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The 144,000
They are
The Firstfruits
Key Eleven
Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe
fruits, and of thy liquors:
the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto Me.
Exodus 22:29
During the time when the Temple proudly
stood, the faithful thronged to Jerusalem each year to celebrate the Feast of
Firstfruits. From the Days of Unleavened Bread, seven weeks were counted in
joyful anticipation of the coming celebration on the fiftieth day.
As this unique festival approached, pilgrims from far away
places crowded the streets of the capital city, carrying offerings to place
before the alter of the true God. They came with their offerings of wheat,
barley, dates, figs, grapes, pomegranates and olives. They came to rejoice in
deep gratitude before their Creator, who had blessed them with the year’s first
harvest.
Year after year, for centuries, the faithful observed the
Feast of Firstfruits, never realizing that they were celebrating a spiritual
harvest that would take place far into the future. Unknowingly, they celebrated
the harvest of the 144,000.
The 144,000 are the fulfillment of all that the firstfruits
observances foreshadow. They are God’s first harvest of human souls—the first
resurrection. The Apostle John, inspired to describe the 144,000, states:
They are the firstfruits unto God and the Lamb (Revelation 14:4).
The Greek root of the word firstfruits is “rosh,” which means
“head.” This term is used in the sense of being the “first part,” “point of
departure,” or the “beginning.” The Hebrew word firstfruits is the word “rehiyth,”
and it means “first in place, time, order or rank.” The Greek word for
firstfruits is “aparche.” This word also means “beginning,” but further implies
a sense of “primacy.”
All these definitions apply to God’s firstfruits. They are
God’s “new beginning.” They represent a pivotal point in all of human history
when the “first” of humankind will be harvested by God in a resurrection. They
will also be the “principle,” or “chief” ones that God will work through as He
reestablishes His government on this earth.
The Individual Firstfruit Offering
The first fruit offerings, foreshadowing God’s first harvest
of souls, were observed both individually and nationally. God proclaimed that
the firstfruit of every single person’s increase was His. Moses records God’s
instructions:
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest, and he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it (Leviticus 23:10-11).
Each individual was to give God the firstborn of either his
livestock or the produce of his land. The Eternal even required the redemption
of the firstborn of every family’s children (Exodus 13:13).
The ceremonial selection of the firstfruits was commonly a
family affair. At the birth of a firstborn among the flock and at the first
appearing of new fruit in the field, the entire household would prepare for the
ceremony. Generally, one of the children in the family would be chosen for the
privilege of marking the newly born animal or crop so that it would be preserved
for the Lord.
The firstfruits remained thus marked so that every man,
woman, or child seeing the identifying token would be reminded both of God’s
grace to each individual, and His ownership of the first of all that man
produces. When harvest time arrived, these firstfruits would be gathered with
prayer and taken to Jerusalem. There they would be offered to God on the altar
and eaten by the priests.
The Wave Sheaf
The priests also performed a similar rite for the entire
nation. Near the close of the first weekly Sabbath after the first day of
Unleavened Bread, delegates from the Sanhedrin would mark out and tie off the
best grain stalks into sheaves. They would measure an omer from each field
chosen for this purpose.
As the Sabbath sun was setting, the priests and their helpers
would go out to the field. Once there, the assistants would surround the priest,
who carried a sickle. The assistants observed to insure that all was done
correctly. Finally the priest would ask, “Is the sun set?” Those surrounding him
would answer, “Yes!” Next he would say, “Shall I reap?” They would answer,
“Reap!” Only then would the ceremonial grain be cut.
The sacred grain was then beaten with reeds so as not to
crush the produce. After this, it was parched with fire. The grain would then
undergo the grist mill, in which it was sifted thirteen times, while the priests
added oil and frankincense. The following day, it was taken to the high priest
who lifted it in the air, waving it before God for acceptance.
This elaborate ceremony pictured the sacrifice of Jesus. The
wave sheaf, like Christ, was chosen in advance. The sheave was first tied in a
bundle and then cut off from the field. This pictured our Savior, who was first
bound that Passover night, and then cut off from the rest of Israel by His
arrest on charges of blasphemy.
The grain was then prepared for the high priest’s offering.
