- Firstfruits Prayer Points 2020FIRSTFRUITS: Q & A SHEET Downloading(link): FIRSTFRUITS Prayer points
- 1. What are firstfruits?
The firstfruits can be referred to as the first produce from the soil of the land of inheritance-
‘When you have entered the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance and have
taken possession of it and settled in it, take some of the firstfruits of all that you produced
from the soil of the land the Lord is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place
the Lord your God will choose as dwelling for His Name…’ Deuteronomy 26:1-2. - They are an initial offering made to God from the harvest/ income of a new beginning. They
are best considered as a foretaste of more to come and a foundation that determines and
prepares the ground for what is to come from the Lord. Firstfruits are given to God as a thanksgiving - offering for His goodness and faithfulness as a Seed-Giver of such fruits. We offer them to the One who
- is the Beginner and the End so that He becomes the Foundation, the Multiplier and the Protector of every
- blessing we will reap in a particular time, year or season.
2. What is the difference between Firstfruits and Tithes?
A tithe is the whole tenth of your every income/ produce that God commands you to bring
into His House so that there may be provision for all needs related to the furtherance of the
purpose of the Gospel of Christ Jesus. In Malachi 3:10, He says:
‘Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be
food in My House, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the
windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough
to receive it.’ In contrast to tithes, the firstfruits are a once-off offering to God of some of the initial
harvest/ income obtained from a new beginning, and given to Him at every new beginning.
Unlike tithes, there is no set quantity of the firstfruits that you must sacrifice. All that God
expects to receive is the BEST of your initial harvest.
3. What is the purpose of offering Firstfruits?
The principle of firstfruit is based on a notion that every beginning determines the end. What
you sow in the beginning is what you will reap at the end. With God, what you give is what you
get. Simple! ‘Do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.’- Gal. 6:7-8; Luke
6:31. The firstfruits are, therefore a foundational offering that determines the quantity and the
quality of the subsequent harvest reaped throughout a particular year or time. They are like
manure that is intended to enrich your soil so that it brings you a healthy and bountiful
harvest. When you comply with this principle, you are sure to experience a miraculous
increase! It once happened to a certain man from Baal Shalishah who brought to the prophet
of God 20 loaves of barley bread as his firstfruits from his first ripe grain. Prophet Elisha fed
100 hungry men with these loaves, as God said to him, ‘They will eat and have some left
over.’- 2 Kings 4:42-44. God is not the Respecter of persons, but of His principles. When you
obey His principle of firstfruits, you will surely eat and have some leftovers to bless others.
‘The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of His bounty, to send rain on your land in
season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow
from none.’- Deuteronomy 28:12. You will harvest the peace and joy that comes from a
debtless life!
4. When are the Firstfruits offered?
‘We also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the Lord each year the firstfruits
of our crops and every fruit tree.’ - Nehemiah 10:35
4.1. You bring the first of all fruits year by year,
4.2. You offer firstfruits whenever the Lord has ushered you into the Promised Land or new
level of glory in your life.
‘Tell the Israelites, ‘When you have come into the land I give you and reap its harvest, you
shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest.’- Leviticus 23:10;
Numbers 15:17-21; Deuteronomy 26: 1-11. For instance, God expects you to sacrifice the best portion - of your initial income earned from a new job/ business. Each time you get a promotion, you owe God
- the firstfruits of the initial income derived therefrom, and it does not matter how many times you get
- promoted in a year. 4.3. You also bring the first and the best of your fruits when you exit from exile,
- bondage or captivity- Exodus 23:15-20; Nehemiah 10: 35.
5. How is the BEST determined?
‘Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God.’- Exodus 34:
26
Your BEST is what you sow in tears.
‘Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying a
[precious] seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.’- Ps 126:5.
What is BEST is what you sow to please the Holy Spirit, and not your sinful nature- Galatians
6:8. So, go ahead and ask the Holy Spirit what your BEST is! Only Him can tell, and He will
determine your BEST from the fullness of your harvest- Exodus 22:29 (Ampl). Also read
Exodus 23:19; Nehemiah 10:37.
6. To whom are the firstfruits offered?
Just like tithes and offerings, firstfruits are given to God. In the book of Exodus, God says, ‘ You
shall not delay to bring to Me from the fullness [of your harvested grain] and the outflow [of
your grape juice and olive oil]…’- Exodus 22: 29 (Ampl).
7. Where the firstfruits must be offered?
In Exodus 23:19, the command is succinctly expressed:
‘Bring the best firstfruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God.’
You may also bring your firstfruits to the prophets of the Lord- 2 Kings 4:42.
8. Who are referred to as the firstfruits in the New Testament?
8.1. Jesus Christ is our Firstfruits:
‘But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead the Firstfruits of those who have fallen
asleep. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn:
Christ, the Firstfruits; then, when He comes, those who belong to Him.’- 1 Co 15:20; 23
8.2. Holy Spirit is given to us as the Firstfruits from God after salvation:
‘Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we
wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.’- Rom 8:23
8.3. The early Christians were considered as the firstfruits to unbelievers:
‘He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of
all He created.’- James 1:18; 1 Corinthians 16:15-16
- 1. What are firstfruits?
Published: Sunday, 04 January 2015 11:48 | 