What was the birthright's spiritual meaning in an Old Testament family?
In the Old Testament, the birthright carried the spiritual side of the family position: the eldest son served as the family's priest and spiritual leader. In Abraham's line it meant even more—the promised Messiah and Redeemer would come through that chosen line, making God's sovereign will essential.
Les explains that the birthright was the spiritual side of the family position. The eldest son was more or less the priest of the family and the spiritual leader. But with the little family coming out of Abraham, it was more than being the family priest: it was the line through which the promised Messiah and Redeemer would come. Esau, born first, could have been in the line of the Messiah, but he canceled it because of his no faith, and it fell to Jacob. Isaac then gave the decree that Jacob was to have the blessing, and in the ancient Middle Eastern world, a decree stood and could not be changed.