UNLEARN THE LIES - WHAT IS THE FIRSTFRUITS, WAS IT YESHUA OR THE RESURRECTED SAINTS?

Published on Apr 18, 2017
There is an interesting event recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, which tells us that the graves opened up the day Yeshua died, and many dead saints came out of their graves after His resurrection and walked around Jerusalem. 

“And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.”
- Matthew 27:52-53

However, the Bible does not tell us what happened to those people afterward. We don’t know if they continued living for a few hours, days, weeks, or years, which has led to a lot of speculation and myths about what might have happened to them. I really wish we were given more information about them, but unfortunately we are left to wonder. 

Some people have incorrectly concluded that these saints were the “FirstFruits” of the resurrection and Yeshua took them with Him when He ascended into heaven, but the Bible says nothing about other people ascending to heaven with Him. 

More importantly, we know that Yeshua Himself is the FirstFruits, because the Bible says, 

“But now is Messiah risen from the dead, and become the FirstFruits of them that slept.”
-1 Corinthians 15:20

The FirstFruits offering is a single sheaf that is waved before Yahweh, and Yeshua is that sheaf. 

We must also realize that if these resurrected saints were taken up to heaven, they would have been given their perfect immortal bodies, however, the Bible tells us that we will all be made perfect together, and that even the great fathers of our faith (such as Abraham, Isaac, Moses, etc.) will not be made perfect apart from us.

“And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: Elohim having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.”
- Hebrews 11:39-40

Therefore, if Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and many other great men of faith have not yet been made perfect, then we cannot conclude that the people who came out of their graves after Yeshua's resurrection were made perfect either.

There are a number of examples in the Bible of people who died and came back to life, but were not given immortality. Lazarus is a prime example of someone who was dead for four days before he was raised back to life, and he did not become immortal. Another example is when the ruler of the synagogue’s daughter died, and Yeshua raised her back to life. She was not given an immortal body at that time, and she did not ascend to heaven, she simply came back to life as a mortal.

It is inconsistent with Scripture to conclude that a number of unnamed persons ascended into heaven, when the Bible tells us that no one has ascended except Yeshua.

“And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven."
- John 3:13 

If we tried to name some of the people in the Bible who might be worthy to be taken to heaven with Yeshua, the list would surely include people such as King David, Moses, and Abraham, however, all of those men are listed by name as not having receiving the promise yet.

Also, in Peter’s sermon, he specifically says that David has not ascended into heaven, but remains in his grave.

"Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.... For David is not ascended into the heavens..."
- Acts 2:29,34

The only thing we can safely assume about the resurrected saints is that they eventually died again. We don’t know if they were alive for a few hours, or if they were like Lazarus, and given a number of years to continue their lives. However, the Bible does not support the idea that they ascended to heaven.

The Bible is very clear about who the FirstFruits is. Paul explained that Yeshua is the “FirstFruits” of the resurrection. 

"But now is Messiah risen from the dead, and become the FirstFruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Messiah shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Messiah the FirstFruits; afterward they that are Messiah's at his coming."
- 1 Corinthians 15:20-23

I hope this video has answered some of your questions about the FirstFruits of the resurrection.

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