Sibling rivalry.
In Deuteronomy 21:15-17 we read about the birthright of the First-borne sons. It is the Torah that the First-borne son should get a double portion of his father’s inheritance. Of course the Torah was given after the years of slavery in Egypt, but the custom is older than that.
Torah and custom in-spite, GOD’s election of HIS people stems from another source. Quite often HE chooses the younger sibling before the first-borne:
(Question: Does GOD go against HIS own Torah?)
- Starting with the first-borne of all humanity Cain, and his younger brother Abel, we read in Genesis 4:1-5 that GOD accepted Abel’s first-fruits offering (“Bekhor”) but not Cain’s. GOD elected Abel because of his heart – we learn from the Jewish Sages that Abel brought the best of his flock to sacrifice whilst Cain brought the inedible fall-out as a portion of his crop. If this is indeed true, even we understand the basis on which GOD chose Abel. The sibling rivalry, with Cain being upstaged by his younger brother, fuelled revenge in Cain’s heart and led to the first murder.
- Younger brother Abram was called by GOD whilst his older brother Nahor died in Nimrod’s fiery furnace because he lacked conviction in his faith. Abram’s faith in GOD saved him and led him to the Promised Land.
- The history regarding Ishmael and Isaac which we delved into not so long ago, taught us that the younger son was the son of the Covenant, promised and chosen by GOD. Ishmael was the “product” of human intervention, whilst Isaac was the Elect.
- Isaac famously blessed Jacob and left Esau to the lesser life as GOD’s election of Jacob saw him as the carrier of the Covenant. We explored these events in recent studies.
- Jacob’s (Israel’s) doting on his much younger son Joseph, albeit the first-borne of his beloved Rachel, gave rise to intense sibling rivalry with his older half-brothers which led to Joseph being sold as a slave before he rose through GOD’s intervention to be the ruler of Egypt, below Pharaoh. We have dwelled on this too in recent weeks.
- In a bizarre twist, when Jacob is old and ready to bestow his final blessing upon Joseph’s sons, he crossed his arms in order to bless Ephraim the younger brother before Manasseh the elder son.
- In the years that followed, we also read that GOD chose Moses ahead of his older siblings, and the same again with Perez and again when David was anointed as king as well as David’s appointment of Solomon as his successor. Some 500 years before David, Gideon also was the youngest of his family. These matters seem to fly in the face of the Torah, but we learn that GOD is sovereign and HE chooses who will serve HIM and HE calls who will serve HIM.
In these Biblical historical events, GOD have always given responsibility to the first-born brother, however when they failed at their calling, their younger brothers stepped-up to the task and received GOD’s blessing for their commitment to the call. In most of these cases, the older brother’s failure to answer the call, has to be derived from the script as it is not stated directly in so many words.
What may superficially seem that GOD sometimes goes against HIS own Torah, is therefore explained. HE open the door to the First-Born, when the First-Born do not answer the call, GOD extends the opportunity to the next one available. Yeshua Jesus Christ explained this through a parable: (Matthew 21:28-31) A father first instruct one son to work in the vineyard, but he refused but later went, then the father instructs the second son and he says that he will, but doesn’t go. Which one answered the call by doing the father’s bidding?
Regarding sibling rivalry, Psychologist Alfred Adler wrote that first-borne children tend to be natural leaders because when they are born their parents shower them with attention and although they are quickly “dethroned” from their sole demand for parental love when younger siblings are added to the family, they often assume authority and responsibility over the younger. Parents also expect them to be a guardian of their siblings. All of this stimulates older children to be more responsible and to take charge. More often than not, younger siblings rise to challenge the “authority” of their older brothers. These revolts sometimes tear families apart.
In this week’s Torah portion, Jacob’s rebuke of Reuben when he blessed all his sons, shed some light towards understanding GOD’s election. Reuben made a crude mistake, driven by a personality as unstable as “water boiling over”, he may very well represent the stormy passion, vigour, power and strength of a younger father’s genetic material (semen) and a younger mother’s vitality contained in her egg-cell, but when those emotions are not quenched and controlled through the Spirit of GOD, the opportunity is missed. Moral deficiency also lies at the core of the examples mentioned above. GOD’s election is based from the heart.
In fact, GOD reveals HIMself in the minor things. HE doesn’t “grand-stand” to impress the audience. The Path to salvation is narrow and few find it. The path to destruction is the highway to hell.
First-born sons are given to be blessed. However when the first-born fails to build upon his inheritance, a sibling will grab and carry the torch. How can first-borns retain their blessed portion? By growing closer to the LORD of lords. This is learnt by the example set by Yeshua, aka Jesus Christ:
- Yeshua is the first-born SON of GOD.
- 2 Samuel 7:14 & Psalm 2:7 & Psalm 89:27-28 & Hebrews 1:5-6 & Revelation 1:5-6
- Adonai said that all the first-born of people and animals belongs to HIM and must be redeemed: Exodus 13:11-16 & Exodus 34:19-20
- Testimonies that Yeshua is the Son of GOD: Luke 2:27-35 & Luke 2:36-40.
- Right of the First-born is protected by Torah: Deuteronomy 21:15-17
- Yeshua was born of GOD before creation. HIS first-born title stems from this. HE rules on the right-hand of GOD the Father, HE is the KING of kings and the LORD of lords. HE is worthy and all the scriptures regarding the right of the first-born will be fulfilled in HIM.
- In Yeshua’s case, a younger and far lesser “sibling” posed a Coup-de-Tat but his rebellion resulted in his falling like a lightning bolt from heaven. This insurgent still lays false claim to all the kingdoms of the world and he will be slapped down and bound and serve a 1,000 year sentence is the toughest, roughest prison ever. After his initial sentence, he will be released on parole for a short period and will stoke the fires of ungodly rebellion again. After that, his prison sentence will be for eternity.
Why was it necessary for Yeshua to be born as a human? Because the first man, Adam messed-up. Adam was the crown of GOD’s creation. Adam was the first-born who didn’t answer GOD’s calling. In the story of all humanity, descendants of Adam, there were a yearning for a younger “Brother” to step-up and answer the call. Yeshua came to be born as a (human) baby so that HE could answer GOD’s call. HE is the Second Adam. Through HIM, we all can be saved.
Please answer HIS call.
