God and the firstborn males

[Rachel72]

Hi all---

I am in the book of Exodus now, and my Bible specifically says that "God killed all the firstborn males and animals". Now, I am not sure why this happened. Why would God kill them? I know the king was being willful and disobedient, but why did God punish all the firstborn males?

Thank you,

Rachel72

[tah]

What translation are you using?

[billie]

What exact scripture in Exodus? Would you post it?

[tah]

Moses was sent to Pharaoh to tell him to Let God's people leave...

Pharaoh would not and God punished them ..

God's people were told to put the blood of a lamb on the door and when the angel of death came and saw the blood of the lamb it could not hurt the one inside that house...

All of this is a type of the Blood of Jesus shed for you and I...

There is so much more to this ..Do read from where Moses is called (Exo 3)to where Moses leads the children out of egypt (Exo 15)...

Exo 11:4 So Moses said, "Thus says the LORD: About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt,

Exo 11:5 and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle.

Exo 11:6 There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again.

Exo 11:7 But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.

Exo 12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD.

Exo 12:13 The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.

[Leonard]

I am not privy to all the private counsel of God. From the tenor of the whole Word of God, I know that 'the Judge of all the earth will do right'.

This does strike us as rather beastly, doesn't it? I am hard-pressed to think of a good, human explanation. This is one of the very few places where I just have to say: "I don't know everything that was going on, nor do I fully understand our just God's divine Justice.

[Ovedya]

Hi all---

I am in the book of Exodus now, and my Bible specifically says that "God killed all the firstborn males and animals". Now, I am not sure why this happened. Why would God kill them? I know the king was being willful and disobedient, but why did God punish all the firstborn males?

Thank you,

Rachel72

I'll answer in a way that may not be typical: Pharoah did it first, and God remembered the suffering of His people. Go back to Exodus 1 and read verses 8-22. Then read 2:23-25 and 3:7-10

[billie]

You know, many times we view death as the most horrible thing that can happen to us, but it's not. The Bible says God is fair, just, merciful, and loving. We have to read these difficult passages in light of that and know that God had good reason for doing what He did and that these firstborns were dealt with fairly. I've often wondered about such things myself. I'm interested in seeing everyone's opinions, too.

[Ovedya]

You know, many times we view death as the most horrible thing that can happen to us, but it's not. The Bible says God is fair, just, merciful, and loving. We have to read these difficult passages in light of that and know that God had good reason for doing what He did and that these firstborns were dealt with fairly. I've often wondered about such things myself. I'm interested in seeing everyone's opinions, too.

I think the conflict arises within us when we cannot reconcile the mercy that God has bestowed upon us as believers in Christ Jesus, and those others whom God has dealt with according to His righteousness and justice. Yes, God is merciful and loving. But He is also righteous and holy, and He deals with His enemies swiftly and hotly. Especially when it comes down to people messing with His family.

[ScubaSteve]

My thoughts are that back then the firstborn males were the heirs of the families, due to inherit everything, therefore considered the most important offspring as they would provide for their parents etc when the parents were too old to look after themselves. So alot of time would of gone into raising the firstborn to a standard sufficient to be able to keep the family business going. So I would say that God decided to kill the firstborn males because they were often the most cherished and had the most time invested in them, it would hurt them the most. I know it sounds cruel but God was proving a point.

[traveller]

The killing of the firstborn was the last in a list of plagues that Moses brought to Pharaoh. Each plague addressed a different Egyptian god and showed God's supreme power. Set, Hathor, Baal, Isis, and the others were each challenged and defeated with the frogs, the blood in the Nile, the lice, the darkness. When the firstborn were killed the goddes Isis, who was a protector of children, and Pharaoh himself, were defeated. Pharaoh was considered a god and his child an heir.

As the above poster says, the firstborn was the strength of a nation. The firstborn received a double blessing, a double portion.

Psa 78:51 And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of [their] strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

Psa 105:36 He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength.

But, the symbolism is prophetically important as well. The blood on the doorpost was a protective covering for the children of Israel and proclaimed them to be children of God. Just like the blood of Jesus, Who is God's firstborn, saves us.

Mat 1:25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: