Swedenborg says that when the Bible talks about generations or birth order, the internal meaning has to do with the progression of spiritual states and their relative importance. The firstborn, then, would be the first, leading spiritual state setting the stage for all those that follow.
Ultimately, of course, all spiritual states have their source in the perfect, infinite love that flows from the Lord, so on a deepest level, that love – the essence of the Lord himself – is meant by the “firstborn.” In a way, the Lord’s love is also the ultimate “firstborn” on a natural level; we could trace children to parents back through untold generations and eons of evolution clear back to the moment of creation itself. Since creation came from the infinite energy of the Lord’s love, that would make the Lord’s love, in a way, the firstborn of the natural world.
Most uses of “firstborn” in the Bible, though, are not at this ultimate level; they are referring to the “firstborn” of a person or a church. These fall into two general categories. If the person or church is celestial in nature, its “firstborn” will be the desire for good on some level, from the desire to serve others on lower levels to the love of the Lord on the highest levels. All aspects of that person or that church will flow in progression from that firstborn love. If the person or church is spiritual in nature – much more common in the course of life and in the modern world – the firstborn will be an understanding of what is good, and knowledge of the Lord and the Lord’s desires. All aspects of that person or that church will flow from that deep understanding, commonly referred to as “faith” in Swedenborg. This is the most common meaning of “firstborn” in the Bible.
Passages from Swedenborg
Apocalypse Explained (Whitehead) n. 28
28. The Firstborn from the dead, signifies from whom is all good in heaven. This is evident from the signification of the “firstborn,” as being, in reference to the Lord, Divine good in heaven, thus all good there. The “firstborn” signifies this, because by generations, in general and in particular, spiritual generations are signified, which are the generations of good and truth or of love and faith; from this it is, that by “father,” “mother,” “sons,” “daughters,” “sons-in-law,” “daughters-in-law,” and “son’s sons,” are signified goods and truths which generate and are generated in their order (Arcana Coelestia n. 10490), for in heaven there are no other nativities. This being so, by “firstborn” is not meant the firstborn, but the good of heaven and of the church, because this is in the first place. And since it is the Lord from whom all good in heaven is, He is called the “Firstborn.” He is called “the Firstborn from the dead,” because, when He arose from the dead, He made His Human to be Divine good by union with the Divine that was in Him from conception.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 352
352. ‘The firstborn of the flock’ means the holy which is the Lord’s alone. This becomes clear from the firstborn in the representative Church, where everything was holy because it had regard to the Lord, who alone is ‘theFirstborn’. Love and faith deriving from it are the firstborn. All love is the Lord’s and not a trace of it man’s, and this is why the Lord alone is ‘theFirstborn’. This was represented in the Churches of the ancient era by the requirement to consecrate the firstborn of man and of beast to Jehovah, Exod. 13:2, 12, 15. It was also represented by the tribe of Levi, which in the internal sense means love – though Levi was born later than Reuben and Simeon, who in the internal sense mean faith – being taken instead of all thefirstborn and becoming the priesthood, Num. 3:40-46; 8:14-20. That the Lord as regards His Human Essence is the Firstborn of all is clear from the following statement in David,
He will cry to Me, You are My Father, My God, and the Rock of My Salvation; I will also make Him as the Firstborn, supreme over the kings of the earth. Ps. 89:26, 27.
And in John,
Jesus Christ, the Firstborn from the dead, and Prince of the kings of the earth. Rev 1:5.
Please note that the firstborn of worship mean the Lord, while the firstbornof the Church mean faith.
[4] Good however is the firstborn, that is, good flowing from love to the Lord and from love towards the neighbour, for no other good is good except that which flows from these. This becomes clear from the fact that life is present within good but not within truth except the life received from good, and from the fact that good flows into truths and gives them life, as may be seen clearly from what has been stated and shown already in 3324 about good and truth. For this reason all in whom love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour are present are called ‘the firstborn’. They were also represented in the Jewish Church by firstborn creatures – that is, when these are understood in the relative sense; for the Lord is the Firstborn, and those people are likenesses and images of Him.
