Typology of the Tithe, Firstfruits, and Firstborn (2 of 3)

Initial Concepts of the Typology of the Tithe, Firstfruits, and Firstborn

Now it is also to be noted in the first two feasts in the Old Testament, the Feast of Unleavened Bread (also referred to as the Feast of Passover) and The Feast of the Harvest (also referred to as “Feast of Weeks” or “Feast of Pentecost”), that each had a wave-sheaf offering of “firstfruits” which were made up of “tenths” to be offered up unto the Lord. And the truths to be gleaned in all this, as we shall soon see, is in the details. What has been overlooked here by many as seemingly insignificant and of little consequence or worth, speaks volumes! Right down to every jot and tittle.

These two particular "firstfruits" offerings mentioned above, along with their seemingly little insignificant "portions," are extremely important to our study here; because in 1Cor. 15:23 it says that Christ is the “firstfruits,” and then in James 1:18 it also says that the Church is “a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.” And in Rom. 16:5 and 1Cor. 16:15, Paul says to “Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia” and “the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia” (AKJV). This idea of God's people being referred to as His "firstfruits" is clearly depicted again by Paul in 2Ths. 2:13, where the Amplified Bible translation reads: “God chose you from the beginning as His firstfruits for salvation.” The Message Bible translation reads here: “God picked you out as His…” (with the Marshall’s Greek Interlinear, the ESV, ISV, DRB, NRS and some of the more ancient manuscripts all bearing witness to this translation). Additionally, Paul is not saying above concerning the Thessalonians that they were the firstfruits of the region to be saved, for the Philippians were the first to become Christians of the Macedonian region (cf. Acts 16-17). Paul is just saying, as elsewhere, that the Thessalonians were chosen by God to join in the company of those who are designated as God’s "firstfruits" from His creatures. So, as we can very well see, Christ is called the “firstfruits” unto God; and whenever someone is saved, they too are designated or set apart as the “firstfruits” of God. How can this be? Where did such a concept or idea like this come from? The answer, of course, lies in these two Old Testament festivals of the Lord's noted above; as well as in the separate offering of firstfruits offered by the people in a small basket, once these other two "firstfruits" offerings had been waved before the Lord.

Now let’s look at Leviticus chapter 23 where these two feasts are particularly described for us. According to verses 4-14, the Passover lamb was sacrificed in the first month, on Nisan 14. On the following day, Nisan 15, was a rest day denoted as a "high" or special Sabbath, which also marked the first day of the seven day feast of Unleavened Bread. On the following day, Nisan 16, a bundled sheaf (or, “omer”) of “firstfruits” made up of the barley grain was waved before the Lord.[1] And Exodus 16:36 says that an “omer is a tenth of an ephah.” This, in turn, is accompanied with an unleavened meal offering of two-tenths of an ephah (or two omers) of fine flour mixed with oil, a one year old lamb without blemish for a burnt offering, and 1/4 of a hin of wine for a drink offering. And unlike the firstfruits offered up later in the Feast of Pentecost, this waving of the Omer of firstfruits was not to be accompanied with a sin-offering, for it was without sin (or leaven).[2] And I think we can already begin to see what this is pointing to. Clearly, all of this is a marvelous picture of the work of Christ in His death, burial and resurrection; and all occurring within 3 days, no less.[3] It is here that we see the unleavened barley sheaf of Christ as our “firstfruits,” representing before God a combined and unleavened mixture of two-tenths of finely ground flour, most likely also made up of barley. And Paul seems to describe it all this way, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1Cor. 15:20), and we also know that it was during this time that many saints began to rise from their graves after the resurrection and go into Jerusalem to appear unto many (cf. Mat. 27:53). What is also significant here in all this is the fact that Christ told His disciples, “This is what is written: the Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day” (Lke. 24:46). And the only place where “it is written” clearly in the Scriptures that Christ would rise “on the third day,” is here in the Feast of Passover or of Unleavened Bread. This Feast, as well as all the Feasts and ceremonies, were in and of themselves prophetical, prophesying about the coming of the Suffering Servant and what He was going to do, and when He was going to do it! On the first day of Nisan 14, “Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us,” says Paul (1Cor. 5:7). On the second day, Christ rested from all His work. And on the third day, He arose to God as the waved-sheaf offering of “firstfruits” (cf. Jhn. 20:17; Lke. 13:32, KJV) bringing together with Him in one combined offering, a holy tenth, seed, or remnant from out of the Jews and the Gentiles who make up these "two-tenths" of the combined barley meal offering mixed with oil (or with the Spirit). It is even as Paul seems to clearly articulate for us, when he says, “He…has made the two one…to create in Himself one new man out of the two…and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God…” (Eph. 2:14-16).

And it was exactly 50 days to the day, on the Feast of Pentecost, that another kind of waving of a sheaf of “firstfruits” was to occur. It was not only to be the firstfruits of a people belonging to God out of all the “wheat harvest” (or people) in the world (which is “the field” in the gospel narratives), but it was also to show the distinction between the Jews and the Gentiles in that they were offered up to God as uncombined loaves this time, yet at the same time being without distinction in that they are both sinners (or “leavened,” as we shall see), and with both being recognized as God’s “wheat” loaves by being offered up simultaneously together in unison (or as one), as the New Testament epistles elaborate for us. This particular Feast of Pentecost is mentioned in Lev. 23:15-22.

So, in Lev. 23:15-16, on Nisan 16, the day after the high Sabbath or rest day of Nisan 15, on the day they offered up the unleavened barley sheaf of the wave offering, they were to count 50 days up to the day after the seventh week (or after 49 days).[4]  On the 50th day they were to present an offering of a “new grain,” which is, as it turns out, to be the wheat harvest (Ex. 34:22) as opposed to the earlier “barley” harvest. In verse 17, they were to make two individual wheat loaves made with two-tenths (or 1/10th in each) of an ephah of fine flour, baked with leaven this time “as a wave offering of firstfruits to the Lord.” As noted earlier, unlike the firstfruits of the barley sheaf waved earlier, this firstfruits offering was to be accompanied with a “sin-offering” (v. 19), along with a peace offering, the burnt offering, the grain offering and 1/4 of a hin of wine for the drink offering. It is here that, I believe, we see the leavened sinners of God's elect before being saved as Christ’s chosen “firstfruits” unto God, and the “two loaves” typifying again the two peoples from out of both Jews and Gentiles who are peacefully (or without hostility) waved together before the Lord, with each being represented by one tenth in each loaf as the Lord’s tithe or portion that belongs to Him. The analogy here is quite striking and significant, to say the least, and should not be overlooked too hastily.

So, on the one hand with the waving of the barley-sheaf, Christ is seen as “the Firstfruits” of those who sleep,” with the accompanying two-tenths of unleavened fine barley flour (or Jews and Gentiles) mixed with oil (or with the firstfruits of the Spirit) being presented with Christ before God as the righteousness of God in Christ. On the other hand, with the wheat-sheaf offering, we are seen as leavened sinners with no oil who are saved by grace, and to be always mindful of that fact. In Christ we are the firstfruits from out of all humanity (“the field”) in which He is the sole Creator and Owner. We are His holy seed and remnant, the Church, whom He sanctifies in Himself and for Himself: “For them I sanctify Myself, that they too may be truly sanctified…that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us….I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one even as We are one” (Jhn. 17:19-23).

The Festival of Passover/Unleavened Bread and the Festival of Harvest/Weeks/Pentecost, continue to be appropriated and enjoyed year after year by every sinner who comes to Christ throughout this dispensation. That the two offerings of “firstfruits” in Lev. 23 correspond to the various works of Christ and to those whom He has chosen to be in Him and represented by Him in His sacrifice for sin, there can be no denying.

