(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)
We
come, during the season of Passover and Unleavened Bread to the Feast of Early First
Fruits, another sacred time set apart by God to be thankful for the
early harvest of the land; and a time that is very symbolic of the Resurrection of
Christ. It is as if the Resurrection was being proclaimed even centuries and centuries before it occurred by faithful people keeping this day even before Messiah had come! Now that is faith! They were simply being obedient to God, but did not fully understand why.
After the Resurrection Jesus told us to wait
and count the days until Pentecost when The Holy Spirit would come. The scriptures tell us how to begin counting
the omer during the Days of Unleavened Bread on this day of Early First Fruits that begins at sunset after Passover on the 2nd Day of Unleavened Bread. Remember that Hebraic days start at sunset and last for 24 hours according to the phases of the moon.
It was on THE THIRD DAY that Jesus was Resurrected. At the end of this second day of Unleavened Bread, the day we know as the day of Early First Fruits became the day He presented the atoning blood that redeemed our souls to God. At the Evening of The Second Day Of Unleavened Bread after sunset the Third Day of Unleavened Bread begins. This is our time for celebrating The Resurrection of Christ! It was made possible by the Early First Fruit offering of Christ, given between the time that He died and the time that He returned to earth in the Resurrection.
The omer was the unit for measuring the offering of the early barley crops that were harvested of which the first portion was taken to the priest from the best of the early crops. It happened like clockwork each year on this day. The largest early harvest was the barley harvest. Barley was simply the first crop to ripen every year. The barley was ready before all the other crops.
It was on THE THIRD DAY that Jesus was Resurrected. At the end of this second day of Unleavened Bread, the day we know as the day of Early First Fruits became the day He presented the atoning blood that redeemed our souls to God. At the Evening of The Second Day Of Unleavened Bread after sunset the Third Day of Unleavened Bread begins. This is our time for celebrating The Resurrection of Christ! It was made possible by the Early First Fruit offering of Christ, given between the time that He died and the time that He returned to earth in the Resurrection.
The omer was the unit for measuring the offering of the early barley crops that were harvested of which the first portion was taken to the priest from the best of the early crops. It happened like clockwork each year on this day. The largest early harvest was the barley harvest. Barley was simply the first crop to ripen every year. The barley was ready before all the other crops.
On that
day (the day of the Early First Fruits) the
priest waived the first offerings of the barley crop (which measured an omer when processed)
before God in Thanksgiving for the early harvest of the year.
This day of the offering of the early first fruits came always on the morrow after the seventh day Sabbath during the week of Passover. This year Passover falls on the Sabbath, so the first Day of Unleavened Bread falls on the day after the Sabbath, that is always on a Sunday. The counting of the omer will always begin on a Sunday (the morrow after the 7th Day Sabbath of Passover Week). The day of Early First Fruits during Unleavened Bread is the first day you begin counting and you count up to 50 to get to Pentecost. The Early First Fruits offering would have happened just BEFORE the Resurrection, while Christ was still in Heaven with God as He gave the offering of his atoning blood for us. So the offering in heaven might have occurred on the Second Day of The Seven Days of Unleavened Bread as Jesus who had died stood before the throne of God and offered up His Holy Body and Blood for our sins. This is why we waive the sheaf offering before God on the 2nd Day of Unleavened Bread, the Day of Early First Fruits, because that waive sheaf offering is symbolic of The Risen Lord.
We see from this that the time between Passover and the Seder meal and somewhere before the second day of Unleavened Bread, on the Day of Early First Fruits represents the true day of our redemption. We also know that an offering is not complete until God has accepted it. It was on THE THIRD DAY just before sunset between the second day of Unleavened Bread and the Third Day of Unleavened Bread that God accepted the offering and resurrected Jesus from the grave.
So we observe Early First Fruits on The Second Day of Unleavened Bread and observe The Resurrection of Christ after sunset of The Second Day of Unleavened Bread (moving into the beginning of the third day.) Now in its fulfillment by Christ this day has come to represent the offering of Christ's atoning blood for our sins, and the acceptance of God at which point Christ was raised from the dead. Don't forget to include Passover in your counting of the days. Christ was put in the grave late on Passover. He was in the grave on The First Day and The Second Day and he rose on THE THIRD DAY of Unleavened Bread. Well that surely seems right and appropriate, after looking at the unleavened bread we ate at Passover and observing how many ways it represents Christ to us, then seeing the wave sheaf waived before God on the 2nd Day of Unleavened Bread! At the end of the 2nd day and going into the first part of the third day we rejoice in The Resurrection miracle of God!
