Christ fulfilled all the foreshadowed typings and expectations of the Law of Moses. The feasts, purposes, performances, ordinances and offerings associated with the Law of Moses were all fulfilled in Christ. The Law of Moses was not just abolished and done away with. Chrits did not come to destroy the Law of Moses. He came to fulfill the Law of Moses. It was completed, finished, fulfilled and had its end in Christ the Messiah. The purpose of the Law of Moses was to bring men to an understanding of the mission, workings and atonement of the Messiah in which he would perform for his people, the children of God who would accept his gospel. Each offering, ordinance, performance, associated feast and purpose had was set forth in order to teach men of Christ's condescention and mission of performance which would redeem man from the fall of Adam and save them from the fate of living forever in their sins.

The Three Great Feasts of Pilgramage

It is the second feast of pilgrimage, the feast of firstfruits, of Christ being the firstfruits, the firstborn and firstfruits of the resurrection through the fulfilling of the atonement of the the gospel that we are further concerned with here. Christ is the firstfruit, the firstborn in heaven of the Father and of the womb of Mary upon earth. Thus he fulfills the 'legacy of the firstborn' in the everlasting covenant of God . And then the third feast of pilgrimage of the year is the feast of the ingathering, which relates to the last days and Christ gathering in all of Israel and all mankind under the umbrella of his provided salvation. This is but a very incomplete and extremely brief symopsis of how the three major feasts of pilgrimage performance do relate to Christ's fulfillment of the Law. And there is much, much more to be discussed in relation to each, but not here. Here we are just concerned with the concept that each of these three great feasts do have their relationship to and fulfillment in Christ.

Shavuot

The Feast of the First Fruits occurs 50 days or seven weeks past the passover feast. As will be seen, Christ was born during the passover season if not right at that time. And as the 'firstfruits' of Mary, Christ would have been presented to the LORD about the time of Shavuot being that 8 days after birth he was circumcised and then after at least 33 days (likely more_, the period of Mary's purification, is when the baby Jesus would next appear at the temple, during the feast of weeks, Shavuot. Later, Christ would become the firstfruits of the ressurection and on Pentecost or Shavuot is when the Holy Ghost did come to witness to the world of the then completed works of the firstborn and reap the firstfruits being 3,000 converts upon that day.

There are also connecting performances and traditions carried out upon that day. One of the traditional activities prescribed for that day is the reading of the book of Ruth. Though lost in Jewish understanding, the primary reason that the reading of Ruth would be signicant upon that feast is that Ruth contains the very ancestry of the Messiah of which we are concerned with. That account, when taken from the perspective of explaining the Messiah's ancestry, is a clear account of the Lord's dual ancestry. It sets out that Christ by right of the Mosaic Law is in fact the legal and rightful seed of the firstborn legacy of Joseph and Ephraim as righful heirs of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The family of Elimelech was Ephrathite and possibly of the clan of Nun and Joshua. And Mahlon, by right of the Levitical or Levirate Law of Marriage, was to whom Obed was being raised up unto. Ruth also sets out clearly that Boaz, the surrogate parent, was of the house of Judah.

From the vaious traditions of the Jews we can compare the significance of the feast of first hervest or Shavuot with the event of Christ's era. The first event celebrated is the giving of the Ten Commandments or the Law of the Lord. Christ is the Law giver and he was 'given' or presented to the LORD, his Lord, at that time and season. Later the upon the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit does fully confirm and witness to the Christ's mission or the mission of the firstborn. Traditionally, the law was given 50 days from the time of the first passover. Christ will be seen to have been born during the season of passover and later he would be sacrificed or killed as the killing of the passover sacrifice. Fifty days from the event of the birth, passover and death of the Savior is when the child was presented at the temple and offered unto the LORD as the fruits of the firstborn and fifty days from his death and resurrection was Christ fully recieved and witnessed to by the coming of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost. The Law of Jehovah was written in Stone, Christ was the Stone of Israel upon which the Law of God is written. Three thousand where slain at the first givig of the Law of moses. Three Thousand were converted as the firstfruits at Pentecost. The Law of Moses was the letter of the Law. Christ is the fulfillment of that Law and from thence is the Spirit of the Law given, not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it and raise it to a higher level of performance from the lesser law to the higher law of God.

Also, Pentecost or Shavuot marks the beginning of the period of the wheat harvest which ends at the feast of the ingathering. The ingathering being symbolic of the gathering of Israel that immediately precedes and becomes part of the Second Coming of Christ and his Millenial Reign. Thus the three great feast are so related. From the birth of Christ and the passover, to the giving or offering of the firstfruits in the giving of Christ to the LORD as the firstfruits of the resurrection, to the ingathering in the last days of harvest, they personify the events of Christs mission and life here upon this earth. And Christ has, does and will fulfill all the measures and meanings of these Law of Moses feasts and foreshadowings.

