Written by Felicia Trecek
(September 2004)

The Kingdom of YHWH is likened to a man who plants seeds and then harvests. Mark chapter 4

1st HARVEST Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Spring Barley)
2nd HARVEST Pentecost / Feast of Weeks (Spring Wheat)
3rd HARVEST Feast of Ingathering / Booths (Multiple Fall Crops)

YHWH is in the business of planting and harvesting mankind.

In ancient Israel, there were two main growing seasons. The spring and the fall. And, additionally there were two main rainy seasons in which YHWH watered the crops: the early and latter rains. This is likened to the giving (pouring out) of the Spirit to the first set of chosen people (spring crop) who will be harvested and gathered together at the first resurrection. And, afterward the second pouring our of the Spirit will take place for the fall crops - the second set of people - all those remaining. They too will grow, ripen, and be harvested, but at the time ordained for the second resurrection.

SPRING HARVEST
There were two spring crops in ancient Israel. The first crop was barley. The second crop was wheat. The book of Ruth reveals the wheat harvest immediately followed the barley harvest. Ruth began gleaning the barley fields at the beginning of the year, but she stayed in the fields until the wheat harvest was completed.

The festival of unleavened bread was not the culmination of the barley harvest. Leviticus 23:10-11 reads: "when you come into the land which I give you, and shall reap it's harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the beginning (of the firstfruit) of your harvest to the priest..." It's easy to be confused at first glance when reading Leviticus 23:10-11 The Israelites entered the promised land the day after the Passover, on the 15th of Abib at the beginning of the feast of unleavened bread (Joshua 5:10-12). Logic dictates, they did not complete an entire barley field harvest during the first week after entering the land, and then afterward bring a sheaf unto the priest in time to celebrate the feast of unleavened bread. Again, they entered the land on the 15th, the first day of unleavened bread. It is impossible with a hand sickle to complete a harvest within a few days. Moreover, all the males were to appear before YHWH during that time. Although, the very name: FEAST dictates a harvest. The feast of unleavened bread is a harvest festival as like the other two harvest festivals of YHWH. Therefore, there must be some sort of grain harvest for a festival celebration. So, what was the harvest celebration during the feast of unleavened bread? Based upon Leviticus 23:10-11 and Deuteronomy 16:9-10, the Israelites were commanded to bring a sheaf (the very first cut by the sickle) to the priest. The harvest celebration is centered around this first cut by the sickle - the one sheaf brought (by each male) to the priest (Deut 26:1-11).

The spring harvest culminated immediately prior to the day of Pentecost. The ancient Israelites brought the tithe of the barley and wheat, together down to Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, also known as the feast of weeks. This spring harvest culmination is demonstrated in Deuteronomy 16:9-10. It reads: (v:9) "Count seven weeks for yourself, begin to count seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the grain." (v:10) "And, you shall perform the festival of weeks to YHWH..." After ancient Israel entered the land, the very day they put their hand to the sickle was the very day they began to count the harvest weeks unto the day of Pentecost.

FALL HARVEST
The feast of ingathering (booths) occurred after the fall harvest was brought in from the fields and was processed (Ex 23:16, Deut 16:13). For example, the olives were already pressed for olive oil, the grapes already pressed for the juice, etc. The ancient Israelites processed the fall crops, then brought a tenth (tithe) unto Jerusalem for the feast of ingathering celebration.

THE TITHE BROUGHT TO JERUSALEM
There were only two times in a year when the Israelites brought a tithe (a tenth) of their harvest and clean animals to Jerusalem. They were: 1) Pentecost /the Feast of Weeks and 2) the Feast of Ingathering / Booths which included the joined closing convocation - eighth day. (2 Chron 31:6-7)

What is the significance of the harvests and the timing of the tithe deliverance thereof to Jerusalem? The answer: the plan of salvation and the time when Messiah and man were/will be joined. (Further explanation of this will be given subsequently.)