We start counting the Omer on Early First Fruits, because that is when Christ offered up Himself for us before God in Heaven. This was the way of celebrating this day in the ancient church. They knew on The Second Day of Unleavened Bread (the day of Early First Fruits) to give their offering to the priest and to start counting the Omer on that day. It was one of the first ways of keeping time, and the days of the omer counting became one of the first calendars ever used by men. It feels very appropriate that we would be counting time AFTER our redemption had taken place in heaven. Until that time occurred, our lives did not count for anything. Now in the counting of the Omer, we are anticipating new and exciting things to come because we have had our sins forgiven and we have been made new. We have placed ourselves under the will of God and we open our hearts to learn all that He has to teach us about The Kingdom of God. We come out of the ways of the world and we come into the ways of God. Following the example of Our Messiah, we offer our lives as living sacrifices. We are waiting and counting the days until Pentecost because we know that it is The Holy Spirit that brings us the power of Resurrection and New Life in Christ. We are like a crop of wheat growing in the sun, waiting for the harvest. We know at that time if we keep growing in God that we can be useful to our heavenly Father, and our own purposes will be fulfilled under God's will and they will be significant and make a difference. In the harvest of God's souls, each person will make a difference in their own unique way.
The ancient people had no idea WHY they were counting, or WHY they always started on the day of Early First Fruits, but that was what God had commanded and that was what they did for years and years and years. When Messiah came, most of the people finally understood. Especially when they looked around them on the day of Early First Fruits and saw the other people who had also risen from their graves right after Christ. These were the ones who had believed in faith that God would send the Messiah. Jesus was THE Early First Fruit offering, the first and the best of all souls that had ever lived, and these others were the first souls to rise from the grave as part of the early harvest of God's souls. Can you just imagine who would have been there? It is mind boggling to think of it.
This day of the offering of the early first fruits came always on the morrow after the seventh day Sabbath during the week of Passover. This year Passover falls on the Sabbath, so the first Day of Unleavened Bread falls on the day after the Sabbath, that is always on a Sunday. The counting of the omer will always begin on a Sunday (the morrow after the 7th Day Sabbath of Passover Week). The day of Early First Fruits during Unleavened Bread is the first day you begin counting and you count up to 50 to get to Pentecost. The Early First Fruits offering would have happened just BEFORE the Resurrection, while Christ was still in Heaven with God as He gave the offering of his atoning blood for us. So the offering in heaven might have occurred on the Second Day of The Seven Days of Unleavened Bread as Jesus who had died stood before the throne of God and offered up His Holy Body and Blood for our sins. This is why we waive the sheaf offering before God on the 2nd Day of Unleavened Bread, the Day of Early First Fruits, because that waive sheaf offering is symbolic of The Risen Lord.
We see from this that the time between Passover and the Seder meal and somewhere before the second day of Unleavened Bread, on the Day of Early First Fruits represents the true day of our redemption. We also know that an offering is not complete until God has accepted it. It was on THE THIRD DAY just before sunset between the second day of Unleavened Bread and the Third Day of Unleavened Bread that God accepted the offering and resurrected Jesus from the grave.
So we observe Early First Fruits on The Second Day of Unleavened Bread and observe The Resurrection of Christ after sunset of The Second Day of Unleavened Bread (moving into the beginning of the third day.) Now in its fulfillment by Christ this day has come to represent the offering of Christ's atoning blood for our sins, and the acceptance of God at which point Christ was raised from the dead. Don't forget to include Passover in your counting of the days. Christ was put in the grave late on Passover. He was in the grave on The First Day and The Second Day and he rose on THE THIRD DAY of Unleavened Bread. Well that surely seems right and appropriate, after looking at the unleavened bread we ate at Passover and observing how many ways it represents Christ to us, then seeing the wave sheaf waived before God on the 2nd Day of Unleavened Bread! At the end of the 2nd day and going into the first part of the third day we rejoice in The Resurrection miracle of God!
