Numbers
3:46-48
There
are 273 more firstborn sons of Israel than there are Levites. To redeem these
extra firstborn sons, collect five pieces of silver for each of them (each
piece weighing the same as the sanctuary shekel, which equals twenty gerahs).
Give the silver to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for the extra
firstborn sons.”
According to the instructions the Lord gave Moses at
Sinai, the firstborn of the womb of both animals and humans were considered
holy and belonging to the Lord. Firstborn lambs specifically were to be offered
as sacrifices; and the firstborn sons of Israel were to belong to the Temple and
assume priesthood. Remember this, it becomes important later.
The Lord then said to Moses that He would claim the
Levites as a substitute for the firstborn males of Israel, in other words take them
to minister to Him instead of the firstborn males. When the two groups were
counted, they found that there were 273 more firstborn sons than there were
Levites. These extra firstborn sons were assigned a value in money (five pieces
of silver each) and this money (to redeem them) was paid to Aaron and his sons.
They were then free of the obligation to become priests. The total amount of
that first redemption of sons came to 1 365 shekels – a number I will
refer to later.
This practice continued throughout the years, with
fathers of all firstborn sons paying a redemption price of five silver coins to
the priests of the temple, to free their sons from mandatory priesthood.
Now fast forward to the time of Jesus, and the priests of
the Temple plotting his death. They were going to use the silver coins from
that very Temple treasury into which all the redemption silver coins were paid
over all these years, and with these coins purchase a human life back – the
life of the firstborn of Joseph and Mary, Jesus the Firstborn of God. Giving
these coins to Judas means the redemption fee is returned, and this means that the
Son now assumes the role of priest. But more than that, as the Lamb of God He
now has to be sacrificed! (Acknowledging Jonathan Cahn)
That number I referred to earlier – the number of years from
when the first redemption of firstborn males occurred until the birth of
Messiah, was 1365 years! He was the fulfilment of the redemption!
Pearls to ponder:
Jesus is our Redeemer. He paid the full purchase price
for you – freeing you from the power of sin and death, freeing you from all
religious obligations. Live in gratitude as someone that is free indeed!
