The Feasts of Jehovah 04 Firstfruits — John W. Bramhall

Beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. What a joy to approach the word of God this morning, and look for the glory of that blessed person who loved us and gave himself for us, and whom we say of him now we say whom having not seen we love.

The Seven Feasts of Jehovah and the Feast of Firstfruits

Shall we turn in our bible to the Levitical chapter before us, the chapter 23 of the book of Leviticus, and continue our study in relation to the chart before us on the seven feasts of Jehovah. We would like to read in chapter 23 beginning beginning at verse 9 and reading through verse 14.

Verse 9 of Leviticus chapter 23. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them when ye become into the land which I give unto you and shall reap the harvest thereof.

Then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest and he shall wave the sheet before the Lord to be accepted for you on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it and ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheet and he land without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the Lord.

And the meal offering thereof shall be two tenths deals of fine flour mingled with oil an offering made by fire unto the Lord for a sweet flavor. And the drink offering thereof shall be of wine the fourth part of an hen and ye shall eat neither bread nor parched corn nor green ears until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God.

It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings may God bless the reading and the hearing of his word. And as we continue on the chart may I briefly suggest for the blessing of those and the help of those with us who may not have been gathered on the previous meeting we are looking at this chart and from the scriptures studying the seven feasts of jehovah we have three applications that we particularly desire to be blessed by as we see them in the word of God.

There is first of all the primary application these seven feasts beginning with the feast of Passover and going on through each year terminating with the feast of tabernacles were seven annual feasts when God gathered his people together in holy convocation to himself to enjoy his presence and he to enjoy them.

These were seven annual occasions in which the nation of Israel was privileged to gather together around jehovah. They were called rightly in the word of God. They were called rightly to be holy convocations one can recognize there were to be gatherings in which the enjoyment of God's presence and God's enjoyment of his people should be mutually enjoyed together.

One of the saddest commentary regarding those feasts is to realize their deterioration in character. As you read on in the history of Israel particularly you will find the new testament stating in John's gospel particularly that they became not the feasts of jehovah but they came to be called by God and the spirit of God in the word the feasts of the jews now beloved.

Look when you and I belong to the Lord what we are and what we have is all his and he is the center as well as the circumference of all our blessings that God helps us not to permit the privileges that belong to us even in this christian age to deteriorate that our gatherings are just only for ourselves.

The feast of the jews implies the Lord did not have his place of honor and centrality in the midst of his beloved people as he should. May you and I give in that place constantly and faithfully. A second application that we are seeing and shall see particularly toward the end of the chart is the dispensational application in relation to Israel.

The Feasts as an Outline of Israel’s Prophetic Future

These seven feasts beginning with the Passover feast and continuing until we reach the feast of tabernacle present also an outline of God's redemptive purposes for the nation of Israel. Now may I repeat that with emphasis I do it for a specific reason.

There are some even amongst our good christian companions and friends who would relegate no place in the future to the nation of Israel. There are those who have laid aside any application of God's promises and unconditional promises that he made to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob and to his people and particularly the Davidic covenant that is the covenant he made with David that he would have seated upon his throne a king who would reign in righteousness.

And they do away entirely with what we believe the feast of tabernacles dispensationally represent. And that is there will come a day when Israel shall be in their land in that millennial age under the reign of their glorious messiah.

Now let me repeat that second application I want you to remember it. These seven feasts in their typology also cover the history of God's earthly people to warm that glory of the millennial reign and from beginning to the end in the feast God's redemptive purposes can be seen in relation to his earthly people.

The New Testament Meaning of the Feasts

Now as we mentioned the third application let me point out God's redemptive purposes with his people always begin with redemption by blood. Now the third application we are seeing is in the upper part of the chart the new testament teaching concerning that which we find revealed in these seven feasts of Jehovah.

Now it's not at all wrong to apply the old testament to new testament principle and teaching for the apostle wrote in Romans chapter 15 and verse 4 that these things were written a four times for our learning.

And he wrote to the Corinthians that these things were written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the ages have come. It is absolutely not wrong to look in the old testament and find some of the most precious types of new testament truth.

