DCLM Daily Manna 5 December 2025 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Thanksgiving For Yearly Harvest
TOPIC: Thanksgiving For Yearly Harvest (DCLM Daily Manna 5 December 2025)
KEY VERSE: “Speak 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” (Leviticus 23:10).
TEXT: Leviticus 23:9-23 (KJV)
9 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
10 Speak 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:
11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
12 And 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.
13 And 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 savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin.
14 And 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.
15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:
16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord.
17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord.
18 And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the Lord, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the Lord.
19 Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.
20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the Lord, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the Lord for the priest.
21 And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.
22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the Lord your God.
23 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
MESSAGE:
Americans had celebrated Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of every November since 1621 when a group of Pilgrims shared a feast with friendly Indians. However, a reliable source states, “The first American Thanksgiving didn’t occur in 1621. The first recorded Thanksgiving took place in Virginia more than 11 years earlier, and it wasn’t a feast. The winter of 1610 at Jamestown had reduced a group of 409 settlers to 60. The survivors prayed for help without knowing when or how it might come. When help arrived, in the form of a ship filled with food and supplies from England, a prayer meeting was held to give thanks to God.”
In today’s text, God commanded the Israelites to observe the feasts of Firstfruits and Weeks (Pentecost) at the beginning of their yearly harvest. Essentially, the two feasts were thanksgiving services to appreciate God for a bountiful harvest and to acknowledge that it was not their soil or labour but God that got them their fruits. At all the feasts in Bible days, the Israelites offered prescribed offerings unto God with rejoicing. Remarkably, God commanded His people to make provision for the poor and strangers during their harvest time.
We therefore see that God’s appointed feasts for Israel provide an instructive template for modern day believers to be thankful and create time to reflect on God’s faithfulness. Firstfruits or harvest signifies soul-winning to believers, and Jesus said the field is ripe for harvest (John 4:34-38). Therefore, firstfruits is not about bringing one’s first salary or produce to the Pastor or Priest but showing gratitude to God, preaching the gospel and helping the needy. As we celebrate God’s abundant harvest, let us not forget to intentionally leave something for the less privileged.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Our regular thanksgiving and generosity attracts divine favour.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Hosea 10-14
Deeper Life Daily Manna was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
