Overview
Throughout history the Israelites have always presented
their first fruit offerings on the first day of the week which is now called
Sunday. This is why church services are
today held on the first day of the week. We give the first day of the week to our
Father in Heaven and present first fruit offerings on this day for the sole use
of the priests. The Sabbath day of rest
on the 7th day (Gen 2:3) is ours but the first work day of the week belongs
to our Father in Heaven. In the ancient
days it was work presenting offerings to the priest and that is why church
business is still (usually) conducted on Sunday today. In prophecy we will be
the offerings that fulfill the First Fruit laws.
The Biblical and Dead Sea Scrolls Temple Calendar dates for
the First Day of the week First Fruit Offerings are:
In the
Teachings of the Twelve Apostles
written in the first century called the Didache, it confirms that the ‘Lord’s
day’ was when the early congregations assembled:
“
But every Lord’s day do
ye gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after
having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure.”
Didache
14:1
In the New Testament, Paul referred to the Lord’s Supper
which was probably on the Lord’s Day:
“When you come therefore together into one place, it is not now to eat
the Lord's
supper.” 1 Cor 11:20
In this verse Paul confirms that assembled to break bread on
the first day of the week now called Sunday.
“And on the first day of the week, when we were assembled to
break bread, Paul discoursed with them, being to depart on the
morrow: and he continued his speech until midnight.” DR Act 20:7
In this verse Paul confirms that collections were to be
taken on the first day of the week:
“Now
concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of
Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of
you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there
will be no collecting when I come.” 1Co 16:1-2
The Apostle John did reference the Lord’s Day in the book of
Revelations:
“I was in the spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice,
as of a trumpet” DR Rev 1:10
The dates for all of the Feasts days are
here.
Offering Calendar Dates
If you use a proper calendar as documented by Enoch, the
book of Jubilees and the Dead Sea Scroll Temple calendar, these days for offerings will always be held on the first
day of the week known as Sunday provided that the first day of the calendar
year is the 4th day of the week known as Wednesday. The 4th day of the week is when
the sun and moon were created and placed in orbit; therefore that is when time
began (Gen 1:14-19).
The Dead Sea Scrolls tells us that the Feast of Barley or
Grain was on the 26th day of the first month. The New Wine feast is the 3rd day
of the 5th Month and day after the Sabbath day. The Feast of New Oil is the 22nd
day in the 6th Month and the Wood Offering is the week after.
“On the twenty-fifth (day) in (the first month) is the sabbath of (the
week of) Jedaiah. During the same week is [the Feast] of Barley on the twenty-sixth
(day) in (the first month), after
the sabbath.
On
the thi[r]d
(day) i[n (the fifth month) is
the Feast of
the New Wine after the sabbath of
Immer.
On
the twenty-]second
(day) in (the sixth month) is the
Feast of New
Oil. After the Feast of New Oil is the Feast of the Offering of Wo]od.”
DSS Calendar, Mishmarot D (4Q325), Fragment 1
First Month – “On the 26th
(day) in it:] feast of the
Gr[ain after the Sabbath. In the
first month] 30 (days).” DSS Calendar, 4Q326
Our bibles are not clear on which date the first fruit
offerings are to be brought to the priests.
I believe that is because there were different first fruits offers that
become ripe at different times: barley,
corn or wheat, wine and oil. According
to the Dead Sea Scrolls above, the first offering of the agricultural year is
the barley harvest on the 26th day of the 1st Month.
“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel,
and thou shalt say to them, When ye shall enter into the land which I give you,
and reap the harvest of it, then shall ye bring a sheaf, the first-fruits of your harvest, to
the priest; and he
shall lift up the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you. On
the morrow of the
first day the priest shall
lift it up. And ye shall offer on the day on which ye bring the
sheaf, a lamb without blemish of a year old
for a whole-burnt-offering to the Lord. And its meat-offering two tenth
portions of fine flour mingled with oil: it is a sacrifice to the Lord, a smell
of sweet savour to the Lord, and its drink-offering the fourth part of a hin of
wine. And ye shall not eat bread, or the new parched corn, until this same
day, until ye offer the sacrifices to your God: it is a perpetual statute throughout your
generations in all your dwellings.” Sep Lev 23:9-14
“
And ye shall number to yourselves from the day after the sabbath, from
the day on which ye shall offer the sheaf [δράγμα
(drágma) sheaf, stalks of
bundled grain] of the heave[επιθέματος (epithanatios) at the
point of death ] [or
patch to cover sins] -offering,
seven full
weeks: until the morrow after the last week ye shall number fifty days,
and shall bring a new meat-offering to the Lord. Ye shall bring from your dwelling loaves,
as a heave-offering, two loaves: they shall be of two tenth portions
of fine flour, they
shall be baked with leaven of the first-fruits to the Lord. And ye
shall bring with the loaves seven unblemished lambs of a year old, and one calf
of the herd, and two rams without blemish, and they shall be a
whole-burnt-offering to the Lord: and their meat-offerings and their
drink-offerings shall be a sacrifice, a smell of sweet savour to the Lord. And
they shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin-offering, and two lambs of
a year old for a peace-offering, with the loaves of the first-fruits. And the
priest shall place them with the loaves of the first-fruits an offering before the
Lord with the two lambs, they shall be holy to the Lord; they shall
belong to the priest that brings them. And ye shall call this day a
convocation: it shall be holy to you; ye shall do no servile work on it: it is a
perpetual ordinance throughout your generations in all your habitations.
And when ye shall reap the harvest of your land, ye shall not fully reap the
remainder of the harvest of your field when thou reapest, and thou shalt not
gather that which falls from thy reaping; thou shalt leave it for the poor and
the stranger: I am the Lord your God.” Sep Lev 23:15-22
The Enoch calendar reflects below that offerings for the
local priests were scheduled for the 1st day of the week which we
currently call Sunday. I have circled
these dates in red.
Calendar legend:
·
Red circle is offering dates
·
NM – New Moon
·
G-SA – The Sabbath date on our current Gregorian
calendar.
·
Red text – Holy feast day where no work is to be
performed other than the work required to have the feast; however, the Sabbath
is rest only.
