In the Old Testament God asked His people to give the first fruits of their labor. It was designed to help them acknowledge God as their provider and to thank Him. This was an annual offering that was different than their tithe. The Hebrew word for first fruits means “promise to come”. They gave their first fruits in obedience knowing their was a blessing to come. We don’t live in an agrarian society anymore, but God is still our provider. It is still right for us to act in obedience in offering Him our first fruits. These gifts, whatever you purpose in your heart to give, are to be given before you take anything for yourself. It’s an expression of trust in God to bless everything else. Pray and ask God what first fruits He would like you to give, then do it with a cheerful heart.
Here are some Bible verses on first fruits.
1. The firstfruits of your grain, of your wine and of your oil, and the first fleece of your sheep, you shall give him.
Deuteronomy 18:4 ESV
2. Each of you must place in a basket the first part of each crop that you harvest and you must take it with you to the one place of worship.
Deuteronomy 26:2 GNT
3. The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring to the house of the Lord your God.
Exodus 34:26 ESV
4. The first of all the first fruits of every kind, and every contribution and offering of every kind, from all your contributions and offerings, shall belong to the priests. You shall also give to the priest the first of your coarse meal and bread dough, so that a blessing may rest on your house.
Ezekiel 44:30 AMP
5. Glorify God with all your wealth, honoring him with your firstfruits, with every increase that comes to you. Then every dimension of your life will overflow with blessings from an uncontainable source of inner joy!
Proverbs 3:9-10 TPT
Photo by micheile henderson on Unsplash
Devotions by Chris Hendrix 