COME AS A CHILD - LESSON 65 - I WILL GO

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

As Abraham waited with Isaac back in the land of Canaan, his faithful servant Eliezer continued his work in a far country, seeking a perfect bride for Isaac.  He had met the beautiful Rebekah at the well and would have dinner with her family that night.  He would reveal his identity and his purpose to everyone there first, then try to woo and win Rebekah in order to bring her back to Abraham’s house where Isaac would be waiting to claim his bride.

The time had come and supper was prepared.  Eliezer went into a room where a feast had been laid out before him.  He was offered the best chair at the table and offered the best wine.  It was all very pleasant and tempting, but Eliezer knew he could not participate in this meal any further until he explained exactly who he was and why he was there.  He must tell his story in order for them to understand his mission.  It is very similar to the Passover meal when we reach the portion of the meal and come to the telling of the story.  There is much to be understood before the meal can continue.  The details must be laid out for everyone to hear.  The story must be told.

The position of Eliezer here reminds us of Jesus in the Passover observance with his disciples at The Last Supper.  In this service we get to the third cup and remember that Jesus said to His disciples that he would not partake of the third cup, the cup of redemption and the cup of a new covenant, until He could do so with them in the coming Kingdom of God.  It was customary in the wooing of a bride for a cup of wine to be set before her by the advocate of the groom.  If she drank the wine, her answer was "yes."  If she did not there would be no marriage.  If her answer was yes on this occasion, she would drink another cup with the groom to toast their marriage on their wedding day.  The groom did not drink until that time.  

There will be a marriage supper in heaven one day.  Until then, the bride of Christ will drink the cup of communion that signifies redemption and her covenant with her groom.  

Eliezer could not allow Rebekah to come to the table and drink the wine unless she knew his true mission!  He told them he was the servant of Abraham.  That little bit of information alone would have been enough to keep the dinner conversation going all night long, but Eliezer had more.  He explained that Abraham had been very, very prosperous in the far away land and he explained that Abraham was very old now and would not be with them much longer.  Knowing this, Abraham had deeded all he owned to his son, Isaac, who had been born to Abraham from his wife Sarah when she was too old to have a child.  Isaac had grown into a fine young man and Abraham had turned everything he had over to Isaac. 

Eliezer went on to tell them that Abraham had expressed his desire for Isaac to have a bride from the land of his own people.  Abraham had asked Eliezer to go and find this bride.  Eliezer explained his prayer to God when he arrived at the well for a young girl to come and offer him water and also offer to water his camels.  When Rebekah came along and did exactly that, Eliezer knew she was the one that God had intended for Isaac.  When Rebekah had explained that she was the granddaughter of Abraham’s brother, Eliezer knew for sure. 

There is deep hidden symbolism in this story that represents The Marriage Supper of The Lamb and The Bride of Christ.  The dinner where Eliezer asks the family for Rebekah to be Isaac's bride is symbolic of The Marriage Supper of the Lamb that will happen in heaven one day.  The meeting of Rebekah at the well is symbolic of how The Holy Spirit of God finds the Bride of Christ by the well of water from which you will never thirst again, the spring of  the water of everlasting life supplied by God's Holy Spirit.    We know Jesus used the same words in greeting the Samaritan woman at the well at a later time in history when he asked her "Please give me a drink of water from your jar. " Jesus was offering her a whole new life, just as Eliezer was offering Rebekah.  That woman was one of the first to be claimed for The Kingdom of God from all of the lost and wondering sheep of Israel, much like Rebekah, a long lost relative, is being claimed as a bride for Isaac in this story.  

It would have been fun to have been in the room to watch the changes of the expressions on all of their faces as Eliezer revealed his story, gave his true identity, and explained the whole truth of his mission.  They all must have been astounded at his words; especially Rebekah.  Do you think it is possible that she had been praying for such a thing to happen?  Like all young girls she might have been seeking the will of God for her life and asking Him to provide a very special husband intended just for her.  We do not know any of these specifics, all we know is that Eliezer revealed his identity and laid out the story just as it transpired and they all were probably very silent for awhile as they pondered these facts with sincere amazement.

With all of the truth out now; Eliezer got right down to business!  His very words were: “Now then, if you will deal loyally and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.  In modern day terms this might sound like:  “So give me your answer right away so that I can either take her back with me for Isaac, or go on searching for the right bride in another place.”  

Again, we see a shadow and type in Eliezer of The Good Shepherd.  He is going out as far as necessary, hunting, searching, trying to find that long lost lamb.  When he finds the little lamb that belongs to his master, he wants to quickly bring her home in order to return her to the fold where she belongs.

Eliezer had done his job, he had located the bride.  Just as God woos us with The Holy Spirit and gives us the invitation to be a part of the Kingdom; He also gives us free will.  We, like Rebekah, have a choice.  We can accept or reject the offer.  That one piece of the puzzle is always up to the individual with the invitation.  The rest of this story was up to Rebekah and her family, but Eliezer was not a man to waste time and he was ready to move on!

It isn't discussed, but by now you have to realize that night at dinner that Rebekah drank the cup.  She said "yes" through her actions and deeds without even having to say the words out loud.  When dinner was over Eliezer knew the answer from Rebekah's heart.  

After the lengthy explanation of all that had happened, it did not take Laban and Bethuel and Rebekah's Mother long to answer either.  They had the authority to speak for Rebekah.  They said “This thing comes from the LORD, we cannot speak to you bad or good.  Behold, Rebekah is before you, take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has spoken.”

Can’t you just hear Rebekah’s heart pounding? One minute she is a simple village girl going about her daily tasks, and the next moment she is going to live in a foreign land and be the wife to a man that she had never even met.

At that point Eliezer and his men enjoyed the luscious feast spread before them.  They had a good nights sleep in a comfortable bed and rose the next morning refreshed and ready to go on their way.  Eliezer thanked Rebekah’s family for their hospitality and asked them to send him on his way back to his master.  The family was a bit reluctant to let Rebekah go so soon.  They tried to reason with Eliezer.  “Let the maiden remain with us a while, at least ten days, after that she may go.”  Eliezer did not give in to this but said he needed to be on his way and about his master’s business.  He felt it was the LORD’s will for him to return right away.  So they called Rebekah and asked her if she was willing to go right away.  

Rebekah’s answer was “I will go.”

Any time God calls us to something, there must be a complete surrender of our will to His.  Rebekah gave the perfect answer for this situation in her life.  It was not an easy choice that she was asked to make.  Her life was instantly changing, never to be the same again.  All her life she had been sheltered and cared for by a loving family, now she was being asked to go immediately to an unknown place to live as the wife of an unknown man.  All she knew of this man was what had been told to her by his father's servant.  It was as if Rebekah was being asked to grow up and leave her childhood behind in one day, in one hour, in one moment of time.  She had decided and she would go.

Here it becomes obvious that Rebekah’s heart was in the same place as Abraham’s when God told him to go to an unknown land and trust Him with the details.  She and Abraham were kindred spirits in these decisions.  Both of their reactions were the same.