A couple of other places where “firstfruit” offerings are mentioned and descriptive of the same things being presented in this article, are in: Lev. 2:14, Num. 15:18-21; 18:12-13, and Deut. 26:2. These offerings are what God said they were to do continually year after year once they had entered the Promise Land, and are not to be confused with the festival firstfruit offerings.

Now Christ has said “the field” from which His firstfruits are gathered, is “the world” (Mat. 13:38); and only a portion from out of this world (or from His creatures) is devoted entirely to Him, as typified in these Old Testament rituals of the tithe, firstfruits and even the firstborn who were dedicated entirely to God. So, we are (1) His sacred and holy agrarian tenth which is His inheritance, allotment and portion; (2) we are His firstfruits from out of the fields of the world; and, (3) in Heb. 12:23, we are also called “the Church of the firstborn-ones” (for the Greek word for “firstborn” here, prototokon, is in the plural form; see also Aramaic Bible in Plain English at biblehub.com).

Now with regards to the “firstborn,” the exclusive right of inheritance normally belonged to the firstborn. This is the basic idea that is to be understood behind this title. And I say “normally,” because Ishmael, though the firstborn, was not accounted as the firstborn because his mother was a slave. Esau also spurned his firstborn rights for a bowl of food. And Reuben lost his firstborn rights because of his incestuous conduct, and so it was transferred to Joseph in the adoption of his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.

When natural Israel was called God’s “firstborn” (and even “firstfruits”) in the Old Testament, God had set them apart and gave them special privileges that the nations around them did not enjoy. But as Merrill F. Unger notes: “All Israel were in outward standing and in covenant relationship, the Lord’s firstborn, being national representatives of a redeemed Church, to be brought out of every kindred, tongue, and people; and as such, they were a nation of priests.”[5] In essence, they were in “type” what God was truly denoting He was going to do with His spiritual remnant, all those who were to be “the children of promise,” just like Isaac (cf. Gal. 4:28), and who are given "firstborn" rights and privileges in the person and work of Christ.

The term “firstborn” occurs 6 times in the New Testament with a reference to Christ or His Church. In Col. 1:15, it is referring to Christ as “the firstborn of all creation,” and is commonly understood as denoting His preeminence over all of His creation. In Col. 1:18 and Rev. 1:5, the term "firstborn" seems to be used in a sense similar to that of Christ being the "firstfruits" of those who have died in 1Cor. 15:20; meaning, He is the firstborn from the dead in that He was the first to rise from the dead having never died again, in juxtaposition to Lazarus and a couple of others that Christ raised from the dead. Enoch and Elijah had never died, so there was is no “resurrection from the dead” to speak of concerning them.

In Rom. 8:29, Paul says of God: “For those whom He foreknew…He also destined from the beginning…to be molded into the image [Gk. eikonos] of His Son (and share inwardly His likeness), that He might become the firstborn among [Gk. prep. ev or “in”] many brethren” (AMP, words in brackets mine). I’m going to step out on a limb with this verse, and posit the following idea: The main message in this chapter is being conformed to Christ’s image or “likeness” via adoption as sons (vv. 14-17) and even as “sons of God” (vv. 14, 18). One of Christ’s “images” (which is also the image of the Firstborn Son), will also be reflected in us who are joint-heirs with Him, making us likewise firstborn sons. We are made into Christ's “likeness” to that end—to the glory and exaltation of the status of firstborn sons with firstborn rights. And verse 16 also says, “we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.” Being called a “firstborn son” is one of those glorious things that we share with Christ. Verse 18 likewise says that it is, “the glory that shall be revealed in [or to] us” (KJV, YLT). As Expositor's Greek Testament says here of verse 18, "the glory comes from without, to transfigure them [ie., us]."[6]  The Greek word “eikonos” above, is from the stem “eikown” (lit., “image” or “likeness”), and is also the same word used in 2Cor. 3:18, where Paul says, “But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image [eikona] from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit” (WEB).

Remember how it was said earlier that God called natural Israel His “firstborn,” in type? The spiritual reality of that type is seen in the spiritual Israel of God who is made up of both Jews and Gentiles as God’s spiritual firstborn sons. Heb. 12:23, which literally reads, “firstborn-ones” (plural), denotes that all believers in Christ are God's “firstborn” sons, not so dissimilar to Christ. So it is not such a stretch of the imagination to think of Paul as denoting the same thing of us in Rom. 8:29. In light of the context in Romans chapter eight as referring to what God is doing “in” us through His greater Son, it seems more natural to assume that Paul is talking about this image and status of Christ as being a “firstborn” Son, as being also reproduced “in” us as well, rather than it just denoting Christ's preeminence “among” us. And while Christ’s preeminence among us is no less true, I really do not think that the subject, or the context, is emphasizing this, but in all likelihood it is denoting that same “image” being transformed and reflected in us. It is this status and right of “firstborn” sons that makes us heirs and joint-heirs together of the inheritance with Christ (v. 17), while He yet still remains the Head or the Preeminent One over us.

In Heb. 1:6, out of all of the “firstborn-ones” of us mentioned above, Christ is the only “firstborn” Son to which God says, “Let the angels of God worship Him.” He alone is given preeminence. Though we are honored with the same title that Christ has (think also of “firstfruits”), it does not stand to reason that we are to be worshiped, as only He is to be. Such an honor goes only to Christ! We are “kings” and “priests” with Christ, but He is “King of kings” and the “High Priest.” Some of us are “shepherds,” whereas He is the “Chief Shepherd.” Some of us are “prophets,” whereas He is “the Prophet.” We are “anointed,” but He is “the Anointed One” (the Messiah). Some of us are “teachers,” but He is the “great Teacher.” We are all adopted “sons,” whereas He is the only-begotten Son of God.

Food For the Gods, or God's Food?

Another interesting note is the fact of how God spoke of Israel as offering up themselves as sacrifices for “food” for their gods (Ezk. 16:20; 23:37; cp. Acts 15:29; 1Cor. 8:1, 4), when they should have been offering up their lives unto the one true God, feeding only that which God so desires and longs for. As the tithe (and many of the offerings) in type was “food” for the priests, so too are we that “food” which satisfies our High Priest and God. In Isaiah 6:13 and Jer. 2:3, Israel is spoken of as a tithe and firstfruits which are being “eaten,” figuratively speaking, but in a bad sense. So it is not such a stretch of the imagination to suppose that they could be “eaten” figuratively speaking in some good sense as well, similar to Jepthah offering up unto the Lord as a burnt offering whatever came out of the door of his house to greet him after his triumph over the Ammonites (Jdg. 11:31); and as it turned out, his daughter came out of the door to greet him, but she wasn’t literally consumed by fire as a normal animal sacrifice would have been, but was wholly and spiritually devoted to the Lord by way of her remaining a virgin unto the Lord. And isn’t “eating” Christ's body, and “drinking” His blood, alluding to this same idea of partaking in Him and of one another in a non-literal manner? Regardless though, the fact that the Israelites are here being referred to in Isaiah and Jeremiah as “eaten” at all, denotes what God truly had in mind when He gave these types unto Israel. It was a holy fellowship and communion that went way beyond an observation of “outward” ceremonies. There is an assimilation that goes on between us and the Lord that is of a spiritual nature where we become totally consumed of one another.

