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Listen "#71 Passover and Atonement: Redemption of the Firstborn Son, Part 2"
Episode Synopsis
In this episode we fast forward to look at a point in Israel's story where God gives more detailed and practical instructions about redeeming the firstborn sons of the Israelites from God. All the firstborn sons of Israel belonged to God, which means they were to be exclusively devoted to serving God. But God does soemthing interesting int he book of Numbers. He allows the the first generation of men who came out of Egypt from the tribe of Levi to take the place - be a substitute - for the first generation of firstborn Israelites in their service to God.
The interesting thing is that this substitution of Levites for the firstborn was a one-for-one substitute. the 22,000 Levites were literally substituted for 22,000 of the firstborn of Israel. The only problem was that there were 273 more firstborn than there were Levites. So God's soution for those firstborn was for the families to pay 5 shekels of silver to the high priest Aaron and his priestly sons. The remaining 273 were called "the many" and the the payment of 5 shekels was acalled a "ransom" or "redemption".
This is important for us because this is the exact same language Jesus uses when he says, "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for the many." Jesus was indeed a subsitute, but he as not a penal substitute. He was an ontological - being - substitute. Like the Levite who served in the place of the firstborn, Jesus dedicated his entire life to wholly serving and carrying out God's mission. But he didn't just do it for God, or even for himself. He gave his entire life to God "for the many." in other words, his complete and faithful service to God is "payment" to God for our lack of service to him.
Key Passages:
Numbers 3:5-13; 39-51
Mark 10:35-45
Septuagint for Numbers 3 - https://biblehub.com/sepd/numbers/3.htm The Greek words for "instead of" (anti) "excess number" (polus) and ransom/redeem (lutron) are also found in Mark 10:45. We don't find this same combination anywhere else in the Old Testament.
Interlinear for Mark 10:45 - https://biblehub.com/interlinear/mark/10-45.htm
Explainer Video on how to use www.biblehub.com and www.blueletterbible.org
Leave us a question or comment at our website podcast page.
* Intro Music: "Admirable" Carlos Herrera Music
The interesting thing is that this substitution of Levites for the firstborn was a one-for-one substitute. the 22,000 Levites were literally substituted for 22,000 of the firstborn of Israel. The only problem was that there were 273 more firstborn than there were Levites. So God's soution for those firstborn was for the families to pay 5 shekels of silver to the high priest Aaron and his priestly sons. The remaining 273 were called "the many" and the the payment of 5 shekels was acalled a "ransom" or "redemption".
This is important for us because this is the exact same language Jesus uses when he says, "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for the many." Jesus was indeed a subsitute, but he as not a penal substitute. He was an ontological - being - substitute. Like the Levite who served in the place of the firstborn, Jesus dedicated his entire life to wholly serving and carrying out God's mission. But he didn't just do it for God, or even for himself. He gave his entire life to God "for the many." in other words, his complete and faithful service to God is "payment" to God for our lack of service to him.
Key Passages:
Numbers 3:5-13; 39-51
Mark 10:35-45
Septuagint for Numbers 3 - https://biblehub.com/sepd/numbers/3.htm The Greek words for "instead of" (anti) "excess number" (polus) and ransom/redeem (lutron) are also found in Mark 10:45. We don't find this same combination anywhere else in the Old Testament.
Interlinear for Mark 10:45 - https://biblehub.com/interlinear/mark/10-45.htm
Explainer Video on how to use www.biblehub.com and www.blueletterbible.org
Leave us a question or comment at our website podcast page.
* Intro Music: "Admirable" Carlos Herrera Music
In God we trust