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Exodus 13

02 May 2026 - Theology

The Consecration of the Firstborn


Why so much emphasis on the firstborn?

So far throughout our study, we have seen God choosing to partner with the younger/youngest son, despite the blessing and the birthright being given to the oldest son in a family.

Examples:

In Exodus 4, we see God call Israel his firstborn:

Exodus 4:22 - “And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:”

God wants his people to be the firstborn in a spiritual sense, even though the people He has chosen were not actually born first in their families. The firstborn (bechor) is the one who receives the double portion of the inheritance. The bechor also has a double portion of responsibility: he carries on the values of his father and shares them with the rest of the kids. God has now found a nation to partner with, Israel, and he wants them to be the bechor, a kingdom of priests. Their responsibility is to take the values of God and convey them to the rest of the world.

We have also been tracking all non-Israelites who seem to understand the covenant more than the people of Israel (the firstborn).

More Examples:

Our study in the book of Romans confirms this mystery. It shows that Israel, whom God calls to be the firstborn, is the one who has not believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and accepted his grace. Physical Israel has sought to be their own Savior by relying on the works of the law to achieve righteousness. However, to believe that Jesus is the Lord, that He died for your sin, and that God raised Him from the dead means that you agree that you can not save yourself, that Jesus Christ died in your place as your Savior.

Romans 10:9 - “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

Because Israel did not believe in the Lord Jesus, God went to the Gentiles (non-Israelites) so that they might believe and be saved (see Romans 10). To be the firstborn spiritually means that you accept this grace and mercy from the Lord, and thus you will be saved. God is not concerned with your birth order or lineage (Israelite or Gentile), something only He controls, but He is concerned with your heart.

Romans 10:12-13 - “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Not only is God not concerned with your physical birth order and lineage, He also does not differentiate people by their status or position.

Exodus 13:9 - “And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the Lord’s law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the Lord brought thee out of Egypt.”

If you look at statues and paintings of ancient Egypt, you will see that the Pharaohs wore a lot of gold and silver jewelry. Most Pharaohs wore a gold or silver crown shaped like a snake with its head sticking upward on their foreheads, and a bracelet on their arms. In Egypt, common Egyptians and slaves were always forbidden to wear any clothing like that of Pharaoh - an example of this is the “coat of many colors” worn by Joseph (see Genesis 37). When the Israelites were set free by the Lord, they were commanded to remember the wonder of the Exodus by wearing a “sign” on their hand, and a “memorial” on their forehead (9). Perhaps this is the Lord’s way of reminding us that everyone is equal now, and we should always remember that.

References:

  1. The Hebrew - Greek Key Study Bible (KJV Version)
  2. The BEMA Podcast, Episode 19: A Strengthened Heart
  3. The Torah Portion-by-Portion by Rabbi Seymour Rossel (2007)
  4. Egyptian Bracelet
  5. Egyptian Crown




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