To understand such ideas above as not being a real stretch of the imagination, ponder also these verses below for a moment:

• Num. 28:1-5 says: “The Lord said to Moses, give this command to the Israelites and say to them: See that you present to Me at the appointed time the food for My offerings made by fire, as an aroma pleasing to Me. Say to them: this is the offering made by fire that you are to present to the Lord: two lambs a year old without defect, as a regular burnt offering each day. Prepare one lamb in the morning and the other at twilight, together with a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil from pressed olives.” Here we see Christ and His Church represented in these offerings, sanctified by the Holy Spirit (the oil) as God’s “food.” Still don't quite see this idea? Read on.
• Ezk. 44:7 says: “In addition to all your other detestable practices, you brought foreigners uncircumcised in heart and flesh into My sanctuary, desecrating My temple while you offered Me food, fat and blood, and you broke My covenant.”
• Lev. 21:6-8, 21-22 also says: “They must be holy to their God and must not profane the name of their God. Because they present the offerings made to the Lord by fire, the food of their God, they are to be holy.…priests are holy to their God. Regard them as holy, because they offer up the food of your God….No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect is to come near to present the offerings made to the Lord by fire. He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God. He may eat the most holy food of his God, as well as the holy food.”
• Mal. 1:7 says: "You place defiled food on My altar."

In addition, Jesus says to us: “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is real food and My blood is real drink. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him” (Jhn. 6:54-56).

Paul likewise affirms in 1Cor. 10:16-18:

Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation [Gk. koinonia] in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation [Gk. koinonia] in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake [Gk. meteko] of the one loaf. Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate [Gk. koinonoi] in the altar? (NIV)

The International Standard Version reads:

The cup of blessing that we bless is a sign of our sharing [Gk. koinonia] in the blood of the Messiah, isn't it? The bread that we break is a sign of our sharing [Gk. koinonia] in the body of the Messiah, isn’t it? Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body, because all of us eat [Gk. meteko] from the same loaf. Look at the Israelites from a human point of view. Those who eat the sacrifices share [Gk. koinonoi] in what is on the altar, don't they?

And the New Living Translation also says:

When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing [Gk. koinonia] in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing [Gk. koinonia] in the body of Christ? And though we are many, we all eat [Gk. meteko] from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body. Think about the people of Israel. Weren’t they united [Gk. koinonoi] by eating the sacrifices at the altar?

The third word in “bold” in each of the translations above is the Greek verb meteko, and denotes an intimate sharing. This intimacy is expressed in the word “eat” in the ISV and the NLT, where the idea here is that of "assimilation." Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown note here that, "We, the many…are one bread (by our partaking of the same loaf, which becomes assimilated to the substance of all our bodies; and so we become), one body (with Christ, and so with one another)." Matthew Henry adds: “Christians, by this ordinance, and the faith therein professed, were united as the grains of wheat in one loaf of bread, or as the members in the human body, seeing they were all united to Christ, and had fellowship with him and one another.” And The People’s New Testament also adds: “For we being many are one bread. One loaf. There being one loaf implies that we Christians, though many, are all one body, and joint participators of the one body of Christ.”

In the first and second occurrences of “participation” and “sharing” in the translations noted above, we can see that the Greek word is “koinonia.” And the basic meaning conveyed by this word is “participation.” And both "fellowship" and "communion," which are common translations of this Greek word, are to be understood in this light. As Walter Elwell notes: “There is normally no sense of abstraction in the use of the word…but rather that of actual participation in that to which the term refers….The sense of sharing and self-sacrifice…is inherent in the word….The communion between man and God in the eating of the Supper was probably based less on sacramental presuppositions than on the cultural/theological implications inherent in the experience” (Evangelical Dict. of Theology, p. 414). In other words, what God was doing in the Israelite community “culturally” in the eating and sharing with one another with these sacrifices in these Old Testament festivals, by implication was “theologically” speaking volumes about the person and work of Christ and the fellowship (koinonia) of believers. The Greek, “koinonoi” in the last part of the above verses, is akin to “koinonos” below in 2Pet. 1:4, and for which we will discuss further in a moment.

From all this we can see that when we partake of the Lord’s Supper, we are expressing by this symbolism the spiritual assimilation of Christ within ourselves. We are, in essence “eating” His body, or “flesh.” But what about Him “eating” of us? The Old Testament clearly describes many offerings which particularly refer to us, as God’s “food.” And in some way God is “partaking” of us as well. And Christ says that we are “in Him” even as He is “in us.” But how has or does Christ assimilate us?

First of all, how are we “in Him”? We are “in Him” by being united with Him is His death, burial and resurrection. In time, faith in Christ made this a reality in our lives. And as denoted earlier, by Him accompanying the barley and wheat sheaf-wave offerings in His burnt offering and sin offering, He made us acceptable before God as a pleasing sacrifice. Essentially, God received or “ate” us, “in Christ.” He consumed us as a “living sacrifice” via Christ’s perfect sacrifice, even as many of the offerings were consumed by the priests, and sometimes even by the very fire of God himself.

Secondly, we also through the sacrifice of Christ boldly have access into this grace wherein we stand. And when we offer up our very own bodies and lives, as Paul says in Rom. 12:1, as “living sacrifices” (“spiritual sacrifices” in 1Pet. 2:5), the Lord receives us (or “eats us” so-to-speak) as an acceptable and sweet smelling savor. We are a delight to His nostrils and taste buds, and therefore He doesn‘t spew us out of His mouth. In response, He thus fills us with His presence, consuming us entirely in spirit, soul and body. We have been “accepted in the beloved.” It is a spiritual communion, fellowship and an eating of one another in the highest and most purest form.

The question had also been raised though, “How has Christ assimilated us? It is clear that He continues to do so now, but is there a sense in which He “partook” of His people in His own person even before or upon the cross? Hebrews 2:14, I believe, seems to answer this question for us. It reads: “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook [Gk. meteko] of the same.” This is the same Greek verb that we were discussing above of actually becoming one with another. Do you see what Christ has done? He “partook” of our flesh and blood, becoming, in essence, one with us—eating of us, partaking of us—before we ever began “eating” or “partaking” of Him! We truly love Him because He first loved us! It all started when Christ humbled Himself, as Paul lays out for us in Philippians chapter two, when He took on our bodily form. He ate all of our pain, all of our grief and suffering, all of our temptations, and all of our sorrows and sickness—and even our death in order to become our merciful and faithful High Priest who, like in the Old Testament, “ate” (assimilated) the dead, lifeless, sacrifices and offerings. And we whom Paul says were spiritually (and not physically) "dead" in sins and trespasses in Ephesians 2, he also says Christ has spiritually "made alive"[7] together with Him, after first having also become dead like us spiritually (in addition to dying physically) in His human nature.

Even Calvin has said with regards to Christ suffering for us in His human spirit, “certainly had not His soul shared in the punishment, He would have been a Redeemer of bodies only.”[8]  And R. L. Dabney notes of Calvin how that he believed that Christ suffered “the torments of spiritual death...in dying,” and that, “Christ actually tasted the pangs of spiritual death, in addition to bodily, and in this sense endured hell-torments for sinners, so far as they can be felt without [He himself having personal] sin.”[9]  And the French reformed expositor, Francis Turretin, in agreement with Calvin adds: “The necessity of our salvation required this. For as we had sinned in soul and body, so Christ, the surety, must suffer in both parts in order to pay a sufficient ransom price (lytron) to the divine justice and to redeem the soul and body.”[10]

With all of our sin placed both "in" and "upon" Christ as our Scapegoat, Paul says in Rom. 6:6 that Christ violently crucified (or put to death) that spiritual "old man" that we use to be, in order that we might walk as a new man in newness of life (v. 4b). One cannot crucify or put to death in us, what they have not themselves become. This is the blessed doctrine of substitution and identification. Christ became us, with all our sin, in order that we might become as Him in all righteousness both within and without (cf. 2Cor. 5:21; Rom. 8:3; 1Pet. 2:24). He who was made like His brethren in all things, has made us like Him in all things. He assimilated us, that we might assimilate Him.