[5] The Lord as regards His Divine Human is the Firstborn. This is clear in David,
He will cry to Me, You are My Father, My God, and the Rock of My Salvation; I will also make Him the Firstborn, supreme over the kings of the earth. My mercy I will keep for Him for ever, and My covenant will stand firm for Him, and I will establish His seed for ever, and His throne as the days of the heavens. Ps. 89:26-29.
This refers to the Lord. And in John,
From Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the Firstborn from mortal men, and Prince of the kings of the earth. Rev 1:5.
And to fulfil those things that had been written regarding Him and that represented Him He was also the Firstborn Son, Luke 2:7, 22, 23.
[6] The Lord also calls ‘the firstborn’ those in whom love to Him and charity towards the neighbour are present because they are likenesses and images of Him This is clear in John,
The hundred and forty-four thousand purchased from the earth – these are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins; these are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes; these have been purchased from men as firstfruits (the firstborn) to God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are spotless before God’s throne. Rev. 14:3-5.
‘A hundred and forty-four’, or twelve times twelve, stands for those who have the faith that is grounded in charity, 3272, ‘thousands’ for countless numbers or for them all, 2575, ‘virgins’ for the good that flows from love to the Lord and from charity towards the neighbour, 2362, 3081, and so for those with whom innocence is present, which is also the meaning of ‘following the Lamb’ since the Lord by virtue of His innocence is called ‘the Lamb’. This is why they are called the firstfruits or the firstborn.
[7] From these quotations it is evident that the Lord as regards the Divine Human was represented in the Jewish Church by firstborn beings, as also are those with whom love to Him is present, for they abide in the Lord. But thefirstborn beings mentioned in the Word have a dual representation. They represent the Lord as regards Divine celestial love and as regards Divine spiritual love. The Lord’s Divine celestial love is specific to the celestial Church, or to those belonging to that Church, who are called celestial on account of their love to the Lord. The Lord’s Divine spiritual love is specific to the spiritual Church, or to those belonging to that Church, who are referred to as spiritual on account of their love to the neighbour. The Lord’s Divine love goes out to all, but because people receive it variously – the celestial person in one way, the spiritual in another – it is said to be specific.
[8] Concerning the firstborn beings which represented the Lord as regards Divine celestial love, and also the people who belonged specifically to the celestial Church, the following is said in Moses,
The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me. You shall do the same with your oxen and your flock. Seven days it shall be with its mother; on the eighth you shall give it to Me. And you shall be men who are sanctified to Me. Exod. 22:29-31.
The reason why it was to stay seven days with its mother was that the seventh day meant the celestial man, 84-87, and that seven consequently means that which is holy, 395, 433, 716, 881. The reason why on the eighth day they were to be given to Jehovah was that the eighth day meant the continuation from a new beginning, that is to say, the continuation of love, 2044. In the same author,
The firstborn among beasts, which is given as the firstborn to Jehovah, no man shall consecrate it; whether an ox or of the herd, it is Jehovah’s. Lev. 27:26, 27.
In the same author,
The firstfruits of all that is in the land, which they bring to Jehovah, shall be yours (Aaron’s); every clean person in your house shall eat them. All that opens the womb among all flesh which they offer to Jehovah, man and beast, shall be yours. Nevertheless you shall redeem the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of unclean beasts you shall redeem. The firstborn of an ox, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat you shall not redeem; they are holy. Their blood you shall sprinkle over the altar and burn their fat as a fire-offering for an odour of rest to Jehovah. Num. 18:13, 15-18.
In the same author,
Every firstborn male that is born among your herds and among your flocks you shall sanctify to Jehovah your God; you shall do no work by means of the firstborn of your oxen, and you shall not shear the firstborn of your flock. And if there is a blemish in it, lameness or blindness, any ill blemish whatever, you shall not sacrifice it to Jehovah your God. Deut. 15:19-22.
