FirstFruit Giving

In the kingdom of God, we come to understand that giving is requisite to experience all forms of blessing from the Lord. Life itself is founded on the rock of giving. Take for instance, for man and animals to live, they must give out carbon dioxide. And for plants to live, they must give out oxygen. Until you are ready to give, you are not ready to live. The very proof that you are existing is your giving. This also means, your life will become a sum of whatever you give out.

While there are many types of giving in the kingdom this brief article is to help us understand the giving of the first fruit. Over the years, many believers have not been able to faithfully engage in the practice of the first fruit because of the wrong teaching and misconceptions that surround it. Some teach that the whole first fruit is what one is to bring as the first fruit offering but this is not what the Scripture teaches.

Read this passage about the first fruit.

Leviticus 23:9-11, 17

9 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits 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.

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 leaven; they are the first fruits unto the Lord.

From this passage, there are we need to understand the following:

First, first fruit giving is an instruction from God Him.

Second, first fruit giving is a way of showing your appreciation to God who has made the earth to yield is increase for you.

Third, first fruit giving is obedience to God who commands the harvest.

Fourth, the first fruit is your first harvest from the land, first profit, income or salary.

Fifth, you are not to bring the first fruit harvest or income to God as your first fruit.

The Scripture we read above says “ye shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest” and “ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two-tenth deals”. So you see that we are not required to bring the whole harvest to the house of God. We are to bring a sheaf or two wave loaves.

The emphasis on what to give as a first offering is “a sheaf’” or “two wave loaves”. A sheaf is like a unit of measure in ancient Israel. It is two omers. This means, that when you receive your first harvest, salary, profit, or income, you are to take a reasonable part of the harvest and present it to God through the priest as your first fruit offering.

There has been the teaching that you have to bring everything. No, child of God, this is what the Scripture teaches. You are only required to bring a part of it to God to appreciate Him for making your business, land, or work to produce harvest for you.

Now what is the benefit of giving the first fruit offering:

First, Scripture tells us that God shall make our barns to be filled up.

Proverbs 3:9-10

9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase:

10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

First fruit giving makes God command on your behalf supernatural supplies.

Again, Scripture also tells us that when we give our first fruit offering, the priest will command the blessing to rest in our houses.

Ezekiel 44:30

30 And the first of all the first fruits of all things, and every oblation of all, of every sort of your oblations, shall be the priest’s: ye shall also give unto the priest the first of your dough, that he may cause the blessing to rest in thine house.

There is a blessing that rests, settles and remains in a house or family. And it is the giving of the first fruit offering that makes it happen in our lives.

I want to encourage you to become passionate in giving your first fruit offering as it will command tremendous blessings upon your life and household. However, remember you are not to give your whole salary, harvest, income, or profit as your first fruit offering. Take a part of it and honour God with it, and He will command His blessing to rest in your life and house.

Wisdom Emamuzo Peter

Pastor/Teacher/Author