So, Christ who knew no sin, became or “assimilated” us (with all our sin), so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him—so that we might in turn “eat” of Him and be filled with all of the goodness of God! And even continuing to “fill up” in our flesh, that which is lacking in His afflictions (Col. 1:24) in order to be partakers in the fellowship of His sufferings, as those who “suffer” now for doing good. And “if we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him” (2Tim. 2:12). For “all those who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2Tim. 3:12) . And “it has been granted to [us] on behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for Him” (Php. 1:29). We not only “eat” of Him, as He continues to eat (and ate) of us, but He even “partook,” “ate,” and had a “share” in our very own “flesh and blood.” Now there’s something to ponder and meditate upon! What sweet contemplation's! What a sweet communion!

In summary, we have and do eat and assimilate Him; and He has eaten and continues to eat and assimilate us. We “partake” of Him; He “partook” and “partakes” of us. He “partook” of our human nature, being “united” with us in our humanity. And He, in essence and substance, became one with us as we now become one with Him. It is the great exchange and substitution, “whereby He hath granted unto us His precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers [Gk. koinonos] of the Divine nature” (2Pet. 1:4). Hallelujah! We have and do truly “share” with one another in substance, and in body. As Jamieson, Fausset and Brown note, “in Him there was His humanity to attract the devourer to Him, His divinity to pierce him, apparent weakness to provoke [him], hidden power to transfix the hungry ravisher” (J.F.B). All the hordes of hell attempted to “feed” on Christ with a frenzy to “devour” Him and to “consume” Him, in an attempt to eat Him and make Him their “food”; whereas, in reality, He remained to be the “food from heaven” to be eaten and consumed only by His people. He spoiled the spoiler, taking captivity captive right into the very heavens themselves, giving gifts unto men.

And last, but not least, Heb. 3:14 says: “For we have become partakers [Gk. metokos] of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end” (NAS). As Matthew Henry notes here on this verse: “The saints’ privilege is, they are made partakers of Christ, that is: of the Spirit, the nature, graces, righteousness, and life of Christ.” Our sin was consumed in Christ, in order that He might be consumed by us in all manner of righteousness and holiness. Praise be to God! No doubt, this is a "love feast" that no human words can even begin to describe. They are spiritual truths being conveyed with spiritual words (cp. 1Cor. 2:13).

In light of what Jesus has just said, and with all the Scriptures referred to above, it is now to be seen that it is NOT such "a stretch of the imagination" to understand that in the eating and partaking of the sacrificial offerings (including the tithe), that God was saying something to us of far more importance and significance than just literally and physically observing these Old Testament ceremonies with the natural assimilation of food. Of a truth, it is the actual partaking between us and Christ in a holy and spiritual communion, fellowship, and sharing with one another as united members together as Christ’s very own body. In Christ saying that He is in us, and we in Him, this can only be fully understood in such a union and "assimilation" as depicted in “eating.” No other type in the Old Testament can truly convey such an idea than that of the consumption or “eating” of the sacrifices. And this is just another remarkable example and picture of our union and communion with Christ!

Jesus has described it all in this way,

…that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are one: I in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity (Jhn. 17:21-23).

Paul similarly describes it in this way:

Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body….Do you not know your bodies are members of Christ Himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute?…he who unites himself with the Lord is one with Him in spirit….For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?” (1Cor. 6:13, 15, 17; 2Cor. 6:14-15).

This “uniting” and “communion” together that Paul speaks of is a partaking and fellowshipping that was depicted in the “eating” and “sharing” together of these Old Testament sacrificial offerings. To sacrifice oneself to idols, was to sacrifice to demons! And according to God in Ezekiel, such a person was sacrificing themselves “as food to the idols” (Ezk. 16:20; 23:37). As Paul said, “offer your bodies as living sacrifices [or, as food to God], holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship” (Rom. 12:1). Have no doubt about it, Christ is our food, and we are the food of our God and not of idols! It is no longer the “shadow” of the tithe that is to be observed! It is no longer the “shadow” of the firstfruits! And it is no longer the “shadow” of any of the Old Testament offerings and sacrifices. None whatsoever! They came in with Moses, they went out with Christ. It is all or none and not just with some that we pick and choose at our own discretion that we feel we are to observe or not to observe. In Christ, He, as well as us, are the embodiment of all those types and shadows. How so many in the Church have missed this is anyone’s guess. But the fact of the matter remains that they were all, in the words of the author of Hebrews, “illustrations” for the time then present. And as noted earlier in God’s Word Translation, “These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body [that casts the shadow] belongs to Christ” (brackets theirs).

God’s People: His Allotment, Portion, and Inheritance From the Fields of the World

In Psalm 28:9, David says to the Lord, “Save Your people and bless Your inheritance; be their Shepherd and carry them forever.” And in Psalm 33:12, it says: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for his inheritance.” Again, the Psalms say: “He chose David His servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep He brought him to be the shepherd of His people Jacob, of Israel His inheritance” (78:71). And again: “They crush Your people, O Lord; they oppress Your inheritance….For the Lord will not reject His people; He will never forsake His inheritance” (Psm. 94:5, 14). And once more: “Remember me, O Lord, when You show favor to Your people, come to my aid when You save them, that I may enjoy the prosperity of Your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of Your nation and join Your inheritance in giving praise” (Psm. 106:5).

Now, the idea presented earlier and above of “people” being “allotted” or “portioned” out unto God as “His inheritance,” is really seen in Deut. 32:9, which says: “The Lord’s portion is His people, Jacob His allotted inheritance.” This is the only place, that I am aware of, where God combines all three of these ideas into one verse of people being His “portion,” “inheritance,” and that which is “allotted” to Him. And just as the holy firstfruits and firstborn were the Lord’s portions, typically speaking, that He used to depict the people whom He chooses and sets apart for Himself, so too was the holy tithe the Lord’s by way of divine choice and set apart for Himself to likewise typically portray that “portion,” “inheritance,” and “allotted” people who belong to Him. The “tithe” is the only offering that had attached to it this idea of it being an “allotted inheritance” that was to belong to the Levites. No other offering was given this recognition. And it only makes sense that this sole offering would be typical of that one and only “allotted inheritance” that is God’s—“His people” which He says belong to Him and which are that “portion” by His choice (or election) that He sets apart for Himself. All the verses just mentioned above associate this idea of an “allotted inheritance” with God’s people. They are the ties (or links) that bind us in being able to cross over from that which was natural in type, to that which is spiritual.

In our discussion earlier of Leviticus 27:32, where God gives the ceremony of the tithe to Israel, He later in Ezekiel 20 takes this same concept and idea of separating one out of every ten from the flock and begins to express it in a figurative manner with regards to Himself as the Great Shepherd of the sheep who takes notice of all among the Israelites who were to pass under His shepherd’s staff or rod, taking out for Himself only those who were allowed to “enter” the land, as opposed to “purging” from His midst “those who revolt and rebel.”

Notice the similarities between the two:

The entire tithe of the herd and flock—every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd’s rod—will be holy to the Lord (Lev. 27:32).