It has become a common consensous and understanding in the LDS Church that Christ was born of April 6th, 1,830 year prior to the restoration of his Church effected on April 6th, 1830. And while the accracy of our calendar does not allow us to so precisely fixed the exact dates of the Law of Moses feast back in the time of Christ due to various calendar adjustment and idocinracies, it is understandably considered that Christ having a birth date of April 6th, will places his birth within the season of the passover feast. And we certainly know that his death was so dated as it was the week of the Jewish passover which incompassed our Lord's death and atonement, just as the passover in Egypt did incompass the deliverance of Israel from Egypt.

In respect to Christ's ancestry, which we are concerned with in this presentation, Shavuot or the Feast of the Firstfruits was one such feast associated with Christ's ancestry and his associated mission, being the firstfruits of the plan of salvation in many respect and the firstfruits or firstborn Son of God in Israel.

Legacy of the Firstborn

The legacy of the 'firstborn' has long held much significance in scriptural Israel. It is an interesting legacy as Abraham was not the first born son of Terah his father, yet he was the chosen vesel of the Lord to carry forward the 'legacy of the firstborn'. Isaac was not the first born son of Abraham though he was the first born son of Sarah, Abraham's chosen wife. Neither was Jacob the first born son, as his brother Esua was the firstborn son of Isaac of Rebecka. Joseph was not the firstborn of Jacob, Rueben was of Leah, Jacob's first wife. Joseph was the firstborn of Rachel, Jacob's wife of choice, but he was the eleventh born son of Jacob over all. Neither was Ephraim the first born son of Joseph as that was Manasseh. And while Obed was the firstborn of Ruth, being that son raised up to the dead Mahlon of Boaz, David was not the firstborn of the house of Jesse. Thus one is left to ask, just what is the legacy of the firstborn in relation to God's consideration.

In Isrealite tradition, the responsibility of the firstborn son was the care of the continuation of the extended family. The firstborn son is traditionally give two portions of inheritance compared to those given to the others of inheritance. This double porstion was given in order to help the first born take care and guardianship of the family unit. Yet what is the relationship to this 'firstborn' responsibility of temporal family care to do with the 'firstborn' legacy of God's Kingdom? The priesthood never did follow such patriarchal order in the realm of the anals of the children of Abraham with few exceptions.

Abraham received his priesthood and blessings of the fathers from Melchezidek, who was not even Abraham's immediate father, though perhaps an earlier progenitor or kinsman. And Abraham was not the firstborn son. So his inheritance of the covenant of the fathers was not so based, but based upon Abraham's personal righteousness. Yet Abraham was selected to become the ancestor to the 'firstborn' son of God the Father. That is Christ was the first born of the Father in spirit and also the firstborn son of Mary and the only begotten son of the Father in the flesh of our 2nd estate.

Now Ishmael was the firstborn son of Abraham of the handmaid of Sarah, given to Abraham to raise up seed to Abraham before Sarah final conceived at age 90 and gave birth to Isaac. Yet Isaac was selected by God as the chosen vesel to continue the 'legacy of the firstborn'. And Isaac became the bearer of the priesthood rights of the covenant of the fathers, which included the right and responsibility to have the promised Messiah to be of his seed to bless all the nations of the earth through his redeeming atonement.

Then Isaac fathered Esau and Jacob. Esau was the firstborn son and the favored son of Isaac. But Esau cared little for the priesthood blessings of the covenant of the fathers. And he sold his birthright to Jacob for a helping of food. Jacob, like his grandfather Abraham, desired to receive the priesthood blessings of the covenant of the fathers. Esau cared little for it and was more concerning with the double property share of the firstborn son. Through Rebekah's inspired intervention, Jacob also received the patriarchal blessing of the first born under the hand of Isaac. Esau got what he was most concerned with, and that is all the property of Isaac. Jacob earned his vaste herds and property while working for his father-in-law, the brother of Rebekah, Laban.

Now Isaac's blessing of Jacob, at least that which is presured in scripture, stated little relative to the covenant of the fathers or being ancestor to the Messiah. Perhaps that matter was already settled by Esua' selling the birthright to Jacob. But what is significant in the blessing which can be read in three short verses of Genesis 27:27-29, is that Jacob was given the blessings of the fatness of the earth, dominance over the house of Isaac, and that 'everyone that curseth thee be cursed and eveyone that blesseth thee be blessed'. This last part could be considered as a restatement of the blessings of Abraham, but Jacob.has his own personal wrestlings with the Lord in order to confirm his obtaining the priesthood blessing of the coveants of the fathers including the ancestry of Christ, which he does obtain.