We start counting the Omer on Early First Fruits, because that is when Christ offered up Himself for us before God in Heaven. This was the way of celebrating this day in the ancient church. They knew on The Second Day of Unleavened Bread (the day of Early First Fruits) to give their offering to the priest and to start counting the Omer on that day. It was one of the first ways of keeping time, and the days of the omer counting became one of the first calendars ever used by men. It feels very appropriate that we would be counting time AFTER our redemption had taken place in heaven. Until that time occurred, our lives did not count for anything. Now in the counting of the Omer, we are anticipating new and exciting things to come because we have had our sins forgiven and we have been made new. We have placed ourselves under the will of God and we open our hearts to learn all that He has to teach us about The Kingdom of God. We come out of the ways of the world and we come into the ways of God. Following the example of Our Messiah, we offer our lives as living sacrifices. We are waiting and counting the days until Pentecost because we know that it is The Holy Spirit that brings us the power of Resurrection and New Life in Christ. We are like a crop of wheat growing in the sun, waiting for the harvest. We know at that time if we keep growing in God that we can be useful to our heavenly Father, and our own purposes will be fulfilled under God's will and they will be significant and make a difference. In the harvest of God's souls, each person will make a difference in their own unique way.
The ancient people had no idea WHY they were counting, or WHY they always started on the day of Early First Fruits, but that was what God had commanded and that was what they did for years and years and years. When Messiah came, most of the people finally understood. Especially when they looked around them on the day of Early First Fruits and saw the other people who had also risen from their graves right after Christ. These were the ones who had believed in faith that God would send the Messiah. Jesus was THE Early First Fruit offering, the first and the best of all souls that had ever lived, and these others were the first souls to rise from the grave as part of the early harvest of God's souls. Can you just imagine who would have been there? It is mind boggling to think of it.
When Early First Fruits was only known as a day to go up to the Temple to bring your early harvest offering, the priests would wave the
sheaves of barley before God in Thanksgiving at The Temple. There
is no physical Temple today, but we have our bodies with The Holy Spirit of God residing inside as a temporary temple (or tabernacle) until we meet God after death. That is why Jesus wanted us to count the omer and wait the 50 days until God sent The Holy Spirit.
We can remember to keep this commandment of giving an offering of the early first fruits of our labor by setting aside an extra offering specifically to be used for looking after the widows, orphans, strangers and Levites (those in the ministry of God) among us. This is what the ancient people realized when they left the corners of their fields for others in need to gather for food. That was how Ruth came to know Boaz; her kinsman redeemer. By giving of our early first fruits we make a way for others to know our kinsman redeemer also. By showing love and care for those in need, we show others the love of Christ. First Fruits is a time to give of the first of your blessings to those in need of support instead of buying more than you actually need for yourself.
Remember the story of Cain and Abel when you decide on your offering. Pick something that is of your first and your best to offer up on this day. Do you have a special talent that you will dedicate to God in the next year? That would be a good first fruits offering! This offering can consist of money or time or whatever you feel God is leading you to do. Pray for guidance. It is not a corporate decision, it is an individual decision. Why not pay a bill for a friend who needs help, or buy some groceries for some young struggling couple, or help an older person take care of some medical needs, or give something to your Pastor to help him better take care of his family?
Pray – and God will show you where to put your offering of the first fruits of your labor. This is an offering that is above your usual tithe. Have you not been tithing to God? I do not mean to say are you giving one-tenth of your income to a local congregation, though that would certainly be tithing. I mean are you taking one tenth of your income each time you receive profit and giving it away in the name of God to whatever worthy cause God puts on your heart? If you are not following this practice, perhaps your first fruits offering this year will be to promise God to do this in the coming year. Each of us grow and learn at a different pace, trust God to show you from where you are right now. This Early First Fruits offering should come directly from you and the Sanctuary of your own home. It is not a group effort of a church congregation, though there is certainly nothing wrong with that. The offering of The Early First Fruits is an offering between you and God. Consider it carefully so that God finds it acceptable. Remember Cain and Abel.