As I judged your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will take note of you as you pass under My rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. I will purge you of those who revolt and rebel against Me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord (Ezk. 20:36-38).

Though the following may be only speculation on my part, Nehemiah seems to have seen something in the “tithe” unto God, as seemingly representing something beyond what it was naturally understood as when he divides the children of Israel up by stating: “Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns” (11:1). Clearly, something is being depicted here by such an action on the part of Nehemiah, namely: that in God’s holy city, the New Jerusalem (the composite bride of Christ, cf. Rev. 21:9-10) there is a chosen “tenth,” remnant, portion or an allotted inheritance that belongs to God. And whether anyone really realizes it or not, God seems to be clearly illustrating for us something far more greater here with regards to His “holy tenth,” I believe, than what just merely meets the natural eye! Nothing just arbitrarily happens by chance in God‘s Word. There is "instruction" to be had for us in everything, everywhere, and on every page of Scripture! At least Nehemiah seemed to recognize more to this concept of tithing than most of us care to realize---or even perceive. Why else would Nehemiah just arbitrarily use such a concept like this? Unless, of course, maybe like Abraham, John, Paul, and all the apostles, Nehemiah foresaw the New Jerusalem (Christ’s holy spiritual city and bride) as being made up of all of the chosen and elect who are to be God’s inheritance "by lot" (or by "allotment") who were to make up the residents of this city. I believe that such an action by Nehemiah was prophetically intended for us in order to maybe just get another little glimpse into what this little seemingly insignificant tithe was really all about. What Nehemiah does with the people in his day is in fact a reality with regards to the New Testament's "New Jerusalem" which is from above. A "portion" of people are “allotted” by God to believe and to enter into His holy and spiritual city called: New Jerusalem.

It is also interesting how the text in Nehemiah says, “the people cast lots” for those who would be able to live in the city. A lot was cast for the choosing of the apostle that was to replace Judas (Acts 1:26). And in Pro. 16:33, it says how “the lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is FROM THE LORD.” In the case of choosing an apostle, whoever the lot fell on was to be the choice that God had determined would be the one to join their ranks. With regards to God’s saving grace, the lot has already been cast in the foreknowledge and predetermination of God of those who will be chosen to be in His fold, as opposed to those who will not, just like in Ezekiel 20:36-38 above. And none of it is based upon anything “good or bad” in us (cp. Lev. 27:33), just like in God's choice of Jacob over Esau in Rom. 9:11. And not one of Christ's sheep whom He says He chooses for Himself goes missing. We are all accounted for. All that the Father gives unto Christ, will come to Him (Jhn. 6:37); and God has granted Him all “authority over all people that He might give eternal life to all those You have given Him” (Jhn. 17:2). These “all people” are the fulfillment of the ones promised to Abraham “out of all nations.” They are all the ones out of every kindred, nation, tribe and tongue who are given to Christ by the Father, and who in turn are said to be given “eternal life to all those You have given Him” (ibid). It is all those who are “ordained to eternal life” to believe in Acts 13:48. And it is Peter who also affirms for us: “Simon Peter, a bondservant and Apostle of Jesus Christ: To those to whom there has been allotted the same precious faith as that which is ours through the righteousness of our God and of our Savior Jesus Christ” (2Pet. 1:1, Weymouth’s trans.). The Greek word for “allotted” here in Peter's epistle is lanxano (lit., “to obtain by lot”). It is used four places in the New Testament: First, here in Peter's epistle; second in Lke. 1:9; third in Jhn. 19:24; and fourth in Acts 1:17. And here in Peter he says we haven been “allotted” faith! He says it is the same “precious” faith like that of his and the other apostles! In Acts 1:17, Judas before his betrayal was elaxen ton kleron (“allotted a lot”) as an apostle, and as a false one at that, but not “allotted the faith” to believe. The first Greek word in Acts 1:17 (elaxen) is a form of lanxano noted above; whereas the second word, “kleron,” is also found in Acts 26:18 where Jesus tells Paul He is sending him, “to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance [Gk. kleron; lit., “a lot”] among them that are sanctified by faith in me” (ASV). Again, Paul writes to the Colossians, “giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance [Gk. klerou; lit., “the lot”] of the saints in light” (1:12, ASV). And lastly, the Greek kleron is used in Mat. 27:35 and Mark 15:24 for the soldiers casting “lots” for Christ’s garments. The two Greek words as noted above are used interchangeably, even sometimes within the same context, and are basically synonymous terms denoting one and the same thing.

What all these verses show is the fact that all true believers have been hand-picked by God, and have been “allotted” a “faith” and an “inheritance” to be inducted into the New Jerusalem that is from above, similar to Nehemiah casting lots as to who would be “in” the city, as opposed to who would be “outside” of the city. The similarities are undeniably striking and uncanny! Dare I say, Divine! Only Christ’s sheep enter the gate by being “allotted” the faith to believe. Others, Christ said, “do not believe because you are not of My sheep” (Jhn. 10:26), and who try to enter another way; and so they are cast into “outer” darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. But He has “other sheep that are not of this sheep pen,” and He “must bring them [in] also” (v. 16). What was once only for elect Jews, such as Moses, the Prophets, and all the apostles, is now also for God's elect Gentiles out of all the world who now have a place in His holy city, sharing in the commonwealth of spiritual Israel (Eph. 2:12, 19, KJV), even being “surnamed” with the name "Israel" (Isa. 44:5, KJV), and for which all "outside" are now said to be “dogs” (Rev. 22:15), a term that was once reserved only for Gentiles but who now in Christ no longer are. We as the people of God no longer have an identity crisis, we are the Israel of God! Like Jacob, our name “Gentile” has been changed to "Israel," and we are now all princes and kings with God. And all this is what God means, when He says in Isaiah, "Put on your garments of splendor, O Jerusalem, the holy city. The uncircumcised and defiled will not enter you again" (52:1), or in Isaiah 35:8, "a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it." Or in Zechariah 14:21, “On that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord Almighty” (14:21). Or in Joel 3:17, “Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her.” And finally in Rev. 21:27, “Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful.” For,

Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the City. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood” (Rev. 22:14-15).

The tide had change for Israel where God had said in the past, and is still saying today: "Are not you Israelites [born only according to the flesh] the same to Me as the Cushites? declares the Lord" (Amos 9:7). The “lots” have been cast before the creation of the world, and only those upon whom the “lot” falls by God's sovereign hand “may go through the gates into the city.”

