Exodus 22:28(29)-30(31) states:
28 (29) You are not to delay offering from your harvest of grain, olive oil or wine. The firstborn of your sons you are to give to me. 29 (30) You are to do the same with your oxen and your sheep — it is to stay with its mother seven days, and on the eighth day you are to give it to me. 30 (31) You are to be my specially separated people. Therefore you are not to eat any flesh torn by wild animals in the countryside; rather, throw it out for the dogs.
And Exodus 13:13: “Every firstborn from a donkey, you are to redeem with a lamb; but if you choose not to redeem it, you must break its neck. But from people, you are to redeem every firstborn son”.
My Brother, my Sister, if you break the lamb’s neck, won’t it die? And if GOD tells you not to eat torn flesh, that means He will command you to tear apart yourself what you do not want to give to Him, and you will not benefit from it. Likewise, if you refuse to give your son to GOD and strike him on the back of the neck with a hammer, he will die! And you won’t be able to use him, will you? All this is to say that if you do not give your firstborn to the LORD, you will not benefit from him either, and furthermore, you will expose him to the power of the wicked, including witches.
Let us read Exodus 34:19-20 :
19 Everything that is first from the womb is mine. Of all your livestock, you are to set aside for me the males, the firstborn of cattle and flock. 20 The firstborn of a donkey you must redeem with a lamb; if you won’t redeem it, break its neck. All the firstborn of your sons you are to redeem, and no one is to appear before me empty-handed.
GOD did not say that all tithes and offerings belong to you! All firstborns belong to Him—that is, everything you receive first. In fact, based on this, your first paycheck does not belong to you, but belongs to GOD.
In the past, our parents carefully followed these instructions from the LORD regarding their harvests. After working in their fields, when the first harvest came in, they would say that it must not be touched because it belonged to GOD. Therefore, they had to give the first harvest to GOD before consuming the rest of the harvest.
Verse 20 speaks to us about the donkey. If you wanted to keep the firstborn of your donkey, you could substitute a sheep for it. But if you did not substitute it, you had to kill it rather than use it. The end of this verse tells us that we must not appear before the LORD empty-handed. Many pastors like to quote this passage without mentioning the firstfruits.
Exodus 23:19 states: “You are to bring the best firstfruits of your land into the house of Adonai your God.”
This refers to your first harvests—the firstfruits of your field and of your labor. You must take all these firstfruits and bring them to the House of your GOD.
My Brother, my Sister, if you have firstborn children who love GOD deeply, do not discourage them but accept this reality, for they belong to GOD. If you have ten children, consider that you actually have nine, for the firstborns do not belong to you.
Leviticus 27:26 states: “However, the firstborn among animals, since it is already born as a firstborn for Adonai, no one can consecrate — neither ox nor sheep — since it belongs to Adonai already”.
But what are we doing today? We are acting like thieves before GOD by refusing to give Him our firstborns. Remember this well: Offerings and tithes are voluntary, but the Firstfruits are mandatory. You must keep this firmly in mind: Your firstborns belong to GOD.
Let us read Ezekiel 48:14: “They may not sell, exchange or alienate any of this choice land; because it is holy, for Adonai”.
Everything that is a firstfruits offering is consecrated to GOD. Just as Samson was consecrated to GOD from his mother’s womb (Judges 13:5), so too are all firstborns. What is consecrated to GOD is set apart for Him.
Numbers 8:17 states: “For all the firstborn among the people of Isra’el are mine, both humans and animals; on the day I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set them apart for myself”.
As for you, you struck down all your firstborns, while GOD did not touch the firstborn of the children of Israel…
There are many children among the firstborn who, moved by the SPIRIT of GOD, sometimes act in a special way. If their parents know the Word well, they should teach these children that they belong to GOD because they are firstborns and also explain to them what GOD has said in His Word on this subject. At that moment, the child will store these messages in his/her mind.