We can remember to keep this commandment of giving an offering of the early first fruits of our labor by setting aside an extra offering specifically to be used for looking after the widows, orphans, strangers and Levites (those in the ministry of God) among us. This is what the ancient people realized when they left the corners of their fields for others in need to gather for food. That was how Ruth came to know Boaz; her kinsman redeemer. By giving of our early first fruits we make a way for others to know our kinsman redeemer also. By showing love and care for those in need, we show others the love of Christ. First Fruits is a time to give of the first of your blessings to those in need of support instead of buying more than you actually need for yourself.
Remember the story of Cain and Abel when you decide on your offering. Pick something that is of your first and your best to offer up on this day. Do you have a special talent that you will dedicate to God in the next year? That would be a good first fruits offering! This offering can consist of money or time or whatever you feel God is leading you to do. Pray for guidance. It is not a corporate decision, it is an individual decision. Why not pay a bill for a friend who needs help, or buy some groceries for some young struggling couple, or help an older person take care of some medical needs, or give something to your Pastor to help him better take care of his family?
Pray – and God will show you where to put your offering of the first fruits of your labor. This is an offering that is above your usual tithe. Have you not been tithing to God? I do not mean to say are you giving one-tenth of your income to a local congregation, though that would certainly be tithing. I mean are you taking one tenth of your income each time you receive profit and giving it away in the name of God to whatever worthy cause God puts on your heart? If you are not following this practice, perhaps your first fruits offering this year will be to promise God to do this in the coming year. Each of us grow and learn at a different pace, trust God to show you from where you are right now. This Early First Fruits offering should come directly from you and the Sanctuary of your own home. It is not a group effort of a church congregation, though there is certainly nothing wrong with that. The offering of The Early First Fruits is an offering between you and God. Consider it carefully so that God finds it acceptable. Remember Cain and Abel.
All
these years the people kept this feast day in a spirit of thanksgiving, thinking it was
only for giving thanks for their first barley crops, their first physical harvest of the year; and a way of marking time to start counting up to the latter harvest of their wheat crops. Now Jesus
has shown us how it was prophetic of a much greater spiritual harvest. This first harvest is symbolic of Jesus, who has risen from the dead and ascended into heaven as the
First Fruits of everlasting life. Those who rose from the grave after Him were the
first of God’s harvest of souls.
Unless you are keeping the Days of Unleavened Bread and observing Day of First Fruits and counting the omer after First Fruits until Pentecost, you might miss all of this, lose a lot of the wonderful details, or just forget to make time to remember it all. You might even get the wrong interpretations of these true days mixed up in your mind from the teachings of the world around you. These days were given by God for a reason and they are holy and scriptural. Observance of them brings you more understanding every year and that will give you more joy in your heart each year!
Unless you are keeping the Days of Unleavened Bread and observing Day of First Fruits and counting the omer after First Fruits until Pentecost, you might miss all of this, lose a lot of the wonderful details, or just forget to make time to remember it all. You might even get the wrong interpretations of these true days mixed up in your mind from the teachings of the world around you. These days were given by God for a reason and they are holy and scriptural. Observance of them brings you more understanding every year and that will give you more joy in your heart each year!
So remember and ponder the facts that we know
Christ was crucified on Passover. He was
in the grave 3 days and 3 nights. He
rose from the grave alive just after sunset on that third day, This would make the celebration of the
Resurrection occur always after sunset ending the 2nd day of Unleavened
Bread going into the 3rd Day (don't forget to count Pasover in your counting.) Because the Hebrews counted from sunset to sunset it would have been possible for Christ to have the Passover meal the evening before his crucifixion day. He was in the grave for 3 days and 3 nights, Passover Day was the first day (he celebrated the Passover Seder the night BEFORE), The 1st Day of Unleavened Bread is the 2nd day, and the second day of Unleavened Bread is the 3rd Day. Now; He is Risen! It happened on Early First Fruits! Know in your heart that this is a time of celebrating much more than a barley harvest! It is a time to celebrate The Resurrection of
Christ!
All of this is true to the sign of Jonah that Christ said He would fulfill. As Jonah spent 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of a whale, Christ spent 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the earth. The world celebrates Good Friday to Easter Sunday. This isn't 3 days and 3 nights. Keeping Unleavened Bread keeps the time accurate according to the scriptures. He died, He presented His blood before God as our atonement, and He went to release the captives who were bound in the underworld. Then He rose from the grave! Those who believed in Him even before He died on the cross, rose from their graves right after Him! On the third day He showed himself alive. He is risen! Let there be a thousand Hallelujahs! He is risen indeed!
