The Census and the Redemption of the Firstborn
3: 40-51
The census and the redemption of the firstborn DIG: What was the giving of the firstborn a tangible reminder of? How were the 273 unredeemed first males of the people redeemed? What did it mean to be the firstborn in biblical times? What does it mean for Isra’el to be the firstborn of God? What does it mean for Yeshua to be “the firstborn among many brothers” or “of all creation?” What does it mean for Yeshua to be “the firstborn of the dead?” What is the Sh’khinah, and where was it within the camp of Isra’el? How does the Sh’khinah picture the Messiah?
REFLECT: If the redemption prince were still required for your life or the lives of your spouse and children, what would it be? Since the price of a life was another life, what principle of substitution does ADONAI use today? How does that make you feel about your substitution? About the One who gave His life for your life?
God has made it clear that the price of redemption is a life for another life.
The first born: During his father’s lifetime, the firstborn took precedence over his brothers (Genesis 43:33). Upon his father’s death, he received a double portion of the inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:17) and became the head of the family. The eldest could lose his right of being the firstborn for a grave offense, as Reuben did by his incest (see the commentary on Genesis, to see link click Ik – Reuben Slept with His Father’s Concubine Bilhah), or he could surrender it, as Esau did by selling his birthright to Jacob (see Genesis Gn – Then Jacob Gave Esau Some Stew and Esau Despised His Birthright). But the Torah protected the eldest son from an unfair father (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Ds – The Tale of Two Sons) because the firstborn belonged to ADONAI.52
At its most basic level, the tradition of dedicating the firstborn to God or some other equivalent is a theological reminder that Isra’el owes its very life and freedom to ADONAI. The dedication of the firstborn is a tangible way of recalling Isra’el’s history as a slave people redeemed by YHVH. All that Isra’el has, including its very existence, is a gift from the LORD. To return whatever first opens the womb of God is a tangible reminder that everything belongs to ADONAI is a physical reminder that everything belongs to YHVH and is available for our use only because God has given it as a gift.53
ADONAI said to Moshe, “Register all the firstborn males of the people of Isra’el a month old and over, and determine how many there are. Then you are to take the Levites for me, ADONAI, in place of all the firstborn among the people of Isra’el, and the cattle of the Levites in place of the firstborn of the cattle belonging to the people of Isra’el.” Moshe counted, as ADONAI had ordered him, all the firstborn among the people of Isra’el (3:40-42).
In taking the census of the firstborn males of Isra’el one month old or older, the total was 22,273 (3:43), leaving an excess of 273 unredeemed firstborn males beyond the census of 22,000 Levites (see Aq – The First Numbering of the Levites). The instructions in Exodus (see the commentary on Exodus Cd – Redemption of the Firstborn), and Numbers (see Ap – Redeeming the Firstborn) were to substitute Levites for the firstborn service of the LORD.54
Some argue that the 22,273 firstborn of the twelve tribes was an unrealistically small number since the total population of Israelite men twenty-years-old or older was 603,550 (see Ak – Numbering the Tribes). This would yield a ratio of about 1 firstborn to 27 mothers. Very unrealistic. Therefore, the firstborn males of Isra’el most likely refers to only those who were born after the tribe of Levi was established as a priestly tribe. The original statement concerning the firstborn (Exodus 13:11-13) clearly indicates that the implementation of the command was not retroactive to the Exodus, but would come into effect in the future. That is, only the firstborn males who were born between the time of the Exodus and the setting of a part of the Levites, about two years later (Numbers 1:1), would be counted. So a total of 22,273 would be in line for that period of time.55
ADONAI said to Moshe, “Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the people of Isra’el, and the cattle of the Levites in place of their cattle; the Levites belong to me, ADONAI. Since there were 273 more firstborn males from Isra’el than male Levites, in order to redeem them, you are to take five shekels [two ounces] for each of these (use the Sanctuary shekel, which is equal to twenty gerahs). Give the redemption money for these extra people to Aaron and his sons.” Moshe took the redemption money from those who were over and above those redeemed by the Levites; the amount of money he took from the firstborn of the people of Isra’el was 1,365 shekels, using the Sanctuary shekel. Moshe gave the redemption-money to Aaron and his sons, in keeping with what ADONAI had said, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe (3:44-51).