But you act differently. Know that the Devil does not like firstborns. Most firstborns are opposed by Satan. This is why some of these firstborns become slaves to alcohol or turn into unbearable people, for example. If the LORD does not use these children as firstborns consecrated to Him, they will feel the weight of certain burdens upon them because GOD has clearly said, “They belong to Me”… That is, in fact, why you, as a father or mother, tell your other children to respect their older sibling. It is because the firstborns belong to GOD and are consecrated to Him. As such, they are entitled to respect and special consideration.
In Israel, when it comes to dividing an inheritance, fathers give the firstborn a double portion (Deuteronomy 21:17). Some people, even when they have only one child, say they have no children because they know that the firstborns belong to GOD.
Take the case of Abraham: He lived with his wife Sarah without having a single child. Despite this situation, he remained upright before the LORD and did not seek out other women who might have given him children. At age 75, GOD promised to give him descendants (Genesis 12:1-4), but he would wait another 25 years before seeing that promise fulfilled (Genesis 21:5). Later, when GOD told him to offer up his firstborn son, Abraham did not refuse because he knew that Isaac was not his son but belonged to GOD.
All our firstfruits belong to GOD. Today, many of GOD’s children face numerous problems in their lives, partly because they have not dedicated their firstfruits to the LORD. Instead of giving their firstfruits to GOD, they distribute them to their families, for example…
Do not touch what belongs to GOD! I am speaking to those who eat the firstfruits, those who eat the portions that belong to GOD. Misfortune awaits these people, as GOD tells us in His Word.
Exodus 4:22-23 tells us about this:
22 Then you are to tell Pharaoh: “Adonai says, ‘Isra’el is my firstborn son. 23 I have told you to let my son go in order to worship me, but you have refused to let him go. Well, then, I will kill your firstborn son!’”
Why did GOD kill all the firstborn in Egypt? Because Pharaoh refused to let GOD’s firstborn—that is, the children of Israel—go to serve Him… Since Pharaoh held back GOD’s firstborn, the LORD killed all the firstborn who belonged to Pharaoh.
Likewise, GOD will kill the firstborn of all witches, magicians, enchanters, and other agents of Satan who are hiding in your families and holding your firstborns back.
Jeremiah 2:3 also confirms this. The Bible was written over a period of about 1,500 years, in different eras, and by about 40 different authors, but we find similarities in these writings because the One who inspired them is the HOLY SPIRIT. Therefore, there is no confusion in the Word of GOD.
Thus, Jeremiah 2:3 declares: “‘Isra’el is set aside for Adonai, the firstfruits of his harvest; all who devour him will incur guilt; evil will befall them,’ says Adonai.”
Woe comes upon anyone who eats the Firstfruits of GOD… It is not a man who will strike them, but GOD Himself, because they have withheld the Firstfruits to consume them, even though they belong to the LORD.
In Israel, it was mandatory to offer the firstborn to GOD. Even if a man had no children, he was required to offer the firstfruits. We see this in Deuteronomy 25:5-6:
5If brothers live together, and one of them dies childless, his widow is not to marry someone unrelated to him; her husband’s brother is to go to her and perform the duty of a brother-in-law by marrying her. 6 The first child she bears will succeed to the name of his dead brother, so that his name will not be eliminated from Isra’el.
But you, my brothers, if your brother dies leaving, say, eight children, you will say that you will take his wife solely to care for his children. Yet, according to this passage from Deuteronomy, if a married man dies without leaving any children, his brother shall marry the widow, and the firstborn son he has by her shall bear his name. The firstborn will even inherit the debts of the deceased husband, whom he will replace as the firstfruits consecrated to GOD. But you do something else—and sometimes even the opposite…
Let us now read Colossians 1:18: “Also he is head of the Body, the Messianic Community — he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might hold first place in everything”.
JESUS CHRIST is the Firstborn of GOD. That is why He spent His entire Life serving His FATHER… And He is preeminent in all things. That is why, if we begin to praise a child of GOD, and if that child knows GOD well, he or she should reject such praise by reminding us that JESUS CHRIST is The One who is First in all things! JESUS CHRIST is the Firstfruits of GOD.
Hebrews 1:6 declares: “And again, when God brings his Firstborn into the world, he says, ‘Let all God’s angels worship him.’”