·
Colored text – feast day
The Threshing Floor or Press
The first fruit offerings for the first month of the year
was barley that was brought to the Levitical priesthood to be blessed and
accepted for use. Then the barley was
threshed at the threshing floor.
King Solomon did acquire a threshing floor and the temple was
built next to it.
“So David bought the threshing-floor and
the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. And David built there an altar unto
Jehovah, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings. So Jehovah was
entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.” ASV 2 Sam 24:24-25
“Then Solomon began to build the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem on mount
Moriah, where Jehovah appeared unto David his father, which he made ready in
the place that David had appointed, in the threshing-floor of
Ornan the Jebusite. And he began to build in the second day of the second
month, in the fourth year of his reign.” 2 Chr 3:1-2
The ancient threshing floors were circular and could be
solar aligned like a sundial.
These
circular threshing floors were probably the origin of the word church.
The
origin of the word
church is circle:
the Greek Kirke [
κρῐ́κος
(kríkos) ring] became Circe [
circus (genitive circī)
orbit, circle, ring] in the Anglo-Saxon, which became Chirche in Church
Latin and then became Church in English.
The Middle English alternative words for chirche were:
chirch, cherche,
cherch, circe, kyrk, kirke, churche, chyrche, chyrch, chireche, church.
So the ancients brought their offerings to the circle to be
threshed and today many Christians still bring their offerings to the Church
which means circle on the first day of the week called Sunday.
There are several places in our bibles called ‘Gilgal or
Galgal’ which means ‘
circle
of stones’ or ‘
wheel’.
There are many ancient circles of stone on
earth that do track the circuit of the sun as Enoch described in the Book of
Enoch. The word
temple
means ‘pertaining to time’ and the ancients did use solar time.
“And the people came up out of the Jordan, the tenth day of the first
month, and camped in Galgal, over against the east side of the city
of Jericho. And the
twelve stones which they had
taken out of the channel of the Jordan, Josue pitched in Galgal, And said to the children
of Israel: When your children shall ask their fathers, to morrow, and shall say
to them: What mean these stones? You shall teach them and say: Israel passed
over this Jordan through the dry channel.” DR Joshua 4:19-22
Below are ‘circle of stones’ that are solar aligned and can
also be used to thresh grain.
Threshing separates the
grain from the straw or chaff
(husks). Then they
wind winnowed the
grained. They used the wind and later a
fan to carry away the chaff and the heavier grain fell to the ground. Threshing floors were normally placed where
more wind would occur; like the top of a hill.
Threshing floors have a bank around them or rocks around them to hold in
the grain; this is where the term threshold began. The picture below shows a piece of wood at
the floor of the door way to hold in the grain while they threshed; therefore
it is a threshold.
“And Anna rose up
after they had eaten in Selom, and stood before the Lord: and Heli the priest
was on a seat by the threshold of the temple of the Lord.” Sep 1Sa 1:9
Wine presses can also be circular like this one in Isaiah.
So this is another example why a Church comes from the word circle.
“
And I made a hedge round it, and dug a trench, and planted a
choice vine, and built a tower [πύργος
(pýrgos) central tower] in the midst of it, and dug a place for the
wine-vat in it: and I waited for it to bring forth grapes, and it brought forth
thorns.” Sep Isa 5:2
The verses below demonstrate the importance of the threshing
floor and press. First fruits of grain go to the threshing floor or press for
wine or oil.
“Thou shalt not keep back the first-fruits of
thy threshing
floor and press.
The first-born of thy sons thou shalt give to me.” Sep Exo
22:29
The priest must bless the first fruits from both the
threshing floor and press before they can be consumed.
“...
he shall take off from (the grain of) the threshing-floor one
tenth of a ho[mer (measure of volume, c. 220 litres), that is one eph]ah [or
bath (22 litres), as is established]. The ephah and the bath are both the same
measure. And from [the wheat o]ne sixth of [an ephah out of a homer
and one tenth of a bath] for the fruit of trees. Let no one separate himself
(from the norm of I out of 200, cf. Ezek. xlv, 15) by offering one lamb out of
a hundred. Let
[no] man eat [from the threshing-floor] and from the garden before [the
prie]sts have stretched out their hand [to ble]ss first.” Dead Sea Scrolls, 4Q 271, fr. 2 (4Q269, fr. 8
i-ii; 270, fr. 3 iii)
Israelites were required to separate out part of their
offering from the threshing floor and use it to make dough for the Feast of
Weeks offering.
“
Speak to the sons of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, When ye are
entering into the land, into which I bring you, then it shall come to pass,
when ye shall eat of the bread of the land, ye shall separate a wave-offering, a
special offering to the Lord, the first-fruits of your dough. Ye shall offer
your bread a heave
[αφαίρεμα
(faírema) removable] -offering:
as a heave-offering from the threshing-floor, so shall ye separate it,
even the first-fruits of your dough, and ye shall give the Lord a heave-offering
throughout your generations.” Sep Num
15:18-21
The Israelites were to provide the Levites offerings from
the threshing floor and wine press that was for their consumption only. Then they were to tithe also from the
threshing floor and wine press a portion for their consumption at their local
Levite place of worship where a threshing floor would be.
“So shall ye also separate them from all the offerings of the Lord out of
all your tithes, whatsoever ye shall receive from the children of
Israel; and ye shall give of them an offering to the Lord to Aaron the priest.
Of all your gifts ye shall offer an offering to the Lord, and of every
first-fruit the consecrated part from it. And thou shalt say to
them, When ye shall offer the first-fruits
from it, then shall it be reckoned to the Levites as produce from the threshing-floor,
and as produce
from the wine-press. And ye shall eat it in any place, ye and your
families; for this is your reward for your services in the
tabernacle of witness. And ye shall not bear sin by reason of it, for ye shall
have offered
an offering of first-fruits from
it, and ye shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, that ye
die not.” Sep Num 18:28-32
Cain & Abel First Fruits
The laws regarding first fruits were established right away. Abel’s first fruits were accepted and Cain’s
was not. It is possible that Cain’s
fruits were not his first fruits since the verse below does not indicate his
fruit was the first to become ripe.
