The 144,000 First Fruits in the Book of James


The 144,000 First Fruits in the Book of James
In the Letter of James, we see a mention of the First Fruits of Christ. Dispensationalists usually comb through this section with little to no thought. It has been acknowledged that the 144,000 is Christ’s first fruits. If Christ is coming back in the far future (21st Century and beyond), shouldn’t these Jews be called the Last/Final Fruits? When Christ is resurrected, he is called the First Fruits. Many Jews were coming to faith since then. Interestingly, the Letter of James, the brother of Jesus, was written sometime before AD 69 or AD 62. This hints that the judgment concepts may point to the Judgment of 70AD. This letter would be somewhat irrelevant if James wrote this to a people 2,000 plus years into the future. We need to ask ourselves, what did this mean to the original audience? When we look at James 1:1, we see that the original audience is the 12 Tribes in the Dispersion/Jewish Diaspora. We see Life & Death concepts and Spiritual Harvest/First Fruits/Farming Imagery (James 1:12-18, 5:7-12). This parallels passages in Matthew 13 and Revelation 14. See below for support.
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James 1:1 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.

1 Peter 1:1 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

John 7:35 35 At this, the Jews said to one another, "Where does He intend to go that we will not find Him? Will He go where the Jews are dispersed among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?

James 1:18 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Revelation 14:1-5 14 Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, 3 and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, 5 and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.

NOTE: The 144,000 is the First Fruits. They are the twelve tribes from the Dispersion.
1 Corinthians 15:20 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Colossians 1:15 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

NOTE: Christ is known as the First fruits of the Resurrection and Firstborn of all Creation. He wouldn’t suddenly use this title for his people 2,000 years later randomly.


2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 13 But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 14 To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

NOTE: Christ is considered The First Fruit of The Resurrection. In context, the First Fruits are the first wave of Jewish Christian converts from the twelve tribe Dispersion. He is bringing back those exiles/social outcasts into deliverance and fellowship with himself.
Jeremiah 2:3 3 Israel was holy to the Lord, the firstfruits of his harvest. All who ate of it incurred guilt; disaster came upon them, declares the Lord.” The New, Spiritual Israel (Church) is now the Firstfruits of Christ. Not final/last fruits.

2 Corinthians 5:17 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Exodus 4:22 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son,

NOTE: Firstborn is synonymous to First Fruits because Christ is referred to as the firstfirsts of the resurrection and the firstborn of creation.

James 1:15 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

NOTE: The Greek word is apokueo-to bring forth through birth-New Creation/First Born imagery.
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James 1:12 12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.


Revelation 2:10 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

NOTE: The same crown of life is mentioned in the context of suffering. Remember James died before 70AD. He had to talk about the near future. This is pointing to the persecution between 66 AD-70AD. Not a 2,000 year plus persecution. This points to the First Fruits conversion during the 1st Century.
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Matthew 9:37-38 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Luke 10:2 2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

John 4:35 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.

Matthew 13:36-43 36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear

Revelation 14:13-20 13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord FROM NOW ON (See Revelation 20:4).” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!” 14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” 16 So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped. 17 Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia.

NOTE: We see Judgment coming for National Israel and the Lord’s Plan to save 144,000 exiles from the Dispersion.

***Also, we see an emphasis on The Jewish Converted Christians/ First Fruits increasing in number in order to reach that 144,000 number***

Acts 3:23 23 And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed FROM THE PEOPLE.’

Acts 2:40-41 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls

Acts 4:32 32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.

Acts 6:1 6 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.

Acts 9:31 31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.

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