Offering Firstfruits

Text: Deuteronomy 26:1-15
7 May 2019

OFFERING FIRSTFRUITS

1. When the children of Israel had entered into the land of Canaan

a) As a possession
b) As an inheritance   (Deuteronomy 26:1)

2. The offering of firstfruits

a) Some of the firstfruits of all the produce of the ground
b) To be put in a basket
c) To go to the place appointed for worship
d) It is the place where God has chosen to make His name abide
e) The words of the worshipper:
i) I declare today
ii) To the LORD your God
iii) That I have come to the country which the LORD swore
to our fathers to give to us   (Deuteronomy 26:2-4)

3. The priest in charge

a) He shall take the basket
b) And set it down before the altar of the LORD your God   (Deuteronomy 26:5)

4. The worshiper

a) And you shall answer and say
b) Before the LORD your God
i) My father was a Syrian
ii) About to perish
iii) And he went down to Egypt and dwelt there
iv) Few in number and became a great nation, great, mighty and populous
v) But the Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us and laid hard bondage on us
vi) Then we cried out to the LORD God of our fathers
vii) And He heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labour and our oppression
viii) So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand
ix) He has brought us to this place and has given us this land
x) And now I have brought the firstfruits of the land which You, O LORD have given me   (Deuteronomy 26:5-10)
c) Then you shall set it before the LORD your God
And worship before the LORD your God   (Deuteronomy 26:10)
d) You shall rejoice in every good thing which the LORD your God has given to you and your house,
e) You and the Levite
f) And the stranger who is among you   (Deuteronomy 26:11)

5. The tithe of the third year   (Deuteronomy 26:12)

To be given to the following groups:
a) The Levite
b) The stranger
c) The fatherless
d) The widow
e) That they may eat and be filled

6. Further declaration

a) I have given according to all Your commandments
b) I have not transgressed
c) Nor have I forgotten
d) Look down from heaven and bless   (Deuteronomy 26:13-15)