9223. '[And] you shall not be slow [to offer] the firstfruits of your grain and the firstfruits of your wine' means that since all the good and the truth of faith come from the Lord they are to be ascribed to Him, not to self. This is clear from the meaning of 'the firstfruits' as those things which must occupy first place, thus which are the chief of them all, dealt with below; from the meaning of 'grain' as the good of the truth of faith, dealt with in 5295, 5410, 5959, and from the meaning of 'wine' as the truth of good, thus the truth of the good of faith, dealt with in 1798, 6377; and from the meaning of 'not being slow', when it has reference to the good and truth of faith, as ascribing from affection, since that which is done not slowly but swiftly is done from love and affection, 7695, 7866. The reason why ascribing to the Lord is meant is that the firstfruits, like the firstborn also, were given to Jehovah, and by Jehovah to Aaron and his seed, 'Jehovah' being used in the Word to mean the Lord, 1736, 2921, 3023, 3035, 5663, 6303, 6945, 6956, 8274, 8864. Consequently since the firstfruits of grain and wine are forms of the good and the truths of faith, the meaning is that they are to be ascribed to the Lord since they come from Him. For the truth that everything composing a person's thought and will flows in, and the truth that all goodness and truth come from the Lord, see 2886-2888, 3142, 3147, 4151, 4249, 5119, 5147, 5150, 5259, 5482, 5649, 5779, 5854, 5893, 6027, 6982, 6985, 6996, 7004, 7055, 7056, 7058, 7270, 7343, 8321, 8685, 8701, 8717, 8728, 8823, 8864, 9110, 9111; and the same truths from experience, 6053-6058, 6189-6215, 6307-6327, 6466-6495, 6598-6626.

[2] The firstfruits that were to be offered to the Lord were the firstfruits of the harvest and the firstfruits of vintage, ¹ also the firstfruits of shearing, and the firstfruits of fruit too. The firstfruits of the harvest were parched and fresh ears of grain, also a sheaf that was to be waved, and afterwards products of the threshing-floor, which were cakes, while the firstfruits of vintage were the firstfruits of wine, must, and oil. In addition to these there were the firstfruits of shearing the flock, and also the firstfruits of fruit, which were offered in a basket. In addition also all the firstborn were offered to the Lord, though the firstborn of human beings were redeemed, as also were the firstborn of animals that were not offered in sacrifices, such as those of asses, mules, horses, and the like. Firstfruits and firstborn were offered to Jehovah and were given by Jehovah to Aaron and his seed because Aaron and his sons, who served in the office of high priest, represented the Lord. In the present verse 'the firstfruits of grain and of wine' is used to mean all the firstfruits of harvest and vintage that have been referred to immediately above. For the words used in the original language are 'the fullness of grain' and 'the tear of wine', 'fullness' being the harvest when it has ripened and also been gathered in, and 'tears' drops of fluid that trickle down.

[3] What was represented specifically by firstfruits - for all the religious laws and practices which the Lord commanded the children of Israel represented internal aspects of the Church - becomes clear when the particular products whose firstfruits were offered are considered in the internal sense. 'Grain' means the good of faith and 'wine' the truth of faith, as may be seen in the places referred to above. Giving firstfruits to Jehovah was a sign that the ascription of every good and truth of faith to the Lord and not to self was the first thing of the Church. Ascribing them to the Lord consists in knowing, acknowledging, and believing that they spring from the Lord and in no way at all from self; for as shown above, faith comes entirely from the Lord. The reason why 'the firstfruits' have this meaning is that firstfruits were offerings and gifts which were thanksgivings for the fruits of the earth. They were the acknowledgement of blessings from Jehovah, that is, from the Lord, and therefore the acknowledgement that all things came from Him. In the internal sense they are the acknowledgement [that He is the Source] of every good and truth of faith, which are meant by harvest, grain, oil, must, wine, wool, and fruit, whose firstfruits were given. Regarding these 'firstfruits', see Exodus 23:19; 34:26; Leviticus 23:10-11, 20; Numbers 15:19-21; 18:12-13; Deuteronomy 18:4; 26:1-11; and 'firstfruits' have a similar meaning in Ezekiel 20:40 and Micah 7:1-2.

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8321. 'Till Your people pass over' means that therefore without risk of molestation all capable of receiving the truth of good and the good of truth will be saved. This is clear from the meaning of 'passing over' as being saved without risk of molestation, for when those steeped in falsities arising from evil who have engaged in molestation have been cast into hell and moved away there are no longer any left to stand in the way by introducing falsities and evils and in so doing to prevent the reception of good and truth from the Lord. These are the things meant here by 'passing over'; for as long as the evil had not been cast into hell scarcely anyone was able to pass over, that is, be saved. At that time the evil were constantly rousing evils and falsities among those entering the next life, and thereby drawing them away from goodness and truth. To the end therefore that people governed by goodness and truth might be delivered from those evil ones the Lord came into the world. While in the world He subdued all such as themselves by allowing Himself repeatedly to suffer temptations in which He was repeatedly victorious and after which by His presence He caused them to be cast into hell. There, obsessed with their evils and falsities, they were held in bonds for evermore.

[2] At this point 'people' is used to mean those who are capable of receiving the truth of good and the good of truth; for generally 'people' means those who are guided and governed by the truth and good of faith, 1259, 1260, 3295, 3581, 4619. At this point it means Israel, that is, those who belong to the spiritual Church, or what amounts to the same thing, those who are guided by the truth of good and governed by the good of truth 7957, 8234. The words 'capable of receiving the truth of good and the good of truth' are used because none have that ability except those who have led a charitable life; this life affords them that ability. How very greatly mistaken they are who believe that faith without charity can impart this quality! For faith without charity is hard and resistant, and repels all that flows in from the Lord, whereas charity together with faith is yielding and soft, and is receptive of what flows in from Him. So it is that charity imparts that ability, but not faith without charity. And since charity imparts that ability it is also what brings salvation, for those who are saved are not saved by charity beginning in themselves but by charity coming from the Lord, consequently by the ability to receive it.