And these seven feasts illustrate what the upper chart upper part of the chart represents the redemptive purposes of God from the beginning of his purposes in relation to the human race and to the end of those purposes which will be an eternity of glory.

One rightly stated that the bible is the redemption of the human race and redemption is the theme of the bible from the beginning to the end without question of doubt. Now that redemption whether for Israel whether for Gentiles that redemption is based upon precious blood.

For the Passover feast and the Passover lamb represented to us the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. We also went on to see that the feast of unleavened bread whether that feast no leaven was to be found in the houses of the Israelites and they were to partake of the roast lamb with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs reminding us that as they communed upon that roast lamb and fed upon it we today as his saints have a fellowship and a communion not only with God but with one another.

And we feed upon Christ as they said in those days of old upon the roast lamb within their homes sheltered by the precious blood. So God dear people today under the shelter of the blood of Christ we have not only safety by his blood but thank God we have the joy of partaking of that one who suffered for us and he is the food for his people.

One well wrote these lovely words. Nothing but Christ is on rethread the gift on Christ God's living bread with staff in hand and feet. Well shod nothing but Christ the Christ of God. We come to the feast that is called the third feast the feast of first fruits.

And we look at it in Leviticus chapter 23 as God ordained it to be kept. Now I would like you to know first of all the primary meaning of these feasts and the purpose of these feasts in Israel. I'm going to ask if you will turn with me to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 26.

The book of Deuteronomy chapter 26. I would like to read a few verses beginning at verse 1 through verse 4 and then reading verse 10 for brevity's sake. For here we have the same principle in relation to the children of Israel and their Jehovah.

When in the land may I read verse 1 of chapter 26 in the book of Deuteronomy. And it shall be when thou art come in unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance and possesses it and dwelleth therein that thou shalt take of the first of all the fruits of the earth which thou shalt bring of thy land that the Lord thy God giveth thee and shalt put it in a basket and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name there.

And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days and say unto him I profess this day unto the Lord thy God that I am come unto the country which the Lord swear unto our fathers for to give us.

And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand and set it down before the altar of the Lord thy God. Verse 10. And now behold here is the language of the one who brings his offering. Now behold I have brought the firstfruits of the land which thou O Lord has given me and thou shalt set it before the Lord thy God and worship before the Lord thy God.

May I read this last verse again and the last phrase of it. And thou shalt set it before the Lord thy God and worship before the Lord thy God. May I remind you from this scripture that one of the greatest privileges and holy privileges given to the Israelites of old and likewise given to the saints of God in this age is the privilege of our worshiping that blessed one who redeemed us.

The worship of Jehovah was the indication of bringing the first fruit and giving to him that first fruit of their harvest before the harvest was gathered in and to set it before the Lord his God in adoration in appreciation and worship before him who has thus redeemed them.

Redemption Brings the Believer to God

Can I quote the words of Jehovah as you find them in chapter 19. I believe of the book of Exodus when God said to his people through Moses in chapter 19 of Exodus in verse 4. I bear you on eagle's wings and I brought you to myself.

I bear you on eagle's wings and I brought you unto myself when God redeemed them out of the land of Egypt from the tyranny of Pharaoh from the bondage of the Egyptian. And he bore them through that wilderness pathway.

And he bore them as it were on eagle's wings wings of eternal strength. But he says I brought you to myself my beloved believer. Let you and I recognize when God redeemed you and me he brought us to himself.

And the very fact that he brought us to himself should find a responsive chord of appreciation and of adoration and worship in the hearts of those whom he has redeemed. May I quote the words of the Lord Jesus when to the woman of Samaria a trike as well the Lord Jesus as she brought up the subject of worship.

The Lord told her as she said we worship in this mountain. You Jews tell us that Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. And she pointed to the temple of Mount Gerizim that was standing there possibly built 400 years before.