  

Rebekah had already committed her heart to this purpose.  She was ready to go.  She said goodbye to the only family that she had ever known and took her seat in the caravan of the servant of her future husband's father.  They left with many camels that carried all the gifts specifically designated to be hers (although some other gifts were also given to her family); gifts from a groom she had not yet met.  

Can you imagine the thoughts in her head as they trod through the desert and headed toward her new home?  I'm sure the biggest question that Rebekah pondered over and over on the journey was the same as any young girl about to be married.

She must have wondered all the way; 

What will HE be like?

COME AS A CHILD - LESSON 64 - WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU WATER A STRANGER'S CAMELS

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

We have seen such a beautiful picture of the early beginnings of God’s family in our study of Abraham and Isaac.  It is through their stories that we really begin to see a clearer and closer picture of the true love a Father can have for His Son.

The relationship that we see between Abraham and Isaac is clearly the relationship that The True Church should desire to share with God The Father.  When we hold a mirror up to Abraham and Isaac we see a shadow of their relationship that is to be our example of how to live out our own lives, knowing the ways of The One True God that their relationship reflects.  We see in them a beautiful, full colored type of that holy relationship between God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.    

In the section of their story where we studied the Akadah, we learned further how Abraham was a type and shadow of God and Isaac was a type and shadow of Yeshua, The Messiah.   In watching Abraham allow Isaac to be a living sacrifice to God we felt along with them some of the anguish that our Father in Heaven must have felt as He gave His only Son on the altar of the cross so that we might have eternal life.  God was willing to do that for us, just as Abraham was willing to give his son for all of mankind.  Abraham truly pondered whether Isaac could be the One promised to take away the sins of the world, but God decided to give His Own Son, Yeshua instead, and God spared the broken heart of Abraham and allowed His own heart to be broken instead.  As good as Isaac was, he was not the prefect sacrifice.  No One could do this but Jesus, Our Messiah.  Through the picture of God leading Abraham through this test, we see what all good fathers do for their sons; they would much rather feel the pain themselves than to see pain inflicted onto their sons.  Abraham was willing to offer up all he loved to God, as God eventually offered to Abraham.  

  God the Father loved this son from earth named Abraham too.  God loved all of Abraham's descendants so much that He was willing to sacrifice the best part of Himself in order to save them.  He also knew because this Son was perfect that He would obtain resurrection and live again.   Just like Isaac, Yeshua displayed that same awesome love of God for the children of the earth; a willingness to suffer pain for redemption out of love, a type of love where One is willing to lay down their life and put themselves aside for the sake of another.

  

Jesus was willing to lay His life down for us, just as Isaac was willing to be bound and slain on an altar.  They both acted out of the purest highest form of love that can exist.   It is the love that brings God and mankind together.  They both, along with their Fathers, understood the noble cause of great love and the necessity of sacrifice and redemption.  Abraham and Isaac acted on what they understood, what God had shown them in their limited humanity; that One would come and become the promised sacrifice to restore mankind to God and repair the rift between the great love of God for His creation.  All their lives they had longed to see this.  All that was done was done with wisdom and understanding and mostly with great love.   This fact of a need to repair the breach between God and man by offering sacrifice and redemption had been passed down through time from Adam and Eve, who learned it directly from God.  This Promised One who would come to be the perfect sacrifice would be the first step to bringing all of creation back to the abundant life man had enjoyed in the Garden of Eden with God.  It all had to happen to restore things, since evil had brought so much sin and death to the world, but God decided to play the sacrificial role instead of allowing men to keep trying to offer imperfect sacrifices that would never be enough to conquer the sins of mankind.  God allowed men grace and took the task unto Himself in love.  

If you ever learn anything at all about God, know that the thing that matters the most to Him is love.  Love is the answer to everything, and love is what He has given to us in all the highest forms that exist.  It was even condensed down to one final commandment; love God and love mankind.  

 

In these great stories of Abraham and Isaac, Father and Son, we are constantly reminded of the fact that there is nothing more wonderful than the love of a Father for a Son; except maybe that of the love of a Man for his Wife.  This is an even higher love.  It is a different kind of love.  It is a love that God wants us to understand.
  

As we follow the searching paths of Eliezer, that wise and faithful servant of Abraham, on his journey to find a wife for Isaac; we will see another great love story unfold.  This story shows the love of a Groom for His Bride.  It is beautiful in every aspect, and Eliezer is clearly a type of God's Holy Spirit doing the work of bringing about God's will, of making love happen in impossible circumstances and unexpected places.  

We do not want to go fast through these stories, but to take our time.  Every detail given is a shinning jewel to behold as a part of a beautiful story-necklace that shadows the love of Yeshua for His Bride; the true church.  

The preparation of the Bride of Christ begins with knowing and understanding this story of Rebekah and Isaac.  The story comes to us appropriately, during a time and season when we are counting the Omer and numbering the days that lead us up to Pentecost.  In these days and in this story God is showing us a picture of the working of The Holy Spirit in our own daily lives by showing us the lives of Isaac and Rebekah.  

It all starts with a servant going into a far country to seek a wife for the Son of his Master.  Is that not how God brings us all to Him?  He sends His servant, The Holy Spirit to draw us unto Him.  

The story takes place in a beautiful time of life for Isaac and Rebekah.  They were old enough to be wise adults, but young enough to enjoy the enticements of true love.  If you belong to God, you too have experienced such a time in your life and may even still be going through that time.  It is a period of courtship.  I am speaking of the time in a Christian’s walk with God that leads to the receiving of The Holy Spirit; the time when they become committed and officially “engaged” to Yeshua.  It is such a love story.  It is a love story very comparable to the story of Rebekah and Isaac.  So let us look deeply into their stories and let God begin to show us ourselves and exactly what He desires from us. 

The Bride for the Promised Son had to come from Abraham’s true family.  God seeks out those who are truly of His family too.  Isaac’s bride could not be one who would rebel against his ways and customs of worship; but one who could be taught by God to forsake the pagan customs of her birth and come into the ways of God that had been shown to Abraham by God, then taught to Isaac by Abraham and Sarah. 

Abraham stressed this one most important point over and over to Eliezer before he left to find Isaac a bride.  God's people cannot be birthed in paganism.  The descendant's of Abraham and Isaac were to be God's people. The perfect bride for the promised son could not and can not have a pagan heart.  She must be able to conform to and keep the ways of God and not the traditions of man and the world.  She must be willing to leave behind the traditions that she once knew in order to follow the traditions of God.  She must be able to set herself apart from those who follow the crowd and are so easily swayed in the wrong directions.  She must learn to follow God and God only.  Her traditions must be God's traditions and her ways must be God's ways.  

Abraham explained to Eliezer again and again that Isaac should never be allowed to leave the promised land where God had promised to bless him; and his bride should not be a pagan idol worshiper, but she should desire to stay close to her husband's side and believe in His God and follow His ways.  She should come from Abraham’s true family tree and be a teachable woman who would be true to the inspirations and ways that Isaac had learned from God.  

Perhaps Abraham was afraid he might die before Eliezer returned; because he was very, very careful to emphasize these things, not once, but many times. 

