In the beginning God...

The Word of God begins with 'In the beginning GOD...'. In the beginning of humanity's history, The LORD GOD formed man out of the dust of the earth and he became a living soul. The LORD placed man (Adam and Eve) in the garden of Eden and gave them dominion over all other creatures. Adam was to be the representative of planet earth as the firstborn of the human race.

Everyone on earth has an 'in the beginning' timestamp.

My 'in the beginning' happened one warm Friday evening many, many years ago ;-). The LORD allowed me to be the firstborn from my mother's womb. Although the emphasis on birth order is not as big in this culture as in the past, we see special blessings bestowed upon those who were the firstborns in Biblical times. Here are some scriptural references:


  Exodus 13:2   Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine. 

 Exodus 13:13   And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.

  Exodus 22:29   Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me. 

  Numbers 3:13   Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD. 
 
  Numbers 8:17   For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself. 
 
Numbers 18:15   Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem. 

 Colossians 1:18   And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.  


By these few verses, we see that all the firstborns were The Lord's. They were to be set apart or hallowed to HIM (Num 3:13 and Num 8:17). I believe there is still a special calling upon all firstborns and as we follow The 'Firstborn from the dead' Christ Jesus, we too can be consecrated firstborn followers of HIM. 

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Disclaimer: So, as you know, we have no choice in birthing order. We were born in the order the LORD wanted us to be, so even if you are not the first or second-born, don't lose heart, you are still called to be an ambassador for God (2 Cor 5:20), so give God praise for giving you life, whether you are the firstborn, last born, or an in-between born :-)