And then the Lord Jesus said ye know not what she worships. We know what we worship as salvation is of the Jews. But he added the hour cometh. And now we and now is when they that worship the father must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Oh beloved. May I suggest the great privilege when one has been redeemed. And when the believer realizes as we saw in the message of unleavened bread that sin the leaven of Herod the leaven of the Sadducees the leaven of the Pharisees the leaven of worldliness the leaven of doctrinal evil the leaven of moral evil should be put out of our life.

What. For for the enjoyment of communion with God and the fellowship that we can have with him and with one another to bring the first fruit of that which he has wrought within us to himself in adoration and worship.

The Firstfruits as Christ Reproduced in the Believer

Now look with me in Leviticus chapter 23. Let's follow in detail what God writes to us through Moses in this chapter as we commence in verse 9 and read on reading verse 9 and 10 the Lord spake unto Moses saying speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them when ye be come into the land which I shall give unto you and shall reap the harvest thereof.

Then ye shall bring a sheet of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest. Now let us see how this piece was carried out before the harvest could ever be gleaned the very first fruits of the harvest.

And usually I believe from what commentators would declare Jewish commentators the first grain that was ripe the first harvest that could be brought was the harvest of barley. And as you note illustrated on the chart in the picture you have the illustration of the priest bringing the first wave sheaf of the barley harvest and presenting it in the presence of the Lord as being the first fruits of the land which he had given to his people.

But the first fruits belong to him and were given to him and they bring what God had given them. And the first fruits were to be given in worship to him. Now beloved what could be the first fruit that we can bring to God.

Will you keep your place and turn with me to exodus chapter 12 where we were last night. And I would like to note something particularly in verse 8 when we touched upon the feast of unleavened bread that was so vitally connected with the Passover feast of that time long ago.

Now I want you to know what we have in verse 8. They shall eat the flesh in that night that is the flesh of the roasted lamb. They shall eat the flesh in that night roast with fire and unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it beloved.

Typically we feed not upon a literal roasted lamb but knowing the typology of this lesson that it represents the person and the blessed sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ we today feed upon the person of Christ.

Christ is the food for his people. The one who suffered the judgments of fire the judgments of holy God the judgments and penalty for sin in his own body upon the tree we feed upon Christ. And as you and I feed upon Christ through the pages of his word as in the ministry of that word as in the fellowship with him in prayer we feed upon him.

May I suggest to you what we feed upon is produced in our lives and the production of our testimony hinges upon what we feed on. Now if we feed upon the world then we'll produce the characteristics of the world.

If we feed upon the things that satisfy the flesh then we have nothing to but to produce the things that are of the flesh beloved. May I please bring it to a point that you and I as his people we feed upon Christ.

And as we feed upon Christ assimilating to the soul and in the heart and in the life the glories and the excellencies of our blessed Lord Christ is reproduced in us. And when we come into the presence of God what do we bring beloved.

We can only bring to the father the glories and the excellencies of his son. And when you and I gather to worship in the beauty of God's presence may God grant that out of the fruit of a life that feeding upon Christ glorifying Christ we may thus bring into the presence of God the first fruit the wave sheaf.

Thus before him to acknowledge Christ has been reproduced in us and is being reproduced what we gather each day. What we gather in walking in fellowship with God and with Christ will give us what we bring in worship.

Now you notice in chapter 26 of Deuteronomy the Israelite was to bring his basket and in that basket was to be the fruit of the land. Now it's not a literal land that we walk in. We do not gather the grain of corn the grain of wheat the grain of parley or literally the fruits that grow around.

But you and I know that the fruit for the believer to produce is Christ in his life and in her life. And beloved. Listen when you and I gather to worship God grant that the baskets will be filled. May I point out something very precious.

The Priesthood, the Offerings, and Worship with Filled Hands

I commend it to you. If you read the eighth chapter of Leviticus sometimes you have the institution of the priesthood in Leviticus 8 and you have Aaron and his sons being brought into the priestly office.

And you find that Moses does something as they are thus consecrated they are anointed with oil they are marked with blood. And then Moses takes the burnt offering and he puts it the shoulder of it the heave shoulder on the hands of Aaron and of his sons.