Eliezer, like all faithful servants, was very determined to stay true to his Master’s wishes.  As soon as possible he quickly prepared to do the task that Abraham had given him.  He had trained many other skillful servants to work with him and under him.  He had trained them well enough to be able to leave them in charge of his tasks whenever he needed to go away on business for the family.  This freed Eliezer to go without worry, to take care of his master’s business whenever it involved long periods of travel.  Oh that our own modern homes and lives today might be in the same order!  We have much to learn from the character traits of Eliezer.  

Some things just could not be trusted to outsiders, and Eliezer was always the one Abraham called upon in these times.  Eliezer was always ready and prepared for whatever Abraham needed whenever he needed it.  He loaded down ten of Abraham’s camels with all sorts of amazing gifts for the future bride of Isaac.  He then set out for Aram Naharaim or as some call it Paddan Aram, the town where Nahor, Abraham's brother lived.

 

When Eliezer arrived in the designated area he went to the town well and had his camels to kneel down.  Those camels must have been very, very tired and very, very thirsty.  They had come a long way to bring so many special gifts to a special bride.  We could tell many stories about the gifts that Abraham's camels carried to Issac's bride; they were indeed very special and abundant, but we must continue with the story at hand.  

It was just before the sunset, the time when the women left their houses to draw water from the town well for the next day, just before the twilight of evening and the changing of one day into another.

Abraham had previously advised Eliezer that an Angel of The LORD would go before him and prepare the way to find Rebekah.  That was all Eliezer knew, it was all he had to go on; otherwise his task seemed humanly impossible. So, as he sat with his camels all loaded down with many fine gifts beside the well; he prayed for that help to come.
 

“God of my master Abraham, make me successful today.  Show kindness to Abraham.  See I am standing beside this spring where the daughters of the town of Nahor are coming to draw water.  May it be that when I say to a young woman, “please let down your jar so that I may have a drink” and she says “Drink and I’ll water your camels too” that she will be the one You have chosen for your servant Isaac.”

And that was exactly how Eliezer knew Rebekah.  It was no sooner than he had finished praying and looked up that he saw a very beautiful young virgin coming toward the well with a jar on her shoulder in order to draw water.  He did not yet know, but she was the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milkah, who was the wife of Nahor; Abraham’s brother! 

Eliezer hurried to her side and asked “Please give me a drink from your jar.”

She gave him a drink, and to Eliezer’s delight she said “I’ll draw water for your camels too until they have had enough to drink.”  

She quietly filled her jar from the well, over and over, and emptied it into the trough for Abraham’s camels to drink.  Now just one camel alone can drink up to 20 gallons of water.  For ten camels to drink, Rebekah would have had to work at least an hour and probably longer.   As she did this Eliezer tried to observe everything about her to be sure that God had brought her to him for Isaac.  

Eliezer cared very little about this girl’s strikingly beautiful appearance; he was trying to discern her character.  Eliezer watched for beauty on the inside as well as beauty on the outside.  The character and beauty on the inside was definitely much more important and took high precedence over any outward appearance.  

It seems that Eliezer might have told his men not to help Rebekah so that he could see a true picture of her character.  There is no specific mention of the men during this time in the scriptures, but one can just visualize them sitting idly by, watching the beautiful Rebekah at work.

Watching her work hard to water his camels, Eliezer realized that Rebekah had a servant’s heart.  This was a very good trait in Eliezer’s opinion, and a very good qualification for the wife of Isaac.  She not only SAID she would water the camels; she moved quickly and went about the work, not waiting for Eliezer to protest her help, or for him to offer for his men to do the work. Rebekah went straight to the task, very willing to do all the work herself.  Rebekah did not even look up or question that  Eliezer's men did not leand a hand.   She did this random act of kindness straight from her heart, willingly, humbly, and as a free gift; even to a stranger.  

Eliezer knew that the gift of hospitality was very important to Abraham and Isaac.  It was the way that opened the door for them to show God's kindness, love and mercy to others.   They had practiced this godly trait throughout the land of Canaan, and Rebekah seemed to have the same natural instinct for making people feel welcomed and blessed.  

Eliezer must have watched her smile and greet the other villagers who came and went as she went about her work. He might have imagined by their attitude toward her that perhaps at one time or another she had done the same for some of these families too.    Eliezer must have seen that she put his comfort above her own, even though she did not even know him.

 

When Rebekah had finished watering his camels; Eliezer took out some very expensive jewelry and held it in his hands as he asked her; “Whose daughter are you? Is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”  

“Us” meant all of Eliezer's ten camels, Eliezer and the servants that tended to the camel on the journey.  After all,  there had to be one man to lead each camel, and at least one extra man to help Eliezer with loading and unloading and guiding them through the land.  There must have been at least eleven or more men who came with Eliezer to help bring the gifts of Isaac to his future bride.  

Does anything about that particular number sound familiar?  I think Yeshua also had eleven men who helped bring the gifts of God to His people!  Locating and obtaining the right bride for a noble son would involve using many loyal, well-trained and dedicated servants, all of them workmen who would follow closely and work specifically with the faithful and honored head servant of the Master.

Rebekah explained who her father and grandfather were, and she said they had plenty of room for Eliezer, his camels, and his servants to spend the night at their house.  

I have to pause here and ask a question of the reader.  What about your own house?  Do you have room for The Holy Spirit, the servant of God Most High, to come stay in your house?  Perhaps you own no house, perhaps you own nothing but  your own body; but is the body not a Tabernacle for The Holy Spirit of God to dwell in?  Is there room in the house of your soul to receive all the ways that God’s gifts come to you through this faithful servant of God called The Holy Spirit?  

Will you be a gracious receiver as Rebekah was?  When you look in the eyes of a stranger in your own hometown do you ask yourself if they are not a gift from God that may have come to bless your home?  Do you invite them to rest and be refreshed?  Are you open to hospitality like Rebekah was with Eliezer?

I think we all could take a lesson from Rebekah, I know I could.  This beautiful woman with the sincere servant's heart and the gift of hospitality was becoming more and more intriguing to Eliezer.

When Rebekah indicated that her father and grandfather were relatives of Abraham, Eliezer immediately bowed down to the ground and gave praise to God for leading him directly to the house of Abraham’s brother.  Rebekah was standing right beside him as he offered this prayer of thanks, and she was delighted to find that this stranger she had met was the servant of a member of her own family!  She quickly realized this could not be a coincidence.  She could not wait to tell her family this good news; for they would be pleased to know more of the life of Uncle Abraham who lived so far away!  Long distance communications were very hard in those days.  They had not heard from The House of Abraham in a long, long time.  Rebekah filled her jar one last time and went quickly to tell her family this good news.

Eliezer waited beside the spring while Rebekah ran to tell her family about the important visitors that were coming to stay with them.  She told them he was a servant of Abraham, and she showed them the expensive jewelry he had given to her.  She must have explained to them how he had bowed down to God and thanked God for leading him to the house of his master Abraham’s family.  

   

The jewels Eliezer gave to Rebekah were made of silver and gold; a nose ring and some bracelets that dangled daintily from Rebekah's arm.