RESURRECTIONS
Passover / Feast of Unleavened Bread Messiah is the first-of-the-firstfruits. He represents the barley wave-sheaf. He was the first of the first-fruits to be taken into the House of YHWH in heaven. (Ex 34:26, 1 Cor 15:20). Messiah was "delivered" to the priest in Jerusalem to be condemned, and Messiah was "raised" from the dead unto heaven for our acceptance. (John 20:16-25, Mark 16:9-19, Romans 4:25) This event is likened to the Israelites who "delivered" the first-fruit barley sheaf to the priest in Jerusalem, and the priest "raised" and waved the sheaf for their acceptance. (Lev 23:10-11, Deut 26:1-11)

The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost)
The wheat (firstfruits) represents Spiritual Israel (the saints), the firstborn. The wheat was watered for growth, but is yet to be harvested. The entire field of spring wheat (firstfruits) is required to finish maturing before the harvest (the first resurrection) occurs. This wheat will be harvested and taken to Jerusalem. (Matt 3:11-12, 13:24-29,30, Mark 4:28-29, Rev 14:14-16, Rev 12:10-11, De 16:9-10, Lev 23:15-17, Ex 34:22)

The reason why a barley tithe was not delivered to Jerusalem during the days of unleavened bread, but was delivered on the day of Pentecost are two fold:

1. It was physically impossible to complete the entire barley harvest during the feast of unleavened bread. The men were commanded to appear before YHWH in Jerusalem for the Passover / unleavened bread festival and most of the women remained harvesting in the field. (Reference the book of Ruth.)
2. 2) The giving of the tithe on Pentecost foreshadowed the first century Pentecost when the Spirit was given to the saints. The saints and Messiah were joined as likened to when the ancient Israelites brought a tenth of the barley and the wheat together to Jerusalem for the feast of weeks (Pentecost).

On the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit (water) was poured out upon the saints (the wheat). The Holy Spirit is Yahushua Messiah's Spiritual body which was given unto them. (I Corinthians 12:11-27, Philippians 1:19, Romans 8:9-11, Galatians 4:6-7, 2 Corinthians 3:17, John 14:6 with John 16:13, Acts2, Ephesians 5:30, John 4:13-14).

Messiah's Spiritual body (the Holy Spirit of Truth) is the saints partial inheritance (down-payment) from the Messiah (Colossians 3:24, 2Corinth 1:21-22). The saints and Messiah were/are Spiritually joined together (2 Corinth 11:2).

At Messiah's second coming, the saints will be changed into Spirit and will be fully joined to Messiah and ascend from the clouds together upon Jerusalem (Isaiah 60:1-8, Thes 4:13-17, Ps 45:9-16, Matt 24:30-31, 1 Thes 4:17, Zech 14:4).

After the first resurrection occurs, both the Spirit (Messiah) and His Bride will say,"'Come!' And he who hears, let him say 'Come!' And he who thirst, come! And he who desires it, take the water of life without paying!" - Revelation 22:17

The Feast of Ingathering (Booths)
In ancient Israel, the fall festival comprised various different crops such as pomegranates, grapes, nuts, fall wheat, olives, and the like. The fall harvest was much larger than the spring harvest. These crops represent the eclectic fall resurrection of people which compose the second resurrection (Revelation 20:5-6). This resurrection will consist of all the nations and peoples throughout the time of man.

[The fall wheat represents the entire first covenantee nation of Israel. They WERE the firstfruits (Jeremiah 2:3), but all who ate of it became guilty and evil came upon them. Therefore, since they are no longer the spring wheat, they will become the fall wheat.]

In the time table of events of the plan of YHWH, the fall crops have not yet been planted as like the saints have been. They will be planted in the good soil when they are raised from the dead unto physical life once again. Once they are resurrected, YHWH will water them with His Spirit, and the books [of the bible] will be opened unto them. They will be judged according to their works. And, they will be given the opportunity to inherit eternal life as did the first resurrected saints (Ezekiel 37:11-14, Isaiah 26:19, Revelation 7:9-10, 20:5-6, Jer 31:31-34, 2 Corinthians 5:10).

The whole plan of YHWH is summarized in Ephesians 1:9-10. At the completion of time, all of mankind will be gathered unto Messiah and made one. This was YHWH's secret throughout all the ages, but has been revealed to those who have an ear to hear.

YHWH's Harvest festivals: 1) Passover /Festival of Unleavened bread , 2) Festival of Weeks, and 3) Festival of Ingathering joined with the closing day - eighth day, all represent the successive order of resurrections of people. Everyone who accepts Messiah's sacrifice will eventually be harvested and gathered together in Messiah and become one.