What does it mean the first will be last and the last will be first?

In Luke 13:30 Jesus says, “Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last” (NASB1995). In Mark 10:31 he says, “But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.” And in Matthew 19:30, “But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.” The fact that this is recorded in three gospels makes it clear it is important, but have you ever wondered what it means? Is it a riddle to be figured out? Here's your first clue: It means the same thing each time it is used. To answer this question and keep this blog post reasonably short, we will go to the reference in Matthew for the answer.

Looking at first will be last and the last will be first in context

“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake will receive many times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last; and the last, first” (Matthew 19:29-30)

The next clue is that this is about people living for Jesus from the heart. Not just people following rules or trying to turn over a new leaf. These people have called upon the Lord and received the truth and spiritual life. They have repented, are born again, and willing to leave the things of this world behind. But what does this have to do with the first will be last or the last first? To understand that, let’s turn the page to the next chapter which continues this discourse. Let's look at Matthew 20:1-16.

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and to those he said ‘You, too, go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ And so they went.

“Again he went out, about the sixth and ninth hour, and did the same thing. And about the eleventh hour, he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’

“They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’

“He said to them, ‘You, too, go into the vineyard.’

“And when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius.

“And when those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; and they also received each one a denarius. And when they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you’ve made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.’

“But he answered and said to them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’ Thus, the last shall be first, and the first last.”

 

What does it mean the first will be last and the last will be first?

There it is again. “Thus, the last shall be first, and the first last.” This statement brackets this parable, so this is our third clue. This is where we will find the answer to our question. 

The parable illustrates the meaning of the last first and first last. It shows how as believers we all finish equally before God. We receive eternal life by his grace no matter how long we’ve walked with him. Eternal life is what he has promised to those who are His. It is his to give. None of us “deserve it” because the wages of sin is death. But by his grace, he offers to cover that sin, erase that debt, and grants us eternal life. It's our new wage once we are redeemed. The one he promised. The redeemed are all the same in God’s eyes because when he looks at us, he sees the blood of his son. So there is no first or last in God's eyes. We all get what he promised equally.

 

The Inheritance eligible for 2024 Book of the Year

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Exciting news! "The Inheritance" is eligible for the 2024 Book of the Year at OnlineBookClub.org! It’s a thrilling moment for any author, but I need your help to make it to the top spot.

About The Inheritance

"The Inheritance" isn’t just a book; it’s a journey. Think “A modern-day "Pilgrim's Progress meets The Giver." ~ Kelli - AdventureHS com

This action-packed allegorical fantasy quest delivers fantastic creatures, and a flawed hero caught up in a struggle against dogmatism in his search for Truth. One reader said: “The Inheritance is not a rewritten version of John Bunyan’s classic, but an original fantasy that proved exciting and hard to put down.” Not your typical Christian allegory but written for today’s fantasy enthusiasts with adventure, mystery, humor, and romance as you enter this battle of good versus evil within the Valley of Shadow.

This coming-of-age fantasy adventure uses allegorical language to explore themes of individuality, societal norms, and moral ambiguity, amid challenges and influences on this quest for Truth. From the mountain settlement of Lofty Thought, the journey enters the Valley of Shadow and follows River Tradition.

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Offer Thanksgiving - Psalm 50:53 Verse of the Day

It's a gray day; early morning. I've finished my Bible reading and now sit in my workspace with my cat curled beside me, sipping a hot cup of coffee as I glance out at the world through the window. A split in the clouds reminds me of the crack in the wall on Dr. Who. But this split reveals the light blue sky beyond the heavy gray. It reminds me that above all the gray there is sunshine and blue skies. I thank God for that reminder and soon the split is larger and the tangerine highlights of the sun mark the bottom edge of the widening split. In the short time it took me to type this, that crack has turned into a large swath of blue sky with layers of lacy gray clouds drifting to the north. It reminds me of my favorite verse from my reading this morning.

Verse of the Day Psalm 50:53

 

With all that life throws at us, it is hard at times to "feel" thankful, but long ago, I learned to practice thanksgiving as a sacrifice to God, even when I didn't feel like being thankful.

