The Firstfruits
The first and best offerings to God from the harvest.
AI-generated artistic depiction (no historical imagery exists)
The firstfruits are the initial and best portion of the harvest, crops, and livestock, which the Israelites were commanded to bring as an offering to the Lord. This practice is established in the law as a way to honor God with the first of all increase (Exodus 23:19; Proverbs 3:9). The offerings included grain, wine, oil, dough, and fleece, and were given to the priests and Levites for their sustenance (Numbers 18:12; Deuteronomy 18:4; Ezekiel 44:30).
Lore & Background
The concept of firstfruits also carries a symbolic meaning in the New Testament. Paul refers to Christ as the firstfruits of those who have died, indicating his resurrection as the guarantee of the resurrection of believers (1 Corinthians 15:20). James similarly describes believers as a kind of firstfruits of God's creatures, begotten by the word of truth (James 1:18). This imagery draws on the Old Testament idea of the first portion being set apart and dedicated to God, now applied to Christ and his followers as the beginning of a new creation.
Reader's Guide
The passages portray the firstfruits as a tangible expression of gratitude and dependence on God. The law required the Israelites to bring the first and best of their produce to the Lord, whether it was grain, wine, oil, or dough (Exodus 23:19; Deuteronomy 26:10; Nehemiah 10:37). This offering was not to be burned on the altar for a sweet savor but was given to the priests for their support (Leviticus 2:12; Numbers 18:12; Ezekiel 44:30). The firstfruits were also associated with specific festivals, such as the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Ingathering (Exodus 23:16; Exodus 34:22). The people brought these offerings year by year to the house of the Lord (Nehemiah 10:35), and they were stored in chambers for the priests and Levites (Nehemiah 12:44). In the New Testament, the term is used metaphorically: Christ is the firstfruits of the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20), and believers are firstfruits of God's creatures (James 1:18). This shows a continuity from the physical offerings of the harvest to the spiritual reality of Christ and the church as the first portion of God's redemptive work.
Did You Know?
- The firstfruits offering included the first of dough, wine, oil, and fleece, not just grain (Numbers 18:12; Deuteronomy 18:4; Nehemiah 10:37).
- The firstfruits were given to the priests and Levites, not burned on the altar (Leviticus 2:12; Ezekiel 44:30).
- Christ is called the firstfruits of them that slept, referring to his resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20).
- Believers are described as a kind of firstfruits of God's creatures (James 1:18).