The wavesheaf offering, though often overlooked, holds profound significance in God's plan of salvation. It is not designated as a holy day by God, but its meaning is far from minor, as without what it represents, there would be no salvation. The primary instruction for this offering is found in Leviticus 23:9-14, marking a small, initial harvest that begins the count to Pentecost, the culmination of the early harvest. This offering represents the first of the firstfruits, an early part of the harvest season as described in Exodus 23:19 and 34:26. Jesus Christ embodies the archetypical Wavesheaf, having been resurrected from the dead on a Saturday evening, unbeknownst to the priests performing the ritual. On Sunday morning, as the firstborn among many brethren, He was lifted through the heavens to God's throne, accepted by Him as the sacrifice for our sins and as our High Priest. This event marked a momentous step in God's plan, securing the payment for our sins and installing a sinless, dynamic High Priest as our Mediator before the Father, assuring our salvation and conquering death. Though the wavesheaf offering may seem insignificant amidst the more visible activities of Passover and Unleavened Bread, it memorializes the most significant spiritual event yet to occur on earth: the resurrection and ascension of our Savior Jesus Christ. It signifies the real beginning of the spiritual work of harvesting human souls, culminating in our resurrection and transformation to spirit as His brothers and sisters upon His return. Through this annual observance, God wisely prompts us to take stock of our progression through time, encouraging us to devote ourselves to making the most of it and gauging our progress toward His Kingdom.

The Wavesheaf Offering holds a significant place in the historical and instructional context of Israel's harvest practices. God instructed Israel in Leviticus 23:9-11 to bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of their harvest to the priest when they came into the land He gave them, to be waved before the Lord on the day after the Sabbath for their acceptance. This marked the beginning of the harvest, a critical workday for an agrarian society, not coinciding with a holy day in earlier practices. The phrase "when you come into the land," used in various instructions, indicates a general time when Israel was settled in the promised land, not necessarily immediately upon crossing the Jordan. As seen in Deuteronomy 26:1-3, this phrase implies possessing and dwelling in the land, which occurred after the conquest, suggesting that the Wavesheaf Offering was not required immediately upon entry, especially if other conditions, like the sanctity of holy days, were not met. Further examination in Numbers 15:17-21 of a similar "when you come into the land" instruction for a heave offering reveals the labor-intensive nature of harvest activities. If the Wavesheaf Offering were assumed to be made on the First Day of Unleavened Bread, it would imply performing extensive work on a holy day, which contradicts the principle of keeping such days sanctified. Additionally, God would not accept offerings of grain that the Israelites did not sow themselves, as noted in related instructions. In Joshua 5, though the Israelites ate of the land's produce, the grain was not from their own labor, meaning they could not offer it as a Wavesheaf. Thus, there was no requirement to make the Wavesheaf Offering at that time, reinforcing that it should not fall on a holy day. The insistence on placing Wavesheaf Day within Unleavened Bread, even on a holy day, is a newer concept not aligned with earlier understandings where the harvest's start was kept separate from holy days to maintain their sanctity. Joshua 5 does not support the idea that the Wavesheaf Offering or the harvest's beginning could occur on a holy day, emphasizing the importance of adhering to God's holiness in all offerings and observances.

The Wavesheaf Offering holds a critical role in determining the timing of Pentecost, as counting fifty days from this event establishes the date of observance. The Church of the Great God maintains that the count to Pentecost should always begin on the day following the weekly Sabbath that falls within the two annual high holy day Sabbaths marking the beginning and end of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, ensuring the first day of the count is a Sunday. This rule is supported by the example of Jesus, the First of the Firstfruits, who ascended to heaven on the morning of the first day of the week following His resurrection at the end of the weekly Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, fulfilling the symbolism of the Wavesheaf. In years when Passover falls on a weekly Sabbath, a normal calendar occurrence happening on average once every eleven years, the count begins the next day, which may fall outside the Feast of Unleavened Bread, to maintain a fixed and consistent rule. Scripture provides no command or example that the sheaf must be waved during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and Leviticus 23:10-11, 15-16 implies the importance of the weekly Sabbath's occurrence within this feast. Historical records show that no Jewish group, including Sadducees, Pharisees, Falashas, Karaites, or Essenes, ever observed Wavesheaf Day on anything but a common workday, always following a Sabbath and never on one. Wavesheaf Day is directly associated with Pentecost through the count and their shared harvest symbolism, with Wavesheaf Day beginning the harvest and Pentecost ending it. God uses the weekly Sabbath falling within the seven days of Unleavened Bread as the marker for the start of the count, ensuring the following day, a Sunday, initiates the count to Pentecost, even if it falls outside the Feast in certain years. This pattern aligns with the event of Jesus rising to heaven for acceptance on a Sunday morning after the weekly Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, as commanded in Leviticus 23.

The Wavesheaf Offering holds a significant place in the observance of God's festivals, particularly in relation to Pentecost. By God's clear word, the Wavesheaf should be offered after the Sabbath, not on the Sabbath. The definite article "the" in the Hebrew, as a clue, suggests it refers to the weekly Sabbath, anchoring the count to Pentecost. This count begins on the morrow after the Sabbath within the Days of Unleavened Bread, ensuring consistency each year in locating Pentecost. The Wavesheaf Offering has specific requirements. It must be from the Israelites' own labors, from their own land, and from their harvest, as first fruits. It is to be waved before both harvesting and eating of the crop, accompanied by designated offerings on the altar, and must not come from a stranger's hand or be blemished in any way. God always receives the best, with no exceptions for this or any offering. Historically, the centralization of worship in the land of Israel, at the Tabernacle and later the Temple, meant that the Wavesheaf Offering, as a national offering, could only be made there after the Israelites had rest from their enemies and dwelt in safety. This was not possible during the wilderness years or immediately upon entering the land, as they did not possess it fully until later. Secular histories reveal that various Jewish groups consistently used a Sabbath within the Days of Unleavened Bread for counting to Pentecost, aligning with the need for an offering from their own harvest, not from strangers or spoils. In specific instances, such as in Joshua 5, the Wavesheaf Offering could not be made because the produce was from the stranger's hand, not from seed they planted or land they owned, and thus did not qualify as acceptable to God. Additionally, the required accompanying sacrifices had to be made at the Tabernacle, which was not yet set up. Offering such produce would have been an abomination, misrepresenting the pure, sinless nature of what the Wavesheaf symbolizes. Therefore, no exception can be created to alter the consistent counting method each year, which begins with the Sunday following the weekly Sabbath within the Days of Unleavened Bread.