Yom
HaBikkurim
The Day of
First Fruits
Understanding the Prophetic, Historical, and Messianic Significance Presented by: Gordon Hayes
Roeh Israel Synagogue of Abilene Photo is licensed under CCYYSA.
Introduction
•
Yom HaBikkurim (Day of
First Fruits) — יום הביכורים •
Occurs the day after the
weekly Shabbat during
Chag HaMatzot (Feast of
Unleavened Bread)
•
Marks the beginning of the
50-day count to Shavuot
(שבועות)
•
Celebrates the barley
harvest for the year and
offering to The Almighty
Torah Foundation
•
Leviticus (Vayikra) 23:9–11 — Wave Sheaf (Omer עומר )
offering
•
Deuteronomy (Devarim) 26:1–10 — Declaration of thankfulness
•
Joshua (Yehoshua) 5:10–12 — First observance in the Land
Agricultural
Significance
• Barley was the earliest
grain to ripen in Israel
• Farmers presented the omer (sheaf) to The Almighty
• Acknowledged that the
entire harvest belonged to
Him
• It was offered as a
thanksgiving offering
Historical
Timing - Exodus
•
Shemot (Exodus) 12: Departure on 15th of Aviv (אביב)
•
3-day journey to Red Sea
crossing
•
Crossing possibly occurred on 18th of the month of the aviv •
Symbol of deliverance and
resurrection
Yehoshua and
First Fruits
• Crucified on 14th
of Aviv (Pesach)
• In the tomb during
15th and 16th
• Resurrected on
17th of Aviv (Yom
HaBikkurim)
• 1 Corinthians
15:20 — Messiah
raised, firstfruits
of the dead
Three Days
and Three
Nights
• Mattityahu (Matthew) 12:40 — Like Yonah in the fish
• Traditional Hebrew day reckoning:
evening to evening
• Timeline:
• Wed night–Thurs (1st)
• Thurs night–Fri (2nd)
• Fri night–Sat (3rd)
• Resurrected before sunrise on the first day of the week
Calendar
Insights in 1st
Century CE
•
Sanhedrin regulated
calendar using barley and
moon
•
Disputes between
Pharisees, Sadducees, and
Essenes
•
The Galileans even
understood this time
period differently
•
Sadducees held First
Fruits was after weekly
Shabbat during Chag
HaMatzot (חג המצות)
Messianic
Significance
•
Messiah is the first to rise never to die again and he is the preeminent one
•
Symbol of new creation and eternal hope •
First Fruits guarantees a greater harvest — us (Romans 8:23)
Application for Believers Today •
Celebrate Yom HaBikkurim as a time of renewal •
Reflect on personal deliverance from bondage •
Recognize Messiah as the pledge of resurrection •
Begin the 50-day Omer count with purpose: spiritual growth
Enhancing Our
Walk
•
Embrace the pattern of
death to life
•
Live in thankfulness and
expectation
•
Connect with
Yehoshua’s teachings:
•
John 12:24 — grain
must die to bear fruit
•
Philippians 3:10–11 —
power of His
resurrection
Enhancing Our
Walk
•
Embrace the pattern
of death to life
•
Live in
thankfulness and
expectation
•
Connect with
Yehoshua’s
teachings:
•
John 12:24 — grain
must die to bear
fruit
•
Philippians 3:10–11
— power of His
resurrection
Q&A and
Discussion
•
How do we make this moed
meaningful in our walk?
•
What aspects of Yom
HaBikkurim have you seen
fulfilled?
•
How can we teach others the
depth of this appointed time?
The Bologna Torah Scroll, also known as the University of Bologna Torah Scroll, is the world's oldest complete extant Torah scroll, dating from 1155-1225 CE. It contains the full text of the five Books of Moses in Hebrew and is kosher.
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Open_Torah_scroll.jpg
Conclusion
• Yom HaBikkurim reveals God's plan of redemption
• Messiah Yehoshua fulfilled it perfectly • We live as part of His harvest — the First Fruits of many to come
