TORAH, GOD'S INSTRUCTIONS LEVITICUS 23 GOD S HOLY DAYS PENTECOST PART 2 HOW TO BECOME RIPE FOR THE FIRST HARVEST OR FIRST RESRURRECTION

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1 TORAH, GOD'S INSTRUCTIONS LEVITICUS 23 GOD S HOLY DAYS PENTECOST PART 2 HOW TO BECOME RIPE FOR THE FIRST HARVEST OR FIRST RESRURRECTION Say - Welcome to Sabbath School class. Let's bow our head and ask God for understanding as we continue our study of the book of Leviticus. This lesson will focus on Pentecost, the feast of firstfruits and how to become ripe for the first harvest or the first resurrection. Say - Our lesson today is Part 2 of our study on the last of the Spring Holy Days called Pentecost in the New Testament or Feast of Weeks or Feast of Harvest in the Old Testament. Our lesson today is HOW God's "Firstfruits" are to become "Ripe" for the First Harvest meaning the First Resurrection. Say - God said, " 16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat (grain) offering unto the LORD. 17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with (new) leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD" Leviticus 23: As we discussed in "Pentecost Part 1", the "new" meat (grain) offering was to be the "two wave loaves" made of "fine flour" and "baked with leaven". The "New Leaven" is symbolic of "putting on" the NATURE OF CHRIST through His teachings and example. Say - Christ teaches His "firstfruits" about the "Leaven", " 7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump (new man), as ye are unleavened" I Corinthians 5:7. Why did Christ want us to get rid of the "old leaven"? Because when we give in to sin and allow a little to creep in, soon we can become a disobedient person and be led away from God. Say - What was the "old leaven" God's "Firstfruits" are to "purge out"? "Old leaven" is symbolic of the former way of life, the "old man" sin we buried in the waters of baptism which was filled with false doctrine and disobedient to God. God does not want His followers to go back to the "broad way of life which leads to destruction" or death, Matthew 7:13. He said, " 15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves" Matthew 7:15. Say - Christ is telling His "Firstfruits" if we want to be "Ripe" for the "First Harvest" or First Resurrection we must put on the "New Leaven", the "new man" as in the Nature of Christ. Christ said, " 22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation (former conduct before

2 baptism and receiving God's spirit) the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; " 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind, (God has put His spirit in His people and we are to be thoroughly cleansed daily by His spirit through repentance and "put on" His nature, His character.). " 24 And that ye put on the new man ("put on" the Nature of God), which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness (This is describing the "New Creation in Christ", I Corinthians 5:17. Remember Passover, The Feast of Unleavened Bread and Pentecost picture repentance, baptism and receiving God's spirit. If we come out of the waters of baptism and return to our former way of life, the way of the "old leaven" of the "old man", baptism was of no value. Baptism means we buried the "old leaven" of the "old man" sin and have "put on the new man" the "New Leaven" or Nature of Jesus Christ.). Christ reminds us what the "old leaven" was and how to CHANGE, " 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor". "Lying" was the "old leaven" which produced defiled fruit and unfit for "harvesting". In contrast, "Truth" is the "New Leaven" of the Nature of Christ, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" John 17:17, which will produce "honorable" "firstfruits" "ripe" for "Harvesting" or the first resurrection. " 28 Let him that stole steal no more". Stealing" was the "old leaven" which produces unlawful fruit which will be destroyed as in the fate of the wicked and therefore does not make the "harvest" of God, Isaiah 5:24. "Honesty" is the "New Leaven" of God's "firstfruits", " they which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience" Luke 8:15 thus will be "ripe" for the first "harvest". " 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth". Fowl language, gossip, belittling one another was the "old leaven" which produces rotten, worthless fruit and will not "ripen" for the "harvest"; their "harvest will perish" because it is of the nature of sin and Satan, Joel 1:11. But "that which is good to the use of edifying" or building up one another is the "New Leaven" which makes "firstfruits" bloom and produce "ripe" fruit for the "Harvest". " 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. "Bitterness, wrath, anger and malice" was the "old leaven" which produced "bitter fruit" not sweet as God wants from His "firstfruits"; to become "ripe" for "harvesting" replace "bitterness" with the "New Leaven of Christ" " 32 be ye