Some More Concepts of the Tenth in the Law Of Moses

Now the concept of the “tithe” (or “tenth”) is normally broken up into three categories in the ceremonial law: One, two, or three tenths (cp. Num. 29:14), with one exception: in Ezekiel 45:13 and 46:14, one-sixth of an ephah from each homer of fine barley or wheat flour is mentioned. Now whatever these numbers seem to denote in the Scriptures, one thing is certain, that a particular portion—measured and prescribed by God—was to go to God. No more, and no less. The concept of “one” seems to denote oneness or unity, according to E. W. Bullinger, F. W. Grant and Davis. As Bullinger notes on the number one: “In all languages it is the symbol of unity….One excludes all difference” (Numbers in Scripture, p. 50). “Two” seems to actually denote that there is a difference, as Grant writes: “If 1 excludes difference, 2 affirms it” (The Numerical Structure of Scripture, p. 32). Naturally, all of this seems to make absolute sense. And Bullinger additionally notes here on the number two: “The two may be, though different in character, yet one as to testimony and fellowship” (Bullinger, p. 92). Again, this also seems to make a lot of sense. “Three” seems to denote that which is entire, complete, or full, or as Grant again denotes: “a measure of solidity” (ibid, p. 37). “Six” seems to be affirmed by all theologians as the number of man; so in Ezekiel’s case, one-sixth could represent the idea of a portion of mankind that God sets aside for Himself. Although all these ideas concerning these numbers are not necessarily set in stone, they are intriguing to ponder nevertheless, and there might be some validity to them. Clearly, to me, "one" tenth denotes the one unified people of God in Christ; "two-tenths," the distinction of Jews and Gentiles who in essence become combined as one; and "three-tenths," the solidity of Christ with both Jews and Gentiles. Interestingly, "one-third" (or 33.33%), in one particular incident in the Scriptures, seems to actually denote God's remnant, when in Zechariah 13:8 the Lord says: "In the whole land, declares the Lord, two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it." And in the immediate context, this seems to be talking about Christ's followers who are "scattered" once the Shepherd (or Christ) is stricken in verse 7. And Christ also refers to this event as being fulfilled in His day in Mat. 26:31 (see also Mk. 14:27). And though a little bit more than "three-tenths" (or 30%), "one-third" comes pretty close to this idea of three-tenths. Clearly, one thing is for certain here: God again has His remnant or portion of people in mind.

The first mention of a “tenth” (besides Abraham and Jacob in Genesis) is when an “omer” (1/10th of ephah) of manna is placed in a clay jar before the ark of the testimony or the law (Ex. 16:32-36; cf. v. 36 “an omer is one tenth”). This is a stark reminder of what Paul says, in that “we have this treasure in earthen vessels” (2Cor. 4:7, KJV). Here, though, the concept of the "tenth" again seems to denote that holy seed and portion or remnant in the person and work of Christ that is “reserved” for God and placed in Christ. It is interesting how the seemingly most minute and insignificant things in the Scriptures, speak volumes to us when understood in the light of the overall context of God’s word. “One tenth” speaks of our Melchizedekian High Priest’s holy portion and inheritance chosen, reserved, and preserved for Him; “heavenly bread” speaks of Christ as our spiritual bread, and who resides in us, and we in Him as "one" loaf (Jhn. 14:20); and the “one jar” speaks of one body made up of many members. And the beauty of this jar standing before “the ark of the testimony” (or law), denotes the fact that “in Christ” God will never condemn us by His law. We reside before God’s holy law uncondemned. God cannot condemn Christ, therefore He will not condemn us. Before God’s law we sit not condemned, but accepted "in" the beloved. And we have 24/7 access before God; not just one day out of the year as Aaron the high priest had.

Now the next mention of these “tenths” is seen in their accompaniment with many of the sacrifices in the daily offerings, the Sabbath offerings, the three major Festivals, in the Feast of Trumpets, and on the Day of Atonement. All of these meal offerings were accompanied either by a lamb(s), a ram(s), or a bull(s), along with “oil” and “drink” offerings of wine. And it was always "one-tenth" of an ephah of fine flour for a lamb, "two-tenths" for a ram, and "three-tenths" for a bull. If one was too poor, in some cases they could bring two doves, and if they didn’t have doves, they could just bring one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour. What seems to be portrayed in all of these bloody and bloodless offerings accompanied with oil and wine, is Christ as the representative sacrifice and offering (in the "bloody" animals) along with the grain offerings (or the "bloodless" offerings) as representative of His people; with all of this being accompanied by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit (the oil), along with the 1/4 cup of a hin of wine (or suffering) that both Christ and His people undergo for the cause of God and truth. This, to me, is what all of these Old Testament sacrifices and ceremonies are about—salvation and sacrifice “on the altar and service of one’s faith” (Php. 2:17). For Paul said, “all those who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2Tim. 3:12), and that we must “fill up in our flesh” that which is still lacking in the sufferings of Christ on behalf of His body (Col. 1:24). The Old Testament speaks often of the cup of the wine of God’s wrath and suffering. And while the cup brings judgment and wrath that is poured out upon sinners, for the saint it seems to denote suffering that is not due to any judgment or wrath (cf. Psm. 60:3; 75:8; Isa. 51:17-23; Jer. 25:15-28; 51:7; Lam. 4:21; Ezk. 23:31-33; Hab. 2:16; Zech. 12:2; Mk. 10:38-39;14:36; Rev. 14:10; 16:19; 17:2; 18:5-7). The same seems to be true with regards to the concepts of “water,” “fire,” and “wind” (cp. Psm. 66:12; Jer. 4:11-12; Dan. 3:22-27 et al).

Jesus had said to His disciples: “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with…” (Mk. 10:38-39). Where did Christ (or even Paul) get such ideas from? The only place where such ideas are presented to us, is in the ceremonial libations that accompanied the offerings in the verses noted above that speak of the cup of the wine of wrath or of suffering.

When we read this statement of Jesus above, we often only think of Jesus and a few of His disciples as drinking the cup that He would drink, and being baptized with the baptism of suffering that He encountered. But what about us? Are we all to drink such a bitter cup and be baptized with some type of similar baptism that Christ was baptized with? The 1/4 cup of a hin of wine accompanying the grain offering, which typifies us, had already as a mystery alluded to this idea. But the Scriptures also clearly answer this question with regards to us in the affirmative, with God through the prophet Jeremiah saying of the ungodly Edomites: “This is what the LORD says: ‘If those who do not deserve to drink the cup must drink it, why should you go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, but must drink it.’” The NLT reads, “And this is what the LORD says: ‘If the innocent must suffer, how much more must you! You will not go unpunished! You must drink this cup of judgment!” (49:12).

The apostle Paul seemed to embrace this idea of the ceremonial libations, or drink offerings, when he says, “Nay, even if my life is to be poured as a libation upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I rejoice, and I congratulate you all” (Php. 2:17, WEY). And again, in 2Tim. 4:6, Paul writes: “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.”

When Jesus was approached by His mother at the wedding feast concerning the need for more wine, Jesus said, “Dear woman, why do you involve Me?…My time has not yet come.” What did He mean by this? The very same thing He was referring to above and which was portrayed as accompanying all of these Old Testament sacrifices—the cup of the wine of suffering.

Now, in getting back to the concept of the “tithe” in the Old Testament, Lev. 24:5 speaks of the twelve loaves of shewbread that were to be made out of fine flour and “baked,” like those in the Feast of Pentecost, using two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour in each loaf. They were to be set in “two” rows, with “six” in each row on a table of pure gold. And along each row was to be placed pure incense as a memorial portion to represent the bread, and it was to be offered with fire from the brazen altar and waved before the Lord by Aaron and His sons as they ate the bread. Again, somehow and in someway God’s holy remnant of people are to be understood in all of this in the “eating” and partaking of Christ's body, which is also His Church (or His "assembly" of called-out ones from both the Old and New Testament days). The “incense” we know, from reading Revelation, is what makes the prayers of the saints acceptable before God in the person and work of Christ as our High Priest and Intercessor (8:4; 5:8). And it seems that the principle of God’s holy “tithe” or “portion” that belongs to Christ, our High Priest, is represented here again in the constitution or making up of these loaves of bread. And what was presented as two baked loaves of one-tenth in each in the Feast of Pentecost, here in the table of shewbread it is now "one" baked loaf made up (or combined) of two-tenths. Again, there can be no doubt as to who or what this referring to. Once again, the idea of a "tenth" being denoted here plays a significant role in all of this as denoting a certain and measured portion belonging to God.