Because certain churches have said that Easter Sunday would be the day of the annual celebration of The Resurrection of Christ most people today observe that day. It is printed in black and white each year on the calendar of the world; but it simply is not correct, even though it is very conveniently placed at a time when most people will be off from work and years and years of family traditions have been built around these erroneous facts.
Some people even know the truth, but refuse to change their habits for the truth. I heard a good comparison of this one day. When you are a child and you believe in The Tooth Fairy and The Easter Bunny and Santa Clause, then you begin to get older and more mature and you find out the truth. For awhile you will just pretend you still believe, because you want these things to be really true, but you know they are not. Humans tend to hold on to what is familiar to them, even if it is a lie. Satan has used this against us for thousands of years now. Eventually, you grow up and become an adult. You learn to put the old familiar thoughts aside and do the things you know are true. As you mature, eventually you let go of the lie and embrace the truth.
It is hard to go against traditions that have gone on for years and years with families that have held them sacred. Do you want to keep holding on to what is not true? One day as a child of God you will find freedom in accepting the truth and God will give you true joy when you believe what He told you instead of what the world has twisted because of the enemy of God wanting us to believe in lies.
Christ rose from the grave as an Early First Fruit offering for us on the day of Early First Fruits. So between sunset on the 2nd
day of unleavened bread and sunset on the 3rd day we celebrate the
Resurrection of Jesus!
This day was known as a shadow and a type for the people through all the ritual of early first fruits harvests, long before Jesus ever walked the earth.
Why would we change it? God ordained it! Can an earthly ruler change the dates set by a heavenly ruler?
Keeping the most important commandment in mind, that last and greatest commandment Jesus spoke to us, to LOVE our brothers, I do practice the art of grace and let my friends celebrating Easter Sunday off easy by realizing they truly are celebrating the resurrection of Christ to the best of their knowledge and understanding, and it is a good thing to celebrate the resurrection EVERY DAY of the year.
With God's Holy Spirit living and alive in us, we can have compassion for one another and share what we do agree on in love. God looks at the intentions of our hearts. We will not be judged for what we do not yet understand. I do not condemn others, but I am careful to try to make the sacred days observed in my own life accurate and scriptural.
It is a great balancing act meant to bring confusion from the devil, but God has taught us a way to change it for good. It is also a time to show love, respect and compassion to others. Isn't that what Jesus was proclaiming when he laid down his life? It is a time of worship, to look to God and not to worry about those around us. We must simply judge ourselves, clean our own houses and move on through the world with love and compassion and kindness, yet speak the truth in love so that others, should they have ears to hear, may share our joy.
God holds each of us accountable to the knowledge that He has given us. Each of us must answer individually just as each of us must bring our early first fruits individually. When we reach that day when the sheep are separated from the goats, what I have done will not count for you, and what you have done will not count for me. We all must obey whatever God has shown us in this life. He will show all of us exactly what He needs for us to know exactly when He needs for us to know it.
I am simply living out who I am; a person who studies deep and follows the amazing patterns that God has given us. God has over history and time shown us many, many patterns, and I love using the patterns that God spelled out for us to follow. If your earthly father proclaimed a family holiday on a Tuesday; would you tell him it was inconvenient for you to celebrate it on that day and proclaim that you can only celebrate it on a Wednesday? I think not. If you loved your Father very much and wanted to always honor Him, you would most likely be obedient and honor your father on the day that he chose to celebrate the family event. That is all I am trying to do in observing the more exact scriptural days.
I had no idea what blessings this would bring into my life the first few years I stepped out in blind faith and followed God's original instructions straight from His instruction book. I felt like a little toddler learning to walk. I was very self conscious about it for many years. I was simply being obedient to the truth of the scriptures. Now my life is full of joy because of that decision. I would never go back!
So, you might ask; if I do not judge people, why do I keep writing about it? Because God has called me to do so, and I want everyone to experience this joy that I have found. The writing is part of my offering of early first fruits. I wish to use the talents God gave to me for His glory. I write about these things to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, just as others write about other scriptural things to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in other ways. I've found The Holy Days of God are actually the most perfect tool I've ever found to proclaim The Gospel and the truth of Jesus Christ being the Messiah.
