first fruits
“All silver and gold and brass and iron are sacred to the Lord and should go into His treasury.” -Joshua 6:19
The earliest example of the practice of giving the first fruits of growth to God was when Joshua and the people first entered the Promised Land. When they crossed the Jordan River, their first battle was Jericho. God set an example by instructing them not to take any loot in this war. Unlike future battles, the fruits of this victory were to go to the treasury as a reminder of their first victory in the Promised Land. Furthermore, the city of Jericho was to become a lasting monument of God’s faithfulness. God instructed Joshua never to rebuild the city. If he or anyone in the future attempted to rebuild the city, the child’s life would be required first. Years later, in the days of King Ahab, Hiel the Bethelite attempted to rebuild the city and his first child died as a result. God never forgets to enforce His word.
Is your work a lasting memorial of God’s faithfulness in your life? Is this glorifying the Father? Are you giving the first fruits of your growth to God? Through this story God encourages us to give Him the first fruits of our work so that He can be glorified through our work. This is a concrete way for us to acknowledge that God is the source of all blessings.
