption.
During Yeshua’s last week on earth, just before Passover, He said: “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain” (John 12:24).
Yeshua was the “grain” that had to die to “produce much grain.” Those who believe in Him are the “much grain” that will all physically die, too, but one day be raised like Him to new life.
Paul declared in I Corinthians 15:20-23, “But now Yeshua is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man [Yeshua] also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Yeshua HaMashiach all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Yeshua the firstfruits, afterward those who are Yeshua’s at His coming.
Here Paul links the Feast of Firstfruits wave offering with Yeshua’s resurrection and recognizes there is an order to things: death comes before life.
1.Deut. 26:5-10 says, 5 “And you shall declare before the L-rd your G-d, ‘A wandering Aramean was my father. And he went down into Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous.6 And the Egyptians treated us harshly and humiliated us and laid on us hard labor. 7 Then we cried to the L-rd, the G-d of our fathers, and the L-rd heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. 8 And the L-rd brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders. And He has brought us to this place, and has given us this land, a land that flows with milk and honey. And now, behold, I have brought the first fruits of the land, which you, O L-rd have given me.”
Why was it important for each person to repeat this passage each year when they brought their offering?
This passage was to remind them of what G-d had done for them and how he continued to bless them.
Also at this time in history most pagan faiths saw time as a repeating cycle of nature. They saw this cycle as being controlled by different gods who had to be pacified by a series of sacrifices. These sacrifices would pacify their gods temporarily and would give them crops and children for that year. But the sacrifices had to continue since each year stood on its own.
Judaism introduced a whole new concept, a historical concept not previously seen before. G-d wanted the Israelites to remember their history was the key to the their present, to their purpose and happiness.
In scripture we read of a beginning in the first two chapters of Genesis where G-d created all from nothing by His word. After this the bible sets out the history of G-d’s people and the grafting in of non-Jews based on their faith in Messiah. The story ends with the last few chapters of Revelations that set out the new heaven and the new earth.
Based on this view, because of our faith in Messiah, we see a history that belongs to us all. In Deut. 32:7 we read, “Remember the days of old, consider the generations long past; Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders and they will explain to you.”
This means that this history is ours as well. It changes history to memories. For us it should show us that Yeshua did not just appear in a vacuum but He came as the one promised by the Father. We have become a part of this road of memories.
Our story began long before our birth. G-d had and still has a plan for each of us. It is a plan that was in His heart from the beginning. In our scripture today we see His hand in the life of these people from their beginning.
2. When you consider your own journey of faith, when did it begin? Were there lows and highs that stand out in your journey?
I would think most of us would say our journey began when we came to faith in Messiah. For me that would be when I was twelve years old. During the next sixty-nine years there were highs and lows in my spiritual walk. However, now at this time in my life when I think about the beginning of my spiritual journey, I realize my walk of faith began when Yeshua died on the cross in Jerusalem and was resurrected. That is when the Father ushered in a way for all of us to become one of His children.
So, here in our portion Moshe set out the blessings for the first fruits and went over the history of the Jewish people. Their story began when G-d called Avraham. It was important for them to remember. It was something to connect the people with their story as the Jewish people. Each of our stories actually began long ago in Jerusalem when our Messiah died and was resurrected. We became part of that story, that remembrance.
Many of us grew up basically studying the Messianic scriptures and looking at the Hebrew scriptures as no longer relevant to Christians. We all have a faith story that began when we came to faith. That step of faith grafted us into a rich history, into the remembrance of all those who have gone before us.
I pray we all can draw strength from the knowledge that we are part of a story that began with creation and will end in the new heaven and the new earth.
It is good to remember, to go back over what G-d has done in our lives.
3. Deut. 27:9, “Take heed and listen, O Israel; this day you have become the people of the L-rd your G-d.” The word listen is translated from the word shema. You all have heard this word many times. It can also be translated as hear. What is the difference in hearing and listening?
Deut 27:10 says, “You shall therefore obey the voice of the L-rd your G-d…” The word obey is not a correct translation In Hebrew the word is shema or listen/hear instead of obey. How do you think the translators made that leap to use the word obey instead of listen or hear.
Interesting that in Hebrew there is no word for obey. The word obedience in Hebrew is: shama (שָׁמַע). It means to hear, to listen, to give attention, to understand, to submit to.
We hear a lot in any one day but we listen only to those things, or people, whom we have an interest in what they are saying. So listening is a whole different thing than just hearing. Listening requires our attention, our concentration. Hearing is passive. Listening is active.
G-d created the world with words. He speaks to us today through His word. Often we hear Him but do we listen to what He is saying? The prophet Elijah was on the mountain after running from Jezebel. If you remember he was frightened and G-d showed him a powerful wind, then an earthquake, then a fire but G-d was in none of these. Rather G-d came to him in a still small voice. The prophet had to be listening.
We have to be listening, especially now. G-d is speaking through the events that swirl around us. We must not let the noise of the world drown out His voice to His people and to each of us. Listening opens us up to what the Father is saying. Take the time to listen. Our faith is that connection that allows us to hear plainly what He is saying to each of us, to hear the music beneath the noise of the world.
There is only one word in Hebrew for obedience, and it is this word – shama. So if we truly listen we will obey.
4. When you read the blessings and curses listed in this Torah portion do you think they paint a picture for us as believers of our relationship with G-d? If so, how?
Israel’s relationship with G-d affected all areas of their lives. Their destiny as a people depended on their faithfulness or lack of it to the covenant they made in the Sinai with G-d. Their history is an example to us as believers of what our relationship with G-d can be.
Israel was placed in a strategic location in the middle east. We too have been placed by G-d in an unredeemed world. Israel had to depend on G-d for everything. Many times in history Israel found itself in exile because of their sin. What happened to Israel while in exile was not the work of G-d but of human beings. Exile is precisely the loss of the protection of G-d. When we choose to live in sin we too find ourselves in spiritual exile and out from under the covering of G-d.
When Israel was walking in obedience to their covenant with G-d they experienced miracles, protection and peace. It is the same with us.
5.The Covenant G-d made with the children of Israel is like a marriage covenant. This covenant between the people of Israel and their G-d is found in two verses in this Torah portion. Can you find those verses.?
The Torah is the written record of the covenant between G-d and His chosen people. It is laid out in Deut. 26:17-18. “You have declared the L-rd this day to be your G-d, and to walk in His ways, and to keep His statues, and His commandments and His judgments, and to listen to His voice. And the L-rd has declared you this day to be His special people, as He has promised you, and that you should keep all his commandments;”
This is Israel’s marriage-contract as God’s bride. Conversation – speaking and listening – is what makes covenant possible. This relationship is one that does not depend on power, superior force, or dominant-submissive hierarchy. In a covenantal relationship both parties freely give consent to form the relationship.