The Firstborn
Luke 2:22-40 The law required that a male be circumcised on the eighth day. This was separate from being presented to the Lord. The firstborn was sacred to the Lord and had to be redeemed. This redemption was accomplished by offering a sacrifice in exchange for the life of the firstborn. This redemption was required by God, because when God took the lives of all of the firstborn of Egypt, He spared the firstborn of Israel. This requirement dated back to the Exodus, when God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The story of the 10 plagues and the crossing of the Red Sea are famous. However, the continuing requirement that all of the firstborn of man and animals be dedicated to the Lord is not talked about as much. There were twelve tribes or families in Israel. Each tribe descended from one of the twelve sons of Israel. After the Exodus the descendants of Levi, known as the Levites, were dedicated to God for service as substitutes for the firstborn of a