Deuteronomy 26:1-11

The presentation of the firstfruits 26:1-11

When the Israelites entered the land they were to bring a special offering of firstfruits they harvested from the land to Yahweh at the tabernacle (cf. Deuteronomy 14:22-27). It was to be an expression of their gratitude to God for fulfilling His promise to bring them into the land. This was to be a combination of the feast of Firstfruits and a ceremony of covenant renewal. [Note: W. J. Dumbrell, Covenant and Creation, p. 116.] They were to remember their humble origins as well as express gratitude for their present blessings. The "father" referred to (Deuteronomy 26:5) was Jacob. Moses described him as an Aramean because he lived many years in Paddan-aram, and he married his wives and began his family there. Jacob was essentially simply a semi-nomad whom God had blessed (cf. Deuteronomy 18:4; Exodus 23:19; Numbers 18:12-20).

It was common for Semites to regard a part of the whole as the whole (Deuteronomy 26:9; cf. Joshua 21:43-45; 2 Samuel 5:6-10; 1 Kings 13:32; Jeremiah 31:5). They did not think of the firstfruits that they offered to God as the only portion they owed God. They viewed it as representing all that God had given them, all of which belonged to Him. [Note: See A. J. Mattill Jr., "Representative Universalism and the Conquest of Canaan," Concordia Theological Monthly 35:1 (1967):8-17.]

God’s people should acknowledge God’s goodness to them publicly, not forgetting their former condition (cf. Hebrews 13:15; Ephesians 5:4; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 2:7; Colossians 3:16; Colossians 4:2; 2 Corinthians 9:15).