In our journey through Genesis, have you noticed how frequently God bypassed the 1st-born?
Seth was chosen… instead of Cain.
Isaac… instead of Ishmael.
Jacob…. instead of Esau.
Joseph… instead of Reuben.
Ephraim… instead of Manasseh.
The pattern continues beyond Genesis: Moses, Gideon, David, Solomon…
Why would God bypass the first-born so often, when He very clearly defends the rights of the first-born and expressly forbids the disinheriting of the first-born (cf. Deut 21:15-17)? And after all, God makes a really big deal about Christ being the first-born!
Here are some thoughts for your consideration:
1. In a day and time where the firstborn seemed destined for greatness because of his place in the family, God preferred to showcase His power by choosing the younger child, often seen as the weaker person.
2. On occasion God employs the second-son motif to remove occasion for pride. It was a pretty heady thing to be the first-born. First-borns often lorded it over their younger siblings. But as you know, pride doesn’t sit well with the Lord. So God often chose a second-born to make it plain that He does not choose people because they are special, but rather His choosing of them is what makes them special.
Here’s a point of application for us. We were not chosen because we were worthy, but so that God’s power might be evident in us, and so that we would always relate to God in humility for His having chosen us. Remember: not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble… (1 Cor 1:26, ff.).
And while we are on the subject of second-borns… As to the South Carolina flag pictured above, did you know that the crescent is the European heraldic symbol for “second son”? * “Many of the early landowners in the colony were second sons of English landed gentry. Therefore, they did not stand to inherit land in England. So they sought their fortune in the American colony instead.” Some believe, therefore, that the crescent on our flag “became a point of pride, an ironic symbol of the success these second sons achieved across the Atlantic. […] During the War of American Independence, the crescent first adorned the headgear of South Carolina regiments as a way of thumbing their noses at their English ‘betters’. During the naval battle for Charleston, it was added to a flag flown at Fort Moultrie and it has remained a symbol of South Carolina ever since.” **
If this is true, I guess pride finds its way even into our second-born-ness. What a shame.
Blessings as you revel in your low position and your high calling (James 1:9).
* https://www.britannica.com/topic/heraldry/Manipulation-of-heraldic-design
** https://milewis.wordpress.com/2017/06/29/second-sons-in-genesis/