This is JESUS CHRIST, the Firstborn. GOD commanded the Angels to worship JESUS CHRIST! Why? Because He is the Firstborn. Because He represents The FATHER.
When the Father is not there, it is the Firstborn who leads…
Before arranging a marriage in Israel, the advice of two people is sought: the firstborn of the family and the father. If the father and the firstborn agree to the marriage, it will take place.
Let us read Revelation 1:5:
and from Yeshua the Messiah, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the earth’s kings. To him, the one who loves us, who has freed us from our sins at the cost of his blood,
Who has delivered us? The Firstfruits. That is, JESUS CHRIST! Through His Blood. Why did He love us? Because He is the Firstfruits! He must love His little brothers and sisters! He must watch over them! That is why, when He rose from the dead and Mary Magdalene wanted to touch Him, He said to her: “Stop holding onto me” (John 20:17), and “because I haven’t yet gone back to the Father. But go to my brothers, and tell them that I am going back to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” JESUS CHRIST wanted His FATHER to be the One who touched Him first! JESUS CHRIST honored the Word…
Unfortunately, we do not obey the Word, and that is why misfortune befalls us; because we do not respect GOD, we do not honor the Almighty. JESUS CHRIST said in John 16:13-14:
13 However, when the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own initiative but will say only what he hears. He will also announce to you the events of the future. 14 He will glorify me, because he will receive from what is mine and announce it to you.
The HOLY SPIRIT does not speak of Himself but of the Firstfruits, namely, JESUS CHRIST…
Let us read Romans 8:29: “ because those whom he knew in advance, he also determined in advance would be conformed to the pattern of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers”.
That is why JESUS CHRIST said that He is The Way! In a family, often, to speak to the father, one passes the message on to the eldest son. Likewise, to go to the FATHER, you must pass your message on to the Firstborn, who is JESUS CHRIST. And CHRIST told us: “And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13). Whoever does not respect the Firstfruits despises GOD and will have to suffer the consequences: Misfortune. It is GOD who said this, as we have seen in His Word.
Nehemiah 10:36(35) states: “Every year we will bring the firstfruits of our land and the firstfruits of all fruit from every kind of tree to the house of Adonai”.
Every year, we must bring the firstfruits we have to the House of our GOD.
What does Proverbs 3:9-10 tell us? “9 Honor Adonai with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your income. 10 Then your granaries will be filled and your vats overflow with new wine”.
To honor GOD is to come before Him with your firstfruits—the firstfruits of all that you have received.
Let us read Ezekiel 44:30:
The first of all the firstfruits of everything, and every voluntary contribution of everything, from all your offerings, will be for the Cohanim [priests]. You are also to give the cohen [priest] the first of your dough, so that a blessing will rest on your house.
What will you receive in return for your Firstfruits? The LORD’s Blessing on your household… What is a Blessing? You can read the answer in Deuteronomy 28:1-14.
Why do we use the Firstfruits for GOD’s Work? Because the Firstfruits can be redeemed. And GOD has said that the money from the redemption must be used for GOD’s Work.
Exodus 30:11-12 and 16 state:
11 Adonai said to Moshe, 12 “When you take a census of the people of Isra’el and register them, each, upon registration, is to pay a ransom for his life to Adonai, to avoid any breakout of plague among them during the time of the census. (…) 16 You are to take the atonement money from the people of Isra’el and use it for the service in the tent of meeting, so that it will be a reminder of the people of Isra’el before Adonai to atone for your lives.”
Do you understand? The money from the redemption of the firstborn must be used for GOD’s Work. Thus, when the LORD sees this, He will remember His child who gave the redemption price, and He will protect him or her. If a plague were to come, GOD would turn it away so that His child would not be touched.
That is why we use the money from the Firstfruits for GOD’s Work—for the benefit of those who have given their Firstfruits.
My Brother, my Sister, if you understand the benefits of the Firstfruits, you will speak to GOD when giving your Firstfruits based on His Word. What helped the children of Israel was their knowledge of the Word. That is why you must always understand the meaning of your actions before you act, so that you may also pray accordingly.
