Throughout the earthly ministry of Jesus, He spoke often about seedtime and harvest. The seed is the Word—Christ the Living Word and Christ the Written Word. John provides insight about the Word—In the beginning was the Word—the Word was with God—the Word was God—the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and revealed His glory.
Lessons in agriculture reveal that in order for a seed to produce fruit or harvest it must be planted in the earth. The seed contains potential miracles—each one filled with the potential for life, growth, blossoming, and fruitfulness. It is all there in the seed—the plan, everything it will become. When the seed is planted the shell opens up and the life inside the seed is activated, the promise unlocked, and the potential becomes reality.
Jesus knew His mission—His destiny—He was to die as God’s Celestial Seed—to be placed in the earth. In John 12: 23-24 Jesus began to reveal to His disciples about His crucifixion. He said: “The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, ‘Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” His soul was troubled and said to the Father: “save me from this hour; but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name.” (v 27-28) Then God spoke in an audible voice from heaven and said: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” Jesus received the confirmation from His Father and He said: “This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”
Paul brings it all to focus in 1 Corinthians 15 when he spoke of Christ’s death and resurrection. He said that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; that he was buried and that he rose again the third day. He explains in vv. 20-22: “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” Christ was the fulfilment of the Feast of Firstfruits—the Ingathering (Lev. 23: 24, Deut.16: 16, 2 Chron. 8: 13).
The word “firstfruits” is a harvest term. It is the produce that first arises from the ground. In Israel it was to be dedicated to the Lord, as an offering of thanksgiving according to Leviticus 23: 9-14. It was the Feast which occurred on the “day after the Sabbath” after the Passover corresponding to the day when Israel was brought out of Egypt as God’s firstborn. It was to remind Israel of the Exodus and how that event confirmed their status as the firstborn son of God. (Ex. 4: 22) That Christ would be called the “firstfruits” in 1 Cor. 15:20 corresponds to this reality. He is the Son of God; not only in His divinity but in His humanity. His resurrection designates Him the firstborn among many brethren (Rom. 1: 3-4; 8: 29-30). In addition to its timing, the symbolism of the Feast foreshadowed the resurrection of Christ in Leviticus: 23: 11-12 when the priest lifted up the offering and “waved” it before the Lord.
Again, we see Divine Rehearsals in God’s plan of the ages! The fruit that came from the earth was lifted up before the Lord. The seeds that had died in the ground had arisen in new life and were now being presented to God. Christ would lead the procession of the souls and spirits of the Old Testament saints from paradise into heaven when He ascended! Paul calls Christ the firstfruits of God’s harvest, a harvest of living souls raised to life because of the atoning death of Jesus Christ. His resurrection was the firstfruits of a harvest that will cover the earth and include believers from more than two thousand years! Christ as the firstfruits is both the source of life and the guarantee that a harvest of blessed souls is coming—a harvest that has already begun!
The resurrection of Jesus initiated God’s international harvest, and it continues to this day. We are hearing of the outpouring of God’s Spirit all over the world as revivals are breaking out and reports of miracles of healing and salvation are occurring as God completes the final harvest before the end of the Church Age.
After Passover and First Fruits comes the Counting of the Omer of the barley and wheat harvest which is 50 days between Passover and Pentecost . Counting the Omer is another step towards deliverance as the grain is separated from the shaft—the act of ongoing, consistent obedience in watching and waiting in anticipation to see God move. It teaches us to release our routines from our time in oppression and captivity and realign ourselves with God’s calendar.
Remember Jesus said that the seed is the Word. The Bible is the container of many seeds and every seed, every word is a potential miracle. Each seed has the potential to produce life, growth, blossoming, fruitfulness, and a miracle. These seeds are to be sown into the soil of life—into our life and lives of others. Scripture promises a blessing for those that have eyes and see and ears to hear. Jesus is the Celestial Seed. During the Counting of the Omer we are to daily measure the contents of our own inner life by the measure of the Seed—the Word—reading and meditating on His teaching. I heard this warning recently: “We have become too familiar with the God we do not know. God detests multi-tasking.” These are crucial times and we must draw near to God and He promises to draw near to us. The words of Isaiah 30:15 exhorts us to return to the LORD and rest in Him for salvation—in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength.
Jesus was glorified and will be glorified again! For all those who are united to Christ by faith, His resurrection secures our resurrection—in spiritual life today and in bodily resurrection tomorrow! “Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (I Cor. 15: 57)