The God of First Things

When God commanded Israel to dedicate every firstborn to Him, He was teaching them something they could never afford to forget: He comes first.

This command was given immediately after the Exodus. Egypt had just experienced the terrible judgment of the death of the firstborn. Yet Israel’s firstborn sons were spared because of the blood of the Passover lamb. Every firstborn child in Israel became a living reminder that redemption had taken place.

God was not asking Israel to earn His favor. He was reminding them that they had already been rescued.

The firstborn belonged to Him because He had redeemed them.

What is fascinating is that God allowed a substitute sacrifice for human firstborn sons. An animal could be offered in their place. The principle was clear: redemption requires a substitute.

That pattern echoes throughout Scripture until it reaches its fulfillment in Jesus Christ.

Jesus is called God’s Son, the beloved One sent into the world. He came not merely to teach us how to live but to stand in our place. The sacrifices of the Old Testament pointed forward to Him. Where lambs once died as substitutes, Jesus became the final and perfect substitute for sinners.

The command about the firstborn was never merely about family traditions or livestock management. It was about remembering who saved them and who they belonged to.

The same question confronts us today.

Does God have the first place in our lives?

We often give God what is left over after work, entertainment, responsibilities, and distractions have taken their share. Yet throughout Scripture, God continually calls His people to give Him the first and best, not the leftovers.

When we remember that Jesus gave Himself for us, putting Him first becomes an act of gratitude rather than obligation.

The God of first things gave His own Son so that we could become His people. That truth changes how we view our time, our priorities, our worship, and our lives.

We belong to Him because we have been redeemed.

Pray This

Father, thank You for redeeming me through Jesus Christ. Forgive me for the times I have given You my leftovers instead of my first and best. Help me remember that I belong to You because You purchased me through the sacrifice of Your Son. Teach me to honor You with my time, my priorities, my worship, and my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.