Rebekah had an older brother named Laban.  As soon as he heard this news and saw the expensive jewelry that Rebekah was now wearing, Laban, went out to the well to greet Eliezer with a warm welcome.  “Come you who are blessed of the LORD.  Why are you standing here?  I have prepared the house for you and your camels. “

Have you ever had the exciting experience of telling your own brother about a new guest that comes from your Father's people, who lives in a distance land? Or let me put it this way:  Have you ever had the pleasure of telling someone that you loved about God's Holy Spirit?  How awesome is that?  Rebekah got to do that in a similar way when she told Laban about Eliezer.  Isn’t it fun, to relate the interesting circumstances around how you found each other at the well, and to introduce the guest to your brother and watch each of them slowly understand the importance of the visit?  

Isn’t it fun to know that the presence of this faithful servant who often arrives unexpectedly as you go about your daily tasks could totally change everything about your life in an instant?  Or eventually even the life of your brother too?  

So it was in the case of Rebekah.  It was an exciting unanticipated surprise in the middle of a mundane day of daily chores.  God had brought hope, joy and anticipation into the everyday.

Laban led Eliezer to the house of Nahor, Abraham’s brother.  Eliezer's camels were housed in a clean, well cared for barn, and they were well fed by the servants of Nahor, who helped Eliezer's men unload and guard the treasures he brought from Abraham.  

The servants of Nahor must have been amazed at the richness of the things that were loaded on Eliezer’s camels backs.  Laban must have used his most trusted servants to help with this task, in order to prevent theft of the gifts which were exceedingly wonderful and exquisite.  

The servants of Laban and Nahor must have wondered where Eleizer was taking these valuable gifts, and why he had them loaded on the backs of his camels on such a long journey.

 

Eliezer was taken inside to the family's best quarters and made to be very comfortable.  He and the men with him received fresh clean water to wash their feet.  They were given time to rest and be refreshed from their journey.  

Eliezer was invited to a lavish dinner that evening.

It surely seemed that all things were going well with Eliezer's quest of finding a bride for his master's son.  Eliezer could clearly see God's will and help in every direction he turned, and he was feeling like this was the right place to be.    

Eliezer, still being a good and very cautious servant, decided to still be carefully cautious and to throw in a few more little tests to determine and confirm his good feelings about Rebekah.  He prayed about these things as he rested before dinner and he waited for further conversations with her family. 

The extra precautions were not unusual traits for this good servant of Abraham.  Eliezer was always very careful in how he proceeded to go about his master's business.  He used great wisdom and sought out God's help each time, in every large or small task.  It would have been totally foolish for him to have blurted out the facts about his mission when he first met Rebekah at the well.  She might have thought he was crazy, and she might not have led him to her family.  The way Eliezer had shown her respect, and given her nice gifts, and waited patiently on her to confirm his signs were less obvious, more respectful and much easier for Rebekah to understand and relate to.  

When Rebekah saw Eliezer bow down and worship God for leading him to the home of his master’s relatives, she must have realized that she too had seen a sign from God.  Eliezer had earned her trust, and she perceived him to be an honest and sincere noble man.  

Now he would continue the process of confirmations that evening when he joined the family for dinner by being totally honest about exactly who he was and exactly why he was there.  It was time for him to reveal the rest of the story.

Eliezer would see what type of reaction Rebekah’s family gave to the whole purpose surrounding his journey, and then if all went well; he would proceed to make the arrangements for Rebekah with great caution, all the time following God’s lead as he went on through the process of securing a bride for Isaac.

SEASONS - RESURRECTION DAY

When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:  He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.  Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.  And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulcher, and departed.  And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulcher.  Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, after three days I will rise again.  Command therefore that the sepulcher be made sure until the third day, least his disciples come by night and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead; so the last error shall be worse than the first.  Pilot said unto them Ye have a watch; go your way, make it as sure as ye can.  So they went and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.    In the end of the Sabbath as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher.  And behold, there was a great earthquake; for the Angel of The Lord descended from Heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it.  His countenance was like lightening, and his raiment white as snow.  And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.  And the angel answered and said unto the woman, "Fear not ye; for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.  He is not here; for He has risen as He said.  Come see the place where the Lord lay; and go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and behold, He goeth before you unto Galilee; there shall ye see Him; lo, I have told you."  And they departed quickly from the sepulcher with fear and great joy; and did run to bring His disciples word.  And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "All hail."  And they came and held Him by the feet, and worshiped Him.  Then said Jesus unto them, "Be not afraid:  go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.  Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.  And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, saying, "Say ye His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.  And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you."  So, they took the money, and did as they were taught; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.  Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.  And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him.  But some doubted.  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I AM with you always, even unto the end of the world.  Amen.  (Matthew 27:57 - 28:20)

It is true!  He is Risen!  He is risen indeed!

Jesus is risen from the dead; and we, the disciples left on the earth today, the Mary Magdalene's and other Mary's and Joseph of Arimathaea's, and Peter's and John's of today, are to proclaim this good news loud and clear!  He told the disciples who had seen him after the Resurrection to go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to all people. 

Time is short.  Do it now.  Tell everyone you know of the power of our Risen Lord and the story of Resurrection! 

COME AS A CHILD - LESSON 63 - ELIEZER HAS A NEW ASSIGNMENT

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf) 

If you ever need an example of a great servant take a look at Eliezer, the 
servant of Abraham.

Eliezer was Abraham’s oldest and most trusted servant.  Abraham had trusted Eliezer with all that he owned from the very beginning of their time in Hebron.

Not only was he a servant who looked after Abraham’s household, Eliezer headed up the band of adopted sons (over 300 trained men) who lived with Abraham and Sarah and protected and defended them when they were in danger.  He was both a great servant and a mighty warrior.  He was also a close friend and advisor.  He was like a member of the family and was treated as such with great respect.  

Eliezer looked after the welfare of Abraham’s family as if they were his own.  All of the above and more are true of Eliezer, yet he was very humble and always remembered his place of servanthood.  He had an outstanding resume, but if asked, the one credential he always gave was “I am a servant of Abraham.”

Early on it was thought that Eliezer might be the one to inherit Abraham’s vast wealth; but that was not his motivation for his faithfulness.  He proved this by the way he stayed with Abraham and looked after his best interest even many more years after the birth of Ishmael and Isaac.  

Abraham loved Eliezer like a brother and would have gladly given him full freedom; but Eliezer did not desire to ever leave the service of Abraham.  He had died to his own life and he lived specifically to be a good and faithful servant to Abraham.

Is it any wonder, when Abraham decided it was time for Isaac to marry that he chose Eliezer to go and find his bride?  

There would be no one better than Eliezer to accomplish this task successfully. He was very wise,  and he would carefully choose a bride that would please both Abraham and Isaac.
   

Abraham thought it very important that Isaac find the right woman to marry.  Abraham had become very wealthy.  God had blessed him tremendously.  Now that Abraham was old and it was well established that Isaac would be his rightful heir, he wished for his son to be happily married to a type of woman deserving of what Isaac would have to offer.    She would not be from the country which they dwelt in now, as it was still full of pagan worship and idols, in spite of the fact that Abraham and Sarah had turned many in the land toward God.   

