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III. Firstfruits Festival

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest, and he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, so that you may be accepted. On the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.
(Leviticus 23:9-11, ESV)

This occurred on the day after the first Sabbath following Passover when the Israelites entered the Promised Land. On this day, the Israelites would offer the firstfruits of their crop, barley, as a token of gratitude to God for the bountiful harvest. The priest would wave this sheaf before the Lord, a gesture called a wave offering, to gain the people's approval.'

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:20, ESV).

The Lord Jesus (Yeshua) was buried for three days and three nights, and the day of His resurrection was the day of Firstfruits, the first day of the week (what is commonly known as Easter, but more accurately, Firstfruits). Theologically, this carries a spiritual meaning: all who die in Christ will be resurrected. Scripture says, But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:23, ESV).

The order of the resurrection:

And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!” (Revelation 14:13, ESV)

Those who died in Christ will all be raised again, each in their own order, according to the fruits of their labor and work.

⑴ The first to rise from the dead: Christ

and from Jesus (Yeshua) Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood (Revelation 1:5, ESV).


Jesus (Yeshua) Christ is the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep, the first to rise from the dead, the first to become immortal, the one who glorifies the spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:43-44).
It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. (1 Corinthians 15:43-44, ESV)


(2) The Second Batch of Resurrected Victors: Some Saints Who Had Been Resurrected

And Jesus (Yeshua) cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.

And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. (Matthew 27:50-53, ESV)

Because Jesus (Yeshua) died for all, like a grain of wheat that fell to the ground and died, he produced many grains. Christ is the firstfruits, the first to rise from the dead. Some saints who had been asleep also rose from the dead, came out of their tombs, entered the holy city, and appeared to many people; these people are the second batch of resurrected, and will be led by the Lord to heaven.

(3) The Third Batch of Resurrected Overcomers: Those Who Died in Christ, Raised and Raptured Before the Tribulation

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52, ESV)

"For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ will rise first." (1 Thessalonians 4:16)

Before the Great Tribulation, those who died in Christ will be raised again; this is the third batch of those resurrected from the dead. These people, along with us living overcomers, will be transformed in body, caught up in the air, to meet the Lord in the clouds, and be with Him forever (1 Thessalonians 4:13-1.

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus (Yeshua) died and rose again, even so, through Jesus (Yeshua), God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, ESV).


(4) The Fourth Batch of Resurrected Victors: Martyrs of the Great Tribulation, Resurrected in the Millennium (Not Raptured)

Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6, ESV)

The overcomers of the Great Tribulation, who do not bear the mark of the beast or worship its image, will be resurrected in the Millennium. They are the fourth batch of resurrected overcomers (these individuals were not raptured; the rapture only occurred once before the tribulation). In the Millennium Kingdom, they will reign with Christ for a thousand years (the overcomers of the Great Tribulation will only reign for a thousand years, not forever; but they will be priests of God and of Christ forever and ever).

These individuals belong to the first resurrection after the tribulation, meaning they will be resurrected in the Millennium Kingdom and reign with Christ for a thousand years. The scriptures say, Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)
Dear Lord Jesus (Yeshua), please remember your offering. Below is the donation account information for our ministry:
Post Office Code: 700
Savings Account Number: 00414890318107
Account Name: TSENG HSUEH-CHENG
Post Office: Kaohsiung Minzu Community Post Office

(For locations outside Taiwan, the SWIFT Code is as follows):
Account with Bank: Chunghwa Post Co., Ltd.
SWIFT Code: CHPYTWTP
Bank Address: No.55, Sec. 2, Jinshan S. Rd., Da-an Dist., Taipei City, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Recipient's English Name: TSENG, HSUEH-CHENG
Recipient's Account Number: 00414890318107
Recipient's Contact Phone
and Address: 5F., No. 38, Ln. 122, Sec. 1, Shuiyuan St., Tamsui
Dist., New Taipei City 251006, Taiwan (R.O.C.)