He fills the hands of Aaron with the offering. And he takes away from the basket of unleavened bread and an oil cake and he places it all in the hands of Aaron. And when you know Aaron and his sons wave those offerings in the presence of the Lord.

Now there were two things that happened when the priest went into the sanctuary with his offering. He either waved it in the presence of the Lord. When he waved it he waved it from side to side waved it in the presence of the Lord.

And when he waved it on that occasion God saw what was in his hands spoke to God's heart of Christ. The lamb of sacrifice the one who indeed was the oil bread by the Spirit of God having lived here upon the earth of the glory of God and the fragrance of it reached the heart of God.

But the priest could never come into God's presence with empty hands. Beloved Christian you and I must bring into the presence of God hands that are filled. Then sometimes there was what was called the heave offering.

And the heave offering was lifted up and down in the presence of God. The wave offering from side to side. And oh beloved we do not have the outward tabernacle such as long ago. But do we not enter into a more glorious tabernacle when we worship.

We enter into heaven itself by faith. And what do we bring in the presence of God. The first fruits. And the first fruit can only be Christ. Now will you read down the chapter with me. Please. I want you to notice at the end of verse 10 what the what the writer declares by the Spirit.

Then ye shall bring a sheep of the first fruits of your harvest onto the priest. And then note the next word. And he shall wave the sheep before the Lord. And now it was the responsibility of the Israelite to bring this wave offering to the priest.

The Israelite could not wave it in the presence of the Lord himself. You did know your scriptures well remember as you find in the old as well as you find in the book of Hebrews that no Israelite could enter the presence of God but the priest.

And it was the priest who only could wave on the behalf of God's earthly people. The wave sheep in the presence of God in the sanctuary there now beloved that gives us a suggestion. We do know thank God that even we as priests can enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus by that new and living way which he had consecrated for us through the veil that is the Savior's flesh.

But let me quote the next verse that follows in Hebrews 10. And having a high priest over the house of God let us draw near with a true heart. And so on beloved we do have a priest. We have one who in God's presence represents us and who in perfect representation in his presence takes what we bring and he offers it through his own blessed sacrificial value and the value of his person he presents it in acceptance before the father above.

Have you never noticed in revelation chapter 8 you have an occasion where John in that great vision of the apocalypse describes the altar of incense in heaven above and one who thus offers incense adding that incense to the prayers of his earthly people and presenting them before the throne through the value of his own person and way.

My beloved believer may I state to you your worship in mind rises into the presence of the father and to the father's heart through the one who is our great high priest and through the value of his person and word what we bring is accepted before the father in him and through him.

Oh thank God we have a great high priest and he officiates in the presence of God to bring the worship of his people in acceptance before the throne. But go further. Will you down the chapter once you know something very precious verse 11.

The Wave Sheaf and Christ’s Resurrection

You have not only the manner in which it was to be given but you have also the time this wave sheaf was to be brought to be accepted for you on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave in. It was not to be brought on the sabbath.

It was to be weighed in the presence of God the day after the sabbath. And the day after the sabbath was the first day of the week. Now beloved I'm not a Sunday Adventist for which I'm I gratefully acknowledge that God has certainly saved me from that.

For as I look at the New Testament truth I see that the first day of the week is the outstanding day of the Christian age in relation to God's people and their responsibilities to him. Now you may note on the chart may I point out for just a moment the upper part of the chart this way she the feast of first fruits represents Christ in resurrection.

He arose the first day of the week. And that first day of the week is the resurrection day. It's the commemoration day of that new creation to which you and I belong. We don't belong to the old creation.

Neither do we belong to the levitical economy. But as our Lord Jesus rose from the dead that first day of the week have you not noted that resurrection day on his resurrection he gathered in the midst of his disciples.

That first day of the week have you not also noticed in chapter 20 of the book of the acts and verse 7 that Paul as he came to the city of Troas with his companions carried there until the first day of the week that he might break bread with the disciples.

