FIRSTFRUITS, by Russell Earl Kelly, PHD, 11-23-2015, russkellyphd@yahoo.com
From “Should the Church Teach Tithing?” chapter one, by
Russell Earl Kelly, PHD
The first-fruit was a very small amount of the first crop
harvest and the first-born was the first offspring of animals. The first-fruit
was small enough to fit into a hand-held basket (Deut. 26:1-4, 10; Lev. 23:17 ;
Num. 18:13-17; 2 Chron 31:5a). First-fruit and first-born offerings went
directly to the Temple Temple
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Supplemental:
1. In the
New Testament, “firstfruits” occurs 7 times:
A. Christ;
1 Cor 15:20; 1 Cor 15:23 (1x)
B. First
persons converted; Rom 16:5; 1 Cor 16:15; James 1:18 (3x)
C. Pre=eminent
persons; Rev 14:4 (1x)
D. Spiritual
blessings possessed by believers; Rom 8:23 (1x)
E.
In the New Testament “firstfruits NEVER refers to substance, money, food or
increase.
2. In the Old
Testament “firstfruits” occurs 24 times from two key words (Strong’s 1601,
7225).
A.
Firstfruits were never the same as tithes (2 Chron 31:5; Neh 10:37; 12:44)
B. Firstfruits
were always only FOOD increase from inside Holy Israel.
C.
Firstfruits were brought to the Temple in Jerusalem for priests to eat (Ex
23:19; Neh 10:35-37).
D.
Firstfruits were never the same as substance, wealth, possessions or non-food
items.
3. Proverbs 3:9-10
A. Is a blessing for Hebrews who call God the
LORD, Yahweh
B. Is in two distinct parts separated by “and”:
substance AND firstfruits
C. “Substance” refers to wealth,
possessions and non-food items
D. “Firstfruits,” like the other 23 occurrences
in the O.T. refers to FOOD from inside HOLY Israel
E. “Increase” was calculated after expenses
of producing the food was subtracted
F. “Increase” did not apply in years of
famine, drought or crop failure
G. “Increase” did not include those with no
increase; they brought freewill offerings
H. “barns” and “presses” prove that the
blessing came in the form of more food
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CONCLUSION:
1. It is an abuse of biblical integrity and sound
principles of interpretation to teach that firstfruits in Proverbs 3:9-10 (or
anywhere else in the Bible) refer to the first tenth of tithes of anything
other than food from God’s HOLY land of Israel during the Old Testament.
2. The sole reference to firstfruits in Proverbs
is given far too much value; it ignores the context, definition and
descriptions of all 31 uses of the word “firstfruits” in God’s Word.
3. Teaching
that tithes are the firstfruits of modern paychecks robs poor Christians of
money they should be spending on basic living essentials such as medicine,
food, shelter and heat (1 Tim 5:8).
4. Post-Calvary New Covenant giving principles
are: faith driven, freewill, sacrificial, generous and cheerful (2 Corinthians 8
and 9).
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“FIRSTFRUITS”
TEXTS FROM THE BIBLE:
Ex 23:16 the
feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labors, which thou hast sown in the
field
Ex 23:19 The
first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the
LORD thy God.
Ex 34:22 the
feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest
Ex 34:26 The
first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the
LORD thy God.
*Lev 2:12
oblation of the firstfruits .… they shall not be burnt on the altar for a sweet
savor.
Lev 2:14
meat offering of thy firstfruits unto the LORD, thou shalt offer for the meat
offering of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn
beaten out of full ears.
*Lev 23:10
harvest … a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest
*Num 18:12
the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the
firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given
thee.
Num 28:26 in
the day of the firstfruits , when ye bring a new meat offering unto the LORD
………………………..
Deut 18:3-4 And
this shall be the priest's due from the people, from them that offer a
sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; and they shall give unto the priest the
shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw.[stomach] The firstfruits also of thy
corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep,
shalt thou give him.
*Deut 26:10
I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou
2 Kings 4:42
bread of the firstfruits , twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn
2 Chron 31:5
the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the
increase of the fields; and the tithe of all things brought they in
abundantly.
Neh 10:35
And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of
all trees
Neh 10:36 Also
the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law, and
the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our
God, unto the priests
Neh 10:37
And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings,
and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to
the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the
Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities
of our tillage.
*Neh 12:44
for the offerings, for the firstfruits , and for the tithes
Neh 13:31 And
for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits.
*Prov 3:9-10
Honor the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine
increase: So shall thy barns be filled
with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
*Jer 2:3 Israel
was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that
devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD. [Gen
12:1-4]
Ezek 20:40
in the land … there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your
oblations
Ezek
44:30-31 And the first of all the firstfruits of all things, and every oblation
of all, of every sort of your oblations, shall be the priest's: ye shall also
give unto the priest the first of your dough, that he may cause the blessing to
rest in thine house. The priests shall not eat of any thing that is dead of
itself, or torn, whether it be fowl or beast.
Ezek 48:14
And they shall not sell of it, neither exchange, nor alienate the firstfruits
of the land: for it is holy unto the LORD.
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