The First Sheaf Offering

When the Children of Israel finally entered into the Promised Land they were instructed to perform another ritual offering, known as the offering of the first sheaf of the winter grown grains, or barley crop. This was to be done when the crops were ready to be harvested at Passover time.

Leviticus 23:10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:
11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.

This offering was to be lifted up on the morning following the Israelite Sabbath, which would be the Sunday following the Saturday Sabbath. As the sun set at Passover time, the first sheaf of the harvest would have been cut and, because it would have been the eve of the Israelite Sabbath, or the Seventh Day Sabbath, the priests would have placed it in the Temple to wait to offer it on the morning after the Sabbath. This offering would come to have incredible significance.

Lenet Hadley Read explained in her book, “The Lords Holy Days, Powerful Witnesses of Truth”:

“Just as the sun set at Passover, a group of men cut down the first sheaf of the harvest. Because of the timing of the Sabbath, this would have occurred during Christ’s removal from the cross.

Thus the first sheaf of barley lay in the temple while Jesus’ body lay in the tomb.

On the morning after the Sabbath, the priests lifted up that first sheaf of the harvest as an offering to the Lord. It had always born witness, and its witness was that day fulfilled. For that very same morning Christ was lifted up in resurrection, the very first fruit of the harvest of the dead.”

1 Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

Jesus Christ was literally "the firstfruit" symbolically taught to us by the first sheaf offering.

Three Veils of Water

My friend Shawna asked me to post my crazy ideas about water so here goes….

I believe that we will pass through three veils of water in this life.

The first veil of water that we all have to pass through is that of birth. It is by water that we are all brought into this world and given our physical bodies. Each woman is given the priesthood responsibility of providing physical birth and this process is done through, water and blood. In essence, she becomes the veil. I believe this is illustrated beautifully in the process of Temple worship. Thus, she is pronounced “clean”, or in other words, she has fulfilled her portion of the covenant in regards to life.

The second veil of water that one may pass through is that of Baptism. This process is done by immersion by one who has the authority to provide spiritual birth. Baptism by immersion represents death of the old man and birth, similar to the birthing process itself, of the new. A righteous priesthood holder must provide this service for one who requires baptism, and thus through the act of magnifying his priesthood duties he “may become clean”, or in other words, may fulfill his part of the covenant with regard to spiritual life. Being cleansed at Baptism is only made possible because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, thus blood is also involved in this birthing process too.

I believe that the third veil of water that will be passed through is done through the process of death and resurrection. This water is the living water that is referred to by Christ when he explained to the women at the well, “The water that I shall give … shall be … a well of water springing up into everlasting life”

The prophet Jeremiah gives an analogy of Israel being like clay in the hands of the potter. I believe we can personalize this even more and consider ourselves as clay in the hands of the potter. We can be pliable and molded to the shape the potter desires, but at some point the pot is still not perfect. It must be crushed and ground down to its original form as the “dust of the earth”. Once again the potter adds the missing ingredient of water to the dust and the clay becomes a work of art in His hands. We are all simply a work in progress for the potter, until in the end; we are sanctified through His blood, by Him the living water.

An interesting question might arise… what does not burn? WATER! Specifically vessels filled with living water.

Don’t you just love water?