Firstborn

BEFORE the Tabernacle was erected, the use of private altars was permitted. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses—all built altars unto the Lord and offered sacrifices. In the time before the Law of Moses, the firstborn son not only succeeded to the office of priest exclusively at the death of father, but led the religious rites of the family. In those times, the firstborn held many privileges of distinction. They occupied the position of honor, and were the
pride of their father. Jacob said, in blessing his sons, when he was about to die (Gen. 49:3)— "Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, the beginning
of my strength, the excellency of dignity and of power."

Under the Law, it was required that they have a double portion of the family inheritance (Dt. 21:15-17), whether beloved or not. They were supposed
to succeed to the government of the family or kingdom (2 Chr. 21:3). After Israel's deliverance from Egypt, the firstborn were peculiarly given to, and consecrated to, God (Ex. 22:29)— "The firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto Me." They were honored with the office of priesthood and the administration of the public worship of God. Under the national organization of the Law of Moses, the Levites were devoted to God and fulfilled all the functions of priesthood, but it must be noted that it was specifically as representing and replacing the firstborn that they did so (Num. 3:40-41; 8:16).

The word 'Firstborn/ therefore, is used to denote one who was particularly near and dear to his father, and held in higher esteem by his father than were
his brothers.  God said to Pharaoh— "Israel is My Son, My Firstborn (Ex. 4:22).   And again, through Hosea— "When Israel was a child I loved him and called My Son out of Egypt" (11:1).  "My Son, My Firstborn"— terms of special endearment and preference. All the firstborn of Egypt were slain (Ex. 12:29)— "And it came to pass that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt . . There was not a house where there was not one dead." The pride, joy, honor and glory of Egypt were destroyed in one night.  In no way could God have wounded or humbled them more deeply. There was— "A great cry through all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more" (Ex. 11:6). But in all dwellings of the children
of Israel not one died, not a dog barked, as the destroying angel moved through all Egyptian homes. And not only were the Egyptians' firstborn sons slain, but also of their cattle. This mighty deliverance came by a very simple but lifesaving act. Each family in Israel killed a lamb, sprinkled its blood on the doorpost of their house, and cooked and ate the flesh (Exodus 12:11). Consequently God said (Ex,. 13:2)— "Sanctify unto Me all the firstborn of Israel, man and beast; whatsoever openeth the womb, it is Mine." "The males shall be the Lord's (v. 12).  "All the firstborn are Mine, for on the day I smote all the firstborn of Egypt, I hallowed unto Me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast; "Mine they shall be; I AM THE LORD" (Num. 3:12-13).

'Hallowed' means 'set apart from secular to holy uses, cleansed, purified.  Firstborn were set apart, hallowed, sanctified, to the service of God. Appointment to this service was now more clearly defined than in the days of the early patriarchs (Ex. 22:29)— "The firstborn of thy sons shall thou give unto Me." This giving the firstborn to the Lord was even carried over to include firstfruits of their land (Exo. 23:19)— "The firstfruits of all thy land shalt thou bring to the House of the Lord." In Dt. 26:10 the Israelites are commanded to bring the firstfruits to the Lord in a basket, as a symbol of dedication
and as a recognition of the source of all good, and they are to recite before the Lord concerning His blessing and deliverance from Egyptian bondage;
and they are to rejoice before God for all His goodness. The great lesson through all this is that God must always be first, and that the first and best of everything belongs to Him. Actually, all is His, but He designates the giving of the firstborn as a symbol and recognition of that fact.

It may be wondered, if the tribe of Levi were taken in place of all the firstborn in Israel, why all the subsequent firstborn still were hallowed to God. But to wonder at this is to slip into a mechanical and substitutionary view. If we think on it, we shall see that the wisdom of God herein emphasizes these vital spiritual principles, which would be obscured if the firstborn henceforth were completely replaced and relieved—
          1. The Law was but a shadow. It recognized, and signified, and symbolized, but it did not actually accomplish. Things remained actually just as they
               were, awaiting Christ's work.
          2. There is no substitution. This is an orthodox error.
Though a way has been opened, and salvation made possible (which man himself could not do), still the total obligation to total service and total dedication remains. The firstborn are still hallowed to the Lord.
* * *
THE highest exemplification of firstborn is seen in Jesus, for in Luke 2:22 we read— "When the days of her purification were ended she brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord." —to fulfill the command— "The firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto Me." He was in later years to be acknowledged by God(Mt.3:17): "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

WHAT is the relation of all this to us? Very much. This, too, is all OUR salvation and all our desire. In Heb. 12:22-24, Paul speaks of the children of God in this way— "Ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem; and to an innumerable company of angels; "To the general assembly and church of the Firstborns which are written in heaven; "And to God the Judge of all; and to the spirits of just men made perfect; "And to Jesus the mediator of the New Covenant; and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel."
And in harmony with this glorious and exalted privilege and relationship, the invitation and command is (2 Cr. 6:17-18): "Come out, BE SEPARATE, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." In a way infinitely greater than in days of the patriarchs, the honors and privileges of the firstborn will go to those who are the— "Firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb" (Rv. 14:4).

BUT it is possible to lose our birthright.  Esau was Isaac's firtborn son, but he sold something of lasting value for a temporal satisfying of his hunger (Gen. 25:31). Paul, in solemn warning to us against worldliness and unspirituality, says of Esau that (Heb. 12:16)— "For a morsel of meat he sold his  birthright." And that (v. 17)— "Afterwards, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected, though he sought it carefully with tears."
Esau had no right to say Jacob had "taken away his birthright," as though it had been taken by force. Esau willingly gave it for something of comparatively little value. The divine record (Gen. 25:34) tells us that Esau "despised" his birthright. He attached little value to God's gracious offer of sonship and blessing.

What a lesson for us! Now is the appointed time, now is the day of salvation. Let us weigh carefully what we get in return before we give up so great a future, and what a future! The measure of our service and dedication and devotion to the things of God is the measure of how we value God's goodness toward us in calling us to be His firstborn. Esau, when it was too late, vainly sought the blessing with tears, but he was rejected.
* * *
THE firstborn were the pride and joy of their father. What of the Ecclesia of the Firstborn? (1 John 3:1)— "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us that we should be called the sons of God!" The firstborn received a double portion of the inheritance. How does this apply to the Ecclesia of the Firstborn? Of them it is promised— "ALL things are yours, ye are Christ's and Christ is God's" (1 Cor. 3:21). "If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise" (Gal. 3:29). If ye be Christ's—all things are ours if we are Christ's!  He is the true Firstborn, the
choicest, the unblemished — wholly hallowed to God. If we truly enter INTO him and manifest his spirit, then we are—in God's marvelous mercy — accepted as part of him, and sharing all his blessings (Rm. 8:17): "If ye be the children of God, then ye are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ."
Truly indeed Paul says (v. 18): ''The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us."
The Firstborn succeeded to the office of priest over the family. Of the Ecclesia of the Firstborn it is promised they shall be (Rev. 5:10)— "Made kings and priests, and rule on earth." The Firstborn succeeded to the rulership over the family or, later, over the kingdom. What of the S'aints?— "The Kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom shall be given to saints of Most High, "Whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and all nations shall serve and obey Him" (Dan. 7:27). Such are some of the lessons of the Firstborn. One especially important lesson we should take deeply to our heart.
It is expressed in the words of God to Israel in Num. 3:13— "All the Firstborn are Mine. I hallowed unto Me all the Firstborn in Israel. "Mine they shall be: I am the Lord." Need we draw the parallel?
* * *
May we continually meditate on these wonderful things, and ever strive to be worthy of them! —W.M.B.

1966 Berean 309