by:
05/24/2025
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According to Exodus 13, every firstborn male was claimed by God for His service. In the census of Numbers 2:32, a total of 603,550 fighting men were identified, of whom 22,273 were “firstborn”, Num. 3:43. God had chosen the whole tribe of Levi as a substitute, a ransom for the “firstborn” of the rest of Israel, Num. 3:12. But when the Levites were numbered, there were only 22,000, Num. 3:39. Who would take the place of the 273? God’s solution was a ransom price for each individual, Num. 3:44-51.
The doctrine of “substitutionary sacrifice” is foundational in Christianity. “He,” the Son of God, took our place, not just humanity in general, but for each of us, individually.