[9] Because ‘the firstborn [among beasts]’ represented the Lord and those who are the Lord’s by virtue of love to Him, the tribe of Levi was therefore taken instead of all the firstborn, the reason for this being that Levi represented the Lord as regards His love. Also, Levi means love, for Levi is a name that means to cling to and to be joined together – and ‘to cling to’ and ‘to be joined together’ in the internal sense is love. This will in the Lord’s Divine mercy be dealt with later on, at Gen. 29:34. Regarding the Levites the following is said in Moses,
Jehovah spoke to Moses. saying, Behold, I Myself will take the Levites from the midst of the children of Israel, instead of every firstborn, that which opens the womb, from the children of Israel; and the Levites will be Mine. For every firstborn is Mine; on the day I struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified every firstborn for Myself in Israel; from man even to beast they shall be Mine. Num. 3:11-13.
In the same author,
Jehovah said to Moses, Number every firstborn male from the children of Israel, a month old and over, and take the number of their names. And take the Levites for Me – I am Jehovah – instead of every firstborn among the children of Israel, and the beast of the Levites instead of every firstbornamong the beasts of the children of Israel. Num. 3:40, 41, and following verses.
Also Num. 8:14, 16-18. And the Levites were given to Aaron, Num. 8:19, because Aaron represented the Lord as regards the priesthood, that is, as regards Divine love; for the priesthood represented the Lord’s Divine love, see 1728, 2015 (end).
[10] Concerning the firstborn creatures however which represented the Lord as regards Divine spiritual love, and also the people who belonged specifically to the spiritual Church, the following is said in Jeremiah,
With weeping they will come, and with supplications I will lead them, I will bring them to springs of water in a straight path on which they will not stumble; and I will be a Father to Israel, and Ephraim will be My firstborn. Jer. 31:9.
This refers to a new spiritual Church. ‘Israel’ stands for spiritual good, ‘Ephraim’ for spiritual truth, who is called ‘the firstborn’ because the subject is a Church that is to be established in which the understanding – which is the holder of truth – is apparently the firstborn. Indeed Ephraim took Reuben’s place and became the firstborn, Gen. 48:5, 20; 1 Chron. 5:1. He did so because Joseph, whose sons were Ephraim and Manasseh, represented the Lord as regards Divine spiritual love. But fundamentally Israel, that is, spiritual good, is the firstborn. This is clear in Moses,
Jehovah said to Moses, You shall say to Pharaoh, Thus said Jehovah, Myfirstborn son is Israel, and I say to you, Send My son so that he may serve Me, and you have refused to send him; behold, I kill your son, the firstborn. Exod. 4:22, 23.
Here ‘Israel’ in the highest sense is the Lord as regards Divine spiritual love, and in the relative sense those in whom spiritual love, that is, charity towards the neighbour, is present.
[11] In the case of the spiritual Church, in the beginning or when it is about to be established, it is the doctrine of truth that is the firstborn with the external Church and the truth taught by doctrine the firstborn with the internal Church – or what amounts to the same, the doctrine of faith is thefirstborn with the external Church and faith itself with the internal Church. But once it has been set up, or is a reality among its members, it is the good flowing from charity that is the firstborn with the external Church and charity itself with the internal Church. When however the Church does not allow itself to be established, as happens when it is no longer possible for the member of the Church to be regenerated, it gradually retreats from charity and turns aside to faith. Furthermore it no longer concerns itself with life but with doctrine; and when that happens it casts itself into shadows and sinks into falsities and evils. In so doing it ceases to be a Church and brings about its own annihilation. This was represented by Cain, in that he slew Abel his brother – Cain meaning faith separated from charity, and Abel the charity which he annihilated, see 340, 342, 357, 362, and following paragraphs. Later on it was represented by Ham – and Canaan his son – in that he mocked Noah his father, 1062, 1063, 1076, 1140, 1141, 1162, 1179. After that it was represented by Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, in that he defiled his father’s bed, Gen. 35:22, and at length by Pharaoh and the Egyptians, in that these afflicted the children of Israel. It is clear from the Word that all these were accursed, as the following shows:
Cain
Jehovah said, What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to Me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. Gen. 4:10, 11.
Ham and Canaan
Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and pointed it out to his two brothers. And Noah awoke from his wine. He said, Cursed be Canaan, a slave of slaves will he be to his brothers. Gen. 9:22, 24, 25.
Reuben
Reuben, my firstborn, you are my strength, and the beginning of my power, excelling in eminence, and excelling in might. Unstable as water, may you not excel, for you went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it. He went up to my couch. Gen. 49:3, 4.
