The Principle of the First

When God is First, everything comes into order.  If you don't give it back to God, you will lose it anyway.

1. In the Old Testament, the first born male animal was sacrificed or redeemed. 

If a clean animal had a 1st born, it was sacrificed. 

If an unclean animal had a 1st born, then it was redeemed by a clean animal sacrifice. 

Exodus 13:1-2  (NKJV)

13 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine.”

Exodus 13:12-13  (NKJV)

12 that you shall set apart to the Lord all that open the womb, that is, every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have; the males shall be the Lord’s. 

In the Old Testament, the first born male was redeemed by a first born male clean animal.   

13 But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.

In the New Testament, God's first born Jesus, was born clean.  We are unclean.  

Jesus had to be sacrificed for us, so we could be redeemed.  

Jesus is our sacrifice today instead of animals. 

2.  The first fruits must be offered. 

Proverbs 3:9-10  (NKJV)

9 Honor the Lord with your possessions,
And with the first fruits of all your increase;
10 So your barns will be filled with plenty,

And your vats will overflow with new wine.

Exodus 23:19 (NKJV)

19 The first of the first fruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.

You can't give what doesn't belong to you, so you must bring.

  

Genesis 4:3-5  (NKJV)

3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

Cain gave what he wanted when he wanted.  God couldn't accept Cain's offering because it was outside His character.

  

3. The tithe must be given first.  

God can't change because He is already the best.  God can't think the way we think because He knows everything at the same time.  God can't accept the second because He is pre-eminent.

  

Leviticus 27:30 (NKJV)

30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord.

Is God 1st in your heart?  Do you give to God first?  

Matthew 6:21  (NKJV)

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Robert Morris, Guest speaking at Church of the Highlands

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