Waving A Sheaf Of Barley.
Waving A Sheaf Of Barley.
What is it's significance?
The ETERNAL worked mighty miracles to bring the Hebrew children out of the land of Egypt in the first month of the Hebrew Calendar, Abib. About the middle of this first month their first born were protected from death as those of the Egyptians died. Notice the next two verses:
(Exodus 12:1-2)[1] (NKJV) 1Now the ETERNAL[2] spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.
(Deuteronomy 16:1) (NKJV) Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover to the ETERNAL your CREATOR, for in the month of Abib the ETERNAL your CREATOR brought you out of Egypt by night.
The English word "Passover" comes from the Hebrew word "pecach" with the common usage as "Pesach" and pronounced peh'-sakh. Gesenius' states that #H6453 means "a sparing, immunity from penalty or calamity." It comes from the root word #H6452, which means "to pass over, to spare." Since the Egyptians were not spared or protected, all their firstborn of man and beast were killed. However, the firstborn of the Hebrews were spared and thus protected from the sting of death when the ETERNAL passed through the land (Exodus 12:12). Thus, the night that is usually called "Passover" is actually the "Night of "Protection." You may wonder why this is an important distinction to make. As you read the article, it will become apparent that the true understanding of the "Night of Protection" and the wave sheaf completely does away with any trumped up connection between the true Hebrew Passover Spring Festival, and the church in Rome's false 'easter' pagan celebration, of their alleged "first of the firstfruits, the sacrificed and resurrected savior g-d of the so-called trinity, jesus."
Strong's states for #H6453 'Pesach' "that it is: a pretermission [Webster's: to let pass or overlook], i.e. exemption [Webster's: immunity] used only technically of the Jewish Passover (the festival or the victim)."
I would rather say the "Night of Protection" than "Passover Night" since the word passover is connected by Strong's to the word "victim" and thus opens the door to the "passover lamb" scenario of a dead Galilean. Since it is scripturally unlawful to have a Pascal Sacrifice today, when there is no Temple, remembering the night when the ETERNAL rained death through the land of Egypt seems preferred as the "Night of Protection" and you will see there was no "first of the firstfruit sacrificial offering." It is true that in Egypt, the Hebrews were required to kill and eat a lamb per household and smear some of its blood on their doorpost. However, this does not constitute "a festival or the victim" as Dr. Strong states.
The English word "Abib" comes from the Hebrew word "'abiyb" (Strong's #H24 aw-beeb') "from an unused root which means to be tender; green, i.e. a young ear of grain; hence the name of the month Abib." Thus, the word "Abib" means the month of young, tender, green ears of barley grain showing that the ETERNAL identifies "this new moon or new month", as being equated with the time barley is green. Moreover:
(Leviticus 23:9-11) (NKJV) 9And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. 11He shall wave the sheaf before the ETERNAL, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.
Compare that to the Wave Sheaf Offering at the Feast of Firstfruits and we will see the difference:
(Leviticus 23:20) (NKJV) The priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before the ETERNAL, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to the ETERNAL FOR the priest.
Waving a Sheaf during the Days of Unleavened Bread.
The waving of the sheaf during the days of unleavened bread is somewhat different than the Wave Sheaf Offering at the Feast of Firstfruits:
(Leviticus 23:9-15) (NKJV) 9And the ETERNAL spoke to Moses, saying, 10Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf [#H6016] of the firstfruits [#H7225] of your harvest to the priest. 11He shall wave the sheaf before the ETERNAL; to be accepted [#H7522] on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath, the priest shall wave it. 12And you shall offer on that day, when you wave the sheaf, a male lamb of the first year, without blemish, as a burnt offering to the ETERNAL. 13Its grain offering shall be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire to the ETERNAL, for a sweet aroma; and its drink offering shall be of wine, one-fourth of a hin. 14You shall eat neither bread nor parched grain nor fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your CREATOR; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 15And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed.
First note that the English word "sheaf" comes from the Hebrew word "omer" (Strong's #H6016) and is simply "a dry measure equal to about five pints" or just a little more than one-half a gallon. The English word "firstfruits" comes from the Hebrew word "re'shiyth" (Strong's #H7225 ray-sheeth') and simply means "the first" and Gesenius' adds that it is "the beginning or the first of its kind." From Unger's Bible Dictionary, we see it is simply a pile of "substance" that is equal to the amount of manna designated as a daily portion of food:
Omer (Hebrew: a heap [pile], (Exodus 16:16-36); "sheaf," (Leviticus 23:10), an ancient Hebrew measure. Its relative value was the one-tenth ephah (Exodus 16:36), and it held about 5.1 pints. It contained the portion of manna assigned each individual for his daily food (Exodus 16:16-20).