And the first day of the week in New Testament truth has become the first day of worship of recognition when the saints gather around their Lord to worship him in the beauty of holiness. How significant that the wave sheet could only be brought after the day after the Sabbath.

That was the time that it was to be offered the first day of the week. Now will you notice we read on verse 12 and 13 and here is what I want you to know that there were certain offerings accompanying the wave sheet.

The Offerings Accompanying the Firstfruits

Verse 12. And ye shall offer that day when ye weighed the sheep and he land without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the Lord. Now I want you to dwell with me very briefly but thoroughly as possible upon the offerings that accompanied the wave sheet.

For these offerings contributed their value of the wave sheet that the offer brought to the heart and to the mind of God. Now you that have read and studied the word of God and particularly the book of Leviticus we mentioned in our opening message that in the first section of Leviticus the first seven chapters you have the offerings and the law of offering.

In the first five chapters you have each chapter covering the specific offering. In chapter one you have the burned offering. In chapter two the meal offering. In chapter three the peace offering. In chapter four you have the spin offering.

In chapter five you have the trespass offering. And each of these offerings are some special aspect of the person and the death of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring us into the presence of God. Chapter six and seven are given stating the law how these offerings should be carried out.

But those offerings every one of them spoke to God's heart of Christ. And you will always find. May I remind you we'll see as we go along through the study whether it was the Passover and the feast of unleavened bread the feast of first fruits the feast of pentecost the trumpet the day of atonement and even the feast of tabernacle.

Not one of these feasts were participated in without first of all the required offerings according to the law of Moses being manifested likewise the feast of first fruits. And will you note the first offering that's mentioned it is a burned offering.

The Burnt Offering as Christ’s Complete Devotion

The burned offering under the law beloved. May I just briefly suggest three facts about the burnt offering. The burnt offering aspect of the death of Christ is the highest to the glory of God and the satisfaction of his heart wherein that burnt offering Christ is seen in complete devotion to do the will of God giving himself without blemish and without spot wholly upon the altar.

The burnt offering was all for God. The burnt offering was all for God. Now the meal offering the peace offering the offerer the priest and others were privileged to participate in not the burnt offering.

The burnt offering was all for God. And that burnt offering is so blessedly symbolical of all the value of that devotion of our Lord to do the will of his father by the which will you and I have been sanctified forever.

Through the value of that burnt offering you and I have been accepted to God. May I point out something of value when you read the burnt offering the meal offering and the peace offering. And you read of them being burned on the altar.

Burned on the altar burned on the altar. The Hebrew word to burn means. And it was called in the Hebrew it was called the ola ola h the ola offering. And it meant that it was the ascending offering. And all of those three offerings the burnt offering the meal offering the peace offering.

Those three offerings were called sweet savor offering and they ascended in their fragrance to the heart of God. Now dear mother may I suggest who of us could ever fathom the fragrance to the heart of God of that son of Islam who delighted to do his will and coming into this world did that will in perfection from the manger to the crop and in the sacrifice of himself that life and death ascended as a sweet favor to the heart of God who are precious.

Righteousness in Christ and the Prodigal’s Robe

Now let me give you another thought about the burnt offering. You'll find it in Leviticus chapter 7 and verse 8. The only place I find it a most unusual fact. It was possible. God said if the priest just so desired he could take the skin of the burnt offering and take it for himself.

The skin of the burnt offering he could have for himself. Now what would he do with the skin of the burnt offering. What would the thoughts of the priest be when he would take the skin of the offering beloved.

His thoughts could go back only to the garden of Eden where in that garden to clothe the guilty couple Adam and Eve. God sacrificed the victim. God took the skin of that victim. God made a covering for the first sinners and he covered them with the skin of the animal which he had placed and beloved.

May I say please apply it to your heart and soul with joy when you and I are saved God closes in the righteousness of Christ. And what a joy to know. May I just tell the story of the prodigal son. You remember when he came home and the father received it.

And before he went into the father's house to keep the father said bring forth a death robe put it on him. And what joy to realize that you and I when we come into the presence of God we're clothed with the value of that righteousness which is ours in Christ dressed in righteousness not our own faultlessness.

