Who are the Firstborn?

Part 2 of 3

We've just seen the great godly description that this "church of the firstborn" is to fruitfully and increasingly possess. But what is the identity of this church? Who are they? With a label like "firstborn", what are we expected to think? Are they really ALL natural firstborns? That would be an irresponsible assumption.

It's interesting that these verses are found in the Hebrew epistle. The writer surely must have had some struggles convincing his readers of the difference between the natural firstborn and the spiritual firstborn. The Jewish mind was and is seemingly saturated with natural heritage and bloodlines. Friend, there is no doubt in my mind that these "firstborn" ones are those born of the Spirit, not the flesh. They are firstborn after the Spirit, not mere natural firstborn sons, as the Hebrews of that day were so prone to assume. An Old Testament truth such as this is transferred spiritually to New Covenant believers. Most scholars agree.

How can we know for sure that God is after spiritual firstborn sons to be joined to His church? How do we know if He is at all concerned with natural lineage, and human bloodlines?

Well, interestingly enough, there are those all throughout Scripture who were natural firstborn sons, yet were set aside and overlooked. Instead, the firstborn blessing (the birthright) was given to a different son altogether! In other words, God distinguishes who IS and who IS NOT considered a firstborn. Surprisingly, most of the time, it's a spiritual identity, not a natural one. In short, God was able to sovereignly replace those whose character did not align with the birthright blessing. The last born (and often despised) sometimes actually replace the natural firstborn son in respect to the firstborn blessing! Jeremiah testifies to this truth when he calls Ephraim the firstborn son (Jer 31:9)! Was Ephraim actually the firstborn son? No, Mannaseh was. But God sovereignly replaced those whose character did not align with the birthright blessing. What a marvelous truth! Simply said, if the natural firstborn after the FLESH does not exemplify the expected characteristics of the firstborn after the SPIRIT, then God Himself will literally replace the recipient of the blessing! "Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright. For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph's" (1 Chron 5:1-2). WOW! Perhaps this is what Jesus meant when He said, ""But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first" (Matt 19:30). There are those who are LAST in man's eyes, yet become FIRST in God's eyes; and there are those who are firstborn after the FLESH, yet are set aside in relation to the firstborn birthright.

Let's see some examples of this in Scripture:

- We saw a couple days ago about the dramatic difference between Cain and Abel (Gen 4). Cain was the firstborn son, and had a right to the firstborn birthright. Abel was born later, and did not have such a right. Interestingly enough, because of the hearts present within Cain and Abel, God concludes Abel as blessed, and Cain as cursed. In other words, God Himself actually replaces the "firstborn status" with one who is more deserving of it's benefits: the birthright! Clearly then, even though Cain was the firstborn after the FLESH, he was not the firstborn after the SPIRIT. God knew the TRUE and spiritual firstborn son, and made His choices accordingly. Because Abel was killed by his brother, the blessing passed on to Seth, the other brother.

- Ham and Shem also possessed such dramatic differences (Gen 9-11). Shem was the firstborn son, and thankfully exemplified the characteristics that the firstborn was to possess. His blessing was not revoked by the state of his heart, as it was with Cain. Ham, being evil towards his father Noah, retained his "single portion" and was not blessed by his father.

- Ishmael and Isaac (Gen 16-21) portray this principle vividly. Ishmael was the fruit of impatience and sin. He was born of an Egyptian bondmaid. He was the firstborn after the flesh, but was NOT recognized as the firstborn son! Isaac, who was born later, is recognized as such. The characteristics evident in these two son's lives show us why such a recognition is taken from Ishmael and given to Isaac. Ishmael mocked Isaac, the son of promise, when he was born and weaned. Ishmael, in due time, was cast out because of his ungodly source - the Egyptian bondmaid. Ishmael was characterized by the way he despised that which was born of promise, by the power of the Spirit. Contrariwise, Isaac possesses much different characteristics. He was a man of faith and peace. He was a beloved son. In fact, he is even used as a type of the Lord Jesus (Jn 3:16)! Quite clearly then, we see the reasons why God Himself replaces the recipient of the firstborn blessing! It isn't always given to the literal and FLESHLY firstborn, but to the SPIRITUAL firstborn. And so it is with New Covenant believers too!

- Lastly, we come to Esau and Jacob (Gen 25-28). What wondrous contrasts are present here! The differences between these two men are quite obvious. Esau was a man born after the flesh, he was a hairy man, and red all over. He was a man given over to his carnal appetites. He was also a fornicator. He was a man who despised his birthright and sold it to his brother, Jacob. Clearly then, we see the vastly important virtue that was absent within Esau: he did not value spiritual or eternal things, but only mere natural satisfactions. Even though Jacob was born last after the FLESH, the state of his heart spoke otherwise. He had value for spiritual things, namely, the birthright, and was therefore rendered as firstborn: "Israel [not Esau] is my firstborn" (Deut 7:7), and again, "Israel is my son, even my firstborn" (Exod 4:22-23). Even though Jacob obtained this birthright via deceit, God was overruling in the whole situation: "By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come" (Heb 11:20). However, God would deal drastically with Jacob in the years to come before he could be called "Israel" and inherit the fullness of birthright inheritance.

- Likewise, today, there are those "Esau believers" who are selling out their birthright for a mere temporal carnal craving and satisfaction! As Cain, Ishmael and Esau, they are forsaking the blessing of the FIRSTBORN that is meant for them to possess! They seem to have no desire for real truth and spiritual substance, and thus surrender the birthright. The writer to the Hebrews admonishes us never to possess such a heart (Heb 12:15-17). Are these folks eternally damned? No, I do not believe so. They simply lose out on their God-given destiny and first-born birthright. Tears are their food, day and night (Ps 42:3)! Interestingly enough, in the book of Revelation, we see an innumerable mass of people with tears in their eyes (Rev 7:9-17)! Could this be the masses of "Esau believers" who have despised their birthrights, and have sought repentance with tears, albeit too late? Possibly.

We see, therefore, that there is NO necessity of natural lineage to be labeled as "firstborn". But how can we (and these Old Testament saints) be a part of the "church of the firstborn" if we are not, in fact, a natural firstborn? Primarily, it's because of our identity in Jesus! He is a natural firstborn (Matt 1:25), but more importantly is a spiritual firstborn, or One born of the Spirit: "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature..." (Col 1:15). And again, concerning Jesus, Scripture says, "I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth" (Ps 89:27). He indeed is God's Firstborn of firstborns (Jn 1:14; 3:16; Heb 1:6; Rom 8:28-29); He is THE Son of all sons, and we are "IN HIM that is true" (1 Jn 5:20). Any and all divine expectation for the New Testament firstborn son now finds its absolute crescendo in King Jesus! He is the very source of our sufficiency! He is the root of our potential!

So who are the firstborn? Who are those who make up the "church of the firstborn"? They are not NATURAL firstborn sons, rather, they are those who possess the beloved characteristics of the firstborn; they are those who are born of the Spirit (Jn 3:1-6); those born from above. What an obstacle this must have been for the Hebrews to overcome! They were being asked to completely change their paradigm! Thankfully, though the members of this church may have been born in perversity and corruption after the flesh, they are separated unto the Lord as firstborns anyway because of the response of their heart, and their identities rooted in Jesus! What a merciful God we serve! Thank God for His New Covenant realities!

Friend, now that we have seen the spiritual identity of the "firstborn" of God, we now must turn our attention to the fruit of such an identity: the firstborn birthright!

To Be Continued...