Note that the sheaf (omer) of barley is simply waved before the ETERNAL to be "accepted" by Him. The English word "accepted" comes from the Hebrew word "ratsown" (Strong's #H7522 raw-tsone') and means "a delight" and Gesenius' adds "to be pleasing, to be acceptable, and to be approved in order to gain favor for them before the ETERNAL." This makes sense since the barley grain is in the 'budding out stage' is "waved" to "gain favor" from the ETERNAL and it is not a "sacrifice offering." The favor that is wanted is for the ETERNAL to bless the growing ripening process until the grain harvest begins at the Feast of Firstfruits.
It is fitting that the amount of green barley to be waved and blessed was equal to the amount of manna that was portioned to each individual in the forty-year trek to the Promised Land. This was an additional reminder that the Mighty One of Israel brought the Hebrews out of Egypt and would still bless them. There is no connection whatsoever between waving green barley to seek a blessing on the crop and a "first of the firstfruits" sacrificial offering.
First, the green barley is waved in verse eleven. After that verse twelve states that a male lamb, an ephah of flour (about 1/2 a bushel) mixed with oil, and a 1/4 of a hin of wine (about 1 quart) are offered as a burnt offering for a sweet savor to the ETERNAL. Since the barley had just headed and was not ripe, the flour was from the previous year's store because verse fourteen states, "You shall eat neither bread nor parched grain nor fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your CREATOR." The offering to the ETERNAL made from new grain was not until the Feast of Firstfruits, fifty days later after the grain has ripened.
The next verses are from the KJV and only the bold face words are translated from Hebrew words, the others are just filler words to make the English flow better:
(Leviticus 23:9-15) (KJV) 9And the ETERNAL spake unto Moses, saying, 10Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf (omer #H6116) of the firstfruits: (re'shiyth #H7225) of your harvest unto the priest: 11And he shall wave (nuwph #H5130) the sheaf before the ETERNAL, to be accepted (ratsown #H7522) for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. 12And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf and he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the ETERNAL. 13And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the ETERNAL for a sweet savor: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin. 14And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your SOVERIGN: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 15And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete.
The Wave Sheaf Offering at the Feast of Firstfruits.
The Wave Sheaf Offering at the Feast of Firstfruits is somewhat different than the waving of a sheaf (omer) of green barley during the days of unleavened bread:
(Leviticus 23:16-20) (NKJV) 16Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the ETERNAL. 17You shall bring from your dwellings two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven. They are the firstfruits [#H1061] to the ETERNAL. 18And you shall offer with the bread seven lambs of the first year, without blemish, one young bull, and two rams. They shall be as a burnt offering to the ETERNAL, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering made by fire for a sweet aroma to the ETERNAL. 19Then you shall sacrifice one kid of the goats as a sin offering, and two male lambs of the first year as a sacrifice of a peace offering. 20The priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits [#H1061] as a wave offering before the ETERNAL, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to the ETERNAL FOR the priest.
As we have seen, the green barley was waved the morrow after the Sabbath during the days of unleavended bread to gain the favor of the ETERNAL or in other words to be blessed by Him. Notice that on the Feast of Firstfruits that, two loaves of bread made from flour from the first grain of the harvest are to be offered in the burnt offering. The bread is part of a larger offering that includes seven lambs, one young bull, two rams, their grain offering, and their drink offering which are to be burnt offerings for a sweet savor to the ETERNAL.
Then after that, a sin offering of one kid goat and a peace offering of two male lambs shall be waved along with bread as a wave offering before the ETERNAL for food to be given to the priests as their share. The barley waved during the days of unleavened bread could not have been used as food for the priests because it had just headed and was still in the wet watery very green stage. This statement contradicts Jewish tradition that says that the priests ate the grain "parched" which in itself is contrary to (Leviticus 23:14).
The waving of green grain to seek a blessing is totally different from the offering of bread made from the new grain. Bread made from old grain (last year's store) was offered when the green grain was waved and the Hebrews were instructed not to eat of the new grain until it was offered unto the ETERNAL. Therefore, that offering could not be done until the Feast of Firstfruits fifty days later after the green grain had ripened.