Joseph is the eleventh son of Jacob, but according to modern scripture, it is Joseph by whom the blessings of the fathers did remain in Israel as stated in the Doctrine and Covenants as follows:

"And also with Joseph and Jacob and Isaac and Abraham, your fathers, by whom the promises remain;" ~ D&C 27:10

These promises of the covenant of the fathers did remain through the righteousness of Joseph. They did not remain by the righteousness of Judah, as Judah had proven to be unworthy of them. This supposed dychotomy of the Abrahamic Covenant which gives to Ephraim the son of Joseph the blessing of the nations of the earth while giving the right of ancestry to the Messiah to Judah is quite inconsistant with the facts of righteous inheritance of the covenant of the fathers and is the topic of clarification of this work. As presented in various items in this text, Joseph was the rightful ancestor of the Messiah, the shepherd and stone of Israel.

Now back to the legacy of the firstborn. Ephraim was not the firstborn of Joseph, yet Jacob who adopted the two sons of Joseph as his own, selected Ephraim over Menasseh to be the inheriter of the covenant promises of the fathers, including the ancestry to the Messiah. From thus comes the legends of the Messiah ben Ephraim who was and is the same as Messiah ben Joseph and Messiah ben David.

The point being made is that the 'right' of the 'firstborn' was not in fact associated with the first born of any of the father patriarchs from Abraham to Ephraim. This brings one to the conclusion that the 'legacy of the firstborn' in relationship to the everlasting covenant of the fathers was more clearly associated with the right to the ancestry of the 'firstborn' of the Father, in being the seed through whom the Messiah was to come.

Christ was the legacy of the firstborn in the covenant of the fathers. Christ was represented by the 'firstlings' of the herds and flocks in the most appropriately prepared sacrifices of the Law of Moses. These sacrifices did represent the legacy of God the Father's firstborn son, Jehovah, Christ, the Messiah and Redeemer of Israel. And Ephraim was clearly stated as being the Lord's 'firstborn' in carrying forth this legacy (Jeremiah 31:9). And the firstborn birthright of the ancestry of the Savior was taken from Rueben, Jacob's otherwise rightful firstborn, and given to the sons of Joseph (1 Chronicles 5:1). That is to Ephraim as assisted by Manasseh.

Now the Law of Moses did not only set out the law in respect to the animals of sacrifice to be the firstlings of the flock, But it did also set out that the first born in Israel wer Holy to the LORD God of Israel. This is set out as early as the Children of Israels departure from Egypt (Exodus 13:12-13). And so it was well established in the Law of Moses that the 'firstfruits' of crops, animals and son in Israel were given or offered to the Lord (Exodus 22:29-30). Of course the offering of the firstborn sons was not unto death but unto service to the Lord, being holy to the Lord.

Yet in the service of the lesser law of the priesthood of Aaron unto the Lord, the Lord did make a qualification unto this particular service only. And that was that Levi would serve in the lesser priethood of the Law of Animal Sacrifice instead of each of the firstborn sons in Israel (Numbers 3:42-45). Now this did not circumvent the 'legacy of the firstborn in Christ' which was a part and parcle with the everlasting covenant of the fathers. This was through Joseph to Ephraim and still did prevail in Israel. Moses' selection of the Levites to the Priesthood of Aaron, was but a lesser calling under the lesser law of the performances of teh Law of Moses and was not instead of the calling of Ephraim as the progenitor in right to the Messiah and the calling of Ephraim to perform in the salvation of the nations of the earth in concert with that one and only Messiah in the latter days.

In Order to Fulfill All Righteousness

In Christ was the Law fulfilled not destoryed. And in every performance of the Law did Christ so perform in righteousness, every ordinance, every performance and every fulfillment so foreshadowed. Christ so much as stated such in giving reason to John the Baptist why he, the sinless and perfect Messiah did submit to the ordiance of baptism. 'For thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness' (Matthew 3:13-15).

Thus it is not surprising that the infant Jesus did also fulfil all the performances of the Law as recorded in Luke chapter Eight days after his birth, the Christ child was circumcised, blessed and named Jesus (that is Joshua) according to the law (Luke 2:21; Levitcus 12:3). And then after her period of purification was accomplish, not to be before but at least after the period of 33 days, the firstborn male child of the womb was brought to the temple to be dedicated unto the Lord (Leviticus 12:4, 6-8). And so Christ was so brought to the temple according to the law as stated in Luke chapter 2.

"And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS [that is 'Joshua' after his likely Ephraimte ancestry by right] which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses [Luke 2:27] were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) [Exodus 13:2; 34:19-20; Numbers 15:19-23] And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." ~ Luke 2:21-24

Here it is confirmed that the law regarding the firstborn in Israel was not circumvented by the Levites being appointed to the priesthood of Aaron. That repalcement of the firstborn of Israel in the service of the Lord was so limited and did not replace the law that all sons in Israel where to be 'presented to the Lord, being holly to the Lord and dedicated to the Lord's service. In this thing Jesus Christ was the LORD's 'firstfruits' and it is very likely that his dedication in the temple of being the firstfruits did coincide with the 'feast of the firstfruits' or Shavuot as set out in the Law of Moses. And he would and did fulfill that feast's foreshadowing of him and his performance as the 'firstborn' or 'firstfruits' in Isreal. He also being the 'firstfruits' of the resurrection (1 Corinthins 15:20). Thus did and does Christ fulfill the legacy of the firstborn, the firstfruits in Israel..