“And it was so after some time that Cain brought of the fruits of the
earth a sacrifice to the Lord. And Abel also brought of the first born of
his sheep and of his fatlings,
and God looked upon Abel and his gifts, but Cain and his sacrifices he regarded not,
and Cain was exceedingly sorrowful and his countenance fell.” Sep Gen 4:3-5
First Fruits Offering Laws
The bible mentions the first fruits of grain (barley, wheat,
and corn), wine and oil many times. Plus
it also mentions the first fruits of man and beast many times. The Levites were responsible for all of these
first fruits that were considered holy; set apart for dedicated use.
“And the Lord said to Aaron, And, behold, I have given you the charge of the
first-fruits of all things consecrated to me
by the children of Israel; and I have given them to thee as an honour,
and to thy sons after thee for a perpetual ordinance.” Sep Num 18:8
“And this shall be to you of the first-fruits of their gifts, of all the wave-offerings of the children of Israel; to thee have I given
them and to thy sons and thy daughters with thee, a perpetual ordinance; every
clean person in thy house shall eat them. Every first-offering of oil,
and every first-offering
of wine, their first-fruits of corn, whatsoever they
may give to the Lord, to thee have I given them. All the first-fruits that are in their
land, whatsoever they shall offer to the Lord, shall be thine: every clean
person in thy house shall eat them. Every devoted thing among the children of
Israel shall be thine. And every thing
that opens the womb of all flesh, whatsoever they bring to the
Lord, whether man
or beast, shall be thine: only the first-born of men shall be surely redeemed,
and thou shalt redeem the first-born of unclean cattle. And the redemption of
them shall be from a month old; their valuation of five shekels--it is twenty
oboli according to the holy shekel. But
thou shalt not redeem the first-born of calves and the first-born of sheep and
the first-born of goats; they are holy: and thou shalt pour their blood upon
the altar, and thou shalt offer the fat as a burnt-offering for a smell of
sweet savour to the Lord. And the flesh shall be thine, as also the breast of the
wave-offering and as the right
shoulder, it shall be thine.” Sep Num 18:11-18
Here again, the tithes were to be eaten by the person providing
the tithe at the church or temple.
“
But in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose in one of your
cities to name his name there, and to be called upon, ye shall even seek him
out and go thither. And ye shall carry thither [
δέκατος (dékatos) tenth] your whole-burnt-offerings, and your sacrifices,
and your first-fruits, and your vowed-offerings, and your freewill-offerings,
and your offerings of thanksgiving, the first-born of your herds, and of your
flocks. And ye
shall eat there before the Lord your God, and ye shall rejoice in
all the things on which ye shall lay your hand, ye and your houses, as the Lord
your God has blessed you.” Sep Deu 12:5-7
All offerings and tithes were to be eaten at the local
priest office or temple and they were to rejoice before our Father in Heaven as
they ate.
“And there
shall be a place which the Lord thy God shall choose for his name to be called there, thither shall ye
bring all things that I order you to-day; your whole-burnt-offerings, and your sacrifices, and your
tithes, and the first-fruits of your hands, and every choice gift of yours,
whatsoever ye shall vow to the Lord your God. And ye shall rejoice
before the Lord your God, ye and your sons, and your daughters, and your
men-servants and your maid-servants, and the Levite that is at your gates;
because he has no portion or inheritance with you. Take heed to thyself that
thou offer not thy whole-burnt-offerings in any place which thou shalt see;
save in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose, in one of thy tribes,
there shall ye offer your whole-burnt-offerings, and there shalt thou do all
things whatsoever I charge thee this day. But thou shalt kill according to all
thy desire, and shalt eat flesh according to the blessing of the Lord thy God, which
he has given thee in every city; the unclean that is within thee and the clean
shall eat it on equal terms, as the doe or the stag. Only ye shall not eat the
blood; ye shall pour it out on the ground as water. Thou shalt not be able to eat in thy cities
the tithe of thy corn, and of thy wine, and of thine oil,
the first-born of thine herd and of thy flock, and all your vows as
many as ye shall have vowed, and your thank-offerings, and the first-fruits of thine hands.
But before
the Lord thy God thou shalt eat it, in the place which the Lord thy God shall
choose for himself, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, thy
man-servant, and thy maid-servant, and the stranger that is within thy gates;
and thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God, on whatsoever thou shalt lay
thine hand.” Sep Deu 12:11-18
The offerings are only for the priests:
“And every
first-fruits in all the
sanctified things among the children of Israel, whatsoever they shall offer to the
Lord, shall be for the priest himself.” Sep Num 5:9
“And
they shall have no inheritance among their brethren; the Lord himself is his
portion, as he said to him. And this is the due of the priests in the things
coming from the people from those who offer sacrifices, whether it be a calf or
a sheep; and thou shalt give the shoulder to the priest, and the cheeks, and
the great intestine: and the first-fruits of
thy corn,
and of thy wine,
and of thine oil; and thou shalt give to him the first-fruits of
the fleeces of thy sheep: because the Lord has chosen him out of all
thy tribes, to stand before the Lord thy God, to minister and bless in his
name, himself and his sons among the children of Israel.” Sep Deu 18:2-5
“And the first-fruits
of all things, and the first-born of all animals and all offerings, of all your first-fruits there shall be a
share for the priests; and ye shall give your earliest produce to the priest,
to bring your blessings upon your houses.”
Sep Eze 44:30
“And all their wave-offerings. All their firstling male [bea]sts and all ... of their beasts and all their holy gifts
which they shall sanctify to me together with
all their holy
gifts of praise and a proportion
of their offering of birds, wild animals and fish, one thousandth of their
catch, and all that they shall devote, and the proportion of the booty and the
plunder.” LX Dead Sea Scrolls
No one can eat first fruits until they are blessed by the
priest:
“[Let
no man eat wheat,
wi]ne or oil unless [the priest has waved] their best, the
firstfruit of the produce. No man shall delay, for [wine]
is the firstfruit
of the produce, [and] the wheat. The juice ... (cf. Exod. 22:28).
The firstfruits
are the leavened
loaves which they bring [on
the d]ay of the [firstfruits.] These are firstfruits: let no man eat new wheat ... until the day of the bread of the firstfruits has
come.” Fragment 9 of the Dead Sea Scrolls
The corn, wine and oil were only for that years use and were
not to be used the next year:
“On the days of the firstfruits of the corn, of the w[ine
(tirosh) and the oil, and at the festival of the offering of] wood.