Referring to (Leviticus 23:16-20) above, the English word "firstfruit" come from the Hebrew word "bikkuwr" (Strong's #H1061 bik-koor') and literally means the "the firstfruits of the crop." "Bikkuwr" is from the primary Hebrew root word "bakar" (Strong's #H1069 baw-kar') meaning "to burst the womb, i.e. (causing) bear or make early fruit (of woman or tree)." This is different from (Leviticus 23:9-15) above.
Keep in mind, that the barley had to be budding green before the new moon that begins the month of Abib. Thus, there is always sufficient time between the budding green barley and the formation of the new ears to be waved and blessed. How simple! The green barley always shows the beginning of the ETERNAL's first month of Abib and then the firstfruits of this grain is harvested about two months into the New Year. Therefore, we can see that our CREATOR's calendar is based on observation of watching for the green of barley and then watching for the next big new, full yellow moon.
The next verses are from the KJV and only the bold face words are translated from Hebrew words, the others are just filler words to make the English flow better:
(Leviticus 23:16-20) (KJV) 16Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the ETERNAL. 17Ye 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 firstfruits (bikkuwr #H1061) unto the ETERNAL. 18And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the ETERNAL, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the ETERNAL. 19Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings. 20And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits (bikkuwr #H1061) for a wave offering before the ETERNAL with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the ETERNAL for the priest.
There are many speculations in the Church of Rome and her proselytising daughters as to why there were two loaves. If I had to guess, I would guess that one represented Judah and one Israel, the two nations to be reunited someday under King David.
When Was the Waving of the Green Grain (Wave Sheaf)?
(Leviticus 23:11) (NKJV) He shall wave the sheaf (omer) before the ETERNAL, to be accepted (ratsown) on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath (#H7676) the priest shall wave it.
(Leviticus 23:16-17) (NKJV) 16Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath, then you shall offer a new grain offering to the ETERNAL. 17You shall bring from your dwellings two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven. They are the firstfruits [#H1061] to the ETERNAL.
Remember that the English word "sheaf" is simply a dry measure of an "omer." In addition, the English word "accepted" comes from the Hebrew word "ratsown" and means "a delight, to be pleasing, to be acceptable, and to be approved in order to gain favor for them before the ETERNAL." In addition, note that it is waved the day after the Sabbath (#H7676) and that is during the days of unleavened bread.
Then English word "Sabbath" comes from the Hebrew word "Shabbath" (Strong's #H7676 shab-bawth') and means "an intermission i.e. (specially) the Sabbath" and comes from the Hebrew root word "Shabath" (Strong's #H7673 shaw-bath') and means "to repose, i.e. desist from exertion" and Gesenius' adds, "to celebrate the Sabbath."
Jewish tradition states that the first two days of the days of unleavened bread are High Days and the wave sheaf is always on the day after the first day of the Jews Passover. This is inaccurate because the first day of unleavened bread is the "Night of Protection" (passover) on the fourteenth of Abib, which is a workday and the High Day on the fifteenth is the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. (If that is confusing to you see the essay: "Passover - Let's Get It Right".)
The fifteenth of Niacin (Jewish calendar), is the day the Jews traditionally do their "Wave Sheaf Offering" always resulting in the Feast of Firstfruits being on Sivan sixth (Jewish calendar). If the Feast of Firstfruits is always on the sixth of the month, it would be a waste of effort to state how to count it and it always end up on the same day of the same month. The reason for counting is that the waving of the sheaf (omer) varies on the day of the month as the Sabbath during the days of unleavened bread varies on the day of the month. The Sabbath is always on the seventh day. The wave sheaf and the Feast of Firstfruits are always on the first work day, but we must count to determine which day of the month the Feast of Firstfruits occurs.
Where is Abib Mentioned in the Hebrew Bible?
The story of the Exodus relates:
(Exodus 13:3-4) (NKJV) 3And Moses said to the people: Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the ETERNAL brought you out of this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. 4On this day you are going out, in the month Abib.