How wonderful to know that My Savior, Jesus Christ fulfilled the meaning of this sacred time when he brought His very own sacred blood before God as an early first fruits offering for our salvation. For so many long years the priest would take the sheaves of the first fruits and waive them before God on the day of Early First Fruits, on the second day of Unleavened Bread. Now we know that it corresponds directly with the very time that Christ stood before God in Heaven and presented evidence of our salvation. The sheaves were waived BEFORE the Resurrection happened, in order that we might know and believe when it did.
We start counting the Omer on the second Day of Unleavened Bread because this was the time when we received the promise of The Holy Spirit coming in 50 days. We received this promise because Christ died for us and presented the atonement before God in Heaven on this day. It was the early first fruit offering to God from our Messiah, an offering of His first and His best; He gave all He had, His very life. He set the example for us on how to give offerings to God. Our offerings can never have the value of Christ's offering, but we are still asked to come in faith before God offering our first and our best from the fruit of our labor. Our labor is our work. Jesus Christ had one job to do while He was on earth. His work was to be The Messiah of God. This work is what He offered to The Father.
By the blood of Christ we are also able to obtain a sure resurrection. This is what happens at the Latter Harvest, the time when we too like Jesus will rise from the grave and go to be with God forever and ever. This is made possible by The Holy Spirit living in us, and we celebrate it (the latter harvest) at Pentecost, which comes like clockwork 50 days after Early First Fruits each year. That is why we are counting the days by counting the Omer! We are anticipating Pentecost! We are anticipating what gives us the same resurrection power of Christ inside our own bodies. It is The Holy Spirit that brings us to the time of our own resurrection.
All of this is true to the sign of Jonah that Christ said He would fulfill. As Jonah spent 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of a whale, Christ spent 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the earth. The world celebrates Good Friday to Easter Sunday. This isn't 3 days and 3 nights. Keeping Unleavened Bread keeps the time accurate according to the scriptures. He died, He presented His blood before God as our atonement, and He went to release the captives who were bound in the underworld. Then He rose from the grave! Those who believed in Him even before He died on the cross, rose from their graves right after Him! On the third day He showed himself alive. He is risen! Let there be a thousand Hallelujahs! He is risen indeed!
Because certain churches have said that Easter Sunday would be the day of the annual celebration of The Resurrection of Christ most people today observe that day. It is printed in black and white each year on the calendar of the world; but it simply is not correct, even though it is very conveniently placed at a time when most people will be off from work and years and years of family traditions have been built around these erroneous facts.
Some people even know the truth, but refuse to change their habits for the truth. I heard a good comparison of this one day. When you are a child and you believe in The Tooth Fairy and The Easter Bunny and Santa Clause, then you begin to get older and more mature and you find out the truth. For awhile you will just pretend you still believe, because you want these things to be really true, but you know they are not. Humans tend to hold on to what is familiar to them, even if it is a lie. Satan has used this against us for thousands of years now. Eventually, you grow up and become an adult. You learn to put the old familiar thoughts aside and do the things you know are true. As you mature, eventually you let go of the lie and embrace the truth.
It is hard to go against traditions that have gone on for years and years with families that have held them sacred. Do you want to keep holding on to what is not true? One day as a child of God you will find freedom in accepting the truth and God will give you true joy when you believe what He told you instead of what the world has twisted because of the enemy of God wanting us to believe in lies.
This day was known as a shadow and a type for the people through all the ritual of early first fruits harvests, long before Jesus ever walked the earth.
Why would we change it? God ordained it! Can an earthly ruler change the dates set by a heavenly ruler?
Keeping the most important commandment in mind, that last and greatest commandment Jesus spoke to us, to LOVE our brothers, I do practice the art of grace and let my friends celebrating Easter Sunday off easy by realizing they truly are celebrating the resurrection of Christ to the best of their knowledge and understanding, and it is a good thing to celebrate the resurrection EVERY DAY of the year.
With God's Holy Spirit living and alive in us, we can have compassion for one another and share what we do agree on in love. God looks at the intentions of our hearts. We will not be judged for what we do not yet understand. I do not condemn others, but I am careful to try to make the sacred days observed in my own life accurate and scriptural.