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:4-7)

My first memory of putting this into practice is from back in the 80s as I drove to work on a gray day in Northern Illinois. There were times we didn't see the sun for weeks and it could be depressing. I'd use driving time to talk to God, but that day I was in a bit of a funk. The sky showed no definition of clouds, it was like a ceiling painted a solid color. Light gray. I didn't feel like going to work, I didn't like the cold weather, and I could easily fall into grumbling about all the things I didn't like. But I was reminded that "in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving..." And so I searched for something to be thankful for and looked at the sky. I realized it was the color of my favorite eye shadow at the time and I thanked God for it's beauty. As I scanned the world around me I realized I had much to be thankful for, and by the time I walked into work, it was with a new attitude, God was guarding my heart and mind. 

I am thankful. Amen

 

The Inheritance Coming of age Christian fantasy

Written within the allegorical tradition of classics like Pilgrim's Progress, The Inheritance offers a symbolic fantasy adventure with a Christian message. Ideal discussion starter for youth groups, homeschoolers, and families.

 

 

 

Review copies available upon request. Just ask for one in the comments below.

Why did God reject Cain’s offering?

The first book in the bible is Genesis, which means beginning. It starts at the beginning of creation and is filled with firsts. Today’s post takes a look at the first brothers, Cain and Abel, and more specifically at their sacrifices and the first murder when anger and jealousy consumed Cain when God rejected his offering but accepted Abel’s. If you do a cursory reading of the Genesis 4 account you might ask: Why did God reject Cain’s offering? I asked myself this question and did further study to find the answer.

 

Cain and Abel offerings

Cain and Able were the first sons born to Adam and Eve. In Genesis 4:2, we see that Abel was a “keeper of flocks,” and his brother was a “tiller of the ground.” In 4:3 Cain brings an offering of his first fruits and in verse 4, Abel brings the firstlings of his flock and their fat portions. So they both brought firsts. “And the LORD had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell” (Gen. 4:4-5). I looked up the Hebrew meanings for the word offering in these two cases to see if there was a difference, but there was not. So why did God reject Cain’s offering? 

 

Why was Cain's offering rejected?

To find the answer to this question, we need to dig deeper. Hebrews 11:4 sheds light on the answer. “By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.” He still speaks? What is he saying?

His life/death is telling us the difference was and is a matter of faith. A heart issue. Pure faith produces works, but faith mixed with works is not a valid way to God.  Faith secures the approval of God (Hebrews 11:1-2), and “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). In this regard, Abel is the first man of faith.

As part of the study, I looked up Cain and Abel’s names in the Hebrew. Cain’s name comes from qana, and means “to get.” Abel’s name means breath, which is associated with God’s Spirit in both the Old and New Testaments. This portends that Cain expected something in return for his offering. 

What we can learn from Cain and Able offering?

The faith chapter in Hebrews was written to remind the Jewish people that salvation by faith is not something new. It proves it is something that goes all the way back to Abel. His offering was an exercise of his faith and thus a better sacrifice. God testified that this was evidence that he had been made righteous. Habakkuk 2:4 concurs that “The just shall live by faith.”

Bringing an offering to God was an act of worship. Genesis 4:2 says, “So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the LORD of the fruit of the ground.” Course of time in the original language indicates the end of a day, time, or year. So the bringing of the offering was at a set time. This is why both men brought offerings. It wasn’t just some willy-nilly idea. God prescribed a specific time for them to come to the place where they would meet God and present their offerings. There was a place, time, and way to worship. Abel understood and obeyed. Cain tried it his way.

The same holds true for us today. “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2).

Why didn’t God accept Cain’s offering?

The account of Cain and Abel offers an illustration of salvation. Cain wanted to come to God on his own terms, doing things his way. Abel recognized he couldn’t come to God on his own, but needed to come God’s way. Cain’s way represents religious human achievement and works. Abel’s righteousness was through faith. God’s demands for holiness haven’t changed. Neither has the way we are to approach him.

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Written within the allegorical tradition of classics like Pilgrim's Progress, The Inheritance offers a symbolic fantasy adventure with a Christian message. Ideal discussion starter for youth groups, homeschoolers, and families. 

Review copies available upon request in the comments below.