In Num. 5:15, the test of an unfaithful wife is ascertained in the offering up of one-tenth of an ephah of barley flour for a grain offering, accompanied with oil and incense. Then “holy water in a clay jar [with] some dust from the tabernacle floor” was placed into the water (v. 17) for which she was commanded to drink (v. 24). All of these things were to be a witness for or against her, depending on if she was guilty or not. I am not sure what the “dust” represents, other than the possibility of the idea of a curse and being humbled; and the “water” most likely signifying the witness of the Word of the Lord either for or against her. The “oil, ” of course, signifies the presence of the Holy Spirit; and the “incense” represents our intercessory prayers being acceptable before God. And since we know that this “tenth” is a representative amount depicting God’s holy portion and inheritance that belongs to Him, could this offering possibly “represent” the idea of how God has made us all judges before Him on thrones (Rev. 20:4), and that by presenting this woman before the Lord accompanied by this “tenth,” all these witnesses of the Word, the Spirit, and even us in a sense, would either accuse  or excuse her—just as partaking of the body and blood in Lord’s supper in an unworthy manner can either cause some of us to get sick or ill, or even die prematurely (1Cor. 11:27-32)? And even Paul has said, “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?” (1Cor. 6:2). One thing is for certain here though: if this woman was guilty, “her abdomen would swell and her thigh would waste away” (v. 27); if not, then “she will be cleared of guilt and will be able to have children” (v. 28).

In Deut. 23:2-4, God says:

No one born of a forbidden marriage nor any of his descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, even down to the tenth generation. No Ammonite or Moabite or any of his descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, even down to the tenth generation. For they did not come to meet you with bread and water on your way when you came out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim to pronounce a curse on you.

Here these people could not “enter the assembly of the Lord” until “the tenth” generation had passed away. They were not to be allowed in the company or number of God's people until ten generations had passed. And so it was only by God's sole discretion, according to His grace and mercy, that after the “tenth” generation had passed away that these people could be allowed into the assembly.

In Zechariah 8:20-23, the Lord says,

Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come, and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, "Let us go at once to entreat the Lord and seek the Lord Almighty. I myself am going" And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord Almighty and to entreat Him. This is what the Lord Almighty says: In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, "Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you."

Again, a remnant, represented by the number "ten," will come "from all languages and nations" via the first Jewish disciples in Christ's day. Are we to suppose that just one person from just ten nations will come? Or, is the Lord using the number "ten" again here in His customary manner? Clearly this representative number is more than just "ten," for verse 22 says that "many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord Almighty and to entreat Him." This has never literally happened yet. But we do actually see this happening right now in the present city of New Jerusalem in Rev. 21:24, where it says, "The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth [now] bring their splendor into it."[11]  And again, "the glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it" (v. 26).

It just seems to me that the one thing that God wanted to impress the most to us in all of these examples above is, among other things, the significance of “the tenth.” These weren't just idle words from God. Clearly, the "tenth" typified something to Him. It was never about a literal harvest that was to be presented unto the Lord, but about a spiritual harvest of souls. No doubt the "tenth" truly meant something in this manner to God, and it should thus speak volumes for those of us who are His "portion" or "remnant," set apart by Him to be His "allotted inheritance" for holy purposes. Many of us have just not realized this. God didn’t just say such things using certain numbers, ideas, or concepts just for the fun of it, or just for the sake of literally observing these things. He has been saying something “spiritually” to us all along in all of these ceremonies, right down to the smallest and most seemingly insignificant details. I have read some of the older commentators that seem to have gotten a dim glimpse of the meaning behind this concept called: “the tenth.” But no one to date, that I am aware of, has ever ventured to give a detailed report, at least not in the recognition of it being a “type” and “shadow” of spiritual realities like all of the rest of those offerings.

And here is one last thought on the “tenth” before moving on to Abraham and Jacob: In Rev. 11:13, the idea of a “tenth” is clearly used in a negative sense of a portion equal to a “tenth” that turns out to be "seven thousand people" who are killed, in contradistinction to the “7,000” in Elijah’s day whom God says were "reserved" unto Him because they had not bowed the knee to Baal. These in Revelation though will be “reserved” or “set apart” for destruction, instead of for blessing, kind of like those in Israel's day who were said to be "eaten" in Isaiah 6:13 and Jer. 2:3. Like His sheep, God knows those who are NOT His sheep as well. Like all of God’s people who are accounted for and “marked” for preservation (as noted earlier in Ezk. 9), these in Revelation 11 are also numbered and “marked” with the mark of the beast for destruction and devastation as sinners deserving of God's wrath, and not salvation. They are all "numbered" and found wanting. (Click here for part 3)


Footnotes:

[1] “According to Josephus and Philo, it was a sheaf of "barley"; but this is not expressly commanded, because it would be taken for granted in Canaan where the first harvest began with the barley. In the warmer parts of Palestine the barley ripens about the middle of April, and is reaped in April or the beginning of May; whereas the wheat ripens two or three weeks later” (Keil and Del. quoting “Seetzen; Robinson’s Pal., ii. 263, 278”; p. 439).

[2] Although this sheaf of firstfruits offering was not itself actually accompanied with a "sin offering," it was one of the daily offerings to be offered during the seven days of unleavened bread. In Lev. 23:8, it says, "For seven days present an offering made to the Lord by fire"; and when we turn to Numbers 18 where more details are given as to what this "offering made to the Lord by fire" is, we see that it consisted of: "a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. With each bull prepare a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths; and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth. Include one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you. Prepare these in addition to the regular morning burnt offering. In this way prepare the food for the offering made by fire every day for seven days as an aroma pleasing to the LORD ; it is to be prepared in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering" (Num. 28:19-24).

[3] It also happened that Nisan 15 fell on a Saturday Sabbath during this particular Passover celebration, making it what John described as a “High Sabbath” (Jhn. 19:31, Berean Study Bible). It was a festival “High Sabbath” and the “Saturday Sabbath” all rolled into one day, thus making the crucifixion to have occurred on a Friday. This is why the day of Christ’s crucifixion is also called “The Preparation Day,” because it was also the day prior to the Saturday Sabbath (and even the High Sabbath) in which food was prepared for that day in advance. Nisan 14 fell on other days throughout the years, but on this particular year it fell on a Friday, as Jewish and astronomical calendars can substantiate for us. Of course, all of this depends on what year you believe Christ died. I believe it to be the year of 30 AD, when Nisan 14 fell on Friday. Any other years immediately before or after this year do not allow for a "Friday" Passover beginning on Nisan 14. Christ was baptized just 3 1/2 years earlier, in 26 AD, the fifteenth year of the reign of the Emperor Tiberius (Lke. 3:1), when Christ is also said to be about 30 years of age (Lke. 3:23). Christ was born in 5 BC, the year before Herod's death in 4 BC. So 5 BC to 26 AD, minus one year for inclusive reckoning going from BC to AD, equals 30 years of age in 26 AD, leaving us with 30 AD for the year of Christ's sacrificial Passover for us 3 1/2 years later on Nisan 14. John records for us four Passovers, with Christ being crucified on the fourth Passover, or in the fourth year counting from 26 AD.

[4] “Week” is sometimes translated instead of “Sabbath” for the Gk. sabbaton (see Lke. 8:12; 24:1 and gospels). Translations supporting this are: God’s Word Translation and Douay-Rheims Bible. Also in agreement with this usage is Unger’s Bible Dict., Keil and Del., and Barnes’ Notes. As Keil and Delitzsch note, if this “Sabbath [this first day of Unleavened Bread or holy convocation] were not fixed, but might fall on any day of the seven days’ feast of Mazzoth, and therefore as much as five or six days after the Passover, the feast of Passover itself would be forced out of the fundamental position which it occupied in the series of annual festivals” (Keil-Del., vol. 1, p. 440, footnote 1). Duet. 16:9 also seems to substantiate this interpretation. It says “seven-sevens” (or 49 days) are to be counted from the day of the waving of this sheaf of firstfruits, with no particular reference to the Saturday Sabbath at all. In other words, they were not to count seven Saturday Sabbaths, but just seven, seven-day periods from the very day that the barley sheaf was waved.