Isaac’s wife needed to come from the people that Abraham and Sarah had left behind, the original family of Abraham.  The heirs of Isaac would not be from the women of this land.  The LORD would make a distinguished nation from Isaac and they must be a separate and set apart people.

Genesis 22 speaks to us about Abraham receiving word from his brother Nahor, who still dewelt in the land of Abraham’s origin, Aram Naharaim, an area we now know as modern day northern Syria.  Nahor now had many children, one of them being a young daughter named Rebekkah.  We are not sure if Abraham had Rebekkah in mind when he told Eliezer to go and find a wife for Isaac among his people, but perhaps Abraham knew of her and wondered if she was the one for Isaac.

 

Perhaps he thought sending Eliezer would be a good test to confirm that she was the right one.  If Abraham did not tell Eliezer whom he sought, and Eliezer was led to Rebekkah by God, Abraham would know that his suspicions about her were correct.

So Abraham called Eliezer to him and, saying nothing at all about Rebekkah, told him to go to the land where his family dwelled and find a suitable wife for Isaac.  Isaac’s wife must not be one of the idol worshipping women in the land of Canaan; but a godly woman with the same heritage and fear of God as Isaac’s Mother, Sarah.  Eliezer knew this was not an easy request. All of the people living in Aram Naharaim were not godly.  What if he did not find such a woman?  Why did Abraham not go himself or send Isaac?
 

These questions became clearer to Eliezer as he discussed the details of this important task with Abraham.  God had brought them out of a foreign land and and planted them here in the land of Canaan.  He had promised this land to them one day.  They were never to go back or return out of the promised land.

 Abraham took great care to make sure that Eliezer understood that Isaac was never to leave the land of God’s promise.  All of his blessings were tied to the place where God had planted him.  Eliezer understood and swore to Abraham that he would never allow Isaac to leave the land of Canaan. 

This promise from Eliezer must have given Abraham comfort in his old age.  He knew he would not always be around to protect Isaac and to remind him of the great promises that God had given.  Isaac was very obedient, but what if that should change?  Abraham knew he could trust Eliezer to correct Isaac in his absence.  Isaac had respect for this great and mighty servant, and he would see reason when Eliezer pointed it out to him if needed.

The bond between Isaac and Sarah had been very, very strong.  No mother had ever loved a son more that Sarah loved Isaac.  When Sarah died, Isaac mourned even more than Abraham.  The old stories have mentioned from time to time that the ties between Isaac and Sarah were so strong that they had kept Isaac uninterested in finding a wife until after Sarah’s death.  It wasn’t that Isaac did not desire a wife, but finding a woman who could live up to the standards that Sarah had modeled to her son would be very, very difficult.  Sarah would be a hard act for any young maid to try to follow.  It would take a woman of great spirit, faith and beauty, one who was very wise, to attract such a man as Isaac.

Eliezer had a great task before him, not so different from our own task as children of God, which is to go out into the world and bring strangers to the knowledge of their bridegroom Jesus Christ.  

Yes, in a sense, we too are all Eliezer’s making our way through a foreign land, looking for the perfect bride, bringing the creation unto The Creator, all the time in the name of our Master acting as His servants.  God is preparing a wedding for His Son and The Church.  The Bride must be made ready.  The Eliezer’s of this world play a huge part in getting the bride ready for the wedding.  A good servant of God will do the same as Eliezer, they will stay focused on the task at hand and be sure to keep the Master’s work first priority.  The Messiah is returning and the Eliezer’s of God must acquaint His bride with who she is to marry.  She must know all about him.  He must tell her how wonderful her husband will be and what a grand marriage they will have.  He must make room and allow for the infinite wisdom of God to work among the finite logic of men.

When we look at the life of Eliezer, we can also see how God's Holy Spirit works in our own life, like the faithful Eliezer, bringing us to our Master who will give us away to our Bridegroom.

 Eliezer knew he had his work cut out for him, but he swore to Abraham to not let Isaac leave the land.  Eliezer would be the one to go to the original home of Abraham and seek a perfect wife for Isaac among Abraham’s brother’s people.  How different Abraham’s people were from Abraham and Sarah and Isaac!  This would not be easy.   

It was a long, long journey, so Eliezer hastened to perform his task.  God went ahead of him, preparing the way for exactly what needed to happen next.

SEASONS - CELEBRATING THE RESURRECTION IN THE SEASON OF EARLY FIRST FRUITS

It is the time for remembering the early first fruits harvest.  Not the wheat harvest that happens around the time of Pentecost, but the first crop of the year that happens around the time of Passover during the Feast of Unleavened Bread; in Israel the main harvest at this time of the year  would have been the barley harvest. 

In 2015 Passover happens at sunset on April 3rd and continues over the next seven days with the Feast of  Unleavened Bread.  The day of First Fruits is also celebrated during this week.  This is the day I am featuring in this article.

Now is the time to prepare our hearts and to plan a nice Seder meal, for inviting family and close friends to join in with your household in joyful and thankful celebration.  It is nice to prepare a very festive meal for this day while we remember the story of the early harvest and the waiving of the barley loaf and the significance this holds for us in realizing the Resurrection of Christ.  We are also to prepare for the counting of the Omer – the fifty days leading up to Pentecost.

In this season the words to one particular song ring out like a prayer for me.  It is a prayer about  offering up the fruit of our lives to God.  During the creation week God had six days in which He did His work of creating the world.  We too, should be spending six days in every week to complete the work that God has blessed us with.  We all have a purpose, our work as people in God's Kingdom living on earth is to fulfill that purpose.  What purpose has God whispered in your ear? Are you to be a witness to others, a good wife, a good husband, a good mother or father?  Are you called to be single and to help other singles who are facing struggles?  Are you called to bring hospitality when needed, to help those who are less fortunate, to help out with financial needs, to offer your labor of love in some type of physical work that shows the love of God?  God calls each of us to different individual purposes.  This is our work on earth. It could be teaching, or serving others, or taking care of the elderly.  Each person will be called to something with purpose and meaning to the Kingdom of God.   The days of our lives spent fulfilling that purpose are our way of thanking God for creating us and letting us live out and be a part of His plan.  Here are a few of the lyrics to a song  expressing this very fact.  I must give Don Meon and Hillsong credit for the lyric writing and singing: 

All that I am, all that I have,

I lay them down before you O Lord.

All my regrets, all my acclaim,

The joy and the pain, I’m making them yours.

Lord I offer my life to You, everything I’ve been through

Use it for Your glory.

Lord I offer my days to You,

Lifting my praise to You as a pleasing sacrifice,

Lord I offer You my life.

 This beautiful song and the lyrics that I love immediately send my soul searching out the meaning of true sacrifice, the best of the best, the early crop that is offered to God at the first harvest of first fruits.  It is a joyful time, full of the symbols of Resurrection. 

