The Blessing of the Firstborn

[Ben Masada]

The Blessing of the Firstborn was not absolutely to be of the firstborn. And the Blessing of the Firstborn was not for the firstborn himself but for the simblings, who would remain or for those who would come.

The blessing of the Firstborn was already a common practice among Pagan Canaanites even long before Abraham arrived in Canaan. They would sacrifice the firstborn so that the future progeny would be blessed with life and strength.

But among the Hebrews, the borrowing of such a practice would be different. The firstborn would carry the blessing but he would have
to be redeemed as an individual.

Then, Ishmael was born, but Divinely, Isaac was assigned to be the firstborn of Abraham. And, ceremonially, he was the one to be the redeermer of Mankind, as his sacrifice was but a symbolical attempt.

To Isaac were born two boys. Esau was born first, but Jacob was the one Divinely assigned to be the firstborn, although Isaac wish it had been Esau.

To Jacob were born 13 children. The one born first was Ruben, but, as it were Divinely predetermined, he lost the blessing of the Firstborn for having violated Bilhah, one of his father's wives.

Next in line stood Simeon and Levi, but because of their flared temper and shame they caused to Jacob in Sherchem, they also lost their chance. Therefore, Divinely oriented, so to speak, the blessing of the Firstborn went to Judah.

Humanly, Jacob had planned all along to grant Joseph with the blessing. Since he was a Prophet and knew that Judah had to be the one, he created a second Blessing of the Firstborn and granted Ephraim, the younger son of Joseph's with it. That was a prophetical move to predict the split of the Tribes, when Ephraim would take the Blessing of the Firstborn as Messiah ben Joseph. Judah would stay with the Blessing of the Fristborn as Messiah ben David.

Now, we have two Blessings of the Firstborn. One over Judah and the other over Ephraim. Actually, Israel itself, before the split of the Tribes, was the Firstborn of god. Hence, when it was still in Egypt, God, through Moses, said, Israel is My firstborn; so let My son go, that he may serve Me. (Exodus 4:22,23) Technically Judah had become, so to speak, the secondborn, as Isaiah called him that child born of the virgin Israel. (Isa. 7:14,15, 22; 8:8)

It happens that Judah had rejected God's Covenant according to Isaiah 8:6,7, and Divine judgment had been decreed to remove him from existence, but because of God's promise to David that Judah would be spared to remain as a lamp in Jerusalem forever according to I Kings 11:36, Israel, the firstborn had to redeem Judah by being sacrificed as a people to save another. (Isa. 9:8) Those of Judah were the "many" alluded to in Isaiah 53:12 whom Israel had to redeem with his death.

It was then that God provided the Assyrians to remove Israel from the map of the world, according to Psalm 78:67-70. With the removal of the Firstborn of God, Israel, Judah had to automatically, so to speak, become the Firstborn for the world, but under the original classification of Isaac: Only symbolically, as Jesus understood when he declared to the Samaritan woman, that salvation was from the Jews. (John 4:22)

Judah had become the Firstborn of God, whose blessing would bless the world with life. Jesus' word to the Samaritan woman had been finally understood that salvation had been all along from the Jews.

Ben

 

[IF_u_knew]

I just had someone bring up that Ephraim was mentioned as the firstborn of God well. Specifically what was said was, "In this particular verse **(the poster was speaking of Hosea 11:1 and/or Exodus 4:22,23)** it is speaking of Israel, either personally or corporately or both. But of course, God speaks also of Ephraim as His firstborn in the OT, surely you know that? "

My response as it has been developing in my head (a bit modified though from the original):

Yes, Jeremiah 31:9 is the verse in which Ephraim is said to be the firstborn.. I find it fascinating and it shows to me, that God is STILL creating (as He declares He is in Isaiah). I find this to have been a prophetic move on Jacob's (called Israel, mind you) part to have blessed Ephraim, the 2nd born of Joseph, rather than Manasseh,
who was Joseph's firstborn. Gen 48:14, where this blessing occurs, is LOADED with deep insight into this prophetic move; as is Gen 41:51-53. As I said, I read the Torah as a VERY profound allegory.

