The Day of Firstfruits

The Day of Firstfruits is a sacred feast of God which is celebrated on the day after the Sabbath following the Feast of Unleavened Bread(Leviticus 23:9-14). In the New Testament times, it is known as the Resurrection Day on which Jesus rose from death. Now, it is only the World Mission Society Church of God that celebrates the Day of Firstfruits (Resurrection Day) on the date specified in the Bible. The Church of God breaks the bread that God promised to open our spiritual eyes (Luke 24:13-35) on this Resurrection Day, instead of boiled eggs (a pagan custom) or chocolates.

With the Egyptians army fiercely chasing after the Israelites, God protected the Israelites and allowed them to cross the Red Sea safely.

God commanded the Israelites to annually commemorate the day when they landed from the Red Sea so that they might remember God’s great power revealed on that day. This is the origin of the Day of Firstfruits.

Leviticus 23:10-12 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest. He is to wave the sheaf before the Lord so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath …

As God commanded, the priests were to wave a sheaf of the first grain before the Lord on the day after the Sabbath (Sunday). Here, the first grain—the firstfruits—stands for Christ, who was raised from the dead as the firstfruits among those who had fallen asleep.

1 Corinthians 15:20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

The Day of Firstfruits must always be celebrated on the day after the Sabbath, hence Jesus rose from the dead on Sunday.

Mark 16:2-6 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away… “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here..

Mark 16:2 (NLT) Very early on Sunday morning..

The Day of Firstfruits is a shadow of the Resurrection Day. By rising from the dead as firstfruits of those who had fallen asleep, Jesus became the true offering of the Day of Firstfruits which belongs to the seven feasts in three times. Jesus being the firstfruits of resurrection is an example showing that those who commemorate this day (Resurrection Day) will have the hope for resurrection.