He Gives Us The Blessing Of The Firstborn

He Gives Us the Blessing of the Firstborn

Long before Jacob and Esau were born, the Lord told Rebekah about the two sons in her womb: “Your older son will serve your younger son” (Genesis 25:23). God made it clear from the beginning that these two sons would not follow the pattern of the culture, in which the firstborn son typically enjoyed the favored status that brought a greater share of inheritance and honor. But Isaac seemed to fight this foretelling from the start. Esau was born before his brother and was a skillful hunter and outdoorsman—his father’s favorite—while Jacob was a quiet homebody—his mother’s favorite.

When it came time for Isaac to give the blessing of the firstborn, he was determined to give it to his older son, Esau. But Rebekah overheard Isaac sending Esau out to kill game to make a meal for the time of blessing, so she sent Jacob, dressed up as Esau, to visit blind Isaac instead. When Jacob hesitated, fearing that he would be cursed instead of blessed, Rebekah insisted: “Let the curse fall on me, my son!” (Genesis 27:13).

So Jacob went in, saying, “It’s Esau, your firstborn son” (Genesis 27:19), and he succeeded in fooling his father. Jacob finally heard the words of blessing he had longed his whole life to hear. Jacob—the one who was not the firstborn son, the one chosen by God to receive the blessing from before he was born—received the blessing of the firstborn.

Jesus is the true firstborn son Jacob points to. “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” (Colossians 1:15, NIV). From eternity past, Jesus was dearly loved by his Father and enjoyed the blessing of the firstborn. But when he hung on the cross, he relinquished his firstborn status and willingly took the Curse upon himself. He did what Rebekah offered to do when she said, “Let the curse fall on me!”

Jesus clothed himself in human flesh so he would look like us and live like us, and so he could die for us. In this way, he made it possible for us to one day be clothed in glorified bodies like his own and to receive the firstborn blessing he deserves. He has made us members of “the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven” (Hebrews 12:23, NIV).

Here I am in your family—a family completely composed of firstborns! The Father loves me as his firstborn and has given me the inheritance of the firstborn! Jesus, you took the Curse upon yourself so that I can have this blessing.