This was why he was deprived of the birthright, 1 Chron. 5:1. The same was represented by Pharaoh and the Egyptians, and therefore their firstborn sons and firstborn creatures were slain. This is clear from their representation as facts, 1164, 1165, 1186, for whenever anyone enters into the arcana of faith along the path of factual knowledge, he no longer believes anything, apart from that which he is able to grasp through sensory evidence and factual knowledge. In that case things which belong to the doctrine of faith, and above all those which are matters of charity, he perverts and annihilates.
[12] These are the considerations which are represented in the internal sense by the slaying of the firstborn sons and firstborn creatures of Egypt, referred to in Moses as follows,
I will pass through the land of Egypt during that night, and will strike all thefirstborn in the land of Egypt, from man even to beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgement; I am Jehovah. And the blood will be a sign on your houses where you are; and when I see the blood I will pass by over you, and the plague will not be on you for a destroyer when I strike the land of Egypt. Exod. 12:12, 13.
‘The firstborn of Egypt’ is doctrinal teaching regarding faith and regarding charity, which is perverted, as has been stated, by means of facts. ‘The gods of Egypt’ on whom judgement would be executed are falsities. No plague would be brought by the destroyer where there was blood on houses means in the highest sense the place where the Lord as regards Divine spiritual love resides, and in the relative sense where spiritual love, that is, charity towards the neighbour, resides, see 1001.
[13] Further reference to Pharaoh and the Egyptians is made in the same book as follows,
Moses said, Thus said Jehovah, As at midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt, and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt will die, and Pharaoh’sfirstborn who was to sit on his throne, even to the firstborn of the servant-girl who is behind the mill, and all the firstborn of the beasts. But on all the children of Israel not a dog will move its tongue, from man even to beast. Exod. 11:4-7.
And after that,
It happened at midnight, that Jehovah struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from Pharaoh’s firstborn who was to sit on his throne even to thefirstborn of the prisoner who was in the dungeon,* and all the firstborn of the beasts. Exod. 12:29.
The reason why it took place at midnight was that ‘night’ means the final state of the Church when there is no faith any longer because there is no charity any longer, 221, 709, 1712, 2353. In David,
He struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the beginning of powers in the tents of Ham. Ps. 78:51.
In the same author,
Then Israel came to Egypt, and Jacob became a sojourner in the land of Ham. God struck all the firstborn in their land, the beginning of all their powers. Ps. 105:23, 36.
‘The tents of Ham’ is the name given to the worship of the Egyptians, which is based on false assumptions that result from truth separated from good, or what amounts to the same, from faith separated from charity – ‘tents’ meaning worship, see 414, 1102, 1566, 2145, 2152, 3312, and ‘Ham’ faith separated from charity, 1062, 1063, 1076, 1140, 1141, 1162, 1179.
[14] This confirms yet again that ‘the slaying of the firstborn of Egypt’ had no other meaning. Now because all the firstborn of Egypt had been slain, and yet so that the firstborn might represent the Lord as regards Divine spiritual love and at the same time represent those who are governed by that love, [the Israelites] were commanded to sanctify all the firstborn the instant they were leaving. These matters are stated in Moses as follows,
Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, Sanctify to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel; with man and with beast let them be Mine. You shall make over to Jehovah all that opens the womb, and every firstling of a beast, that are yours; the males shall be Jehovah’s. And every firstling of an ass you shall redeem in the herd. If you do not redeem it, you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. And it shall be – when your son asks you in time to come, saying, What is this? – that you shall say to him, By a strong hand Jehovah led us out of Egypt, from the home of slaves. And so it was, that Pharaoh hardened himself against sending us away, and Jehovah slew all the firstbornin the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of man even to the firstborn of the beasts. Therefore I sacrifice to Jehovah all that open the womb, the males, and all the firstborn of my sons I redeem. Exod 13:1, 2, 12-15; 34:19, 20; Num. 33:3, 4.
From all these quotations one may now see what is meant in the spiritual sense by the birthright.
