Firstfruits

January 18, 2015 | Tom Dunham
Passage: Proverbs 3:9-10

Firstfruits!

Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. Proverbs 3:9,10

Q: What’s the first thing you do with earned income, or any increase?

The concept of ‘firstfruits’ appears throughout the Bible. Examples:

  • Firstfruits of the wheat harvest – Exodus 34:22 …
    - Foreshadowed Pentecost, the beginning of the church–Acts 2:41
  • Firstfruits of any harvest – Leviticus 23:10 …
  • Firstfruits of oil – Numbers 18:12 …
    - as w/ any harvest/increase: the firstfruits & then 10% overall …
  • Firstfruits of the new wine – Numbers 18:12 – & 10% overall …
  • Firstfruits of fleece/wool from the sheep – Deuteronomy 18:1-4 …
    - (the same with animals offered to the Lord) …

 

Offered to the Lord, but practically supported the priests & Levites.

  • real people … & their families! …
  • Today, firstfruits/tithes/offerings support pastors & their families!
    - Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel 
          should live from the gospel. I Corinthians 9:14
    - … “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” 
           I Corinthians 9:9.

More examples:

  • Anything that the land produced – Deuteronomy 26:10:
    - “‘and now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land which you, O LORD, have given me.’ Then you shall set it before the LORD your God, and worship before the LORD your God.’”
    - G    od was to get the firstfruits of everything …
    - It was the firstfruits of what God had already given them!
    - It was an act of worship!
  • Even honey! II Chronicles 31:5 …

Now, an illustration of God as ‘The Accountant of Firstfruits’ – Numbers 3:39-51 – every firstborn … every Levite … every shekel accounted for!

Now, from Proverbs 3:9,10:

Q1: What is one essential habit I can practice to ensure that I’ll be materially & spiritually blessed?

Q2: What does it mean to give God the firstfruits of my increase?

Q3: WHEN should this be done?

If you haven’t before, are you ready to give God the firstfruits – the tithe?

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