Stand before the throne. And the first thing about the burn offering was it shall be accepted for him said Jehovah when he brings it. And you and I are accepted in the beloved. Oh beloved. The value of Christ accepted before the presence of a holy God in him.

The Meal Offering and Christ’s Sinless Humanity

Then not the second thing verse 13. There was a meal offering. You can read Leviticus 2 and see the value of the meal offering. And it was to be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil. An offering made by fire unto the Lord for a sweet savor.

And the meal offering as you read it all the joy it suggests of the heart of a believer. It suggests the unblemished character of the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. The meal offering it consisted of fine flour.

Did you ever put your hands in fine flour. I haven't done it very often. But one thing that amazed me was to feel the smooth texture the velvety feeling the smoothness. Nothing rugged nothing indeed jagged but completely and perfectly smooth.

And when you look at that life of the son of God upon the earth this is what gives value to the burn offering and to the other offering the life of unblemished sinlessness. There was nothing rough about his character.

There was nothing indeed but the texture of sinless humanity in him. And that fine flour was to be mingled with oil and oil poured upon it. And the oil so typical as we know of the holy spirit. And that blessed one in his incarnation was conceived by the holy spirit was anointed by the holy spirit and justified by the spirit from the beginning to the end.

Oh beloved. It suggests to us what we must never forget. In whatever way we come to God whatever way we come into his presence we can only come through the value of our savior in so many ways as pictured in these offerings of long ago.

The Drink Offering, Joy, and the Presence of God

And then there was a third thing if you know in verse 13 there was a drink offering that shall be of wine. The fourth part of an end the measurement a drink offering. You know what the drink offering suggests.

Let me give you an illustration of it sometime. Read the 35th chapter of the book of genesis when Jacob came back to Bethel and he came back to the place where he had erected an altar to God when God met him when he pillowed his head on the stones that night long ago.

And when ultimately after an absence of 20 years of all he came back and he called upon the God of Bethel the God of the house of God. And he built a pillar again. And there is he raised the altar and pillar.

He poured oil upon that pillar. And he not only poured oil when he returned he poured wine upon it. And what was the wine. Symbolical of the wine was symbolical of his joy. To be there to be back into the presence of God.

You know beloved may I say this the happiest experience you and I can have is to be in the presence of God. Let me quote psalm 16 verse 11. In thy presence is fullness of joy. And at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

And oh beloved how precious I can bring my little bit. I can bring my first fruits to him. And I can bring it with joy. I bring it through the value of that dear son of his love though I marvel as we sang why should he love me so.

Putting God First Through Self-Denial

But through the value of his son and through my acceptance in him and with joy I can come to the altar of God as David did long ago. Now when you look at verse 14 and I want you to notice very carefully.

And this is the lesson of the first truth particularly ye shall eat neither bread nor parched corn nor green ears until the same day that ye have brought an offering unto your God it shall be a statute forever throughout your generation in all your dwelling.

Now I want you to know something and this is very important. It is the principle of self-denial says God before you even touch the fruit of the land before you even partake of the fruit that I've given you the fruit of your harvest.

Me first bring me my portion first. Now beloved that is the divine principle and the Christian principle that we can take to our heart and deal with our own consciences with. Do I put God first. Do I put God first.

It's quite unique when you get to Joshua chapter 5 verses 11 and 12 the children of Israel come into the land. And when they get in the land of Canaan the man of Theseus and from that day on they ate the fruit of the land.

But before they ate the fruit of the land they kept for the first time the feast of first fruit they brought into God's presence. The first fruit God first beloved. Let me just apply it for just a moment.

You and I who belong to him in this Christian age may God help us each day to put in first God first see Jesus first the kingdom of God. These things shall be added unto you. There is a divine principle of self-denial.

God first. God help us to do it daily. And God help us to do it continually till we see him face to face. Now there's one more thought. Will you turn with me to 1st Corinthians chapter 15. But I would like to mention the dispensation of application in relation to the resurrection and read it very briefly and comment very briefly upon it.