How can we apply the principle of firstfruits in our daily lives today? Ezekiel’s Call to Give the Best “The best of all the firstfruits and of every contribution of any kind will belong to the priests. You are to give them the first portion of your ground meal so that a blessing may rest upon your household.” (Ezekiel 44:30) Unchanging Heart Behind Firstfruits • Firstfruits teaches that the Lord owns everything and deserves the first and best, not the leftovers. • The principle predates the Law (Genesis 4:3-4; Genesis 14:20) and continues beyond it (Romans 12:1; James 1:18). • When we honor God first, He promises provision and blessing (Proverbs 3:9-10; Malachi 3:10). Practical Ways to Offer Our Firstfruits Today Firstfruits in Finances • As soon as income arrives, set aside the tithe before spending anything else. • Give regularly to your local church—the modern parallel to Israel’s priesthood—so ministry needs are met. • Look for spontaneous “over-and-above” opportunities: missions, benevolence, crisis relief. Firstfruits in Time • Begin each day with Scripture and prayer before screens, email, or news. • Treat Sunday as the first portion of your week, gathering with believers (Hebrews 10:24-25). • Schedule major decisions around time with God, seeking His counsel first. Firstfruits in Talents and Service • Offer the prime hours of energy—not just the scraps—to serve, teach, mentor, and volunteer. • Dedicate new skills or promotions to God’s purposes. Ask, “How can this gift advance the gospel?” • View your workplace as an altar where excellence and integrity become worship (Colossians 3:23-24). Firstfruits in Relationships • Give family members your undistracted attention at the day’s start and end; discipleship begins at home (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). • Extend hospitality early in your calendar, not merely when nothing else is going on (Romans 12:13). • Forgive promptly, offering the first response of grace rather than simmering resentment. Blessings Tied to Firstfruits • Divine provision: “then your barns will be filled with plenty” (Proverbs 3:10). • Household covering: “so that a blessing may rest upon your household” (Ezekiel 44:30). • Overflowing joy and witness: cheerful giving points others to Christ (2 Corinthians 9:6-8). Living Illustration—Jesus the Firstfruits • “Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20) • Because God gave His first and best—His Son—we respond by giving ours. • Jesus’ resurrection guarantees our own, inspiring a lifestyle that places everything on the altar now (Romans 12:1). Giving God the firstfruits of our money, moments, abilities, and relationships is simply aligning daily life with the God who first loved and gave to us. |
    |