The Wave Sheaf Offering

 

~~Leviticus 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37 ~~~ Psalm 81 ~~~ Matthew 13:54-58~~

 

Honestly, if I had to choose one book

from the Old Testament to study it would not be Leviticus.

But today we have one of the passages

describing specifics requirements for certain days of the month.

This chapter is part of the section dealing with holiness laws.

 

God is instructing Moses as to what a person

should bring with them when arriving in the promised land...

which God is giving to them.

 

...you shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest

to the priest, who shall wave the sheaf before the LORD

that it may be acceptable for you...

 

The Hebrews call this the 'wave sheaf offering'.

The meaning of the word 'wave' was to lift up or elevate.

This happens during Mass right after the gifts are presented to the priest.

He lifts them up to the Lord on our behalf.

 

This offering would occur the day after the Sabbath,

which for Christians today would be Sunday.

In the land given by God their were three times of harvest.

The first was the spring harvest consisting of barley,

it lasted for seven weeks.

 This marks the wave sheaf offering...of the first fruits.

A summer harvest of wheat and a fall harvest of grapes followed.

 

The offering was rightly made...

the people had safely made their home in the promised land.

They were no longer wandering in the desert.

They now had a place they could call home.

This first harvest is symbolic of their permanent residence in this land.

When they were crossing the desert they could not plant any crops...

they could not wait for the harvest.

 

They were no longer in need of manna from heaven;

they could harvest their own crops.

 

 

 Jesus became the first fruit offering for the salvation of us all.

His resurrection was the 'wave sheaf' offering for eternity.

 

This lowly son of a local carpenter and a simple housewife,

becomes the offering made acceptable by God.

Jesus is God's beloved Son who died for us.

 

God the Father accepted the offering of Jesus.

The last words he spoke were, Father into your hands I commend my spirit.

 

The sacrifice made by Jesus was the  ultimate 'wave sheaf offering'.

The Israelites harvest season could not begin until the wave sheaf offering

was made and accepted by God.

 

 

Have you considered offering the best that you have to God?

Do you give him your first fruits?

Blessings come in offering to God

the best that we have...the best that we are.

If God doesn't deserve the best that you have,

who does?