To commemorate that the Hebrews left Egypt in the first month of the year, which is Abib, we are instructed to celebrate the "Night of Protection" and the Feast of Unleavened during the first month of the year. Note that we are commanded:
(Deuteronomy 16:1-2) (NKJV) 1Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Pesach to the ETERNAL your SOVEREIGN, for in the month of Abib the ETERNAL your SOVEREIGN brought you out of Egypt by night. 2Therefore you shall sacrifice (#H2076 zabach, zaw-bakh') the Pesach to the ETERNAL your SOVEREIGN, from the flock and the herd, in the place where the ETERNAL chooses to put His name.[3].
Strong's states that #H2076 zabach (zaw-bakh') a primary root to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice). Notice the action of the verb is "slaughter" not "sacrifice." However, if the slaughter is referring to a sacrificial offering "zabach" is used in conjunction with "zebach" (#H2077 zeh'-bakh) such as in:
(Genesis 31:54) (NKJV) Then Jacob offered a (#H2076 zabach) sacrifice (#H2077 zebach, zeh'-bakh) on the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread: And they ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain.
Strong's states that "zebach" (#H2077 zeh'-bakh) is from #H2076; prop. a slaughter, i.e. the flesh of an animal; by implication: a sacrifice (the victim or the act). Gesenius' clarifies the situation by showing that #H2076 is:
"1) To slaughter animals 2) specially to slay in sacrifice. It is not used as priests slaying victims but of private persons who brought sacrifices at their own charge."
In addition, he states that #H2077 is:
"1) A slaying, hence the flesh of slain animals, the feasts 2) a sacrifice, an offering, a victim."
Therefore, we see that not all animal slaughters involved a sacrifice but all sacrifices involved the animal be slaughtered.
Abib is also mentioned in two other places:
(Exodus 23:15) (NKJV) You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread (you shall eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt; none shall appear before Me empty);
(Exodus 34:18) (NKJV) The Feast of Unleavened Bread you shall keep. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, in the appointed time of the month of Abib; for in the month of Abib you came out from Egypt.
What is Abib?
Abib indicates an early stage in the development of the barley crops. This is clear from the devastation caused by the plague of hail as stated in Exodus chapter nine. In (Exodus 9:23-25) at Moses stretched out his hands and the ETERNAL sent hail upon the land of Egypt. The hail was so intense that it broke all of the herbs in the field and broke every tree. Then it is stated that:
(Exodus 9:31-32) (KJV) 31And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. 32But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not grown up.
(Exodus 9:31-32) (Tanakh) 31And the flax and the barley were smitten; for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was in bloom. 32But the wheat and the spelt were not smitten; for they ripen late.
The English words "were not grown up" come from the Hebrew word "'aphiyl" or "afilot." Strong's (#H648 aw-feel') states it is the same as #H651 which Strong's says means, "to set as the sun or dark." Now I ask you, why were the wheat and rie (rye) in the dark and not hurt by the hail? Simple, they were still in the ground and had not sprouted yet as they sprout after the barley.
The next plague on the scene was the one of the locusts that ate anything left that was green. See: (Exodus 10:1-5). Soon following the locusts was the three-day plague of darkness and then Pharaoh again hardened his heart and told Moses that the next time he saw Moses face then Moses would die (Exodus 10:28). Shortly after that the ETERNAL told Moses that all the first born in Egypt would be killed in the final plague (Exodus 11:4-7). Notice the next few Scriptures, referenced in Exodus, nails down the time frame. Chapter 12 begins with the ETERNAL telling Moses and Aaron that this month was the first month of the year to them and then He gives the name of that first month:
(Exodus 11:4-5) (NKJV) 4Then Moses said, Thus says the ETERNAL, About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt. 5And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the animals.
(Exodus 12:1-2) (NKJV) 1Now the ETERNAL spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.
(Exodus 13:3-4) (NKJV) 3And Moses said to the people: 'Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the ETERNAL brought you out of this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. 4On this day you are going out, in the month Abib.
Since the first Full Moon after the barley is abib (in the green ear phase), is the first day of the first month, it shows that the last four plagues occurred over a 14 to 21 day period. After the green barley was smitten, the next Full Moon was the first day of Abib, then on the fifteenth of that same month (Abib), the Hebrews left Egypt.