It is a great balancing act meant to bring confusion from the devil, but God has taught us a way to change it for good. It is also a time to show love, respect and compassion to others. Isn't that what Jesus was proclaiming when he laid down his life? It is a time of worship, to look to God and not to worry about those around us. We must simply judge ourselves, clean our own houses and move on through the world with love and compassion and kindness, yet speak the truth in love so that others, should they have ears to hear, may share our joy.
God holds each of us accountable to the knowledge that He has given us. Each of us must answer individually just as each of us must bring our early first fruits individually. When we reach that day when the sheep are separated from the goats, what I have done will not count for you, and what you have done will not count for me. We all must obey whatever God has shown us in this life. He will show all of us exactly what He needs for us to know exactly when He needs for us to know it.
I am simply living out who I am; a person who studies deep and follows the amazing patterns that God has given us. God has over history and time shown us many, many patterns, and I love using the patterns that God spelled out for us to follow. If your earthly father proclaimed a family holiday on a Tuesday; would you tell him it was inconvenient for you to celebrate it on that day and proclaim that you can only celebrate it on a Wednesday? I think not. If you loved your Father very much and wanted to always honor Him, you would most likely be obedient and honor your father on the day that he chose to celebrate the family event. That is all I am trying to do in observing the more exact scriptural days.
I had no idea what blessings this would bring into my life the first few years I stepped out in blind faith and followed God's original instructions straight from His instruction book. I felt like a little toddler learning to walk. I was very self conscious about it for many years. I was simply being obedient to the truth of the scriptures. Now my life is full of joy because of that decision. I would never go back!
So, you might ask; if I do not judge people, why do I keep writing about it? Because God has called me to do so, and I want everyone to experience this joy that I have found. The writing is part of my offering of early first fruits. I wish to use the talents God gave to me for His glory. I write about these things to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, just as others write about other scriptural things to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in other ways. I've found The Holy Days of God are actually the most perfect tool I've ever found to proclaim The Gospel and the truth of Jesus Christ being the Messiah.
How wonderful to know that My Savior, Jesus Christ fulfilled the meaning of this sacred time when he brought His very own sacred blood before God as an early first fruits offering for our salvation. For so many long years the priest would take the sheaves of the first fruits and waive them before God on the day of Early First Fruits, on the second day of Unleavened Bread. Now we know that it corresponds directly with the very time that Christ stood before God in Heaven and presented evidence of our salvation. The sheaves were waived BEFORE the Resurrection happened, in order that we might know and believe when it did.
We start counting the Omer on the second Day of Unleavened Bread because this was the time when we received the promise of The Holy Spirit coming in 50 days. We received this promise because Christ died for us and presented the atonement before God in Heaven on this day. It was the early first fruit offering to God from our Messiah, an offering of His first and His best; He gave all He had, His very life. He set the example for us on how to give offerings to God. Our offerings can never have the value of Christ's offering, but we are still asked to come in faith before God offering our first and our best from the fruit of our labor. Our labor is our work. Jesus Christ had one job to do while He was on earth. His work was to be The Messiah of God. This work is what He offered to The Father.
By the blood of Christ we are also able to obtain a sure resurrection. This is what happens at the Latter Harvest, the time when we too like Jesus will rise from the grave and go to be with God forever and ever. This is made possible by The Holy Spirit living in us, and we celebrate it (the latter harvest) at Pentecost, which comes like clockwork 50 days after Early First Fruits each year. That is why we are counting the days by counting the Omer! We are anticipating Pentecost! We are anticipating what gives us the same resurrection power of Christ inside our own bodies. It is The Holy Spirit that brings us to the time of our own resurrection.
All
those many years that the Israelites waved the sheaves before God and did not realize that it was a representation of Christ rising from the grave are so very significant to us now. They tell us that it is good to wait on God, that He will never forget us and that He will eventually use the messages found in His Holy Days to proclaim and fulfill all of His truth for us.
Are you anticipating whatever God will do next? Are you watching and waiting and observing the days that He gave us in order to help us to understand all the truth of the Gospel? It is an awesome experience, and anyone who has spent their years observing these Spring Holy Days of God will speak to you of their great blessings! And when we reach Pentecost???
Yes, there is even more to the story! All the more reason to be counting our days!
Yes, there is even more to the story! All the more reason to be counting our days!
