Verse: Ex 4:22-23 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, and I say
to you, "Let my son go that he may serve me." If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.'" ESV
It is interesting that YHWH identified Israel as His “firstborn son” before they were delivered from the
bondage of Egypt. At the time Moses gave this statement to Pharaoh, neither Pharaoh nor Israel knew
of the power or character of YHWH, yet but He called them His son. This is a powerful confirmation of
their true identity; this declaration comes out of the promise of God, not on the action of obedience on
Israel’s part. Israel was birthed out of the promises given to Abraham and his covenant with YHWH.
Genesis 12:1-3
Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house
to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and
make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and
him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
ESV
Here we see one of the first manifestations of the covenant blessing and curse. “If you refuse to let him go, I will kill your firstborn”.
Abraham’s firstborn son (out of the promise) was Isaac. The birth of Israel was already set as sonship, not servanthood. The mercy of God was already activated in favor of Israel and against the enemies of their freedom.
You are bought with a price.
Exodus 22:29
You shall not delay to bring to Me from the fullness [of your harvested grain] and the outflow
[of your grape juice and olive oil]; give Me the firstborn of your sons [or redeem them]. [Ex
34:19,20.] AMP
After the Exodus in Egypt, God laid claim to the entire firstborn of animals and sons in Israel. It is a
striking revelation to me that the firstborn son stood to inherit everything from the father and carry on
his name (character, authority, skills, nature). In the firstborn son lay the potential for all future
generations. The future of Egypt was destroyed in the plagues and the future of Israel was preserved.
God’s power preserved Israel’s future and He claimed credit, ownership, and honor through the
demands of first fruit offerings. The price for the preservation of Israel was symbolized by the lives of all
those lambs and their blood on the doorposts.
Similarly, when Abraham moved in obedience to the call to sacrifice Isaac, it was the ram provided by
the God that completed the price for Isaac. Isaac was purchased by YHWH generations before the
Exodus. The lives of all the Israelites on that Passover day were preserved up until that day by the
substitution of YHWH’s ram for the life of Isaac, Abraham’s firstborn son. We begin to see the pattern.
Both of these events prefigure the reality of God’s only son, Jesus the Messiah, His Firstborn who came
and provided the price for our freedom from the bondage of sin. We are bought with a price (1 Corinthians 16:19-20) and we are called into the relationship of a son as was Israel. Our whole future has
been purchased by God.
The reminder of the value of this redemption is reflected in first fruits offerings instituted in the
covenant of Moses at Mt. Sinai. Our reminder today is that our salvation, our provision, and everything
we need comes from the Lord. It is good and necessary for us to give honor and remind ourselves of all
His benefits. We are sons by relationship, that has been His purpose and His call from the beginning, but
we need also to purposely set ourselves in that position as well so we can properly relate to Him as a
son.
Proverbs 3:11-12
My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves
him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. ESV
Hebrews 12:7-10
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there
whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have
participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had
earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject
to the Father of spirits and live? ESV
From the birth of Israel to the present, YHWH has called us “my firstborn son”. Although there were
many people delivered, YHWH referred to them as one son. There are many callings, many giftings,
skills, aptitudes, and personalities, but God’s eyes see us as one son. We are one ecclesia, one temple,
one camp inhabited by one Spirit. This concept of son ship carries responsibilities and the necessity for
training; it is not an open door for arrogance or licentious living.
Romans 8:12-17 Heirs with Christ
So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you
live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the
body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not
receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption
as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that
we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ,
provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. ESV
Romans 8:18-25 Future Glory
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory
that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the
sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who
subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and
obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation
has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but
we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for
adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope
that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not
see, we wait for it with patience. ESV
Galatians 3:23-29
Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith
would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we
might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,
for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized
into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free,
there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's,
then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. ESV
Verse: Ex 4:22-23 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, and I say
to you, "Let my son go that he may serve me." If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn
son.'" ESV
It is interesting that YHWH identified Israel as His “firstborn son” before they were delivered from the
bondage of Egypt. At the time Moses gave this statement to Pharaoh, neither Pharaoh nor Israel knew
of the power or character of YHWH, yet but He called them His son. This is a powerful confirmation of
their true identity; this declaration comes out of the promise of God, not on the action of obedience on
Israel’s part. Israel was birthed out of the promises given to Abraham and his covenant with YHWH.
Genesis 12:1-3
Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house
to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and
make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and
him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
ESV
Here we see one of the first manifestations of the covenant blessing and curse. “If you refuse to let him
go, I will kill your firstborn”.
Abraham’s firstborn son (out of the promise) was Isaac. The birth of Israel was already set as sonship,
not servanthood. The mercy of God was already activated in favor of Israel and against the enemies of
their freedom.
You are bought with a price.
Exodus 22:29
You shall not delay to bring to Me from the fullness [of your harvested grain] and the outflow
[of your grape juice and olive oil]; give Me the firstborn of your sons [or redeem them]. [Ex
34:19,20.] AMP
After the Exodus in Egypt, God laid claim to the entire firstborn of animals and sons in Israel. It is a
striking revelation to me that the firstborn son stood to inherit everything from the father and carry on
his name (character, authority, skills, nature). In the firstborn son lay the potential for all future
generations. The future of Egypt was destroyed in the plagues and the future of Israel was preserved.
God’s power preserved Israel’s future and He claimed credit, ownership, and honor through the
demands of first fruit offerings. The price for the preservation of Israel was symbolized by the lives of all
those lambs and their blood on the doorposts.
Similarly, when Abraham moved in obedience to the call to sacrifice Isaac, it was the ram provided by
the God that completed the price for Isaac. Isaac was purchased by YHWH generations before the
Exodus. The lives of all the Israelites on that Passover day were preserved up until that day by the
substitution of YHWH’s ram for the life of Isaac, Abraham’s firstborn son. We begin to see the pattern.
Both of these events prefigure the reality of God’s only son, Jesus the Messiah, His Firstborn who came
and provided the price for our freedom from the bondage of sin. We are bought with a price (1 Corinthians 16:19-20) and we are called into the relationship of a son as was Israel. Our whole future has
been purchased by God.
The reminder of the value of this redemption is reflected in first fruits offerings instituted in the
covenant of Moses at Mt. Sinai. Our reminder today is that our salvation, our provision, and everything
we need comes from the Lord. It is good and necessary for us to give honor and remind ourselves of all
His benefits. We are sons by relationship, that has been His purpose and His call from the beginning, but
we need also to purposely set ourselves in that position as well so we can properly relate to Him as a
son.
Proverbs 3:11-12
My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves
him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. ESV
Hebrews 12:7-10
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there
whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have
participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had
earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject
to the Father of spirits and live? ESV
From the birth of Israel to the present, YHWH has called us “my firstborn son”. Although there were
many people delivered, YHWH referred to them as one son. There are many callings, many giftings,
skills, aptitudes, and personalities, but God’s eyes see us as one son. We are one ecclesia, one temple,
one camp inhabited by one Spirit. This concept of son ship carries responsibilities and the necessity for
training; it is not an open door for arrogance or licentious living.
Romans 8:12-17 Heirs with Christ
So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you
live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the
body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not
receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption
as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that
we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ,
provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. ESV
Romans 8:18-25 Future Glory
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory
that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the
sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who
subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and
obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation
has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but
we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for
adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope
that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not
see, we wait for it with patience. ESV
Galatians 3:23-29
Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith
would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we
might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,
for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized
into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free,
there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's,
then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. ESV
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