Firstfruit Offering
Giving our firstfruits means giving our best to God. It means sacrificing something that costs us a little. It means putting God first, even before ourselves, or our family. Making a firstfruit offering opens us up to allow God to work in our life.
Firstfruits in Hebrew is “bikkurim” and literally means “promise to come.” And there is ONE who never breaks His covenant promise – God! When you KEEP FIRST THINGS FIRST through faith and obedience, you turn God’s promise into provision. The Israelites saw these firstfruits as an investment into their future. God told them that if they brought their firstfruits to him, he would bless all that came afterward.
The people in Old Testament time live in agrarian-based society, they give their firstfruit in the form of bundles of grains as a visible firstfruit offering to God. God instructed the Israelites to give up the first of their crops so that they could understand the value of God’s blessings.
We are not living like the times of OT believers and maybe we thought that firstfruit offering should not be practiced today. But the truth remains the same, that we are recipients of God’s blessings in all forms, giving our first offering is our expression of gratitude and faith. The idea of firstfruits is still relevant in our present time, it challenges us but not forcing us because it takes us to a new meaning of obedience, gratitude, and acting in faith.
Making a firstfruit offering opens us up to submit to God to work in our life. When we approach God with open hands—rather than clenched fists—it makes it easier for him to give us more to work with, because giving is a matter of the heart. Giving our firstfruits reminds us that God is our ultimate priority. It shows God that we are obedient to him and we can be trusted with more. Perhaps most importantly, being generous in this way shows that we are grateful for all God has given to us.
Bible References:
“In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.” Genesis 4:3-5
“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops.” Proverbs 3:9
“The first of all firstfruits of every kind and every contribution of every kind, from all your contributions, shall be for the priests: you shall also give to the priest the first of your dough to cause a blessing to rest on your house.” – Ezekiel 44:30
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. – 2 Cor. 9:6-7
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Join us on our First Fruit Service this Sunday.
February 4, 2024 | 10:00 AM
#77 9th Avenue Cubao Quezon City