This sheaf was, typically or mystically, Christ risen. “On the morrow after the Sabbath,” the first day, or resurrection day, it was waved.
In the ordinance of waving we observe these particulars. (Lev. 23:10-1410Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: 11And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. 12And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the Lord. 13And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the Lord for a sweet savor: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin. 14And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. (Leviticus 23:10‑14)).
1. The Jew was to bring the sheaf.
2. The Priest was to wave it before the Lord, and it would be accepted for Israel.
3. The Jew, or Israel was then to offer a burnt, meat, and drink offering.
4. Israel was not to eat of the new corn in any shape, till this was done.
This is typical of the way of a believer touching the resurrection of Christ, as shown in Luke 24:26-5326Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 28And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 29But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. 30And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? 33And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, 34Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. 35And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. 36And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 37But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 38And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. 40And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? 42And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43And he took it, and did eat before them. 44And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48And ye are witnesses of these things. 49And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. 50And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. 51And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. 52And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: 53And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen. (Luke 24:26‑53).
1. The disciples brim, the sheaf; i.e., they believe the resurrection of Christ. (366-45).
2. Christ Himself, the true Priest, lets them know that this resurrection was for them, accepted for them. (46-51.)
3. They make their offerings on this ground, offerings of worship and joy. (52.)
4. They know of no eating, no feast, no communion; but in connection with the waved sheaf. The temple to them is only the place of its celebration. They occupy it, as it were, only—in company with Jesus risen. (v. 53).
The sweet point of attraction is v. 53 of Luke 24 The congregation can do nothing for the moment but rejoice in the wave sheaf. It is the commanding, the absorbing thought. They fill the Temple, not as worshipping Jews, with sacrifices, for the remembrance of sins, but as believing sinners, with thanksgivings for the resurrection, which bears the remission of sins.
It is the first harvest day with them—they had lost sight of all Temple service, but as it witnessed the ordinance of waving the sheaf of firstfruits.
Some may ask, how could they seek the Temple, after they had reached to faith in Jesus risen? They sought it, and used it, and knew it, and as the appointed place for rendering their offerings on the first clay of harvest; that harvest which the God. of Israel was now (dying His land and people.
It is another form of owning like David, Oman’s floor as the only place of service. (1 Chron. 21) The wave sheaf—Jesus risen—tells us, like that mystic spot, that “Mercy rejoiceth against judgment:” and how can we occupy any other ground? David would not seek the former altar, and the disciples forgot the old Temple; or the Temple in any of its services but one-that which belonged to the first day of harvest.
The resurrection in earlier parts of Luke 24 had done its sweet service with the disciples. It had chased away their fears, cleared up, their doubts and difficulties, and done the business which their loving spices had proposed to do, and that too in a. much better way; but now it had done its service for them. It changes their religion—giving them to triumph in the remission of sins, instead of going on as they had been wont to do, to perpetuate the remembrance of sin. It rebuilds their Temple for them without any cost or trouble to them, just as it had rolled away the heavy stone for them from the sepulcher, so now it rolls away a yoke which neither they nor their fathers had been able to bear, and calls their spirits forth into the sunshine and liberty of the resurrection morning.