It was upon the occation of presenting the Christ in the Temple as the 'firstfruits' that Simeon did bless and testify of the Christ as the salvation of the world, both Gentile and Israel (Luke 2:25-32). And as in the mouth of two or three witness, Anna the prophetess did also come at that time and did bear her witness of him to those in the temple that day (Luke 2:36-38).

Now it does need to be clearly stated, that Christ was the legacy of the firstfruits, the firstborn in Israel associated with the promises and covenant blessing of the fathers. These blessings and pronouncements of the Messiah did extent from before the foundation of the earth in the preexistent councils heaven where Jehovah was chosen by the Father to be the 'Firstborn', the 'Firstfruits', even the very Christ or anointed one of the Father of the covenant of the promises of the fathers.

A Parallel Part of the Legacy of the First Born

Christ did provide the way for mankind being the firstfuits of the Father and the resurrection. But it performed this for us vicariously. He atoned for our sins, for us. And as we accept him, we can become as it were legally the inheriting sons and daughters of Christ. And he can by this vicarious performance, father us back into the presence of God the Father. In him we are so born again and can return to heaven. This is as legal and binding as any parent child relationship can be and it has a confirming parallel found in the anals of ancestry of the Savior in Obed, Mahlon and the performing Boaz.

Boaz was a wealthy man with fields and servants. He was older than Ruth and would have certainly already have a family of his own. Obed, in consideration of the legacy of the 'firstborn' would not have been the firstborn son of Boaz. Yet Obed was the rightful and legal firstborn son of the covenant and ancestor to the Messiah by right. He like Christ was the first son to open the womb of Ruth, and not only was Obed the firstborn son of Ruth but Obed was the firstborn son of his rightful father Mahlon, and he was entitled as that firstborn son to be the heir to the righteous coveant blessings of the fathers through Mahlon and Elimelech back to Ephraim, Joseph, jacob, isaac and Abraham. Yes, Obed was the firstborn son of Mahlon by vicarious performance under God's Law. and just as Christ can become our father by his vicarious performance under God's eternal law, so was Obed the rightful son of Mahlon his vicarous legal father.

This fathering is done without being a genetic relationship of literal physical fatherhood. But just as legal as the adoptions by law performed today. they are the child of the adopting father. This could be concidered as parenthood without physically 'seeding' the child, thus the child could be said to be 'unleavened' or not seeded with organic yeast. This has a relationship to Christ's sacrement as established as the last supper, the feast of the passover. And the passover was representive of Christ's performance. Consider Christ's last supper, the day when the unleavened bread was to be eatened. It would have been unleavened bread, the bread of life, which the Christ did use symbolically of himself in that sacrement service.

"¶Then came the day of the unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed [and Christ was to be killed]."

"¶And he took bread [unleavend], and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you, this do in remembrance of me." ~ Luke 22:7, 19

Jesus Christ is the 'bread' the bread of life. During The week of the passover the Israelites were commanded to eat of unleavened bread. And unleavened bread, is that bread which is not seeded with yeast. Unleavened bread was the bread of the passover. Christ is the bread of the passover. Christ was not seeded of the yeast of earthly seed, the seed of Joseph the carpenter, as Christ was of God by the Holy Ghost. Like the unleaven bread, Jesus was not seeded or leavened of man. And in a parallel manner, Obed was not seeded by who it was that was his rightful and legal earthly father. Joseph the carpenter was regarded as Jesus' earthly father. Mahlon is rightfully to be regarded as Obed's legal earthly parent in a similar manner..

And neither Joseph the carpenter nor Mahlon the Ephrathite did seed who it was who was to be considered their legal and rightful offspring. But more in parallel, neither Obed nor Christ were to be considered as being of a 'levened' birth. And though both Obed and Jesus Christ are to be considered the legal and rightful seed of Joseph of Egypt, as from thence is the sheperd, the stone of Israel, neither Obed nor Christ are of the bloodline of Joseph through a direct paternal bloodline conception, Both are but children by vicarious performance the sons of Joseph of Egypt, Christ being the very Messiah ben Joseph and Messiah ben Daivd who was looked for to come. In this same vicarious manner are we parented back into heaven and become heirs of our Father in Heaven. And that is just as binding as Obed's tie to Mahlon and being the seed of Joseph of Egypt as both are performed according to the Law of God.