In the Old Testament, we see examples of the severity of sin. In that, there were physical examples that could be observed. If you had a clean sacrifice, nothing unclean was to touch it. If that happened, the sacrifice was no longer acceptable because it was made unclean. If there were a crossing of paths between the clean and the unclean, the unclean always won.
Don't mix seed. Don't mix crops. Don't mix marriage between cultures. Don't mix customs.
It's a perfect example of living in sin without a savior. The unclean in you will win.
But after Jesus came and died, we discover reverse contamination. The unclean never wins over the clean. Sin is overcome. God sees the blood of Perfection.
Rom 11:16 MKJV
(16) For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, also the branches.
This was a concept of the Law... but it could never be personified or fulfilled until Jesus made it so! I have a Holy Firstfruit which makes the whole of whatever else I have HOLY as well, even if whatever else I have seems imperfect or insufficient. Firstfruits wins! Jesus wins!
Rom 8:28 MKJV
(28) And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
Showing posts with label Firstfruits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Firstfruits. Show all posts
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Thursday, April 01, 2010
An Unusual Disappearance
Mat 27:51-53 And, behold! The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And the earth quaked, and the rocks were sheared, (52) and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep arose, (53) and coming out of the tomb after His resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
This was quite an event that must have caused a huge stir in Jerusalem! Can you imagine? The earthquake cracked open all the tombs and all these dead people start walking out of them! After Jesus is resurrected, all these previously dead folks start walking through the city.
How is it that only one apostle wrote of this event? Only Matthew! Were the others so aghast?
Remember, Jesus was our First Fruits, and upon His appearing to Mary, He instructed her not to touch Him. But just a short few days later, He told Thomas to come forward and feel His hands. What changed?
He ascended - secretly - to heaven and presented Himself in the Temple of God as First Fruits, as all priests do on that day. But a First Fruits presentation is a 'bundle'. He took those who had resurrected with Him.
Funny, though, that there is no mention of them rising with Him. In fact, there is no mention of them again. Why? Because it's also a picture of another event that will happen secretly - the rapture of the church. The First Fruits is one thing - a guarantee that there will be more harvest coming.
After the rapture, the powers that be will do their very best to not mention the event if they can help it. After all, an informed public is very difficult to control.
This was quite an event that must have caused a huge stir in Jerusalem! Can you imagine? The earthquake cracked open all the tombs and all these dead people start walking out of them! After Jesus is resurrected, all these previously dead folks start walking through the city.
How is it that only one apostle wrote of this event? Only Matthew! Were the others so aghast?
Remember, Jesus was our First Fruits, and upon His appearing to Mary, He instructed her not to touch Him. But just a short few days later, He told Thomas to come forward and feel His hands. What changed?
He ascended - secretly - to heaven and presented Himself in the Temple of God as First Fruits, as all priests do on that day. But a First Fruits presentation is a 'bundle'. He took those who had resurrected with Him.
Funny, though, that there is no mention of them rising with Him. In fact, there is no mention of them again. Why? Because it's also a picture of another event that will happen secretly - the rapture of the church. The First Fruits is one thing - a guarantee that there will be more harvest coming.
After the rapture, the powers that be will do their very best to not mention the event if they can help it. After all, an informed public is very difficult to control.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Devouring the Holy
These are perilous times. Most nations are not doing well - few are thriving, if any. We have seen prosperous times in the last couple of decades, but those seem very distant. What gives?
There is a precept in scripture that basically says that how well you deal with Israel determines how well you live, thrive, and prosper. Most of us are familiar with the passage in Genesis 12:3 which says God will bless those who bless Israel, and curse those who curse Israel. Jeremiah gives us another reason blessings and curses fall:
Jer 2:3 HNV
(3) Yisra'el [was] holiness to the LORD, the first fruits of his increase: all who devour him shall be held guilty; evil shall come on them, says the LORD.
Israel was God's First Fruits! All First Fruits given to God are Holy, and if you devour that which is Holy, you had better be a priest - also Holy. If not, then evil comes, according to the word of God.
David stumbled into the tabernacle - starving - and ate the shew bread that was reserved for the priests. It was holy to God - set apart. But David's life was spared because He, too, had set himself apart for God. He danced into Jerusalem wearing a linen ephod (priestly garment), an early picture of Jesus - both king and priest. We were also made kings and priests by God, a HOLY nation. We must bless Israel, God's First Fruits, because we are growing upon them. They are the stump which sprouted that we were grafted into.
The nations act in ignorance. They are like children in a lion's den - captivated by something deadly. We, as Christians, are to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the salvation of Israel. Lets be diligent in doing that! Be blessed!
There is a precept in scripture that basically says that how well you deal with Israel determines how well you live, thrive, and prosper. Most of us are familiar with the passage in Genesis 12:3 which says God will bless those who bless Israel, and curse those who curse Israel. Jeremiah gives us another reason blessings and curses fall:
Jer 2:3 HNV
(3) Yisra'el [was] holiness to the LORD, the first fruits of his increase: all who devour him shall be held guilty; evil shall come on them, says the LORD.