It was first beaten, picturing Christ’s brutal scourging, which was designed not
to break a bone of His body. The parching of the grain, the grinding and the
sifting pictured the absolutely grueling ordeal Christ endured during His
painful sacrifice. The oil and frankincense represented the Holy Spirit and
prayers of our Savior, which were also a part of His offering for mankind. The
act of the high priest waving the grain as an offering to God portrayed Christ.
This pictured Him being raised the third day, ascending to the Father where He
was accepted as the firstfruit.
Through this process, Christ became the first raised from the
dead—the beginning of God’s spiritual creation. Paul writes:
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept (I Corinthians 15:20).
Rich with symbolism, the imagery of this unique celebration
continues. God commanded a second firstfruits offering to be harvested and
offered after the wave sheaf was presented.
A Second Part to God’s First Harvest
The wave sheaf was only the first part of the firstfruits
ceremony. It pictured Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and ascension to be accepted by
the Father. The second aspect of God’s plan is revealed in the rest of this
celebration. It is here that the 144,000 are represented. Regarding this
offering, God states:
And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the self-same day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings (Leviticus 23:14).
The offering which followed the wave sheaf is vital to fully
understand God’s first harvest of souls. The Almighty commanded that the
firstfruits were not to be harvested until after the wave sheaf had been
offered. This pictured a great spiritual truth. No other human beings would be
harvested until after Jesus Christ had first been raised, presented to, and
accepted by Him.
While giving Jesus preeminence, this also makes one other
essential point perfectly clear. Those whom God raises in the first resurrection
are joined with Jesus Christ to complete God’s first harvest. They are the
firsfruits.
From the day that the wave sheaf was offered, each head of
household was to count forty nine days, or seven weeks. Each family then offered
a “meal” offering of two loaves of bread from their harvest of grain on the
fiftieth day. Moses writes:
Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD (Leviticus 23:16-17).
These two loaves were baked with leaven, and therefore not
placed on the holy altar. They, along with two lambs, were waved and eaten by
the priests. This ancient ceremony provides fascinating insight into the plan of
God. The firstfruit offerings were symbolic, foreshadowing Jesus Christ and His
Church in accurate detail. The exact timing of Christ’s sacrifice, His
resurrection and ascension to the Father was prophesied by this marvelous feast.
Even the exact timing of the giving of the Spirit of God is spelled out
perfectly.
Christ was the wave sheaf offering, the first of the
firstfruits. He was cut down (crucified), and then lifted up (resurrected)
Sabbath evening after being exactly three days and three nights in the grave.
The next morning, a Sunday, Christ ascended to heaven. There He was waved, or
passed before the Father and accepted by Him.
After the women had come to the tomb and found it empty,
later on that famous Sunday morning, Jesus told Mary not to touch Him. He had
not yet ascended to the Father (John 20:17). Later that same morning, Christ did
ascend to heaven to present Himself before the Father.
No doubt this took place about 10:00 a.m.—precisely when the wave sheaf was
offered by the high priest. After He was accepted by the Father as the first of
the firstfruits, Jesus returned that very day to meet with His disciples (Luke
24:15-31).
That Sunday, the fifty day countdown to the Feast of
Firstfruits began. During these days of counting, Christ met with His followers,
instructing and encouraging them a full forty days. Then He ascended to be with
the Father, leaving His disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit. Speaking of
Christ, Luke writes:
To whom also He shewed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God, and, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith He, ye have heard of Me (Acts 1:3-4).
After forty days, His followers were told to wait ten more days until the promise of being indued with power by the receiving of a comforter would be fulfilled. Finally, when the fiftieth day arrived, another aspect of the fulfillment of this day occurred. Luke records:
When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:1-4).
Pentecost is a Greek word meaning “count fifty.” On this day
God sent His Spirit. He made this wonderful gift available to all those who
would follow Christ in the first century. He also has made that Spirit available
to all those He would call down through the ages and into future generations.
This was a partial fulfillment of what this festival
foreshadows. Those who were destined to be the first harvest, could now be
planted. The seed of God’s Spirit was offered to mankind. It would be sown in
the lives of thousands of God’s people from that day forward. As Paul writes:
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body (Romans 8:23).