Redemption was always described in terms of some kind of a cost factor. God was obviously not discharging a debt to some by redeeming His elect at the time of the Exodus. But at that point, and on all subsequent occasions, when the first born were redeemed, God made it clear that the price of a life was another life. The original cost factor existed in the effort that a loving, wise God made to redeem His chosen people by “passing over” the firstborn of Isra’el when He instituted the final plague upon Egypt.56
Isra’el, God’s firstborn: According to the TaNaKh, Isra’el is God’s firstborn (Exodus 4:22 and Jeremiah 31:9). As such, she enjoyed the privileges that the other nations did not possess, such as being the recipient and caretaker of God’s written revelation as well as being the people through whom the Messiah would come into the world. This is her double portion. One of the most wonderful things to note about Isra’el’s firstborn status is that even though Isra’el was unfaithful to the covenant (see the commentary on Jeremiah Bh – The Broken Covenant), ADONAI does not disinherit them, as is the practice of some earthy fathers. Hence, Isra’el will always be considered God’s firstborn child among all the peoples of the world, and those who believe that the Church has replaced Isra’el as His firstborn are teaching heresy (see the commentary on Acts Ag – Replacement Theology and Acts).
Yeshua, God’s Firstborn: Yeshua the Messiah is also called God’s firstborn. In fact, He is referred to as such in three different ways. First, He is called the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8:29). He is also called the firstborn of all creation (Colossians 1:15). This title seems to be stressing the fact of Yeshua’s eternal existence as the divine Son of God. Furthermore, Messiah is called the firstfruits from the dead (Colossians 1:18). Here the meaning is not that our Lord was the first to rise from the dead. Others have had that blessing before Him, such as the boy whom Elijah raised from the dead, and Lazarus. Rather, when we are told that Messiah is the firstfruits from the dead, it means that He was the first to rise from the dead in glory, receiving an immortal resurrection-type body.
Finally, Yeshua is also the firstborn child of His mother Miriam. This helps us to understand why Yeshua was presented in the Temple (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Au – Jesus Presented in the Temple). His parents did this because of the teaching found in Numbers 8:15-19.
It is clear from the teaching about Yeshua that by designating Him as God’s firstborn, He was placing Messiah into a position of the highest-ranking Person in the universe. Indeed, He is high and lifted up as Isaiah states (see the commentary on Isaiah Jn – I Live in a High and Holy Place). This underscores the truth that He was not only firstborn of His mother in the world, but firstborn of His Father before the creation of the world, and that He holds the rank, as compared with everything created, as the firstborn of dignity.57
Yeshua Messiah, our redeemer: The redemption principle of “a life for a life” is still relevant today. Yeshua Messiah is our substitute who has bought us with a price (First Corinthians 6:20), and redeemed us (see the commentary on Romans Bn – The Contrast to Adam) from the kingdom of sin and death (see the commentary on Leviticus Bv – The Test of Tsara’at) to the kingdom of life and righteousness (see Leviticus Cg – The Test of M’tsora).
Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for Your loving care to redeem Your people from the terrible bondage of sin. You endured the shameful and terrible death on the cross for the joy set before You (Hebrews 12:2). Your When Isra’el sinned Your love is what motivated all Your actions. Your love for Your firstborn Isra’el, caused You to send them into exile for seventy years that they might be cured of worshipping idols and it did cure them. Love also to restore Isra’el (Jeremiah 27:22). Your love is always there. You never stop loving Your children, even when You discipline. “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of Adonai or lose heart when you are corrected by Him, because ADONAI disciplines the one He loves and punishes every son He accepts (Hebrews 12: 5b-6).
In seeking to restore Israel’s love for You, Your love marked off seven years of great Tribulation for Isra’el (Daniel 9:27). At the end of the Tribulation when Isra’el finally accepts Yeshua as the Messiah, the Savior of the world, then Messiah returns to rescue and save Isra’el. Then I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication, when they will look toward Me whom they pierced. They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son and grieve bitterly for him, as one grieves for a firstborn. In that day there will be a great mourning in Jerusalem, mourning like Hadad-rimmon in the valley of Megido. . . In that day a spring will be opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and impurity. Yeshua returns in triumph to miraculously save Isra’el (Zechariah 13-14). Then Messiah will judge the nations for how they have treated Isra’el (Matthew 25:31-46) and set up His Millennial Kingdom for one thousand years as King over all the earth, with Jerusalem as His capital (Revelation 19-21, Zechariah 14:9). Praise Your magnificent power and tender love! When Your children stray, You always seek to draw them back into Your arms of deep and compassionate love. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen
Leave A Comment