By the Day of First Fruits the ancient people of God would have already removed the leaven from their homes, and celebrated the Passover.  They fully knew that removing the leaven symbolized the removal of sin from their lives.  By the time of the first physical harvest the leaven would be out of their homes, but more importantly, their sins would be confessed before God.  What good is sacrifice without a confession first?  Without confession, there would hardly be a point, it would all be meaningless ritual.  They fully understood the importance of the act of repentance.  They knew along with repentance came the need for a sacrifice.  They brought the first and best of their barley harvest to the priest on the day after the Sabbath of the Passover, the day of Early First Fruits. 

 We too come before our High Priest, Jesus Christ who now stands at the right hand of God and offers up the best and the first of our spiritual harvest and waves it before God for us each year.  We dare not come before spending time in repentance.  We know we can’t do this by ourselves. We need Jesus to accomplish this for us.  So in the time leading up to Passover; when I’m cleaning all the leaven out of my house and thinking of the best I have to offer to the Lord; I’m confessing sins that God brings to mind as I do the work.  I sweep out the crumbs and crumbs of un-confessed sins that flash before me.  I’m reminded to confess and I do.  If I’m going to bring of the best of my life it must be holy, perfect, unblemished.  Jesus has made this possible.  It is His sacrifice that makes my offering acceptable.  The early people had to bring a physical sacrifice.  Jesus has now fulfilled this act by becoming the physical sacrifice, once for all.  He asks us to remember this, and we do in the appointed time for each season.  All we need to bring now is the offering of our lives.  Because of the sacrifice of His life, the offering of our lives will now be acceptable. 

The sacrificial offering of Early First Fruits has been required since the very beginning, right after the days that Adam and Eve first sinned.  Once they sinned, God began to talk to them and instruct them about the appointed times for making sacrifices.    

It isn’t exactly spelled out, but if you read and study the Old Testament scriptures you will begin to realize that Adam and Eve must have passed down God’s instructions to their children.  This becomes very clear as the story of Cain and Able unfolds. 

In those days, when it was time for the early First Fruits offering, Cain and Abel showed up at the appointed place and appointed time, as well as Adam and Eve and all the rest of their children.  Adam and Eve had been taught directly by God.  They in turn had instructed their children that God wanted the best and the first fruits of their labor.  As you read the story it becomes apparent that Adam and Eve had taught their sons that God looks on the attitude of the giver and if the intent of the heart is right, He accepts the sacrifice. When God accepted the sacrifice it was consumed by divine fire.

If the intent of the heart was wrong the sacrifice would not be accepted, and it would not be consumed but would remain on the altar until someone moved it away. 

One day the appointed time came and the family of Adam and Eve gathered to offer their first fruits before the Lord.  Abel brought the first and the best of his herd.  They were without spot or blemish.  The best.  The lord was pleased and Abel’s offering was consumed by the divine fire.

Then Cain brought the first of his labor, vegetables from where he had tilled the ground.  Only; Cain had eaten the first and the best of the vegetables and fruit himself.  He brought the Lord the leftovers, the ones that he did not want.   They were withered and blemished.  God saw that Cain was selfish with his offering.  God did not consume the sacrifice.

Cain became angry and he was jealous of his brother who had pleased God.  Eventually Cain’s hatred for his brother Abel became so great that he killed him and hid his body thinking that no one would ever know what he had done.

The appointed time came again and Cain showed up at the appointed place with his offering of vegetables and the stain of his brother's blood in his heart.  Abel did not show up. God asked Cain, in front of everyone where Abel was.  Cain lied and said that he did not know.  But God KNEW the truth, and He told Cain his own story, and everyone there heard from God that Cain had killed his brother. 

Cain never repented.  Cain only got angry.

Adam and Eve must have been devastated.  God rejected Cain’s offering and cursed him.  Cain was cast out of the land, never to come before God again.  Because of Cain’s selfishness he lost his soul, his family and his home.

Cain’s children grew up to be wicked and evil.  The curse of their father followed them wherever they went.  This was a case where the wrong attitude about firstfruits made for a very sad story.  Cain’s family began the curse on the earth of many more evil and wicked generations.  Their generations after them caused the world to be so evil that God sent a flood to destroy the earth.  Only Noah and his family were saved.

What do you think was the first thing that Noah and his family did when the ark landed safely right on the day of Early Firstfruits in the appointed place at the appointed time?

They were very thankful to God for saving them, so they built an altar and made an offering to the Lord.  With the whole world washed away, what do you think were the firstfruits of their labor?

It was the gift of themselves; their very lives.  The whole family of Noah and the animals with them would be bringing new life to the world.  It was the gift of life that they brought; the best gift of all.

God consumed their sacrifice by divine fire because the animals that they offered represented the fact that they wanted to live for God.  They had brought themselves; their food, their energy, their time, all that they had to offer, to help God start the world all over again.  It was an acceptable offering and God not only accepted it;  He gave them the promise of the rainbow.  

Noah’s children taught their children about early first fruits until the days of Abram came.

Abram went into a fierce battle of many kings in the land.  The King of Sodom where Abram's nephew Lot was residing had not been able to defend his own city.  With the help of God, Abram defeated several other powerful kings that had come against the city and taken plunder from Abram's nephew, as well as the King and the other residents.  On his way back from battle Abram was met in the valley by Melchizedek, the King of Jerusalem and the High Priest of God.  

Abram recognized that Melchizedek was the High Priest of God, and he gave Him an offering to God of the best from all of his own possessions.  This was his first fruits offering.  Abram could have given the spoils from the war that he had regained from the kings who had attacked and plundered the city of Sodom, but Abram returned those spoils to the King of Sodom.  Abram chose not to use them as an offering to God.  Besides the fact that many of these things probably represented evil in some way,  Abram wanted everyone to know that God had given him his blessings, and that he had not gained any of them from a battle with the King of Sodom.  Instead of the spoils of war, Abram  gave from all of his own finest and most treasured possessions.  God was pleased with Abram’s offering.  It was accepted.  Afterwards Melchizedek blessed Abram and they shared a meal of bread and wine.

Unlike the sacrifices of Cain, the first fruits of Noah and Abram were accepted before God.

Abram taught his descendants about the first fruits offering.  He explained that when you bring a first fruit offering to God it should be something from the best that you have to offer.

Abram, who later became Abraham, taught his children to make the offerings to God at the appointed times and the appointed place.  God blessed Abraham’s descendants and made a nation from them.  Sarah gave Abraham a son named Isaac.  Isaac married Rebecca and they had twin sons named Jacob and Esau. 

And so, we could go on and on with the stories of the children of Israel and how they all brought early first fruit offerings before God in one way or another, and how their offerings were either accepted or rejected by God. 

In the days of Moses, as the people were leaving slavery and God was speaking to them of how to be His nation, He gave them further instructions.  Let’s look at what God asked on this day so long ago when He met Moses on the mountain. 

The passage is found in Leviticus 23:10-12:

Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest unto the priest; and he shall wave the sheaf 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 sheaf a he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD.

They were to bring an offering (which represented the first of the profit of their labor) and they were to make a sacrifice (an unblemished lamb.)  This was God’s requirement for the early first fruits offering from when Israel first entered the Promised Land. 

