Page 69 - Gods Plan of the Ages

shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death,
that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime
subject to bondage.

This is the goal of Yahweh's plan of the ages. He will conform man to the image of
Christ, and thereby bring many sons to glory. Yet, even as this work of redeeming fallen
mankind and bringing forth sons in the image of God began with a single man, so too will
we see the spread and fulfillment of this work accomplished in successive and ever larger
waves. In the end Christ must fill all things, but in the outworking of this process He must
first be formed in a firstfruits group of men and women.

James 1:18
In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be
a kind of firstfruits among His creatures.

The plan of God is to acquire for Himself a body of firstfruits and then to reconcileall
of creation to Himself.

I Corinthians 15:22-23
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order:
The anointed firstfruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, then the
remainder, when He delivers up the kingdom to God the Father.

These firstfruits will be preeminent among their brethren. By being the first to taste
of death and suffering through becoming partakers of the cross of Christ, they will obtain
a place of honor. They will be known as the firstborn from the dead, the firstborn sons of
Christ.

Revelation 14:4
These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased
from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. Notice the qualification given
here. "These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes."

These are those who have accepted Christ's invitation to "Come, take up your cross,
and follow Me." A lamb is a sacrificial animal. A lamb will go meekly and quietly to be
slaughtered, not resisting the hand that guides it. So too will this be the attitude and
character of those who will be the firstborn of Christ. They will humbly yield their lives to
Christ, and present themselves as a living sacrifice. They will surrender to pass through
many fiery trials and experiences that serve to reduce the Adamic man that a spiritual
creation after the image of Christ might arise. Even as Yahshua embraced the cross, and was
perfected through sufferings, these ones too will do the same and serve as a pattern and
testimony for their brethren to follow.
These truths are observed in the types and shadows of the Old Testament. The
firstborn male that opens the womb was reserved, set apart, as holy unto Yahweh.

Exodus 34:19
The first offspring from every womb belongs to Me...

This preeminence of the firstborn was not merely some archaic custom belonging to