What Does Birthright Mean When Used In The Bible? Why Was It Important?

What importance does the birthright mentioned in the Bible have? What is it important?

A Lost Birthright, A Lost Blessing

This is a tragic story of a birthright being lost due to being ravenously hungry. This account is given in Genesis 25:29-34 “Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom. Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.”

Have you ever felt hungry enough to do anything for something to eat? Many people in the world only have enough food for one day so most of us might not be able to identify with the problem of hunger but Esau was not in this same situation. He had been hunting and apparently had not been successful so when he returned from his hunting trip he was so hungry he was willing to do anything for something to eat and there was Jacob preparing some red stew. Esau was famished and exhausted from hunger so Jacob coerced Esau into giving up his birthright for some bread and lentil stew. By doing so, Esau showed that he cared more about himself and his hunger than he did his birthright blessing that was his by right since he was the firstborn of Isaac. Esau sold his birthright for one meal making the cost of this meal the greatest expense of his life.

The Deceiver

Jacob’s name means supplanter or deceiver or as the Hebrew states “he cheats” and this is why Esau later said “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me” (Gen 27:36)? The second time he took Esau’s birthright away was when Jacob’s mother and he tricked Isaac into thinking that he was Esau and not Jacob and so Isaac give the natural birthright blessing to Jacob (Gen 27:14-29). The birthright was naturally given to the eldest son and he received the greatest blessing from the father and in the Jewish culture, this meant 2/3rd’s of the inheritance of his father and the remaining inheritance was spread out among any other son or sons of the father.

Jacob’s Life in Danger

After Jacob basically stole Esau’s blessing “Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” But the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban my brother in Haran and stay with him a while, until your brother’s fury turns away— until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereft of you both in one day” (Gen 27:41-45)?

Reuben’s Loss of his Birthright

Later when the tribes of Israel were designated the land there was a problem with the firstborn of Jacob (whose name was later changed to Israel) who was named Reuben. In 1st Chronicles 5:1-2 we read “The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel, so that he could not be enrolled as the oldest son; though Judah became strong among his brothers and a chief came from him, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph).” Apparently Reuben was the first born of Jacob (or Israel) but had defiled his right to the birthright and it was lost due to his disgraceful act of sexual immorality so the history of Israel’s firstborn is not good at all but there was to come One Who would supersede all others by far and He would be the firstborn or preeminent one from God.

Jesus as the Firstborn

Jesus was born as a human but of course He had existed prior to that and in fact, has always existed since He is God and God is eternal (John 1:1-2). Paul wrote in Colossians 1:15 that Jesus “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” This was because “he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” (Col 1:17-20). The psalmist prophesied of Jesus “I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth” (Psalm 89:27) and by this birthright, so to speak, He will receive the inheritance of the nations from God the Father and be given preeminence over all the earth and it is “those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers” (Rom 8:29).

Conclusion

Jesus, being the firstborn from the dead (Rev 1:5) is the rightful heir to the throne of David and of the kingdoms of this world “to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect” (Heb 12:23). It was said “when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him” (Heb 1:6) which they did when He was born into the flesh as a babe. If you have been born again (John 3:3, 7) you too will be part of that ruling kingdom under the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Blind Chance or Intelligent Design available on Amazon.