Anyway, just caught this post and was wondering what you thought concerning what I have said. It is ironic that this has been developing in my mind for awhile now since that particular verse jumped out in my mind as I was reading this particular passage about a month ago, and in less than 24 hours, two posts have brought it back to my attention in very specific ways. I do not really elaborate I know, but I am thinking that anyone who knows what it is I am thinking will not need much elaboration and I am more curious to see if it is seen the way I see it before I do bother elaborating. I have alluded to this in a couple of our conversations, in fact. *shrugs*

 

[gnostic]

The Blessing of the Firstborn was not absolutely to be of the firstborn. And the Blessing of the Firstborn was not for the firstborn himself but for the simblings, who would remain or for those who would come.

:sorry1: but do you mean "siblings"?

Anyway, the issue about first-born is confusing, considering how actual first-born (those who are born first) do not always come first with the blessings.

David was the youngest, and yet he was made king (being anointed during Saul's reign), instead of his brothers.

 

[Rakhel]

Yes, but David wasn't even related to Saul.

 

[IF_u_knew]

Yes, but David wasn't even related to Saul.

They were in some sense it seems, though they were not brothers... (judah and benjamin were brothers by the same father ~ Jacob aka Israel). I find it interesting that even this situation seemed to be somehow prophetic, no?

I Sam 9:21; I Chr 12:2,29 ~ Saul, the King (who appreciated David and then became jealous of David), is from the tribe of Benjamin (and mentioned in Acts 13:21) as is Saul, aka, Paul, (Philippians 3:5) who probably loved Jesus (though questionable still who his father actually is.. hopefully Joseph ~ maybe from tribe of Judah~, but only supposed as is said in Luke) at first, but then became jealous of him as Saul #1 did of David.. obviously or he (Saul #2) would not have incorporated his hellenistic views into the world to override the teachings of Jesus. :faint: Yes, I know... still, the parallels are uncanny, no?

 

[Rakhel]

Well, I meant in the sense that David wasn't in Saul's immediate family.
As to Paul(to differentiate between the two) and Jesus...I have started to wonder if the two were not the same.

 

[gnostic]

Yes, but David wasn't even related to Saul.

True, but that's not what I mean.

I don't recall how many brothers David had (or what chapter in 1 Samuel), but Jesse sent his first-born first to Samuel to be anointed, and then by the order of birth another of Jesse's sons was sent, til only David was left. God chose David.

 

[Rakhel]

David, if my memory is correct, had seven. I don't, however, think that his being the youngest had any bearing on the Blessing. I may be wrong, but I do think that the Firstborn blessing has more to do with the ability to carry on the familial line then that of inheritance.

 

[gnostic]

Of the two, Rebecca seemed to be more wiser (for favouring Jacob) than Isaac (with Esau), who was supposed to be a prophet.

Is Isaac dumber for not knowing whom god would choose?

And then there's Jacob blessing Joseph's sons. For all, Joseph wisdom and being able to interpret dreams, Jacob blessed Ephraim with more than his brother. Or is that because Jacob was similarly blessed, and favoured the younger son of Joseph because of his own bias or experience?

 

[Ben Masada]

I

I find this to have been a prophetic move on Jacob's (called Israel, mind you) part to have blessed Ephraim, the 2nd born of Joseph, rather than Manasseh,
who was Joseph's firstborn. Gen 48:14, where this blessing occurs, is LOADED with deep insight into this prophetic move;
*

Katie, you almost penetrated my mind about Jacob's prophetic move in granting Ephraim with the blessing of the Firstborn, when Judah had already been anointed with being the one.

I don't believe Jacob had the slightest idea that he was preparing the future redeemer of Judah. That was the most important prophetic move of Jacob.

