From our last article, Father and His Lost Family, we learned that Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel are a type of the first family of all families of the earth who lost their sons. In this article, we will take a closer look at the eldest son, Cain, who has a legal role as the firstborn of the family. Since he is Adam's oldest, it is logical to start with him. He is the easiest to trace due to the inclusion of his genealogy in the Genesis record. We cannot say this about his younger brother, Abel. Unfortunately, Abel’s death automatically excludes him from being listed as a contributing member of the family tree. In this article we will learn firstborn reform is because Cain failed his responsibilities in the "Firstborn Office."
The Role of the Firstborn
If Cain represents the “firstborn line of fallen man,” what does that mean? Once we become familiar with the biblical firstborn concept with its legally binding eternal position, we will recognize the intended role that Cain and his line were and still are meant to have.
The role of the firstborn male in ancient times was considered the “beginning of the Father’s strength.” The firstborn male of every family inherited exclusive rights and certain cultic privileges. Even if the firstborn son was not popular or loved as much as his other siblings, he could not be passed over by his father. See Deuteronomy 21:15–17. We will also add that the only exceptions to this rule were choices made by Jehovah in fulfillment of His eternal purposes.
In summary, the role of the firstborn position boils down to these two principal functions: to act as king and priest for the family. Hence, the firstborn position was a big deal in ancient times on a basic biological level.
In Adam's day, the birthright of all families guaranteed the firstborn males as the executor of the father’s estate. What this means in terms of eternity, Cain’s rights and privileges as the firstborn, whether fallen or not, cannot be revoked. However, this eternal right can be postponed or “earmarked” for consideration at a later time. Such a delay would allow time for Jehovah to deal with other more pressing legal matters of concern, such as Adam's sin and Cain's murderous crime against his brother.
At this point in our study, we must keep in mind how the firstborn office represents the father’s strength to maintain the value of the family’s estate as well as the mother’s vigor to give life to the heirs of the estate. Unfortunately, due to the fall, man’s eternal estate was reduced to mortal sorrow and man’s firstborn could only render death to his kin.
Firstborn Transitions to a National Level
Until the Mosaic Law (about 2,500 years later), the eldest son in each Hebrew family was appointed as head (or ruler) and priest of the family and became the possession or property of Jehovah (Ex. 13:12; 22:29).[1] When Israel was pronounced a nation, as well as the firstborn son by Jehovah,[2] a transition, was in the making. This transition commenced on the night of Passover as the blood of the Lamb was applied to the doorposts of each household in Egypt (Ex. 12). This one pivotal event not only offered redemption to all firstborns (including Firstborn National Israel), but it paved the way for some exciting changes to come.
The first change was the familial king and priest duties of firstborn office became a split responsibility between two tribes of the nation, being Judah and Levi instead of the firstborn of every private household. Now every firstborn of man and every unclean animal were required to be redeemed (Num.18:15), [3] under the supervision of the tribe of Levi, as the newly appointed priestly line of the nation.
The kingly office was given to the tribe of Judah and is charged as the ruling line for the nation by his father Jacob (Israel) before his death as he blessed his twelve sons. (See Gen. 49:10). From that prophecy, the Judah line assumes the role of custodians of the Law and the right of rule through the royal house of David.
From these significant changes, the firstborn birthright position was preserved by the two designated tribes of Israel as the “firstborn son” of Jehovah among all nations of the earth. Together, both tribes became joint-firstborn representatives for the whole. Their roles fulfilled the Firstborn Primitive Office of Cain and covered the full spectrum of the firstborn responsibility on a global and eternal capacity.
Because of sin-offering made possible by the set-time of the Lord called "Passover," firstborn reform would be soon possible. However, Cain and the firstborn line of the family are stuck in a "firstborn fix" as we will soon discover in Part 2.
Footnotes:
[1] See Jamieson, Fauset and Brown’s Commentary on Numbers 3:11-13. (Published 1871, Public Domain).
[2] Ex. 4:22: And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn.
[3] The laws concerning this redemption of the firstborn of man are recorded in Ex. 13:12-15; 22:29; 34:20; Num. 3:45; 8:17; 18:16; Lev. 12:2, 4. The firstborn male of every clean animal was to be given up to the priest for sacrifice (Deut. 12:6; Ex. 13:12; 34:20; Num. 18:15-17), but the firstborn of unclean animals was either to be redeemed or sold and the price given to the priest (Lev. 27:11-13, 27). Even the firstborn of an ass, if not redeemed, was to be put to death (Ex. 13:13; 34:20).
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