firstborn that aren't born first

After yesterday's whining, I actually missed prayer meeting last night.

A friend was going to fix the brakes on my bike before prayer meeting (thanks D.A.!), but we ran late, and I didn't get there. So a TON of exercise found its way into my evening - rode my bike all over, and paddled around the pool for a while.

I was SO far behind all day today ... now at 10 minutes to 5:00, I'm where I'm usually at around 3:00 on Thursdays. Will be glad to leave the building today!

And I only made it THIS far because I happened to have a spare folding machine sitting here, and I was able to fold twice as fast. Thankful for that timing!

I was reading last night in Numbers 3:

12 "Now, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of every firstborn, the first issue of the womb among the sons of Israel. So the Levites shall be Mine.

13 "For all the firstborn are Mine; on the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, from man to beast. They shall be Mine; I am the LORD."

In the Old Testament, the firstborn had all kinds of extra privileges and responsibilities.

Yet again and again, God plucks up someone from further down the birth order and plops him/her into the firstborn's place.

Isaac came after Ishmael
Jacob came after Esau
Joseph was down the line (his two sons were elevated to the same level
David wasn't the firstborn, or even the most impressive

Yet here in Numbers God made a substitution for ALL the firstborn ... He took one tribe, and set them apart for Himself as priests in lieu of all Israel's firstborn sons.

And now ... the church is called the church of the firstborn:

Heb 12:23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

and a kingdom of prists

Re 1:6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Re 5:10 "You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth."

Blessed to be put in the firstborn's place!
Trinka