As you know, there is no such a thing as past and future with God. He sees everything in the present. He saw how special David would be and because of him, God would promise him a Tribe to stay forever. But He saw that Judah would break the Covenant, and to stay forever, he would need to be redeemed.

So, He also saw the Tribes splitting and Ephraim carring the blessing of the Firstborn to the North. Since the role of the Firstborn was to be sacrificed for the sibblings, Ephraim became the only instance in the History of Israel to be sacrificed to redeem Judah. (Isa. 53:12)

Ben: :yes:

 

[Ben Masada]

:sorry1: but do you mean "siblings"?

Anyway, the issue about first-born is confusing, considering how actual first-born (those who are born first) do not always come first with the blessings.

David was the youngest, and yet he was made king (being anointed during Saul's reign), instead of his brothers.

I am sorry Gnostic for mispelling "siblings." Thanks for reminding me. It can indeed confuse sometimes.

You are right, it was not an absolute rule that the first born would be the one to get the blessing of the Firstborn. But mind you, that the right to become king was not necessarily a thing of the firstborn. In fact, the blessing of the Firstborn was not a desirable thing. It was so to speak, almost a curse.

Among the Pagans, the firstborn had literally to be executed or sacrificed for the sake of future progenies. Among the Hebrews the firstborn was symbolically redeemed in order not to be doomed. The only instance in the History of Israel was the case of the Ten Tribes, the Firstborn of God, being sacrificed to redeem the Tribe of Judah.

Ben:

 

[IF_u_knew]

**I had a question here and took it down. Decided against asking it.. *shrugs* :sorry1:**

 

[Ben Masada]

**I had a question here and took it down. Decided against asking it.. *shrugs* :sorry1:**

Why? Let us have it. We know your questions as well as comments are like pieces of gold.

 

[Muffled]

IMO people who Judicize the Bible are akin to those who spiritualize it. Usually the theory takes precedence over facts and no-one is going to break someone out of their fantasy bubble. I like the fantasy bubble in the movie Labrynth. There are a lot of undertones in the movie including the fact that the bubble was created by the Lord of the Underworld.

 

[Ben Masada]

IMO people who Judicize the Bible are akin to those who spiritualize it. Usually the theory takes precedence over facts and no-one is going to break someone out of their fantasy bubble. I like the fantasy bubble in the movie Labrynth. There are a lot of undertones in the movie including the fact that the bubble was created by the Lord of the Underworld.

I would not go too fast on that statement that, "no one is going to break someone out of their fantasy bubble." Judaism has been increased by 11 souls as a result of my work. It means some fantasy bubbles have been broken.

 

[S-word]

True, but that's not what I mean.

I don't recall how many brothers David had (or what chapter in 1 Samuel), but Jesse sent his first-born first to Samuel to be anointed, and then by the order of birth another of Jesse's sons was sent, til only David was left. God chose David.

!st Samuel 16: 6-13; the seven older half brothers of David are presented to Samuel, in order of their age, Eliab, Abinadab, Shammah, etc, but all are rejected by the Lord, then David the youngest of Jesse's biological sons is presented to Samuel and is anointed as the replacement king to Saul.

1st Samuel 17: 12; states that Jesse had eight sons, and as seen in 16: 11; David was the youngest of the eight brothers. But according to 1st Chronicles 2: 13; Jesse sired only seven sons, so one of the older half brothers of David was the son of David's mother, but not the biological son of Jesse who presumably had lost his first wife or wives, who was the mother or mothers of David's other 6 half brothers.

In 1st Chronicles 2: 16; it is written that David had two sisters, "Zeruiah and Abigail," some Bibles have erroneously interpreted this verse as "the daughters of Jesse," I say 'interpreted,' because the Hebrew word used here is “achoth” which means "sister" and can in no way be translated as “daughter” for which the Hebrew word is “Bath.”