On these days (the tithe) shall be eaten. They shall not put aside anything
from it from one year to another. For they shall eat it in this manner. From
the feast of
the Firstfruits of the corn of wheat they shall eat the corn until
the next year, until the feast of the Firstfruits, and (they shall
drink) the wine from the day of the festival of Wine until the
next year, until the day of the festival of the Wine, and (they shall
eat) the oil from its festival, until the next year, until the festival,
the day of offering the new oil on the altar. Whatever is
left (to last beyond) their
festivals shall be sanctified by being burnt with fire. It shall no longer be eaten
for it is
holy. Those who live within a distance of three days’ walk from the
sanctuary shall bring whatever they can bring. If they cannot carry it, they
shall sell it for money and buy with it corn, wine,
oil, cattle and sheep, and shall eat them on the days of
the festivals. On working days they shall not eat from this in their
weariness for it is holy. On the holy days it shall be eaten, but it shall not be eaten on
working days.” XLIV Dead Sea Scrolls
The Levites need the oil to keep the light shining on the
testimony.
“And do thou charge the children of Israel, and let them take for thee refined pure
olive-oil beaten to burn for light, that a lamp may burn continually in the
tabernacle of the testimony, without the veil that is before the ark
of the covenant, shall Aaron and his sons burn it from evening until morning,
before the Lord: it is a perpetual ordinance throughout your generations of the
children of Israel.” Sep Exo 27:20-21
Oil was used to anoint new kings, new priests, unleavened
bread, the tabernacle and the tabernacle furniture. Oil is a preservative that provides
protection naturally. The word Christian
means the ‘
anointed
ones’.
“And Sadoc [Zadoc] the priest took the horn of oil out of the
tabernacle, and anointed
Solomon, and blew the trumpet; and all the people said, Let king
Solomon live.” Sep 1Ki 1:39
“And unleavened loaves kneaded with oil, and unleavened cakes anointed with
oil: thou shalt make them of fine flour of wheat.” Sep Exo 29:2
“And Moses poured of the anointing oil on the head of Aaron; and he anointed him and sanctified him.” Sep Lev 8:12
“And it came to pass in the day in which Moses finished the setting-up
of the
tabernacle, that he anointed it, and consecrated it, and all
its furniture, and the altar and all its furniture, he even anointed them,
and consecrated them.” Sep Num 7:1
“And to the angels indeed he saith: He that maketh his angels spirits,
and his ministers a flame of fire. But to the Son: Thy throne, O God, is for
ever and ever: a sceptre of justice is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved
justice, and hated iniquity: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with
the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” Hebrews 1:7-9
Oil is used for cleansing and it is a long standing
tradition to make bar soap out of oil and wood ash (lye).
“Then she said to her maids, Bring me oil and washing balls, and shut
the garden doors, that I may wash me.” Sep Dan 13:17
“And going forth they preached that men should do penance: And they cast
out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.”
Mark 6:12-13
The wood offerings could only be from specific trees for
burnt offerings at the altar:
“...
s[p]lit [woo]d, [and first examine it for worms and the]n [offer it, for] thus
did I see Abraham, [my father, taking care]. He s[ai]d to me [that any of the
twel]ve (kinds of) trees [is fit for] offering on the altar, [the fragrance of
whose smoke] goes up. And these are [their] names: [the cedar, the juni]per, the almond tree,
[the fir,
the pine,
the ash,]
the cypress,
the ..., the olive
tree, the laurel, the myrtle and the ... These are
(the trees) which he [said to me that they are fit to offer] below the burnt
offerings [on the altar. And when you have offered any of] these [trees] on the
altar [and the fire has started to burn them, then you will start to sprinkle
the blood] on the walls of the altar. And again [you will wash your hands and
feet of the blood and start to offer] the sa[lte]d [l]im[bs].” Dead Sea Scrolls, 4Q214b, frs. 2-6
The wood was required to keep the fire at the altar always
burning plus I’m sure they needed it for warmth in the winter.
“And the
fire on the altar shall always burn, and the priest shall feed it, putting wood on
it every day in the morning, and laying on the holocaust, shall burn
thereupon the fat of the peace offerings.
This is the perpetual fire which shall never go out on the altar.” DR Lev 6:12-13
Cedar wood was used for purification:
“And he
shall take the cedar wood, and the spun scarlet, and the hyssop, and
the living bird; and shall dip it into the blood of the bird slain over running
water, and with them he shall sprinkle the house seven times. and he shall
purify the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and
with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the
spun scarlet.” Sep Lev 14:51-52
The law for picking corn and grapes:
“When thou reapest the corn of thy land, thou shalt not cut
down all that is on the face of the earth to the very ground: nor
shalt thou gather the ears that remain. Neither shalt thou gather the bunches and grapes that
fall down in thy vineyard, but shalt leave them to the poor and the
strangers to take. I am the Lord your God.” DR Lev 19:9-10
An example of the Israelites giving corn, wine and oil and
other first fruits from the book of Chronicles:
“And they told the people who dwelt in Jerusalem, to give the
portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be strong in
the ministry of the house of the Lord. And as he gave the command, Israel
brought abundantly first-fruits of corn, and wine, and oil,
and honey, and every fruit of the field: and the children of Israel and Juda brought tithes of everything
abundantly. And they that dwelt in the
cities of Juda themselves also brought tithes of calves and sheep, and tithes of goats,
and consecrated them to the Lord their God, and they brought them
and laid them in heaps. In the third month the heaps began to be piled [when Feast of Weeks is held], and in the seventh month they were finished [when Tabernacles is celebrated]. And Ezekias and the princes came and saw the
heaps, and blessed the Lord, and his people Israel. Then Ezekias enquired of
the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. And Azarias the priest, the
chief over the house of Sadoc, spoke to him, and said, From the time that the first-fruits began to be brought into the house of the Lord,
we have eaten and drunk, and left even abundantly; for the Lord has blessed his
people, and we have left to this amount. And Ezekias told them yet farther to
prepare chambers for the house of the Lord; and they prepared them, and they
brought thither the first-fruits and
the tithes
faithfully: and Chonenias the Levite was superintendent over them,
and Semei his brother was next. and Jeiel, and Ozias, and Naeth, and Asael, and
Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Samachia, and Maath, and Banaias, and his
sons, were appointed by Chonenias and Semei his brother, as Ezekias the king,
and Azarias who was over the house of the Lord commanded. And Core, the son of
Jemna the Levite, the porter eastward, was over the gifts, to distribute the
first-fruits of the Lord, and the most holy things, by the hand of
Odom, and Benjamin, and Jesus, and Semei, and Amarias, and Sechonias, by the
hand of the priests faithfully, to give to their brethren according to the
courses, as well to great as small; besides the increase of males from three
years old and upward, to every one entering into the house of the Lord, a
portion according to a daily rate, for service in the daily courses of their
order.” Sep 2Ch 31:4-16
Note: the courses are rotating priestly course that
King David established.