*lit. in the house of the pit
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 8087
8087. ‘From the firstborn of man even to the firstborn of beast’ means the falsity, interior and exterior, belonging to separated faith. This is clear from the meaning of ‘the firstborn of Egypt’ as faith separated from charity, as immediately above in 8086, and so falsity belonging to faith, for those who separate faith from charity both in doctrine and in life are inescapably subject to falsity since the evil that pervades their life is constantly active, pressing falsity into agreement with itself (or if truth presents itself that evil then misapplies it and thereby brings it into agreement with itself, thus falsifies it); and from the meaning of ‘man and beast’ as what is interior and what is exterior, dealt with in 4724, 7523.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 7779
7779. ‘From Pharaoh’s firstborn who is to sit on his throne’ means falsified truths of faith that occupy the first place. This is clear from the meaning of ‘firstborn’ as faith, dealt with in 352, 2435, 6344, 7035; from the representation of ‘Pharaoh’ as factual knowledge in general perverting the Church’s truths, dealt with in 6015, 6651, 6679, 6683, 6692, so that ‘Pharaoh’s firstborn’ is faith consisting of such truths, that is, faith consisting of falsified truths of faith; and from the meaning of ‘throne’ as the rule of truth, and in the contrary sense the rule of falsity, dealt with in 5313. The fact that ‘Pharaoh’s firstborn who is to sit on his throne’ means falsified truths of faith that occupy the first place is evident from the use of the words ‘even to the firstborn of the servant-girl who is behind the mill’, which mean falsified truths of faith that occupy the very last place; besides which the king’s son means that which is primary since the king is the head.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 8080
8080. ‘And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem, means that the truths of faith are not to be ascribed to the Lord, but forms of the good of faith. This is clear from the meaning of ‘the firstborn’ as faith, dealt with in 352, 2435, 6344, 7035, 8042; from the meaning of ‘sons’ as truths, dealt with in 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373; and from the meaning of ‘redeeming’ as giving something else instead, as above in 8078, 8079. The fact that those truths of faith are not to be ascribed follows from the full message that is implied by these words, And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall not make over, that is, you shall not sacrifice, but you shall redeem’, ‘not making over’ being not ascribing, as above in 8074, 8078. From this it is evident that ‘all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem’ means that the truths of faith are not to be ascribed to the Lord, but something else instead. Proof that this something else is the good of faith is provided by the consideration that generally ‘the firstborn’ means the good of faith, as above in 8042, 8043. But since it speaks here about ‘thefirstborn of man among his sons’, the truth of faith is meant; for there is the truth of faith and there is the good of faith.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 7039
7039. ‘Behold, I kill your son, your firstborn’ means the annihilation of faith devoid of charity, and the consequent devastation of truth among them. This is clear from the meaning of ‘killing’ as annihilation; and from the meaning of ‘firstborn son’, that is to say, of Pharaoh and the Egyptians, as faith devoid of charity, dealt with in 3325. For ‘Pharaoh’ and ‘the Egyptians’ have represented the facts known to the Church, 4749, 4964, 4966, 6004, thus known facts which form part of faith since these facts are ones that the Church possesses. But because they turned that factual knowledge into magic, 6692, and their deeds were as a consequence evil and devoid of any charity, the mere knowledge of matters of faith, thus faith without charity, is meant by ‘their firstborn sons’. That the mere knowledge of them is meant by ‘the firstborn of Egypt’ is evident from the meaning of ‘the firstborn of Israel’ as the faith that is wedded to charity, dealt with above in 7075.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 4605
4605. ‘Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn’ means the good of faith. This is clear from the meaning of ‘the firstborn’ as faith, dealt with in 352, 367, 2435, 3325; also from the representation of ‘Jacob’ as the good of natural truth, dealt with in 4538, and from that of ‘Reuben’ as the essential nature of faith. For in the genuine sense ‘Reuben’ means the truth of faith, 3861, 3866, but after the truth of faith has become good he means the good of faith. Furthermore faith essentially is charity, and so the truth of faith essentially is the good of faith, because it cannot have any existence at all unless it springs from charity – that is, truth cannot have any real existence unless it springs from good. This being so, once a person has been regenerated good occupies the first place, or is the firstborn, see 3325, 3494. This is the reason why ‘Reuben, Jacob’sfirstborn’ at this point means the good of faith.