2nd Samuel 17: 25-27; shows that Zeruiah and Abigail are the daughters of Nahash the King of Ammon, who also ruled Moab at that time, and not only were Zeruiah and Abigail sired by King Nahash, but so was Shobi who provided food and sustenance for David and his weary men who were fleeing from Absolom who had attempted to usurp the throne of David. This leads us to assume that the mother of David, who had three children before she bore David to Jesse, was once a concubine of Nahash the king who showed love and kindness to David by allowing his parents to live in the land of Moab under his protection while David was being pursued by the madman "Saul".

 

[S-word]

I would not go too fast on that statement that, "no one is going to break someone out of their fantasy bubble." Judaism has been increased by 11 souls as a result of my work. It means some fantasy bubbles have been broken.

And christianity, buddhism and other religions have been increased by the thousands and thousands of Jews who have been converted to those other faiths. Don't put too many tickets on yourself old mate, there are so many weak minded people out there who can be converted to almost any belief, even by misguided people such as yourself.

 

[Ben Masada]

And christianity, buddhism and other religions have been increased by the thousands and thousands of Jews who have been converted to those other faiths. Don't put too many tickets on yourself old mate, there are so many weak minded people out there who can be converted to almost any belief, even by misguided people such as yourself.

I agree with you that conversion is usually a sign of weakminded people. No wonder Hosea said that, "My People perish for lack of knowledge." (Hosea 4:6) That's exactly what I believe about Jews who convert to other religions. They don't know any better. They don't know what we have.

When I mentioned those 11 people who have converted as result of my work, I meant of this one Jew; but hundreds are converting annually into Judaism. It makes me feel that Zechariah 8:23 is being fulfilled, when Gentiles of many nations will take hold of the Jews and ask to let them come with us because they have finally acknowledge that God is with us.

 

[S-word]

I agree with you that conversion is usually a sign of weakminded people. No wonder Hosea said that, "My People perish for lack of knowledge." (Hosea 4:6) That's exactly what I believe about Jews who convert to other religions. They don't know any better. They don't know what we have.

When I mentioned those 11 people who have converted as result of my work, I meant of this one Jew; but hundreds are converting annually into Judaism. It makes me feel that Zechariah 8:23 is being fulfilled, when Gentiles of many nations will take hold of the Jews and ask to let them come with us because they have finally acknowledge that God is with us.

And that time is not yet, but will occur when the Jews acknowledge that their Father has sent to them their salvation and they rejected him; when they look to their Lord and see the one that they have peiced and weep bitterly as one weeps for the loss of an only begotten son. Our Father and saviour has always been with the Jews, raising up his rods from among the nations with which to chastise them. The only trouble is that don’t realise that it is the chastisement from their Father and they blame the rod (Hitler) that God had used and do not look to and repent of the errors for which they were chastised.

I agree with you that conversion is usually a sign of weakminded people.


Undoubtedly you include your 11 converts among these?

 

[Ben Masada]

And that time is not yet, but will occur when the Jews acknowledge that their Father has sent to them their salvation and they rejected him; when they look to their Lord and see the one that they have peiced and weep bitterly as one weeps for the loss of an only begotten son. Our Father and saviour has always been with the Jews, raising up his rods from among the nations with which to chastise them. The only trouble is that don’t realise that it is the chastisement from their Father and they blame the rod (Hitler) that God had used and do not look to and repent of the errors for which they were chastised.

Next time you quote the Scriptures, it will be a little nicer to mention where it is to be found. I found though. It's in Zechariah 12:10. You quote without understanding what the quotation is all about. That's about the Jews returning from exile in Babylon. Ezra must have told them about Isaiah's Theology of the Messiah ben Joseph versus Messiah ben David. The death of the Suffering Servant Israel to redeem Judah. So, in Jerusalem, the Jews, happy for starting anew in the Land of Israel, were reminded that the price of their happiness had been paid by Israel, the Suffering Servant. Therefore, in their ritual recollections, they would look at him whom they had pierced with their guilt and mourn for him as one mourns for his firstborn. That's the truth about Zechariah 12:10.