Wave the Sheaf

Reformation Baptist Church

After reminding the children of Israel about keeping the Sabbath and the Passover, God now describes how the first fruits are to be offered. These would be barley for the Feast of Unleavened Bread and wheat for the Feast of Weeks. They would be required to bring a sheaf of their grain to offer before the Lord as a wave offering. The priests had to offer an additional lamb of the first year as a burnt offering in addition to the regular daily offering along with the grain offering and a drink offering. When we think of grain in the offerings, we should think of it as a type of the Word of God. The lamb of God must be slain so that we can received the Word of God. It is through Christ's sacrifice, that God opens our eyes so that we can meaningfully receive His Word. This was to be very distinctive for the people because they were not allowed to partake of any of the crop of the new year, until the wave offering had happened. When we think of times of famine, this would require self control when your crop comes in and you are not to eat it until the first fruits are waved before God as a testimony that both the physical food and the spiritual food that we receive is from the mercy of God.