Would the ETERNAL set apart the Sabbath as a certain day of worship, put His blessing on it (Genesis 2:1-3), make it A SET APART TIME, command that it be KEPT AS A SET APART TIME FOREVER, and then let that consecrated time become so lost, that we cannot tell when to keep it? Would He set up a system of Festivals (Holy Convocations) for us to keep with Him, and allow that they not be known in the end time? Would He set up for the Hebrews a day to wave a sheaf of barley before Him to receive a blessing on the crop, and allow that meaning to be lost. Would He allow the meaning of that day to become identified with a false savior and NOT LET THAT BE KNOW IN THE END TIMES?
No, He would not. THE SET APART TIMES HAVE NOT BEEN LOST! Moreover, our loving CREATOR has, in these last days*, revealed to us the true Observational Hebrew Calendar, which is the key that unlocks the true faith of Abraham, the Abrahamic Hebrew Faith. We should therefore keep the Calendar as the Fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob kept it; as Moses and King David kept it.
*(Daniel 12:4) (NKJV) But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
(Daniel 12:9) (NKJV) And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
TIME LOST? Then you and I are LOST SOULS, for it is SIN to profane the ETERNAL's Sabbath and His Festivals! It is also a SIN to worship false saviors. The Sabbath is proof of His Creation, it is proof of Him. In addition, the waving of a sheaf of barley during the days of unleavened bread is proof that the ETERNAL is the only Savior (Isaiah 43:11-12; Isaiah 45:21; Hosea 13:4), the only Rock (Deuteronomy 32:4; 2 Samuel 22:2-3; Isaiah 44:5-8; Habakkuk 1:12), and He is only one being (Deuteronomy 4:35; 2 Samuel 7:22; Psalms 73:25) The One True CREATOR, the ETERNAL our SOVERIGN, The Mighty One of Israel.
In summary, we have seen that:
The night the ETERNAL passed through the land of Egypt killing the firstborn but sparing the Hebrews is better named the "Night of Protection."
The word "abib" means the month of green ears.
The first "Full Moon" after the barley is abib (in the green ear phase), is the "First Day Of The First Month". See the essay: "Quest for the Hebrew Calendar", and the article: "The Sabbath Calendar".
The green barley sheaf is waved on the day following the Sabbath during the days of unleavened bread.
The waving of the two loaves at the Feast of Firstfruits constitutes part of a larger offering.
The waving of a sheaf of green barley during the days of unleavened bread is to seek a blessing for the crop. Moreover, in no way can it be construed as a connection between the true Hebrew Passover Spring Festival, and the church in Rome's false 'easter' pagan celebration, of their alleged "first of the firstfruits, the sacrificed and resurrected self-proclaimed 'savior god jesus' of the so-called trinity.
That the ETERNAL is the only Savior (Isaiah 43:11-12; Isaiah 45:21; Hosea 13:4), the only Rock (Deuteronomy 32:4; 2 Samuel 22:2-3; Isaiah 44:5-8; Habakkuk 1:12), and He is only one being, Not Three (Deuteronomy 4:35; 2 Samuel 7:22; Psalms 73:25). HE is the only true CREATOR, the ETERNAL our SOVERIGN, The Mighty One of Israel.
Footnotes:
[1] [a] All scriptural links point to the Bible Gateway, A Searchable Online Bible In Over 100 Versions And 50 Languages, located at "BibleGateway.Com", a vast biblical resource containing all the major texts and reference materials useful for in-depth bible studies. Most scriptual quotations are from the (KJV) of the Bible, however versions noted in (parentheses) should also be consulted. [b]All Strong's scriptural references point to the Blue Letter Bible Lexicon, located at "BlueLetterBible.Org", another vast biblical resource which has over 4,000,000 links available, pointing to more than 165,000 pages of concordances, lexicons, dictionaries, commentaries, images, and several Bible versions.
[2] We will use the words Almighty, CREATOR, ETERNAL, Mighty One, or SOVEREIGN in place of the words 'God', 'Lord', 'Elohim' or 'El', when refering to the ONE and ONLY, ETERNAL CREATOR and SOVEREIGN of the universe. (Isaiah 44:6, Isaiah 44:24):
(Isaiah 44:6) (CEB) The ETERNAL, Israel's king and redeemer, the SOVEREIGN of heavenly forces, says: I am the first, and I am the last, and besides me there are NO 'gods'.
(Isaiah 44:24) (AMP) Thus says the ETERNAL, your Redeemer, and He Who formed you from the womb: I am the CREATOR, Who made all things, Who alone stretched out the heavens, Who spread out the earth by Myself.
[3] See the article: "Where YHWH Placed His Name, and Why".