Redeeming the Firstborn

Bulletin

Dan Peters
01/12/25 - Redemption

The Firstborn in the Old Testament
In Exodus, we find Pharaoh commanding his midwives: "When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birthstool, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live" (Exodus 1:16). Pharaoh persisted in this murderous decree without remorse. In response, God declared through Moses: "Thus says the LORD, 'Israel is My son, My firstborn. So I said to you, "Let My son go that he may serve Me"; but you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn'" (Exodus 4:22-23).

The tenth and final plague against Egypt was the death of their firstborn. Yet God protected His own firstborn, Israel, through the blood of the Passover lamb. This event established a lasting pattern: all firstborn belonged to God, as He commanded, "Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me" (Exodus 13:2).
However, God made a crucial distinction between humans and animals: "Every first offspring of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem" (Exodus 13:13). This redemption requirement honored God's deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage.
The Firstborn in the New Testament
Jesus holds the preeminent position as the firstborn, with all accompanying rights: "And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, 'AND LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM'" (Hebrews 1:6). Beyond Christ's own status as firstborn, those who are born again (John 3:1-5) are transformed into His image: "For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren" (Romans 8:29).
Who are these firstborn ones striving to be like Christ? The author of Hebrews identifies them as "the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are written in Heaven" (Hebrews 12:23). Just as the Old Testament required a donkey's firstborn to be redeemed with a lamb, the New Testament church of the firstborn is redeemed not by a literal lamb, but by Jesus, "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).
Consider what you might be missing if you don't belong to the church, the community of the firstborn, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. The parallel between Old and New Testament redemption reveals God's consistent plan of salvation through sacrifice and demonstrates the profound significance of belonging to Christ's church, the redeemed.
Dan Peters
- edited by Claude AI (2024)