During the time of Nehemiah they collected offerings of
wood, corn, wine, oil, and other first fruits:
“And we will impose ordinances upon ourselves, to levy on ourselves the
third part of a didrachm yearly for the service of the house of our God; the
shewbread, and the continual meat-offering, and for the continual
whole-burnt-offering, of the sabbaths, of the new moon, for the feast, and for
the holy things, and the sin-offerings, to make atonement for Israel, and for
the works of the house of our God. And we cast lots for the office of
wood-bearing, we the priests, and the Levites, and the people, to bring wood
into the house of our God, according to the house of our families,
at certain set
times, year by year, to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it
is written in the law: and to bring the first-fruits of
our land, and the first-fruits of the fruit of every tree, year
by year, into the house of the Lord: the first-born of our sons, and of our cattle,
as it is
written in the law, and the first-born of our herds and of our flocks,
to bring to the house of our God, for the priests that minister in the house of our God.
And the first-fruits
of our corn, and the fruit of every tree, of wine, and of oil,
will we bring to the priests to the treasury of the house of God; and a tithe of our
land to the Levites: for the Levites themselves shall receive tithes
in all the cities of the land we cultivate. And the priest the son of Aaron
shall be with the Levites in the tithe of the Levite: and the Levites shall
bring up the tenth part of their tithe to the house of our God, into the
treasuries of the house of God.” Sep Neh 10:32-38
During the time of Nehemiah they established a treasure for
the first fruit offerings and the tithes.
They had singers had porters.
This sounds like a Sunday service on the first day of the week to me.
“And in that day they appointed men over the treasuries, for the
treasures, the first-fruits,
and the
tithes, and for the chiefs of the cities who were assembled among
them, to
furnish portions for the priests and Levites: for there was joy in
Juda over the priests and over the Levites that waited. And they kept the charges of their God, and
the charges of the purification, and ordered the singers and the porters,
according to the commandments of David and his son Solomon. For in the days of
David Asaph was originally first of the singers, and they sang hymns and praise
to God. And all Israel in the days of Zorobabel, and in the days of Neemias,
gave the portions of the singers and the porters, a daily rate: and consecrated
them to the Levites: and the Levites consecrated them to the sons of Aaron.”
Sep Neh 12:44-47
“And before this time Eliasib the priest dwelt in the treasury of the
house of our God, connected with Tobias; and he made himself a great treasury,
and there they were formerly in the habit of bestowing the offerings, and the frankincense,
and the vessels, and the tithe of the corn, and the wine,
and the oil,
the ordered portion of the Levites, and singers, and porters; and the first-fruits of the priests.” Sep Neh 13:4-5
They established specific dates to deliver wood and other
first fruits:
“And the offering
of the wood-bearers was at
certain set
times, and in the times of the first-fruits. Remember me, O our
God, for good.” Sep Neh 13:31
During the time of Malachi, the Israelites stopped bring
their offerings and tithes to the temple. This was an insult to our Father and
he took away HIS blessings.
“For I am the Lord your God, and I am not changed: but ye, the sons of
Jacob, have not refrained from the iniquities of your fathers: ye have
perverted my statutes, and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return
to you, saith the Lord Almighty. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? Will a
man insult God? for ye insult me. But ye say, Wherein have we insulted thee? In that the
tithes and first-fruits are with you still. And ye do surely look
off from me, and ye insult me. The year is completed, and ye have brought all the
produce into the storehouses; but there shall be the plunder thereof
in its house: return now on this behalf, saith the Lord Almighty, see if I will
not open to you the torrents of heaven, and pour out my blessing upon you,
until ye are satisfied.” Sep Mal 3:6-7
First Fruit Parables & Prophecy
Below are New Testament parables and prophecy regarding the 1st
day of the week (Sunday) Offerings. In
prophecy we will be the offerings that HE gathers and disposes of according to
HIS will that is documented in the laws of Moses.
Barley Offerings
“Now the
pasch [Passover], the festival day of the Judeans, was near at hand.
When Jesus therefore had lifted up his eyes, and seen that a very great
multitude cometh to him, he said to Philip: Whence shall we buy bread, that
these may eat? And this he said to try him; for he himself knew what he would
do. Philip answered him: Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for
them, that every one may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, the
brother of Simon Peter, saith to him: There is a boy here that hath five barley
loaves [about five thousand years before
Christ & age of Pisces is when Adam was formed], and two fishes [age of Pieces, 2160 years]; but what are these among so many? Then Jesus said: Make
the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. The men therefore sat
down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves: and
when he had given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down. In like
manner also of the fishes, as much as they would. And when they were filled, he
said to his disciples: Gather up the fragments that remain, lest they be lost.
They
gathered up therefore, and filled twelve baskets [12 tribes] with
the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above to them
that had eaten. Now those men, when they had seen what a miracle
Jesus had done, said: This is of a truth the prophet, that is to come into the
world. Jesus therefore, when he knew that they would come to take him by force,
and make him king, fled again into the mountain himself alone.” DR John
6:4-15
Corn & Wheat Offerings
Christians have been being baptized for the last 2000 years
in preparation for Christ’s return in the Age of Aquarius. Aquarius is Jesus pouring out water of
life.