3 kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" Ephesians 4:22-25, 28,29, 31, 32. Say - Christ continued, to be "ripe" for the first harvest as "firstfruits", " 1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children" (His "firstfruits" must come out of the world; if we are to teach others we must live His teachings and produce the "fruits of His Nature".). Here's how, " 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour". "Love is the fulfilling of God's Laws" Romans 13:10 and His Laws "...bring us unto Christ..." where we learn how to "put on" the Nature of Christ", Galatians 3:24. In the former life with the "old leaven" we walked contrary to God's Laws and did not emit a "sweet-smelling savour" because sin stinks and the "fruit" dies and withers away therefore the "harvest shall be of grief and desperate sorrow" Isaiah 17:11. But when we replace the "old leaven" with the "New Leaven" of "LOVE" for His Laws, we learn "... what the LORD thy God require(s) of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul" which will produce "firstfruits" "ripe" for His first "harvest", Deuteronomy 10:12. " 3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints 4Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting (facetiousness),..." all of which are of the "old leaven" of the "old man" sin 13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness,... Spots they are and blemishes, Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children" 2Peter 2: Christ is saying "put them to death" in our lives, Colossians 3:5. In contrast, God's "firstfruits" must replace such with the "New Leaven", the Nature of God, "rather giving of thanks (for salvation and all things)". " 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God" ("Firstfruits" with "spots and blemishes" will not "ripen" for the First Harvest or First Resurrection and are "worthy of death" Romans 1:32. We as "firstfruits" must take on the "New Leaven" and "... be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless..." as Christ was, I Peter 1:19, 2 Peter 3:14, I Corinthians 1:8. " 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them (God's "firstfruits" must "Come out of her (Babylon, false religions), my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins..." Revelation 18:4.

4 " 8 For ye were sometimes darkness (when we walked according to the "old leaven" of the world and Satan and were in the "shadow of death" Isaiah 9:2), but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light (Now as God's "firstfruits" we have "the light of Life" John 8:12 and can now become "ripe" for the first "Harvest" of God.) " 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth"; ("Goodness", "righteousness" and the "truth" of God is the "New Leaven", the very Nature of God "...full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy" Psalm 86:15, which will "Ripen His Firstfruits" for the "Harvest"; nothing else can.) " 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness (barren of ungodly fruit), but rather reprove them (expose them to the "truth of God" and pray they come to repentance). " 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light" (We were all dead spiritually before Christ "begat" us or "quickened" us or made His "Firstfruits" alive" with His spirit, Ephesians 2:1). " 15 See then that ye (God's Firstfruits) walk circumspectly (diligently), not as fools, but as wise. Don't depart from the "New Leaven" of God and walk again in the "darkness of death" but walk in the "wisdom and Light of God" as His "firstfruits". " 17 the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy" James 3:17. " 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (As "Firstfruits" of God, many came out of the "old leaven" of false churches filled with false doctrines where we were "... drunk with the wine of her fornication (idolatry)" Revelation 17:2. In contrast God's "firstfruits" are to put on the "New Leaven" and "drink in of Christ's "Living Water", His life and nature and "...out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water", spiritually speaking, a flood of life with outpouring of good works, purity, joy, helpfulness, which are the "fruits of God's spirit" living in His "firstfruits" and "ripening" for the First Harvest, John 7:38. " 19 Speaking to yourselves (and one another) in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" even in the trials of life; God will give His "firstfruits" strength and courage because we are attached to Him, the Vine, Jesus Christ who nourishes us with LIFE, Ephesians 5:1-3, 7-9, 11, 14-15,

5 Christ said, " 1 I am the true vine (there are many false ones, do not go back to them), and my Father is the husbandman (the Vinedresser or Caretaker). 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it (prunes it), that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you (as we said at the beginning, the Word of God sanctifies His "firstfruits" and cleanses us because "His word is spirit and life". 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine (Jesus Christ);..." " 5... for without me ye can do nothing (We can not be His "firstfruits" with out being "attached" to Him and His spirit living in us.). " 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned" (because this is the "old leaven" which is "fruitless" and useless to God and it is the fate of the wicked who live in darkness). " 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples" (this is what makes God happy)" John 15:1-8. Say - Our prayer for one another is that we "bear much fruit" so Christ can "THRUST IN THE SICKLE AND REAP...FOR THE HARVEST OF THE EARTH IS RIPE" REVELATION 14:15. Then His "firstfruits" will reap the great reward, " 12 Therefore they shall come (His "firstfruits") and sing in the height of Zion (Jerusalem), and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all" Jeremiah 31:12. MEMORY VERSE "THRUST IN THE SICKLE AND REAP... FOR THE HARVEST OF THE EARTH IS RIPE" REVELATION 14:15 BELOW IS THE SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON FOR TOTS

6 PENTECOST RIPE FOR THE FIRST HARVEST IN THE OLD WAY OF LIFE, BEFORE WE KNEW GOD, WE LIVED IN SIN AND DISOBEDIENCE OR THE "OLD LEAVEN" WAY; BUT NOW AS GOD'S LITTLE "FIRSTFRUITS" I WALK IN HONESTY AND TRUTH, GIVING COMPLEMENTS TO MY FRIENDS IN THE "NATURE OF GOD" WAY. KIND, TENDERHEARTED, FORGIVING AND LOVING I HAVE LEARNED TO BE; I SERVE AND LOVE GOD WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL YOU SEE. I SING HAPPY SONGS OF GOD'S MAJESTIC CREATION AND I MAKE SURE I AM ATTACHED TO JESUS CHRIST, THE VINE; GIVING THANKS TO MY SAVIOR AND BEARING "FRUITS" FOR HIS "HARVEST" AND I PRAY HE WILL COME IN MY LIFETIME! BY B.R.B. "...FOR THE HARVEST OF THE EARTH IS RIPE..." REVELATION 14:15

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