Moses commanded the people of Israel to present their first harvest to God after having settled in the land promised to them through their ancestor, Abraham.

Each and everyone was required to take a basket full of the first part of each crop to a place of worship and present it to the lord as a sacrifice.

Moses urged each person to take the basket of this first harvest to the priest who would in turn offer it to the Lord on his or her behalf.

This offering was an acknowledgement to the Lord that they had entered and occupied the land God had promised them through their ancestor, Abraham.

It was also an acknowledgement of the blessings that the Lord had given to the people of Israel. The Lord had made them numerous and powerful. For this reason, they were now grateful for that.

Giving their first harvest was a way of recognizing the omnipotence of the lord. By His great power and strength, the Lord had set them free from their Egyptian slavery.

Offering the first harvest would signify an appreciation on the side of Israel for the great things that the Lord done for them. He had heard them cry out when they were being treated harshly and being forced to work as slaves in Egypt and responded by rescuing them. This meant that offering the first harvest was a form of thanks giving.

This offering was also a way of re-affirming divine election of Israel. Moses emphasized the promises God had made to Israel's ancestors particularly their deliverance from Egypt under the guidance of God and the land they were yet to occupy.

By offering the first harvest, the Israelites would share with the Lord His own provision.

This meant that the people would be giving back what the lord had blessed or given them.

Offering the first harvest formed part of Israel's worship in giving honour to the Lord who had brought them out of slavery in Egypt.

Offering the first harvest would help to cater for the welfare of the priestly house the Levites, foreigners, the orphans and the widows. In this way, everyone in the community would have all that they needed to eat.

Offering the first harvest would be an act of obedience on the side of Israel. It would mean that they had obeyed all that the lord had commanded them to do particularly those concerning tithe.

Moses said that it would signify the holiness of God and Israel's own holiness. He urged the Israelites to be ritually clean when taking their sacrifices out of their houses.

Offering the first harvest was a prayer for blessings from the lord upon the people of Israel. They would pray for the blessing of the rich and fertile land the Lord had given them in fulfilling the promise He had made to their ancestors.

By offering the first harvest, the Israelites would acknowledge the Lord as their own God. This meant that the Israelites had to maintain their monotheistic faith.

Besides, it would imply that the Lord had accepted Israel as His own people as He had promised them. Israel was therefore a theocratic community.

Israel would show her respect to the Lord their only God for it would reflect their willingness to obey His commands.

Besides, this kind of offering would reflect self denial and self sacrifice on the side of Israel for the sake of God. Note that Moses commanded the people to present this offering before having a share of it.

Offering the first harvest would be a statement of Israel's faith to God as His chosen people. It would show their willingness to serve and obey Him faithfully.

Giving the first harvest would mean that the people of Israel were determined to make their living in the land promised moro permanent for the services and honour of the lord.

It would signify Israel as the first born sons of God symbolized by the giving of the first part of each of their harvest.

Revision Questions

1. Analyze the concept of offering the first harvest in Israel.

2. Discuss the significance of offering the first harvest by the Israelites

3. Account for the offering of the first harvest in Israel.

4. What is the relevance of offering the first fruits to Christians today?

RELEVANCE OF OFFERING THE FIRST FRUITS TO MODERN CHRISTIANS

• Christians should show respect to God

• Christians should thank God and appreciate Him for His provision

• Christians should live self denial lives for the sake of God.

• Christians should serve God with holiness.

• Christians should serve the lord faithfully.

• Christians should give assistance to the needy people like orphans.

• Christians should ask God for blessings in their lives.

• Christians should obey the rules and regulations governing society.

• Christians should serve only one God (monotheism)

• Christians should extend love to one another

• Christians should give material support to the church