The Beginner's Guide to First Fruits (Celebrating the Savior's Resurrection the Biblical Way)

In this post we examine the basics of First Fruits, which is a Biblical holiday that happens shortly after Passover within another Biblical holiday, the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This is the day that Jesus rose from the grave! By learning more about this holiday we can worship the Messiah in deeper ways and celebrate his resurrection at the Scripturally appropriate time. We will talk about what this holiday means and share practical ideas for celebrating and taking part in such a joyous occasion!

What is First Fruits? 

First Fruits is one of the Biblical holidays and it happens within another Biblical holiday, the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It is a special part of Unleavened Bread. In Levitical times, it was the day when the priests presented a wave offering of the 'first fruits' of the harvest that year - barley. It's also the day that the Messiah rose from the dead and presented himself to his Father!

Where is First Fruits in the Bible?

Details on First Fruits are seen in Leviticus 23:9-14 (usually spelled Firstfruits).

What Bible verses relate to First Fruits?

Leviticus 23:9-14
Deuteronomy 26
Matthew 28
Mark 16
Luke 24
John 20
1 Corinthians 15:20-28

Biblical events have taken place on First Fruits:

-The resurrection of Jesus the Messiah. (Matthew 28)

-Israel crossed over the Red Sea after leaving Egypt in the Exodus story. (Exodus 3:18, 5:3)

-Israel ate the first fruits of the Promised Land. (Joshua 5:10-12)

-The Temple was cleansed and sacrifices were reinstated under the reign of King Hezekiah. (1 Chronicles 29:17-18)
-Queen Esther foiled the plot of Haman. (Esther 3:12, 5:1)
-Noah's ark possibly came to rest on Mount Ararat after the flood on First Fruits.

-The walk to Emmaus, where the Savior "expounded on all things concerning himself" from Scripture to a couple of his followers. (Luke 24:13-15)

Why celebrate First Fruits?

This is the day that Jesus rose from the dead! If that's not worth our attention and celebration, what is? When he rose from the dead, no one called the day Easter. First Fruits is about doing our best to worship the Messiah in ways consistent with what the Bible teaches.

Who should celebrate First Fruits?

First Fruits should be celebrated by all Bible believers. If you want to celebrate the Savior defeating the grave and coming back to life, the Biblically correct day to do so would be on the day of First Fruits. 

The Bible holidays were given to all of God's people and all Bible believers may take part in them, regardless of ethnicity, spiritual background, ancestry, etc.

How is First Fruits different than Easter?

When it comes to the idea of celebrating that the Savior is risen, the Bible holiday First Fruits is very similar to Christian intentions behind Easter. The difference is that while First Fruits is Biblical, Easter is manmade. They happen at similar times of year (sometimes the same day), but First Fruits does not involve Easter bunnies, egg hunts, or ham.

Is First Fruits the same as Unleavened Bread?

First Fruits is part of Unleavened Bread. While Unleavened Bread is weeklong holiday, First Fruits is one day during that. It happens the Sunday after the Sabbath during the week of Unleavened Bread. The stipulation of not eating leaven still applies during this time, and we still remember and celebrate the spiritual significance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. We remember how God parted the Red Sea and lead his people to freedom, but on First Fruits especially we also remember and celebrate that the Messiah is no longer in the grave and he lives!

How to observe First Fruits:

First Fruits is a joyful day! Praise God for the resurrection of Jesus and have fun! 

Gatherings are not Scripturally required, but you could certainly arrange to get together with friends or attend a service at a congregation that celebrates this.

Note that First Fruits is not considered a Sabbath day, unless it happens to fall on the last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 

What should I do to celebrate First Fruits?

-Read the Gospel stories of the empty tomb! This is truly the best part of the Good News - that the Messiah lives - and there's no better time to revisit that. Read Bible passages aloud, revisit the tale in children's books and movies, or do a dramatized version.

-Gather for a festive meal, if you want. Again, this is not a requirement but you certainly can make a special meal and invite loved ones to join in. On First Fruits, the Bible says not to eat leavened bread, so make foods without leaven. I'll link to a list of unleavened recipes at the end of this post to get you inspired.

-Spread the good news. First Fruits is a wonderful day for sharing the joy and love of God with others. Send notes of Scripture and encouragement to loved ones, volunteer for a service project, gather donations to give to those in need, and challenge yourself to be extra gracious and kind to everyone you encounter this day.

-Have fun! Even though Easter egg hunts are not appropriate for First Fruits, games can still be played, treats enjoyed, and prizes given. How about making an obstacle course for kids where they have to cross the "Red Sea" and "escape from Egypt"? There are plenty of empty tomb and crucifixion related kids crafts you could make. Put together a scavenger hunt. Make and enjoy matzah toffee or a Red Sea crossing smoothie bowl. 

Related posts:
How to Celebrate First Fruits
Meal Ideas for the Feast of Unleavened Bread
Kids Crafts for Passover and First Fruits
Red Sea Crossing Smoothie Bowls