What is in birthright? How important is it and what are the spiritual implications? Whether you are a firstborn or not, you need to pay attention to this because it will affect you either directly or indirectly. You need to draw your chair closer because you are about to hear something mind-blowing.
Being a firstborn is not a coincidence or mere chance; it is a divine design that carries grave responsibilities and consequences. Unfortunately, the majority of people are unaware of this reality. I am going to show you why you need to change this mindset.
Biblical Perspective
When God took revenge on the Egyptians, he went after their firstborn sons, thus loosening Pharaoh’s iron grip on the Israelites. In the book of second Kings chapter 3, the Israelites besieged Moab. But when the king of Moab made a burnt offering of his first son to their idol Chemosh, the tide turned against the Israelites. And in the fullness of time God sent his first Son to redeem mankind from sin.
Birthright Is a theme that spans through the entire length of the scriptures. In the Bible, being a firstborn is not merely a position or title, it is an assignment. The Abrahamic covenant was propagated by birthright and that’s why Jacob could not embody the blessings until he had received the birthright. God places a high premium on birthright and that’s why the Bible declared “blessed is every male that opens the matrix”. Likewise, Deuteronomy 21:17 confers a double portion of inheritance on the firstborn son.
Universal Recognition and Responsibility of the Firstborn
In various cultures and parts of the world, the first son is assigned a sacred role. In Africa, the first son is the priest, the spiritual heir and the leader of the family. In China, he is entrusted with the duty of maintaining and propagating the family surname, and also upholds ancestral rites. In the Hindu tradition, he is given the charge of the family estate, groomed for leadership in the family and lights the funeral pyre. In Europe and Arabian countries, the first son inherits the throne or estate and is considered the main continuity of bloodlines. Obviously, these are no mean tasks, they are heavy responsibilities.
Link between Birthright and Destiny
The first born therefore does not have the luxury of frivolity or recklessness. Otherwise he misses the mark and goes down in history as a historic failure. This was the lot of Cain who abnegated his priestly role to his younger brother, Abel who offered a more excellent sacrifice. Esau placed little value on his birthright to the extent that he sold it to his younger twin, Jacob. Esau exhibited a carefree and nonchalant attitude towards his birthright. He was described as a profane person who devalued the Abrahamic covenant and exchanged it for a plate of food. He was ruled by his lust, just like Reuben his nephew. Reuben, the first son of Jacob took after his uncle Esau. What his father had staked his life to acquire, he frittered away on the altar of self-gratification. When it was time for him to rise to the occasion of his sacred calling, he fell to the level of his shortsighted craving. On two, occasions, he dropped the ball, thus conceding an irreparable own goal. Reuben did not lose his birthright the day he slept with is father’s wife. He started losing it the day he could not account for his youngest brother, Joseph who was entrusted to his care. Incest with his father’s wife was the consummation of his ignominious crash. The consequence? He lost his staff of authority to Judah and the double portion of inheritance to Joseph – the one he could not protect. In his valedictory benediction, Jacob gave his verdict on Reuben, his now ceremonial first son – “unstable as water, thou shalt not excel”. Amnon was king David’s first son but instead of building on his father’s solid foundation, he decided to default to the moral quagmire of Reuben, his progenitor. Consequently, he lost his place, the throne and his life. He also acquired for himself an eternal blot.
Why Many Firstborns Fail
But what is responsible for the high failure rate of first sons especially in Africa? Birthright is a slippery slope that can bring a man from the Pinnacle of glory to the slough of despond. Many first sons have become merely ceremonial rather than sacred as was originally intended. In the world of today, the sacredness of the firstborn son has been trampled upon – not by others, but by the first sons themselves. But what does one expect from a generation that is ruled by fleshly desires?
First, understand that whatever God is interested in, also arouses the devil’s inquisitiveness. If God has apportioned double blessings for the first son, then the devil will invariably allocate double barriers just to spite God. And this is the truth many people are ignorant of. Know it today that if you are a first son, then the devil has a special interest in you. Secondly, the first son naturally inherits their father’s enemies, limitations, reproach and woes. That’s why God went after the first sons of Egypt.
Secondly, we have bifurcated the inseparable duo of responsibility and inheritance, thereby creating a crop of first sons who want inheritance, but want nothing to do with the associated responsibilities. They want to sit on the throne without the discipline and courage of a king. They want to receive estates without the wisdom to maintain it. They want to bear the family name without the character to authenticate it. They want to inherit but have no plans to bequeath. Some even hope their father dies soon so they can preside over his wealth. Such first sons are a mockery to the divine ordination of birthright. They are modern day prodigal sons with a sense of entitlement without a sense of purpose. A former neighbour was fond of calling my first son “heir apparent”. I immediately detested the gesture because I could see that she was unknowing inculcating in him a sense of entitlement without commensurate responsibility. She was invariably saying to him “no need to sweat”. And I believe that she does that with her first son. Before you blame her, you need to understand that she is not alone. It is a prevailing mentality in Africa today. The first son simply putters about, waiting for inheritance which cannot be activated until the demise of the father. If he is unlucky, his father might even outlive him. This is the opposite of what happens in aristocratic circles where the first born is groomed, not just to inherit, but most importantly to maintain the family status and uphold its values. He knows from infancy that a heavy task rests on his shoulders that the price of failure is too great to imagine.
Closing Thoughts
Parents must understand the blessings and burdens that naturally comes with birthright, and do whatever is necessary to hold this reality up to the firstborn. He must not be pampered to his detriment. He should be groomed for leadership and responsibility. Are you a first son? Then it’s time to change the game. Stop hoping for an inheritance and start taking responsibility. As a priest, keep your vows. As a king, keep the standard high. As an ambassador, be the face of your family. As a leader set the pace. Remember that birthright is exchangeable. If you fail, another will take your place without much ado. Remember, for every Esau who gambled away his birthright, there is a Jacob to purchase it. For every Reuben who glosses over his birthright, there is a Judah receive is mantle and a Joseph to divert his double portion. For every Amnon who desecrates the throne, there is a Solomon to dignify it. For every Judas who betrays his calling, there is Mathias to redeem the bishoprick.
My friend, get up from the dust and run your race. You may not run faster than everyone but run it the best you can and the blessing of the first son will gravitate towards you. Learn to take responsibility. Learn to dignify yourself. You have received the baton. Hold it firm and don’t let it drop. Haul yourself to the fishing and pass on the baton. Let is not be said of you “here lies Esau a profane man who sold his birthright for one morsel of meat”. But let it be said, “here lies a man who was faithful to his calling.
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