So we see a further picture of the people from many generations coming every year to their first harvest of the year.  It was usually a barley crop.  Barley was hardy and grew almost anywhere.  It survived well, struggling for life and abundance even in hard times and rough weather.  Barley bread was known as “the common people’s bread.”  It was called “the bread of the poor” because it was more affordable and easier to grow and buy than the wheat that was produced later in the year.  There was not much excuse for not having a barley crop, it was easy to grow and available in abundance.  If you could not afford your own field, you could reap the corners of other people's fields that were left for the poor and those who had nothing.  This is how Ruth took care of Noami before she married Boaz, her beloved kinsman redeemer.  Even the poor could produce a crop from the barley if they made the effort to do so.  They did not even have to plant or grow, all they were required to do was to reap.

There were five loaves of barley bread found in the young boy’s lunch that day which were given to

Jesus to use to feed the multitude.  Jesus took it, blessed it, broke it and multiplied it out until there was plenty enough for everyone.  Had the boy not brought the lunch first however, there would have been nothing.  Because the boy offered all that he had, even though it was common and ordinary, a multitude was able to eat and be satisfied that day.  They were able to stay and obtain the food from which you never grow hungry again, the spiritual food being offered by The Messiah.  How significant can the picture be of man offering up barley, the lesser of the crops, the easier of the crops, the least expensive of the crops, much like the offering of Cain.  Man’s offerings alone though could never be good enough.  Only when Jesus came into the picture as the perfect sacrifice could this change in the eyes of God.  There were years and years of barley harvests presented before God. Mankind needed a Messiah to come in order to make these offerings acceptable.

Year after year the first of every crop (usually barley) was brought to the Temple.  The very first bundle of grain they gathered would be taken to the High Priest.  The priest would wave the sheaf before the Lord.  This happened after the Sabbath of the Passover during the seven day Feast of Unleavened Bread.  This was the day of the bringing of the wave sheaf that was to be offered to God before anyone offered or used anything else that God had blessed them with from the harvest.

We now know, unlike the Israelites who had to be obedient through totally blind faith, that Jesus Christ was the true One that would make these wave sheaf offerings acceptable before God.  The timing of this first fruit ritual offering established by God way before Christ came to earth, was perfectly in line and a shadow of the actions of Christ before, during and after the Resurrection.  Like the seed that grows into the plant that is harvested and processed to make fine bread, Christ was put into the ground and covered up, or buried.  Like the little seed that receives power from God on High as it grows and shoots up through the dirt, Jesus received resurrection power from God and rose from the grave.   He is the one who offers our prayers before God.  He is our High Priest waiving our offering before God.  God will always accept us, because He is perfect!  He became our acceptable first fruit offering of the harvest of spiritual souls for the Kingdom of God.  He and those who rose with Him at the Resurrection were the Early First Fruits of the harvest of souls that belong to God.

It is said that you must give the wave sheaf in order to make the rest of the crop acceptable for use.  When Jesus presented Himself, holy and pure, before God as our offering, God accepted Him and that made us (the rest of the crop) acceptable for use in God’s Kingdom also.

So, we are not agricultural anymore, and Christ has come for us now and saved us from our sins.

There is no Temple in Jerusalem anymore.

Does this mean we forget these days?

Not at all; this only means that these days have an even fuller meaning than before.  We have even more to be thankful for and to honor God for on this day.  Now we have the fuller celebration that incorporates the true essence of Resurrection.  A little like the family of Noah after the flood, we have new life!

We must do like the generations before us and teach our children to teach their children to observe the appointed times for bringing their first fruits before God as a sacrifice that is acceptable.  

So it is good to pause and think about the ancient people and their spirit of worship during the time of First Fruits.

What was the true heart of the ancient people as they brought these offerings?

The giving of the first fruits is a reminder that everything we have is God’s.  It all comes to us from Him.  Even the breath that we breathe, the water that we drink, the song on our lips, they all originate from Him.  

The giving of first fruits does NOT mean:  This is God’s and the rest is mine.

The giving of the first fruits means that I give to God to be used of God and the rest that I have is meant to be used for a lifestyle that glorifies Him. 

Making God a first priority in our life pleases Him.

It fills Him with pleasure.  It is His delight and desire.  It is God’s will that we make Him a priority in our lives, that is what is meant by verses 11 – 13 of the earlier passage we read in Leviticus 23.  This says:  “to be accepted for you.”  God goes to great lengths to describe the offering that is to be given.  The purpose for this offering is that it would be acceptable to God on behalf of the nation.  One of the reasons it is acceptable is the fact that you have made God your first priority in bringing the offering before Him.

There are two parts to being acceptable before God.  The first involves the perfect sacrifice of Christ.

He was obedient in all things, even to the death of the cross.  Through His death He made it possible for us to become acceptable to God in that through His death we receive His righteousness when we put our trust in Christ as the only way of salvation.  In that way, we become heirs of righteousness with Christ Jesus.  We become acceptable before God in Him, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.

HE IS RISEN!  PRAISE GOD!!!!!!!

The second part of being acceptable before God involves living consistent with the commitment that is made through the offering. This was true in the Old Testament days, and it is still true today.

Obedience in this offering and other ritual offerings was demanded and commanded but not just in the ritual of the offering, it was designed to play out in every and all areas of one's life.

Obedience is demanded.

When it comes down to the facts, there was really only one thing necessary in the Old Testament for an offering to be acceptable to God; obedience. 

That is why in Jeremiah 6:20 and Malachi 2:13 God refused the offering of the people, because they were disobedient before God. They apparently thought since they obeyed the ritual law they would be able to get God to look the other way during their everyday lives.  Sound familiar?

Please let this never be true of any of us.

Let us instead come before God as obedient servants bringing Him the first fruits of our labor.  It doesn’t have to be money, or material things.  It can be whatever you have to offer before God of your best; prayer, devotion, study, the gift of time, something that you do for others that makes the world see God's love, any of the giving of other less tangible resources in some way; but what ever it is,  your gift to God should be in keeping with the fact that you are bringing to God your first and your best offering from the days of your life that has now been redeemed by the blood of Christ.  

God will look on the intent of your heart.  God will see the blood of Jesus that covers you, and you will be acceptable to Him.

We find this concept of Early First Fruits in the New Testament also.

Paul begged the Roman believers on the basis of the mercy of God shown to them through the death of Christ that they would present their bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which was their reasonable service, not to be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of their mind that they might prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Romans 14:17-19 describes more exactly what this type of life that is acceptable before God looks like.  It is not arguing over what we should eat and drink, but rather righteousness and peace and joy, specifically, Paul is emphasizing peace between believers in Christ.

Do you need to bring a peace offering of your first and best to God?

