During the days of unleavened bread there is another commanded observance that has a lot of significance. It has often been overlooked or miss-understood by many. Follow as it points to the resurrected Messiah.
The next annual festival of YHVH (the LORD) as found in Lev 23:9-14
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. ‘He shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.
(Leviticus 23:9-14 NKJV throughout unless noted)
First Fruits (Hebrew, Bikkurim)
HISTORICAL
Crossing the Red Sea.
When the standing ripe harvest of barley and wheat was ready to be reaped. The celebrant would take one sheaf from the standing harvest and bring it to the priest. The lone sheaf was called "the sheaf of the first fruits." The priest was then to take this one sheaf and wave it before the YHVH in His house. This was to be done "the day after the sabbath." Prescribed offerings were also to be presented along with the sheaf.
God commanded the people to bring a sheaf of the harvest [Leviticus 23:10]. The Hebrew word for "sheaf" is omer. An omer is defined as "a measure of dry things, containing a tenth part of an ephah"; an omer is about two quarts.
Three times a year God commanded the people to come to Jerusalem; spring summer and fall, seasons to celebrate the festivals of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. All three of these festivals are agricultural harvest festivals. Passover is the barley harvest. Pentecost is the wheat harvest. Both of these festivals are first fruits harvests before the final harvest that was to come at the end of the year during the festival of Tabernacles, which is the fruit harvest.
MESSIANIC FULFILLMENT
Resurrection of Yeshua.
The theme of this festival of First Fruits is resurrection and salvation.
Yeshua is the firstborn of Mary [Matthew 1:23-25].
Yeshua is the first begotten of God the Father [Hebrews 1:6].
Yeshua is the firstborn of every creature [Colossians 1:15].
Yeshua is the first begotten from the dead [Revelation 1:5].
Yeshua is the firstborn of many brethren [Romans 8:29].
Yeshua is the first fruits of the resurrected ones [1 Corinthians 15:20, 23].
Yeshua is the beginning of the creation of God [Revelation 3:14].
Yeshua is the preeminent One [Colossians 1:18].
SPIRITUAL APPLICATION
Walking in newness of life.
Yeshua will return to earth [Zechariah 14:4] during His second coming as King over all the earth. He also will bring the sheaves (the believers in Yeshua as the Messiah) with Him (Matthew 13:37-39; Mark 4:26-29; Jude 14).
There are several important events that happened on this day in the Bible.
Noah's (Noach) ark rests on Mount Ararat (Genesis 8:4).
Israel crosses the Red Sea (Exodus 3:18; 5:3; 14).
Israel eats the first fruits of the Promised Land (Joshua 5:10-12).
The manna that God gave from Heaven during the days in the wilderness ceased the sixteenth day of Nisan after the people ate of the old corn of the land. The day following was the seventeenth of Nisan, the day when the children of Israel ate the first fruits of the Promised Land.
Haman is defeated (Esther 3:1-6)
Conclusion: The First Fruits is symbolic of the resurrected Messiah being waved, accepted of the Father before the rest of the saints can partake of Messiah, as we enter the new relationship with Him, entering as it were the promise land.
Be sure to go to next festival of YHVH to understand the rest of the story.
Reference for this article, from the book.
The Seven Festivals of the Messiah
by Eddie Chumney