“But the water that I will give him, shall become in him a fountain of
water, springing up into life
everlasting.” DR John 4:14
“And he said to me: It is done. I am Alpha and Omega; the beginning and
the end. To
him that thirsteth, I will give of the fountain of the water of life,
freely.” DR Rev 21:6
Past
Christian
tradition was to baptize on the Feast of Weeks wearing white. In
preparation for the Feast of Weeks the wheat was threshed at the threshing
floor so that the leaven bread required for the Feast of Weeks celebration
could be made. Jesus will make sure that
all the good wheat grains (HIS chosen people) are in HIS Kingdom. This maybe when the rest of the elect is
taken to the kingdom since the first born priest may go earlier.
“I
indeed baptize you in the water unto penance, but he that shall come after me, is mightier than I, whose shoes I am
not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and fire. Whose fan is in his
hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor [threshing floor] and
gather his
wheat into the barn [kingdom]; but the chaff he will burn
with unquenchable fire.” DR Mat 3:11-12
“
Another parable he proposed to them, saying: The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man
that sowed good seeds in his field. But while men were asleep, his
enemy came and oversowed cockle among the wheat and
went his way. And when the blade was sprung up, and had brought forth fruit,
then appeared also the cockle. And the servants of the goodman of the house
coming said to him: Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then
hath it cockle? And he said to them: An enemy hath done this. And the servants
said to him: Wilt thou that we go and gather it up? And he said: No, lest
perhaps gathering up the cockle
[Greek is zizania, Latin Vulgate is Zizania, wild
rice] you root up the wheat [Greek is sitos which is corn or wheat]
also together with it. Suffer both to grow until the harvest, and in the time
of the harvest I will say to the reapers: Gather up first the cockle, and bind it into bundles to
burn, but the wheat gather ye into my barn.” DR Mat 13:24-30
An Angel will harvest the earth when it is ripe (Rev 14:14).
“And he said: So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed
into the earth, And should sleep, and rise, night and day, and the seed should
spring, and grow up whilst he knoweth not. For the earth of itself bringeth
forth fruit, first the blade, then the ear, afterwards the full corn in the ear. And when the fruit
is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is
come.” DR Mark 4:26-29
Jesus wants HIS grains or chosen to follow HIM. Jesus wants them to be looking forward to HIS
return and that is when the wheat or corn will be ripe.
“Now there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at
the feast: these therefore came to Philip, who was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and
asked him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: Andrew
cometh, and Philip, and they tell Jesus.
And Jesus answereth them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man
should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of
wheat fall into the earth and
die, it abideth by itself alone; but if it die, it beareth much fruit. He that
loveth his life loseth it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto
life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am,
there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will the Father honor.” ASV John 12:20
Bread Offerings
Our instructions for life are documented in our bibles.
“Who answered and said: It is written, Not in bread alone doth man live,
but in every
word that proceedeth from the mouth of God.” DR Mat 4:4
The essential bread is the truth found only in HIS Word.
“
Thus therefore shall you pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed
be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this
day our supersubstantial [essential,
necessary] bread. And
forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. And lead us not into
temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen.” DR Mat 6:9-13
Ask daily for Jesus to reveal the truth of HIS Word to you;
this is the bread of life.
“Ask,
and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be
opened to you. For every
one that asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that
knocketh, it shall be opened. Or what man is there among you, of whom if his son shall ask
bread, will he reach him a stone? Or if he shall ask him a fish,
will he reach him a serpent? If you then being evil, know how to give good
gifts to your children: how much more will your Father who is in heaven, give
good things to them that ask him?” DR Mat 7:7-11
Leaven or yeast makes bread grow larger; bad doctrine also gets
larger and spreads. Check every fact
since we are in the end times where it was prophesied that there
would be
many false prophets.
“And when his disciples were come over the water, they had forgotten to
take bread.
Who said to them: Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and
Sadducees. But they thought within themselves, saying: Because we have taken no
bread.
And Jesus knowing it, said: Why do you think within yourselves, O ye of little
faith, for that you have no bread? Do you not yet understand, neither do
you remember the
five loaves among five thousand
men, and how many baskets you took up? Nor the seven loaves among four thousand men, and how many baskets you
took up? Why do you not understand that it was not concerning the bread I said to you: Beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees and Sadducees? Then they understood that he said not that they should
beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and
Sadducees.” DR Mat
16:6-12
The bread is HIS word that we must read and digested.
“And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke: and
gave to his disciples, and said: Take ye, and eat. This is my body.” DR Mat
26:26
“Our fathers did eat manna in the desert, as it is written: He gave them
bread from heaven to eat. Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen I say
to you; Moses gave you not bread from heaven, but my Father giveth you the true bread from
heaven. For the bread of God is that which cometh down from heaven,
and giveth life to the world. They said therefore unto him: Lord, give us
always this bread. And Jesus said to them: I am the bread of life: he that
cometh to me shall not hunger: and he that believeth in me shall never thirst.
But I said unto you, that you also have seen me, and you believe not. All that
the Father giveth to me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me, I will not
cast out. Because I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will
of him that sent me.” DR John
6:31-38
You must confess your sins and repent and be baptized before
you eat the bread and drink from the chalice.
“For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you,
that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread.
And giving thanks, broke, and said: Take ye, and eat: this is my body, which shall be delivered
for you: this do for the commemoration of me. In like manner also
the chalice, after he had supped, saying: This chalice is the new testament in my blood:
this do ye, as often as you shall drink, for the commemoration of me.
For as often as you shall eat this bread, and drink the chalice, you shall shew
the death of the Lord, until he come. Therefore whosoever shall eat this bread,
or drink the chalice of the Lord
unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord. But let a
man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of the chalice.
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to
himself, not discerning the body of the Lord.” 1 Cor 11:23-29
Grapes & Wine Offerings
Eating sour grapes is living by the false doctrine which
causes fear. If you live by HIS word you
will only fear our Father in Heaven. Believing false doctrine will cause the death
of the sinner when judgement time comes.
“Behold the days come, saith the Lord: and I will sow the house of
Israel and the house of Juda with the seed of men, and with the seed of beasts.