[5] Merrill F. Unger, Unger's Bible Dictionary (Chicago: Mood Press, 1957), p. 367.

[6] James Denney, St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, as cited in The Expositor's Greek Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, reprint 1990), p. 649. (words in brackets mine).

[7] The Greek word for “made alive” here in Eph. 2:5 (and in Col. 2:13) denotes being reanimated after one is dead. And clearly, this isn’t a physical resurrection but a spiritual one; not external but internal. Christ died both spiritually and physically in our stead, that we might be made alive together with Him both spiritually and physically. He suffered under the pangs and judgment of both spiritual and physical death, just as sure as we would have had to have suffered under the pangs and judgment of spiritual and physical death. He became a total substitute, not just a partial one. Kenneth Wuest notes here with regards to this Greek word for “made alive,” as also found in 1Pet. 3:18 concerning Christ:

The word “quickened”…does not mean to “energize,” but “to make alive.” To make something alive presupposes a condition of death. A living person may be energized, but only a dead person can be made alive. The opposite of death is life. We have therefore a contrast between two things, death and life. 

The translation reads, “having in fact been put to death with respect to the flesh, but made alive with respect to the spirit.” That preserves the balance in which the apostle contrasts the physical death of our Lord with the fact that His human spirit was made alive. But how are we to understand this latter? 

To make alive Christ’s human spirit presupposes the death of that human spirit. Our Lord on Calvary’s cross cried, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mat. 27:46). The Greek word translated “forsaken” means “to abandon, desert, leave in straits, leave helpless, leave destitute, leave in a lurch, let one down.” The cry was addressed to the two other members of the Triune Godhead. God the Father had abandoned and deserted Him....Our Lord's prayer was unanswered. This unanswered prayer was predicted in type in Lev. 5:11 where an offerer too poor to bring a blood offering could bring the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour, just enough to bake one day's supply of bread; the giving up of the flour typifying the giving up of life, thus pointing to our Lord's death. But [the offerer] was forbidden to include frankincense with the flour. Frankincense is a type of answered prayer. Flour without frankincense speaks of our Lord's death and His unanswered prayer [for without it the prayers of the saints are not heard, see Rev. 5:8 and 8:3-4]. 

The question…was also addressed to God the Holy Spirit. The same necessity which caused God the Father to abandon God the Son caused the Holy Spirit to do the same....That human spirit during our Lord’s earthly existence was energized by [and in union with] the Holy Spirit….But now, in the hour of His direst need, the Holy Spirit left Him helpless and in the lurch. He abandoned the Son just as surely as did God the Father. This is [also] predicted in type in Lev. 5:11 where the offerer is forbidden to include oil in the flour. Oil is a type of the Holy Spirit. No oil [mingled] in the flour speaks of the withdrawal of the Holy Spirit's sustaining presence while our Lord was suffering on the Cross. He ceased keeping alive in divine life the human spirit of our Lord. That human spirit, sinless though it was and continued to be, was dead in that the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit ceased to energize it….But when He [supposedly] prayed that He might be raised from the dead, the Holy Spirit…returned to make alive again His human spirit…Sin had been paid for. The atonement was looked upon as complete. (Word Studies in the Greek NT [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1942], vol. 2, pp. 95, 96, 97. Emphasis and words in brackets mine).

Albert Barnes concurs with Wuest in his commentary under 1Pet. 3:18 with regards to this Greek word for being “made alive”: “This does not mean ‘kept alive,’ but ‘made alive; recalled to life; reanimated.’ The word is never used in the sense of maintained alive, or preserved alive….The sense, then, cannot be that, in reference to his soul or spirit, he was preserved alive when his body died, but that there was some agency or power restoring him to life, or reanimating him after he was dead.” (Barnes’ Notes on 1Peter, public domain online at Biblos.com.).

So, you can very well see that for us to be “made alive together with Christ” can only mean to be spiritually made alive with Him after both of us were actually spiritually dead in sins and trespasses. Again, how so with Christ? By Him becoming sin with our sin placed upon Him, even as upon the Scapegoat in Leviticus 16. And to this Rom. 8:3 and 2Cor. 5:21 agree (as well as 1Pet. 2:24; Isa. 53:6, 10, 11, 12).

[8] Institutes of the Christian Religion (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1975), Book II, XVI, 12, p. 445. Emphasis mine.

[9] Systematic Theology (St. Louis: Presbyterian and Reformed Pub., 1878), lecture 45, pp. 546-547. Emphasis mine.

[10] Institutes of Elenctic Theology (Phillipsburg: Presbyterian and Reformed Pub., 1994), vol. 2, p. 354. Emphasis mine.

[11] In Heb. 13:12, it says that Jesus suffered “outside” of the literal city of Jerusalem. Then in a twist of words it says, let us (the Jewish believers of that day) go “outside the camp” (or the city) bearing the disgrace that Christ bore, “for here we have not an abiding city, but we are seeking the city that is come” (lit. trans.). Notice that it is a city that isn’t coming, as if in the future, but a city that “is come.” The verb here is a present active participle denoting a present reality and not a future expectation as most translations would lead us to believe. Heb. 12:22 says the same thing when it says, “you have come...to the heavenly Jerusalem.” Not “will” come, but “have come” using this time the perfect active indicative Greek verb which denotes an action by us completed at a specific point and time in our past with results continuing in the present. This isn’t future beloved; this is now! We are the New Jerusalem having “now” come down from above, where “above” denotes our origin and not literally coming down out of heaven. It is the same as saying that all of us who are born of God are “born from above” in Jhn. 3:3, 7. This idea of “is come” rather than “is or will come” is likewise noted by John in Rev. 21:2 of the New Jerusalem, the bride and Church of Christ (cf. 21:2, 9-10), that he says is presently “coming down,” also using the same present active participle. This is why the Lord later reveals in this chapter (in v. 24b) how that the kings of the earth are now bringing their glory into it using the Greek present active indicative verb, and not “will bring” as the majority of translations denote. There are still those at the time of John recording this vision who are said to come in the future in verse 24a and verse 26 using the future active indicative verb, but this is only looking at it from John’s vantage point, and not from ours. If this is a literal golden city in heaven or in a new heavens and earth in the future, then how can it be said that it is “now” coming down and that kings are “now” bringing their glory into it? Or better yet, how can it be said that nations in the future will walk by its light, or that their glory and honor will be brought into it? Shouldn’t it rather be “now” that they are doing this, like the kings mentioned above, and not in the future? For when this is all said and done there will be no “future” for doing this anymore, let alone even a “present” ability for kings to bring their glory into it. All this leaves us to conclude that it is absurd to think of this as a literal city in the future, but actually a “present” city in which kings and nations “now” in fact bring their glory into it, and even into the future before the last and final day of Lord at His second coming to gather His people and judge the ungodly. And finally, in Rev. 3:12, Christ says that all overcomers will be made pillars in His temple, never leaving it, and that He will write on them the name “New Jerusalem” which “is come down out of heaven,” not will come down, again using the Greek present active participle verb. This heavenly city is a present reality, and all overcomers will be rewarded, in Rev. 3:12, with that name written upon them.