The Firstborn

Luke 2: 22-24

“22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

Jesus was 40 days old when he was consecrated to the Lord.  In Exodus 13 we read that God said to Moses “Consecrate to me every firstborn male.  The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether man or animal.”  

The firstborn males represented the whole of all who were born.  All of Israel belonged to God, and the firstborn males were symbolic of this relationship.

Christ, the Savior, was born so that all people could have life.  His life served as an example to us all.  His death freed us from the bondage of our sins.

The first offspring...we were lifted by His life, purified by His blood.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)