This verse makes it clear that, while Christians are part of
the firstfruits, they have not yet actually been harvested. The final
fulfillment of this day will occur when those who have been sealed with the seed
of God’s Holy Spirit are harvested in the first resurrection.
The total number of those who will be included in the first
resurrection will be 144,000. These are those who are represented by the two
loaves that are to be lifted up and waved for acceptance by the Father on the
fiftieth day, Pentecost.
Two Lambs and Two Loaves
In the ancient celebration of the Feast of Firstfruits, there
were two lambs and two loaves of bread which were included in the offering.
Jesus is the Lamb of God, and therefore the two lambs likely represent Jesus
Christ in the two roles in which He functioned. He was the Savior during the Old
Testament time, and He is Savior to those in the New Testament era.
It is also interesting to note that the two loaves were the
only offerings ever made with leaven. Leaven is a symbol of sin, strongly
implying that the two loaves are God’s first harvest of human souls. While God’s
people must strive for perfection, the truth is that in this life they are not
perfect! True Christians sin (I John 1:8). The leavened loaves reflect the fact
that no one except Jesus Christ will go into the Kingdom of God having been
sinless.
These two loaves represent God’s two Churches—the Old
Testament Church in the wilderness and the New Testament Church throughout the
world. They reflect all of God’s chosen from every age who will ultimately be in
the first resurrection Though having been tainted by sin, they will be accepted
by God, having been justified through the blood of Christ.
Jesus is the very first of the firstfruits—He is portrayed by
the wave sheaf. Those who are also firstfruits will follow Christ’s pattern.
They will ascend to heaven, be accepted by the Father, and then return to earth
with Christ. As Paul reminds us:
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming (I Corinthians 15:23).
Those who are true members of Christ’s Church are considered firstfruits along with Christ. James writes:
Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures (James 1:18).
This is an awesome and wonderful truth! God has not called everyone to have this opportunity now. He has only chosen a select few for this harvest of human souls. They are called to be the first. Paul explains:
That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ (Ephesians 1:12).
Those called during the era of man’s rule are the first to
trust in Christ. Later there will be others who will also have faith in Him. For
now, however, only the firstfruits are being given the opportunity to know God
and follow His ways.
Jesus Christ is pictured by the wave sheaf as being the first
of the firstfruits. He was the first to be harvested in a resurrection, ascend
to heaven and be accepted by God. The two loaves comprise the firstfruit
offering which was given seven weeks later. The loaves portray God’s chosen from
various times throughout history. They too will be harvested in what the Bible
calls, the first resurrection, after seven successive Church eras have passed.
This resurrection will include the entirety of the faithful
throughout all ages. Those alive when Christ returns will join the dead who will
rise from their graves all around the world. Collectively, they will marry
Christ on a sea of sparkling crystal at the foot of the magnificent New
Jerusalem. Then, as God’s firstfruits they will return with their Husband King,
and assist Him in ruling the rest of mankind.
This is the ultimate destiny of those who are the Eternal’s
new beginning! God has chosen them, and He set them apart by His Spirit for this
transcendent purpose. As Paul writes:
But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the BEGINNING chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth (II Thessalonians 2:13).
The word Paul uses for “beginning” is the Greek word “arche.”
It is very similar to the word “aparche,” which is translated “firstfruits.”
“Arche” literally means “commencement,” or “chief.” This word
could be translated as “first (estate),” “magistrate,” “power,” or “rule.”
Therefore, if the translators of the King James version had understood exactly
who the firstfruits were, they might better have translated this verse to read:
God has chosen you to be the firstfruits of salvation.
Moffat translates this same verse: “because God has chosen
you as the first to be reaped for salvation.” Knox is more direct, translating
this verse as: “God has picked you out as the firstfruits in the harvest of
salvation.”
The 144,000 are the firstfruits! They are the first to be harvested by God. This
means they are those who have been chosen to be in the first resurrection—a
better resurrection (Hebrews 11:45). It is no less than the highest calling and
most magnificent destiny that can be achieved.
Those called in this age, and given God’s Holy Spirit, have
the seed of the firstfruits within them. They are only sealed with that Spirit,
however. They are not yet harvested. Before they can finally be harvested as
God’s firstfruits, they must continue to be faithful and obedient—a people
without guile.