9223. The firstfruits of thy grain, and the firstfruits of thy wine, thou shalt not delay. That this signifies that as all the goods and truths of faith are from the Lord, they are to be ascribed to Him and not to self, is evident from the signification of “the firstfruits,” as being those things which must be in the first place, thus those which are to be chief of all (of which below); from the signification of “grain,” as being the good of the truth of faith (see n. 5295, 5410, 5959); from the signification of “wine,” as being the truth of good, thus, the truth of the good of faith (n. 1798, 6377); and from the signification of “not delaying,” when said of the good and truth of faith, as being to ascribe from affection; for that which is not done tardily, but quickly, is done from the affection of love (n. 7695, 7866). That ascription to the Lord is meant, is because the firstfruits, as well as the firstborn, were given to Jehovah, and by Jehovah to Aaron and his seed; and by “Jehovah” in the Word is meant the the Lord, (n. 1736, 2921, 3023, 3035, 5663, 6303, 6945, 6956, 8274, 8864). Wherefore, as “the first fruits of the grain and wine” denote the goods and truths of faith, it is meant that these are to be ascribed to the Lord, because they are from Him. (That everything of thought and of will with man flows in, and that all good and truth are from the Lord, see n. 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, 8863, 9110; and the same from experience, n. 6053-6058, 6189-6215, 6307-6327, 6466-6495, 6598-6626.)

[2] The firstfruits which were to be offered to the Lord, were the firstfruits of the harvest and the firstfruits of the vintage, also the firstfruits of shearing, and likewise the firstfruits of fruit. The firstfruits of the harvest were ears of corn, parched and green, also the sheaf which was to be waved, and afterward the firstfruits from the threshing floor, which were cakes; but the firstfruits of the vintage were the firstfruits of wine, of must, and of oil; and besides these there were the firstfruits of the sheep-shearing and also the firstfruits of fruit, which were offered in a basket. Moreover, all the firstborn also were offered to the Lord, of which were redeemed the firstborn of men, and also the firstborn of those animals which were not offered in the sacrifices, as the firstborn of asses, of mules, of horses, and the like. The firstfruits and the firstborn were offered to Jehovah, and by Jehovah were given to Aaron and his seed, for the reason that Aaron and his sons, who administered the office of the high-priesthood, represented the Lord. By “the firstfruits of grain and wine” in this verse are meant all the firstfruits of the harvest and the vintage, just now spoken of; for the expressions used in the original tongue are “the fullness of the grain,” and “the tear of the wine;” “fullness” denoting a harvest ripe and gathered in, and “tears” denoting what is made to drop.

[3] What the firstfruits specifically represented (for all the statutes and rituals enjoined upon the sons of Israel by the Lord represented internal things of the church), can be seen from the several kinds of produce the firstfruits of which were given, when viewed in the internal sense. That “grain” denotes the good of faith, and “wine” the truth of faith, may be seen in the passages above cited. That the firstfruits were to be given to Jehovah, signified that it is the first of the church to ascribe all the goods and truths of faith to the Lord, and not to self. To ascribe to the Lord is to know, to acknowledge, and to believe that these things are from the Lord, and nothing of them from self; for as above shown, everything of faith is from the Lord. The “firstfruits” have this signification because they were offerings and gifts, which were thanksgivings for the produce of the earth, and an acknowledgment of blessings from Jehovah, that is, from the Lord; and consequently were an acknowledgment that all things are from Him; and in the internal sense, an acknowledgment of the goods and truths of faith, which are signified by “harvest,” by “grain,” “oil,” “must,” “wine,” “wool,” and “fruits,” of which the firstfruits were given. (Concerning 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.) The like is signified by the “firstfruits” in Ezekiel 20:40, and in Micah 7:1-2.

886. That the “olive” signifies the good of charity, is evident from the signification in the Word not only of an “olive” but also of “oil.” It was with olive oil, together with spices, that the priests and kings were anointed, and it was with olive oil that the lamps were trimmed (see Exodus 30:24; 27:20). The reason olive oil was used for anointing and for lamps was that it represented all that is celestial, and therefore all the good of love and of charity; for the oil is the very essence of the tree, and is as it were its soul, just as the celestial, or the good of love and of charity, is the very essence or the very soul of faith; and hence oil has this representation. That “oil” signifies what is celestial, or the good of love and of charity, may be confirmed from many passages of the Word; but as it is the olive-tree, that is mentioned here, we will merely present some passages that confirm its signification. As in Jeremiah:

Jehovah called thy name a green olive-tree, fair with goodly fruit (Jeremiah 11:16),where the Most Ancient or Celestial Church is so called, which was the foundation church of the Jewish Church; and therefore all the representatives of the Jewish Church had regard to celestial things, and through these to the Lord.

[2] In Hosea:

His branches shall spread, and his honor shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as of Lebanon (Hosea 14:6),

which is said of the church that is to be planted, whose honor is the “olive-tree” that is, the good of love and of charity; the “smell as of Lebanon” being the affection of the truth of faith therefrom. “Lebanon” stands for its cedars, which signified spiritual things, or the truths of faith.

In Zechariah, speaking of the lampstand:

Two olive-trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof; these are the two sons of the pure oil that stand by the Lord of the whole earth (Zechariah 4:3, 11, 14).

Here the “two olive-trees” denote the celestial and the spiritual, thus love, which is of the celestial church, and charity, which is of the spiritual church. These are on the “right hand” and on the “left hand” of the Lord. The “lampstand” here signifies, as in the Jewish Church it represented, the Lord; its “lamps” signify celestial things from which are spiritual, as from a flame proceed rays of light, or light.

In David:

Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine in the sides of thy house; thy sons like olive plants (Psalms 128:3); where “wife as a vine” denotes the spiritual church; “sons” the truths of faith, which are called “olive plants” because from the goods of charity.

In Isaiah:

Yet there shall be left therein gleanings, as the shaking of an olive-tree, two or three berries in the top of the branch (Isaiah 17:6); where the subject treated of is the remains in man; “of an olive-tree” denoting celestial remains.

In Micah:

Thou shalt tread the olive, but shalt not anoint thee with oil; and the vintage, but shalt not drink the wine (Micah 6:15).

And in Moses:

Thou shalt plant vineyards and dress them, but thou shalt not drink of the wine; thou shalt have olive-trees throughout all thy border, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil (Deuteronomy 28:39-40),

where the subject is the abundance of doctrinal teachings about the goods and truths of faith, which by reason of their character, those people rejected. From these passages it is evident that a “leaf” signifies the truth of faith, and an “olive” the good of charity; and that like things are signified by the “olive-leaf” which the dove brought in her mouth; that is, that there now appeared in the man of the Ancient Church some little of the truth of faith from the good of charity.