And as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to throw down, and to
scatter, and destroy, and afflict: so will I watch over them, to build up, and
to plant them, saith the Lord. In those days they shall say no more: The fathers
have eaten a sour grape, and the teeth of the children are set on
edge. But
every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that shall eat the sour
grape, his teeth shall be set on edge. Behold the days shall come,
saith the Lord, and I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and
with the house of Juda” Jer 31:28-31
“And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: What is the meaning? That
you use among you this parable as a proverb in the land of Israel, saying: The fathers
have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on
edge. As I live, saith the Lord God, this parable shall be no more to you a
proverb in Israel. Behold all souls are mine: as the soul of the father,
so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, the same shall die. And
if a man be just, and do judgment and justice, And hath not eaten upon the
mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel:” DR Eze 18:1-6
We all must read the bible for ourselves to determine right
and wrong. You will produce righteous fruit
only if your actions are in agreement with the laws of Moses. If you do not agree and do the laws of Moses,
your actions will produce bad fruit.
“Or how canst thou say to thy brother: Brother, let me pull the mote out
of thy eye, when thou thyself seest not the beam in thy own eye? Hypocrite, cast
first the beam out of thy own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to take out
the mote from thy brother's eye. For there is no good tree that
bringeth forth evil fruit; nor an evil tree that bringeth forth good fruit. For every tree
is known by its fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns; nor
from a bramble bush do they gather the grape. A good man out of the good treasure
of his heart bringeth forth that which is good: and an evil man out of the evil
treasure bringeth forth that which is evil. For out of the abundance of the
heart the mouth speaketh.” DR Luke 6:42-45
After the grape harvest new wine is made and put in new
bottles. The new bottles maybe our new
immortal bodies.
“And the disiples of John and the Pharisees used to fast; and they come
and say to him: Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast; but thy
disciples do not fast? And Jesus saith to them: Can the children of the marriage fast, as
long as the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the
bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the days will come when the
bridegroom shall be taken away from them; and then they shall fast in those
days. No man seweth a piece of raw cloth to an old garment: otherwise the new
piecing taketh away from the old, and there is made a greater rent. And no man
putteth new wine into old bottles: otherwise the wine will burst the bottles,
and both the wine will be spilled, and the bottles will be lost. But new wine
must be put into new bottles.” DR Mark 2:18-22
“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;
neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We
all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the
dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption,
and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this corruptible shall have
put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then
shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”
DR 1 Cor 15:50-54
The Gentiles [
the same gens or family]
are the Israelites that were scattered due to misbehavior including the excess
drinking of wine.
“For the time past is sufficient to have fulfilled the will of the Gentiles,
for them who have walked in riotousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings,
banquetings, and unlawful worshipping of idols. Wherein they think it strange,
that you run not with them into the same confusion of riotousness, speaking
evil of you.” 1 Pet 3:3-4
The verse below shows the harvest of the wheat and barley is
completed and their fate has been determined since they have value. The wine and oil values have not been
determined and they are about to be judged.
“And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third living
creature saying: Come, and see. And behold a black horse, and he that sat on
him had a pair
of scales in his hand. And I heard as it were a voice in the midst
of the four living creatures, saying: Two pounds of wheat for a penny, and thrice
two pounds of barley
for a penny, and see thou hurt not the wine and the oil.” DR Rev 6:5-6
Babylon falls again for the second time. In earlier history the tribe of Judah was taken
into captivity by Babylon from 586BC to 539BC.
In 539BC, Babylon fell and then Persian became the ruler of the tribe of
Judah and the Promised Land (
see
timeline). Mystery Babylon is the 8
th
and final beast (Rev 17:11). Babylon is
a beast system (financial, religious, and military: unclean spirits Rev 16:13)
that deceives the whole world causes them to partake of the wine of wrath (sour
grapes) that is fornication and idolatry (consumerism). Babylon is ruled by the ancient serpent who is
the deceiver of the whole world (Gen 3:1 & Rev 12:9).
“
And another angel followed, saying: That great Babylon is fallen, is fallen;
which made all
nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication [a selling
off of sexual purity; idolatry] [ [πορνείᾱ
(porneíā) prostitution] And the third angel followed them, saying
with a loud voice: If any man shall adore the beast and his image, and receive
his character [mark or impress]
in his forehead [between
eyes, memory], or in his hand[an
instrument for blessing & oaths]; He also shall drink of the wine of the
wrath of God, which is mingled with pure wine in the cup of his wrath, and shall be tormented with fire and
brimstone in the sight of the holy angels, and in the sight of the Lamb. And
the smoke of their torments shall ascend up for ever and ever: neither have
they rest day nor night, who have adored the beast, and his image [shown on TV
& media], and whoever receiveth the character of his name.” DR Rev
14:8-11
The people that side with Mystery Babylon the ancient
serpent will be harvested and pressed with the beast.
“And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire; and
he cried with a loud voice to him that had the sharp sickle, saying: Thrust in
thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vineyard of the earth;
because the
grapes thereof are ripe. And the angel thrust in his sharp sickle
into the earth, and gathered the vineyard of the earth, and cast it into the great press of
the wrath of God: And the press was trodden without the city, and blood came out
of the press, up to the horses' bridles, for a thousand and six hundred
furlongs.” DR Rev 14:18-20
“And he cried out with a strong voice, saying: Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen; and
is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every unclean
spirit, and the hold of every unclean and hateful bird: Because all nations
have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication; and the
kings of the earth have committed fornication with her; and the merchants of
the earth have been made rich by the power of her delicacies. And I heard
another voice from heaven, saying: Go out from her, my people; that you be not partakers of
her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues.” DR Rev
18:2-4
The worldwide merchants of Mystery Babylon lose the ability
to control the first fruits offerings and Jesus takes control (Rev 19:1).
“And
the merchants of the earth shall weep, and mourn over her: for no man shall buy their merchandise any
more. Merchandise of gold and silver, and precious stones; and of pearls, and
fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood,
and all manner of vessels of ivory, and all manner of vessels of precious
stone, and of brass, and of iron, and of marble, And cinnamon, and odours, and
ointment, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep,
and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. And the fruits of the
desire of thy soul are departed from thee, and all fat and goodly things are
perished from thee, and they shall find them no more at all.” DR Rev
18:11-14
Grapes and Oil Offerings
The Judgement of the World is associated with oil, grapes
and wine.