Let me give you a concrete example: There was a woman who was pregnant and suffering from many spiritual attacks. She had fasted, prayed, and wept for a long time. The doctors told her that her case was difficult and that she needed surgery. But the woman turned to GOD and prayed. Then GOD answered her: “I have heard you. I will protect you. I will protect the child.” The child was born without any complications. Afterward, the woman offered a prayer of Thanksgiving to thank the LORD for blessing her in this way. GOD raised the child, but some time later, the child developed an illness. After running every possible test, the doctors said the child had no illness. But the child’s condition worsened to such an extent that at one point, he was on the verge of death. Men of GOD took turns praying for the child, but to no avail. When I was called, I asked the mother, “How did you have the child?” She told me that GOD had given her this child, and she explained her story to me, including the thanksgiving service after the child’s birth. I didn’t do much. I simply said to GOD: “LORD, if You watch over Your Word to fulfill It, if it was You who spoke to this woman—she gave birth to the child without any problems, she held a thanksgiving service, and You said that whoever gives thanks glorifies You. You said that You would protect the child and bless him. This is the child’s condition. Is this the Blessing? Remember Your Word. Fulfill It.” After praying, I told the mother: “Don’t let anyone come to pray, don’t let anyone come to pour oil on the child, don’t let anyone do anything else. Leave the child under the care of the doctors, and we’ll see.” That very night, the child came back to life, and the next day, they were discharged from the hospital. I didn’t do anything extraordinary. I simply knew what GOD had said in His Word, and I applied it to this woman’s situation.
But many people like to pray by invoking the Fire of GOD or by speaking about enemies. Instead, we should remind GOD of what He has said in His Word, and He will act on our behalf.
Many of GOD’s children don’t take to heart the Promises GOD has for them! And yet, it is crucial. You must keep in mind what GOD says. Some people here received specific words from GOD concerning them during the prayer vigil we just held. But among these people, many disregard and cast aside these words… If you see the opposite of what GOD has told you, claim it from Him! Remember what GOD has done for you, and when faced with a difficult situation, remind Him of it, and He will act! Remind Him of His Promises for you, and He will act!
Also remember that consuming the Firstfruits of the LORD is worse than consuming the tithes that are also due to Him! For those who consume the tithe, “a curse” is on them (Malachi 3:8-9). But “evil will befall” (Jeremiah 2:3) those who consume the firstfruits, and they will be guilty of it! Whoever is guilty is condemned! This is very dangerous…
On the other hand, when you give the Firstfruits, it is a revelation. If you have firstborn children who are struggling, pray by reminding GOD of His Word concerning the firstborn, and He will act. You must pray according to GOD’s Promises for your life and in accordance with His Word! Do not pray haphazardly. Proverbs 28:9 tells us that “If a person will not listen to Torah [the Law], even his prayer is an abomination”.
JESUS CHRIST knew what was written about Him. His two disciples, who met Him on the road to Emmaus after His Resurrection, bore witness to this (Luke 24:13-35). Before they recognized Him, JESUS CHRIST asked them what they were discussing, and they told Him about their hopes regarding CHRIST before His death. In verses 25-26, JESUS CHRIST said to them: “25 (…) ‘Foolish people! So unwilling to put your trust in everything the prophets spoke! 26 Didn’t the Messiah have to die like this before entering his glory?” Then, JESUS CHRIST explained the Scriptures to them because He knew what GOD had planned for Him.
That is what the LORD has laid on my heart to share with you. Remember to give your Firstfruits to the LORD when you have them. And when you do, pray according to your circumstances and the LORD’s Promises to you as found in His Word. I assure you that if you do this, GOD will bless you.
Receive this Word in the Name of JESUS CHRIST.
| “The Firstfruits”, translated into English from a sermon by Pastor Léonard Matchide Gonitoua on February 8, 2026 at the HOPFAN Church of Boy-Rabe (Bangui, Central African Republic – CAR). Unless otherwise stated, the Bible verses presented here are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible by David H. Stern. Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Messianic Jewish Publishers, 6120 Day Long Lane, Clarksville, MD 21029. www.messianicjewish.net. |
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