2 Corinthians 5:9-10 teaches that whether our service is acceptable or not before God is the basis whereby believers will be judged.  Believers are no longer condemned to die or suffer in eternity, because they are covered with the perfect blood of Christ and forgiven for their sins; but they ARE judged in order to evaluate which gifts they will receive as rewards for their earthly lives in Heaven.  They can never be sentenced to hell, because they are saved; but they will receive greater or lesser rewards in heaven based on the records of the judgement of how they lived their life on earth.  This is a very hard pill for some believers to swallow.  It does not cancel grace, grace is available from God in abundance.  It does not cancel salvation, it just means that some will be rewarded more than others.  All I can tell you is go back and study the scriptures!  Kind of scary isn't it?  Will your house be made of hay and stubble or gold and silver?  I fear I may be living with many good neighbors surrounding me in a straw house!  I would rather live in a house made of hay or stubble and be with The LORD than live in one of gold or silver without Him!  We will all still be very blessed and happy!  Also keep in mind that God only judges by what we have been given.  If you have used whatever God has given you for The Kingdom of God your reward will be as much as someone who had done a million more things than you but did not use all that God gave them!  Read the parable of the talents.

The symbolism and ritual of First Fruits keeps us focused with these things in mind.  Living in the world will only serve to keep you distracted from this truth.  The symbolism is individualized through the denying of one’s self.  When we are able to die to ourselves, we learn how to live for God.  The giving of the first fruits offerings served as a reminder against falling into an idolatry of the heart where we let ourselves take on more masters than the One True God of Heaven and Earth.  It protects us from the idolatry of self-righteousness.  Many of the things that we do or should do in bringing the best of ourselves to God serve as a guard against the ungodliness that is constantly lurking around in our hearts.   In many ways the ritual of First Fruits works like a shield over your heart.  

In the early days of the Feasts of First Fruits the people had been laboring since the end of October or beginning of November when they first planted their barley.  They had watched it sprout up out of the ground, grow tall, and fill out with grain.  But they could not eat of it until the firstfruits were given to God.

Part of giving to God involves the understanding that you must deny yourself.  To deny yourself does not mean to deny your existence. That would be foolishness.  Nor does it mean that you give up some pleasure or sin for the sake of Christ.  No act that we could ever do would even come close to improving or helping Him.  It is simply the same thing as what is symbolized by not eating leavened bread during the 7 Days of Unleavened Bread.  It means that your needs, your wants, your desires take a back seat to what God commands.  The message is both to the community and to the individual.  

Obedience does not mean giving God something so that you can enjoy the rest without fear of punishment.  Obedience means a denial of your importance in relation to the things of Christ.

Will you deny yourself and follow Christ?  He is waiting right now on your heart to turn toward Him. He stands with open arms.  

Will you make Him THE priority, not A priority?  Jesus Christ should always be THE priority in your life.  If you can make this decision you will always be bringing Him the first fruits of your own spiritual harvest.  

Yes, it is good and sometimes even best to give offerings of money, but the money does not matter if the soul is not right before God.   James 1:18 says:  He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all He created.

Now we must discuss further the greatest offering of Early First Fruits that was ever given.

1 Corinthians 15:20 - 23 is the scripture which will guide us on to see how the Festival of First Fruits is totally fulfilled in Christ.  It tells us that Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruit of those who have fallen asleep.     Christ the first fruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ.

First fruits is all about Resurrection!   It is all about the Resurrection of Christ!

Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is the promise that believers, too, will receive bodies in the final harvest that will never again die. Had Jesus not been raised from the dead, there would be no guarantee for believers to point to and rely upon when they think about the final day of the time of this earth that the scriptures point toward.  But, as it is, the first fruit resurrection of Christ guarantees that there will be a final harvest of bodies that will be raised from the dead in similar manner to that of Christ. 

Both Romans 8:23 and Ephesians 1:13-14 speak of this…we…who have the first fruit of the Spirit…Who is the guarantee of our inheritance…

The Holy Spirit that believers have received is the assurance that the future inheritance, that final harvest promise, will be laid hold of and reaped one day.  We will be thinking more about this in 50 days at the time of Pentecost.  For now we must believe, prepare and wait for those days to pass.  That is another thing that we will begin in this season of Resurrection.  We will begin to count the Omer, the 50 days leading up to Pentecost, which is the day of the Latter First Fruits.  In these days of the counting of the Omer God will teach us the blessings that come from Resurrection. 

Let’s read the scripture that gives us instructions on this observance:

(Numbers 15:17-21)

When you enter the land where I bring you, there it shall be that when you eat of the bread of the land, you shall lift up a heave offering to the Lord.  Of the first of your dough you shall lift up a cake as a heave offering; as the heave offering of the threshing floor, so you shall lift it up.  From the first of your dough you shall give to the Lord a heave offering through your generations.   

The dough that was “lifted up” to God made holy the entire lump of dough that it was taken from.

In the days of the Temple, when the sacrificial system took place, the first fruit offerings were given to the Levites and they became their property (Numbers 18:12.)  After its destruction when no sacrificial system existed any more, the women of the house would throw a handful of the dough into the fire as the first fruit offering to the Lord so that the rest of the dough became holy unto Him.  In every kitchen therefore, the hearth became an altar to YHWH. 

Commenting on this passage, the apostle Paul writes in Romans 11:16:  “If the dough offered as first fruit is holy, so is the whole lump.”

As the Bride of Christ the true Church will one day be joined to Him.  Since Jesus gave His Holy Life for us, so too are we made holy before God.

And how do we KNOW He was holy?  The proof is in the Resurrection!  He is Risen!

So on the celebration of Early First Fruits that falls during the 7 days of Unleavened Bread following Passover, we mark our calendars as we say the prayer for the Omer.   This prayer of the Omer should be said every day until the count reaches 50 and we find ourselves at the day of Pentecost. 

Here is the prayer we will pray at our table:

BLESSED ARE YOU, LORD OUR GOD, KING OF THE UNIVERSE, WHO HAS SANCTIFIED US WITH YOUR COMMANDMENTS AND COMMANDED US CONCERNING THE COUNTING OF THE OMER.  TODAY IS THE (insert the number of the day here)  DAY OF THE OMER. 

Counting the Omer each of the days leading up to Pentecost in this manner gets us excited about what God is going to do with our first fruits offering by the time we reach the Day of Pentecost. 

So basically when we celebrate the day of Early First Fruits we are recognizing that we need to lift our lives up to God, giving ourselves to God for His use.  This is symbolized by the physical act of the heave offering.  This offering only works for us now because of the sacrificial love of Jesus.  Because He offered Himself up on the cross we are able to live free from the bondage of sin.  Joining in with His spirit of sacrificial giving and offering our own first fruits causes a follower of Jesus to sanctify (make holy or set apart) each situation that we are a part of in our daily life, bringing the Kingdom to bear on every level of our society.  In this act of love we find Resurrection to new life!  Jesus was the first, and in our time; the Bride of Christ, the Church.

It isn’t just that figurative language is being used to speak of Jesus’ resurrection, but that the Resurrection actually took place on the exact same day that the festival of first fruits was commanded to be waved before God in the Temple.  New life has happened.  Just like the seed of barley that fell into the earth and brought forth a sheaf, so the seed of Christ’s body was sown in the earth and brought forth new life as it was raised in power. 

May God bless each and every one of you and may He honor and accept the offerings of the first fruits of your lives before Him. 

Remember….

CHRIST IF RISEN!!!!!!!

HE IS RISEN INDEED!!!!!!!!!

CELEBRATE THE RESURRECTION!!!!!!!