| Abstrakt: |
The bringing of the first fruits of the land (i.e. agricultural produce) was an important part of the offerings brought to the Temple in Jerusalem. All of the remaining agricultural produce throughout the year was thereby sanctified and dedicated to God who, in turn, blessed it and, out of His bounty, bestowed it to His chosen people. The first fruits of the land thus represented the sacrificial offering and the offered fruits sanctified that which had grown in the fields as well as that which had been born. The significance of the sacrificed first fruits found its expressions in the lives of the individuals, families, as well as the whole nation in three basic dimensions: agricultural, social-ethical, and religious. The religious dimension was the one connecting all three into one integral whole. By bringing the first fruits into the Jerusalem Temple, the faithful Israelite acknowledged God's authority, the monotheistic faith, his obedience and commitment to divine laws. By this act, at the same time, the faithful invoked the presence of the main events from the life of the nation of Israel when the land was given to the Israelites as a gift on the basis of God's promise and by virtue of the divine covenant. In addition, the offering of the first fruits also had a social motive. It was an important example for future generations and by acting in this way, the individual Israelite filled his life with unselfish deeds by giving and sharing the gifts of the earth. This time of the offering was a special, sacred time for both the man and God. Above all, however, it was a time of gratitude to the Lord for the gifts of the earth, a time of acknowledging God as Lord and Giver of everything. Trust and obedience to the God of Israel brought prosperity and blessing for the nation as well as for the individual. On the other hand, unfaithfulness and disobedience brought suffering, poverty, and curse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