Israel was God's First Fruits! All First Fruits given to God are Holy, and if you devour that which is Holy, you had better be a priest - also Holy. If not, then evil comes, according to the word of God.
David stumbled into the tabernacle - starving - and ate the shew bread that was reserved for the priests. It was holy to God - set apart. But David's life was spared because He, too, had set himself apart for God. He danced into Jerusalem wearing a linen ephod (priestly garment), an early picture of Jesus - both king and priest. We were also made kings and priests by God, a HOLY nation. We must bless Israel, God's First Fruits, because we are growing upon them. They are the stump which sprouted that we were grafted into.
The nations act in ignorance. They are like children in a lion's den - captivated by something deadly. We, as Christians, are to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the salvation of Israel. Lets be diligent in doing that! Be blessed!
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
The Promise of Firstfruits
Lev 23:10-12 Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, When you have come into the land which I give to you, and shall reap the harvest of it, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. (11) And he shall wave the sheaf before Jehovah to be received for you. On the next day after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. (12) And you shall offer that day when you wave the sheaf, a male lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering to Jehovah.
Firstfruits is the third high holy day prescribed by God for the Jews to observe; the first two are Passover and Unleavened Bread (a week long celebration). Firstfruits is interesting because it is initiated by the high priest and presented before God. Notice what the priest presents: a sheaf of grain and a male lamb without blemish.
We already know that Jesus was our Passover lamb, without spot or blemish. We also know He was the bread came down from heaven (John 6:33). But what about Firstfruits and what are the implications?
1Co 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ the first-fruit, and afterward they who are Christ's at His coming;
Jesus was also our Firstfruits offering. He offered Himself to the Lord. When would He have done this? Immediately after His resurrection.
John 20:17 Jesus said to her, Do not touch Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father. But go to My brothers and say to them, I ascend to My Father and Your Father, and to My God and your God.
Later on, you will recall, He tells Thomas to come feel the nail prints in His hand. Why was it okay to touch Him then? Because He had already ascended and accomplished what the priest had to do on Firstfruits!
Now to the implications. The sheaves that were waved before the Lord by the High Priest were considered holy - but because they were waved they also made the rest of the field holy!
Jesus was the Lamb without blemish that had to be presented on First Fruits, but where were His sheaves?
After Jesus died, the earth shook and a strange thing happened:
Mat 27:51-53 And, behold! The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And the earth quaked, and the rocks were sheared, (52) and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep arose, (53) and coming out of the tomb after His resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
Men rose from the dead! What happened to these? Did they die again? No! These were the sheaves! The would have been taken up with Jesus and presented to the Father. Why? As a down-payment that the rest of the field would soon follow. If that seems like a stretch, read this passage in Ephesians:
Eph 4:8-10 Therefore He says, "When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts to men." (9) (Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? (10) He who descended is the same also as He who ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.)
The promise of Firstfruits is that we will soon follow because we were made holy by Him who was able.
Rom 11:15-16 For if their casting away is the reconciling of the world, what is the reception except life from the dead? (16) For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, also the branches.
Firstfruits is the third high holy day prescribed by God for the Jews to observe; the first two are Passover and Unleavened Bread (a week long celebration). Firstfruits is interesting because it is initiated by the high priest and presented before God. Notice what the priest presents: a sheaf of grain and a male lamb without blemish.
We already know that Jesus was our Passover lamb, without spot or blemish. We also know He was the bread came down from heaven (John 6:33). But what about Firstfruits and what are the implications?
1Co 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ the first-fruit, and afterward they who are Christ's at His coming;
Jesus was also our Firstfruits offering. He offered Himself to the Lord. When would He have done this? Immediately after His resurrection.
John 20:17 Jesus said to her, Do not touch Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father. But go to My brothers and say to them, I ascend to My Father and Your Father, and to My God and your God.
Later on, you will recall, He tells Thomas to come feel the nail prints in His hand. Why was it okay to touch Him then? Because He had already ascended and accomplished what the priest had to do on Firstfruits!
Now to the implications. The sheaves that were waved before the Lord by the High Priest were considered holy - but because they were waved they also made the rest of the field holy!
Jesus was the Lamb without blemish that had to be presented on First Fruits, but where were His sheaves?
After Jesus died, the earth shook and a strange thing happened:
Mat 27:51-53 And, behold! The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And the earth quaked, and the rocks were sheared, (52) and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep arose, (53) and coming out of the tomb after His resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
Men rose from the dead! What happened to these? Did they die again? No! These were the sheaves! The would have been taken up with Jesus and presented to the Father. Why? As a down-payment that the rest of the field would soon follow. If that seems like a stretch, read this passage in Ephesians:
Eph 4:8-10 Therefore He says, "When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts to men." (9) (Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? (10) He who descended is the same also as He who ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.)
The promise of Firstfruits is that we will soon follow because we were made holy by Him who was able.
Rom 11:15-16 For if their casting away is the reconciling of the world, what is the reception except life from the dead? (16) For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, also the branches.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)