The Blessing of First Fruit Offerings
Twenty-one years ago while Pastoring a church in TN., one of the members ask me right before Easter, “if I was going to receive a Feast of Passover offering for Israel.” I kindly told her we take a offering for Missions on Easter. Then at Feast of Pentecost, she asked me the same question, “if I was going to receive a Feast of Pentecost offering.” This time I didn’t know what to say to her. I asked her what the big deal was of about receiving this kind of offering. She schooled me that day, that it was Yah’s commandment to bring a first fruit offering of thanks to God. In Exodus 23, Leviticus 23, and other passages. Three times a year all males where to honor our Father God's Appointed days, Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles by not coming to them empty handed, but bring a thank offering to the Lord.
Here is a News Flash, that I have learned over the past 21 years. The Feasts of the Lord are not Jewish Feasts. They are the Lord’s Feasts for all his people both Jew and Gentile. They are Yah’s Appointments! He gave them to the Jewish People to steward, but the they are the Feasts of the Lord’s.
In Malachi chapter 3, Israel is having a conversation with Yah. The scene is, all of Israel is in Jerusalem for a convocation. The conversation is they ask God why the Nation of Israel keeps getting carried away into exile, slavery, and bondage. Father God, tells them because you have forgotten to honor the Lord’s Feasts and have robbed Him. “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. 9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it." Malachi 3:8-10
Israel’s response is, “how have we robbed you?” Yah’s answer, “In tithes and offerings.”
Now back to my conversation with the lady that ask me, If I was gong to receive a Feast offering. After studying this, I learned the offerings there, was not what I considered to be offerings in my pastoral, or denominational way, and was mentored in my past. “Offering” there, Father God was talking about the first fruit offerings of the His Feasts. I thought it meant offerings, you know like building fund, debt elimination, raising money for children, youth, or senior adult ministries. There in Malachi Yah is talking about His Appointed Moadim’s(Feasts), Holy Convocations. Like a very big deal to Him. Like my grandchildren say about something really important, “a high key tragic” event. LOL!
As I began to study this Holy Spirit, who teaches us wisdom directed me the Gospel of Mark chapter 4. This is the parable of the Sower where Yeshua is teaching. Mark 4:1-20. There I learned the context of Yeshua's parable. When Yeshua mentions “good ground” will produce a harvest of 30, 60,100 fold, He was speaking of the “good ground” being the Feasts of the Lord. Wow! I didn’t know that. Yeshua, King Jesus knew His listeners understood the Torah and Yah’s commandments to come with a free will offering honoring the Lord with His first fruit offering. Feast of Passover will receive 30-fold increase, Feast of Pentecost will receive a 60-fold increase, double. Feast of Tabernacles in the fall of the year will receive a 100-fold increase.
Before you say, that is Old Testament, and we are under the New Covenant. First of all Yah has never called His word Old and New. That is something man has divided and called. His words are HOLY and without error. All scripture is God divinely inspired and it is fresh manna renewing the bone and marrow and dividing the spirit, soul, and flesh. Secondly, Yeshua, King Jesus has fulfilled and will fulfill all of the Feasts of the Lord. Thirdly, Rabbi Paul told the church at Corinth, ”Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.“ I Corinthians 5:7-8 We are to keep the Feasts not with the old leaven (wine skin), but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
You may not agree with me and that is okay. I’m confidant in who I am in Christ and why my calling is to understand that we can disagree. Why am I writing this blog? I only ask you to consider this. Ask, Holy Spirit if this is truth? Ask Him what you are to do and if this applies to you and your household.
Finally, look what Yah Promises us if we remember His Feast Day offerings. And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
1. “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
2. And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.
3. “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,
Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,”
Says the Lord of hosts;
4. And all nations will call you blessed,
5. For you will be a delightful land,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
Shalom Shalom!