“The vintage hath mourned, the vine
hath languished away, all the merryhearted have sighed. The mirth of timbrels hath ceased, the
noise of them that rejoice is ended, the melody of the harp is silent. They
shall not
drink wine with a song: the drink shall be bitter to them that drink
it. The city of vanity is broken down, every house is shut up, no man cometh
in. There shall be a crying for wine in the streets: all mirth is
forsaken: the joy of the earth is gone away. Desolation is left in the city,
and calamity shall oppress the gates. For it shall be thus in the midst of the
earth, in the midst of the people, as if a few olives, that remain, should be shaken out of the
olive tree: or grapes, when the vintage is ended. These shall
lift up their voice, and shall give praise: when the Lord shall be glorified,
they shall make a joyful noise from the sea. Therefore glorify ye the Lord in
instruction: the name of the Lord God of Israel in the islands of the sea. From
the ends of the earth we have heard praises, the glory of the just one. And I
said: My secret to myself, my secret to myself, woe is me: the prevaricators
have prevaricated, and with the prevarication of transgressors they have
prevaricated. Fear, and the pit, and the snare are upon thee, O thou inhabitant
of the earth. And it shall come to pass, that he that shall flee from the noise
of the fear, shall fall into the pit: and he that shall rid himself out of the
pit, shall be taken in the snare: for the flood-gates from on high are opened,
and the foundations of the earth shall be shaken. With breaking shall the earth
be broken, with crushing shall the earth be crushed, with trembling shall the
earth be moved. With shaking shall the earth be shaken as a drunken man, and
shall be removed as the tent of one night: and the iniquity thereof shall be
heavy upon it, and it shall fell, and not rise again. And it shall come to
pass, that in that day the Lord shall visit upon the host of heaven on high,
and upon the kings of the earth, on the earth. And they shall be gathered together as in the
gathering of one bundle into the pit, and they shall be shut up there in prison:
and after many days they shall be visited. fend the moon shall blush, and the
sun shall be ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Sion [Zion], and
in Jerusalem, and shall be glorified in the sight of his ancients.” DR Isa 24:7-23
Oil Offerings
Those who have oil in their lamp are the ones that keep
testimony of Moses and Jesus in their minds (forehead). (Exo 27:20-21, Rev 12:11 & 12:17) You will not have time to prepare last minute
when Jesus returns. You must be a
witness to HIS testimony before HE returns and do HIS work. This oil is not for sale.
“Then
shall the kingdom of heaven be like to ten virgins, who taking their lamps went
out to meet the bridegroom and the bride. And five of them were foolish, and five wise. But the five foolish,
having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with the
lamps. And the bridegroom tarrying, they all slumbered and slept.
And at midnight there was a cry made: Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye forth
to meet him. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the
foolish said to the wise: Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out. The
wise answered, saying: Lest perhaps there be not enough for us and for you, go
ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. Now whilst they went to
buy, the
bridegroom came: and they that were ready, went in with him to the marriage,
and the door was shut. But at last come also the other virgins,
saying: Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answering said: Amen I say to you, I know you not.
Watch ye
therefore, because you know not the day nor the hour.” DR Mat
25:2-12
Wood Offerings
Jesus is the only firm foundation to build truth upon since
wood burns.
“For
other foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid; which is Christ Jesus. Now if any man build upon this foundation,
gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble: Every man's work shall be
manifest; for the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in
fire; and the fire shall try every man's work, of what
sort it is. If any man's work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall
receive a reward. If any man's work burn, he shall suffer loss; but he himself
shall be saved, yet so as by fire.” 1 Cor 3:11-15
An idol that is made of wood or metal that you pay more
attention to than our Father in Heaven is a dishonor. Taking care of your household on a holy day (Sabbath
or Feast Day) would be a dishonor.
“But
the sure foundation of God standeth firm, having this seal: the Lord knoweth who are his; and let every one
depart from iniquity who nameth the name of the Lord. But in a great house
there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and earth: and some indeed
unto honour, but some unto dishonour. If any man therefore shall cleanse
himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and profitable
to the Lord, prepared unto every good work.” DR 2 Tim 2:19-21
English Harvest Festival
Harvest festivals are normally part of the
Feast
of Tabernacles where we give thanks to our Father in Heaven for the
harvest. The Last Great Day of the Feast
of Tabernacles is normally associated with the expiration of sin. It appears that England, Ireland and Scotland
associated the final harvest with expelling the devil which is the same as the
expiration of sin. In America and Canada
we called this feast Thanksgiving and it is associated with a corn offering. In
England they also associated the harvest festival with corn.
“
Harvest
Home, also called Ingathering, traditional
English harvest festival, celebrated from antiquity and surviving to
modern times in isolated regions. Participants celebrate the last day of
harvest in late September by singing, shouting, and decorating the village with
boughs. The cailleac, or last sheaf of corn
(grain), which represents the spirit of the field, is made into a
harvest doll and drenched with water as a rain charm. This sheaf is saved until
spring planting.
The
ancient festival also included the symbolic murder of the grain spirit, as well
as rites for expelling the devil.
A
similar festival was traditionally held in parts of Ireland, Scotland, and
northern Europe.”
Conclusion
The churches or circles are the place we went to prepare our
harvest for the feast days. The harvest
was first blessed and accepted and then either threshed or pressed before the
feast began. We were to ensure that we
did not go to the feast empty handed; meaning without an offering. I’m sure our Father in Heaven will also
harvest, bless, and accept us using the same laws he did for the offerings so
that we are ready to attend the feasts.
Not all offerings will be accepted and will need to be tried by
Judgement.
“Three
times in the year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the
place which the Lord shall choose in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of
weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: thou shalt not appear before the Lord thy
God empty. Each one according to his ability, according to the
blessing of the Lord thy God which he has given thee.” Sep Deu 16:16-17
No one will know the day or the hour since it depends on
when the offerings are ripe; therefore we only know the approximant time that
these offerings become ripe.
“But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the
angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only. And as were the days of
Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of man. For as in those days which were
before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in
marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and they knew not until
the flood came, and took them all away; so shall be the coming of the Son of
man. Then shall two men be in the field; one is taken, and one is left: two
women shall be grinding at the mill; one is taken, and one is left.” Mat
24:36-41
