February 13

FIRSTFRUITS

-James 1:18 states, … Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures … The word "firstfruits" speaks of the beginning of something, or the first of the ripe fruits. The word "firstfruits" would then signify to us that that which is considered a firstfruit is not the full harvest, but it does point to the fact that there is more fruit to come. The firstfruits is not the end of the harvest, but it is just the beginning of GOD’S GREAT HARVEST!

-The Jewish people of the Old Testament had three great feasts in a one year period. They were:

1. THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD

2. THE FEAST OF WEEKS

3. THE FEAST OF INGATHERING

-These three great feasts go hand in hand with three harvests:

1. BARLEY HARVEST

2. WHEAT HARVEST

3. GRAPE HARVEST

-These three major feasts are also known as:

1. PASSOVER

2. PENTECOST

3. TABERNACLES

-They do correspond to our:

1. APRIL

2. JUNE

3. OCTOBER

-These three harvests do spiritually represent the way in which God is reconciling all things unto Himself. They represent:

1. REMNANT

2. NATIONS

3. WORLD ( THE ENTIRE CREATION )

-This great harvest of mankind is being gathered unto God now, and will continue in the ages to come. It is to take place in:

1. THIS PRESENT AGE

2. THE MILLENNIUM

3. THE AGE OF THE AGES ( DISPENSATION OF THE FULLNESS OF TIMES )

-This present age in which we find ourselves is the age in which God is gathering in a REMNANT, or FIRSTFRUITS. This remnant is then to be used in the coming age to be the very manifested sons of God, which will result in all nations coming to the knowledge of the Lord. ( Read Isaiah 2:1-4. ) This remnant is to be used as well in the Age of the Ages, playing a part in the final phase of God’s great harvest, which will result in the gathering of ALL REMAINING THINGS IN CHRIST ( Ephesians 1:9-11, Colossians 1:20 ). This will be the consummation and completion of God’s great harvest, which will result in Him being ALL IN ALL ( EVERYTHING TO EVERYONE ).

According to Ray Knight:

-"We must realize that the firstfruits is not the end of God’s dealings with man, but just the beginning. According to God’s pattern given in the Old Testament, there must come forth a firstfruits company that is separated away first from the whole just as the sheaf of firstfruits was waved as the evidence that the whole harvest would follow ( Firstfruits, Ray Knight )." REJOICE! You are the firstfruits of God. Your very salvation GUARANTEES the rest of the harvest to come.

-READ EPHESIANS 2:7!-