God’s ‘Problem’ With Firstborns

As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. – Rom 9:13

Have you noticed that firstborns in the Bible seem to have a disadvantage with God? Whenever a pair of characters comes before God, the younger usually was the one to obtain favour. Look at Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob, Reuben and Judah, Zarah and Pharez, Manasseh and Ephraim, Aaron and Moses ... the First Adam and the Last Adam (Christ). The younger always seem to be the one with whom God was well pleased.

Speaking of “well pleased”, the LORD told Samuel He’d found a man after His heart in David, (1Sa 13:14). So, when David was to be anointed, all Jesse’s seven sons would naturally be skipped before reaching him. However, notice that Eliab, the firstborn, was not just ‘not chosen’, he was specifically “Rejected”. In other words, even if God hadn’t chosen David, Eliab would still be the last person in Jesse’s house to be king!

Why such disfavour? 1Sam 16:6-7 gives us an insight. Eliab had the stamina, the physique and the charisma of a king; furthermore, he was the firstborn and thus first in line for any promotion to come to his family. In essence, he expected to be anointed king because he was ‘qualified’.

Could this be the common thread among all firstborns in the Bible? This sense of entitlement, this claim on the blessing, this feeling of possessing an inalienable right to the inheritance? Lk 7:47 says, “She that’s forgiven much, loves much”. Gratitude and Qualification don’t mix too well.

It’s difficult to imagine a ‘King Eliab’ dancing foolishly before the ark of the LORD (2Sa 6:16). It’s hard to imagine God being called “the fear of Ishmael” (Gen 31:42,53). And, yes, it’s difficult to imagine the outcome if the wealthy Boaz had fallen for a young, drop-dead-gorgeous Bethlehemite damsel as opposed to a widow from abominable Moab.

Beloved, God always chooses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and the weak things to confound the mighty (1Co 1:27); He always uses the least likely to do the most mighty.

Let’s be careful, therefore, lest we walk around life with a ‘firstborn’ mentality. For “God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble.” (Jas 4:6).

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN