The Day of Firstfruits & the Hope of Resurrection

‘The Day of Firstfruits’ is the feast when the priest would offer to God, a sheaf of the first grain by waving it on the day after the Sabbath (Sunday) to commemorate the day of landing from the Red Sea. In the Law of Moses this feast has been changed into the Day of Resurrection commemorating Jesus’ resurrection as the Firstfruit among those who have fallen asleep in the New Testament.

Immediately after the death of Jesus, the disciples who were in shock and sorrow gained courage and strength through Jesus’ resurrection. They regarded the resurrection as a great boast planted the hope for resurrection to the many who were living their lives without knowing where they came from or where they were going.

Everyone dies. However, Jesus’ resurrection is the brilliant light shining on all humankind who are running towards death. The hope that those who receive the true God will be changed into a spiritual body is still valid even after 2000 years has passed until today. The reason that these people, who have faith, can smile even while living a tough and heartless life where there are no guarantees, is because they have the conviction that they will be transformed into the appearance of an angel and meet God in the air.

“And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven… listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed ─ in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” (1Corinthians 15:49-52)

Take the living hope for resurrection! We can see that the words of Jesus, “He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” will be fulfilled.