It’s hard to follow God! Christ told us that “in the world ye shall have tribulation” (John 16:33). The apostles preached that “we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).

All Christians experience their trials and difficulties. That’s always been true: Those few who have gone against the common tide and served God have lived lives of danger and drama!

Our problems may not be as dramatic, but perhaps we can identify with the biblical heroes of Hebrews 11. There it says these righteous individuals “were tortured, not accepting deliverance…. And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth” (verses 35-38).

Why do things have to be hard for God’s people? We know it won’t always be this way. In the Millennium, God says, “they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest” (Hebrews 8:11). No more persecution, no more trials from Satan.

So why are God’s saints made to endure such suffering today? Look again at Hebrews 11:35 for the answer.

“Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection. ” A better resurrection! Those called out of this present world have a higher calling than the rest. “God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect” (verse 40). In other words, God is selecting a definite number of people for special honor, and we will all be glorified together.

But at the same time, to prepare us to qualify for that greater blessing, that better resurrection, God expects more of us. We must overcome more, withstand more. God will also require more of us on into the future.

To better grasp this principle, let’s look at a type of this concept that God instituted in ancient Israel.

Law of the Firstborn

God’s people understand tithing. We give the first tenth of all our increase to God, before any other claims on it are made, including taxes. Following this law teaches us to put God above all else in our lives (Proverbs 3:9).

The ancient Israelites had this important principle driven into their minds in a very personal way. The firstfruits of all their produce, the first of any wine made, the firstborn of all their cattle—even the firstborn sons of each family—were dedicated to God’s service.

It was on the night He slew the firstborn of Egypt that God instituted this ordinance: “Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine” (Exodus 13:2). What a dramatic command! The Israelites had just witnessed the powerful God supernaturally take the very lives of the Gentile firstborn, and then, by contrast, God claimed their own firstborn as His own, to be living sacrifices.

God later reaffirmed this command to Moses, in Exodus 22:29: “Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.” Thus, once Israel left Egypt and became independently established, these firstborn males became the first of God’s ministers. They were sanctified and called to a life of sacred service.

These carnal men eventually failed in their duties, and God began to use the tribe of Levi instead. But He still made it clear that all firstborn belonged to Him, to use as He pleased (Numbers 3:11-13).

In the Millennium, God will once again claim, in principle, His right to the firstborn. This we will see as we proceed.

Right of the Firstborn

Common law in ancient times dictated that a man’s possessions be passed on to his children at his death. Surely God instigated that law, though there is no specific biblical record of Him doing so. However, He affirmed and clarified it in His chosen nation Israel (Numbers 27:8-11; 36:7-9; Ezekiel 46:16-17).

Firstborn sons were given the greatest part of this inheritance—in fact, twice as much as the others: a double portion of all a man had.

God did not allow Israel’s parents favoritism among their children; the right of the firstborn was binding. Even if a man’s first son was born of a woman he hated, and the man later had children with another wife whom he favored, “he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his” (Deuteronomy 21:15-17).

So, in addition to having the greatest responsibility among the children, in addition to being expected to serve the most, firstborn were also given the most blessings.

Perhaps you can already begin to see how this relates to Pentecost and that better resurrection.

Firstborn of Every Creature

God’s firstborn Son is Jesus Christ. Paul describes Christ as “the firstborn of every creature…that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:15, 18).

Consider the life of this firstborn. He was sanctified from the womb. He had the very highest expectations placed upon Him. He was called to greater service and sacrifice than anyone. He was tempted and tried as no one before or since. And He succeeded in every responsibility and test. He “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

This firstborn Son will receive the greatest inheritance God has to give. As Paul said, He will have the preeminence in all things—a far bigger reward than any other of God’s many children to come.

But there is more to the story.

Christ is called “the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29). His resurrection was pictured anciently by the wave-sheaf offering (Leviticus 23:10-11), which signalled the beginning of Israel’s small spring harvest, also called the firstfruits harvest. The day of Pentecost depicts the completion of that early harvest, a type of those few God is calling today, out of season.

“Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures” (James 1:18). God calls us firstfruits as well.

Firstfruits and Serving

To a lesser degree than Christ, God’s saints actually are a type of firstborn sons. A Good News article from October 1959 said this: “There are more than one who will be firstborn. At the resurrection many sons will be born at once. These all will be first born ones. They will have an earlier opportunity for service in the Kingdom of God. They will have a greater opportunity of serving than those who come afterward.”

Like the firstborn in ancient Israel, God’s firstfruits are sanctified, set apart to lead lives of service. In a sense, that is true even now, but really we are preparing for positions of service in God’s Kingdom. Ultimately, the higher our office in God’s Kingdom, the more we will be able to benefit and serve others.

Jesus Christ set the supreme example of being a servant. “Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister,” he said, “And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant” (Matthew 20:26-27). That is the reason God gives any authority—to provide better opportunities to serve. Today, Mr. Flurry has greater facilities and opportunities to help more people more effectively than any person on Earth, because he has the highest office.

With this understanding, we can see why our primary concern shouldn’t be our own salvation. Yet at the same time, we should in fact selflessly seek to qualify for the highest position possible in God’s Kingdom.

That is what Christ did. We must emulate the example of our elder Brother—fulfilling our responsibilities to God our Father, serving and sacrificing for our brethren, overcoming trial and temptation—all in the name of qualifying for greater service. Christ qualified to serve as king over the entire Kingdom of God! God will place us in the many positions under Him based on what we prove ourselves capable of. If we are faithful in the little things we are given, we will serve in greater capacities, be made ruler over many things in the Kingdom. That is the purpose for our special calling as God’s firstfruits.

Those raised in the “better resurrection” and ruling through the Millennium will have a thousand years more experience at ruling in God’s Kingdom than those who come afterward.

Of course, accompanying the responsibilities of the firstborn are the rewards offered. Gerald Flurry wrote in his booklet The Key of David , “There is a giant lesson in the physical birth.… We struggle and shed tears as a mother does to give birth—especially with the firstborn child. The firstfruits have a harder struggle to be born than the other children. But we are also given a much greater reward! So it’s worth it.”

Let us now specially consider the inheritance that will come from being in this select group. What is the “right of the firstborn” in God’s family?

Bride of Christ

Before we proceed, let’s go back to the question we asked at the beginning: Why is life so hard for God’s saints today? Again, it is so we might obtain a better resurrection. Do we realize the magnitude of the blessing that comes from overcoming Satan as Christ did? After the first resurrection, no one will have to qualify that way ever again.

“Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out…” (Revelation 3:12). God’s headquarters temple in Jerusalem will be our home. “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne” (verse 21). We will actually be sharing Christ’s throne! What an honor. Verse 12 also says, “I will write upon him my new name.”

Why will we share Christ’s home, His throne and even His name? Because we will be His wife! That is the most exalted calling anyone could hope to be offered!

Think of it: A husband selects as his bride the best possible match—someone who complements him in character, intellect, education and grooming. A man of character would not select someone who was vastly inferior to him, whom he wouldn’t be able to respect!

Those who qualify to be Christ’s Bride will be people of tremendous character, people who qualified as He did—people who are firstborn, as Christ is!

Truly the first resurrection is “a better resurrection”! Those who are glorified and made God beings in the first resurrection will have positions of honor through all eternity.

This is the joy set before us. Yes, it’s hard to follow God. There are sufferings and trials and temptations. But “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). Embrace the calling of the firstborn, submit to the life of service, qualify for greater responsibilities, that we might receive the greater blessings given to those in the better resurrection.