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Firstfruits/Resurrection
Day...
Firstfruits falls on the day after the
weekly Shabbat*
(Sabbath) during the Passover week (Lev
23:11). Therefore, Firstfruits always falls
on a Sunday. This holiday dedicated the "firstfruits"
of the barley harvest that came up in the spring. By
giving thanks for the first part of the harvest, the
children of Israel were also trusting God to provide
the rest of the harvest. It is of no coincidence that
Yeshua rose from the dead on Firstfruits - which was
the day after the Sabbath on Passover week. This helps
to explain why He is twice called "the first fruits"
in 1 Corinthians 15
(verses 20 and 23). He was "the first fruits"
to rise from the dead in that He was raised first to
be followed one day by "all who are Messiah's at
His coming" (1 Cor 15:23).
Contrary to popular belief, there is no mention of Easter
in the Scriptures**.
Easter is not dated according to Passover but rather
according to the Spring Equinox.
Ways to celebrate:
Firstfruits is a most fitting time to
celebrate the fact that Yeshua rose from the dead. He
is called "the firstfruits of the resurrection."
Incorporate this into your Passover celebration by setting
aside this day during the Passover week to rejoice in
the fact that Yeshua is alive and has won the victory
over death by rising from the dead.
* There
is disagreement as to whether "the Shabbat"
mentioned in Lev 23:11
refers to the seventh-day Sabbath or the first day of
Passover (15 Nissan) which is also considered a Sabbath
(Lev 23:7). We think
the textual evidence points towards Firstfruits occurring
after the seventh-day (weekly) Shabbat.
** In
Acts 12:4, The King
James Version of the Bible mistranslates the Greek word
pascha as "Easter" (see Vines Expository Dictionary,
page 354). Other translations correctly translate pascha
as Passover.
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