THE LAST SHALL BE FIRST, AND THE FIRST SHALL BE LAST

This theme of reversal is one of the most ubiquitous in the whole Bible. It appears in a number of variations depending on whether the first clause, the last clause, or both are illustrated in a given passage. Another parameter concerns whether the change of fortune is pictured as occurring in this lifetime or only in the afterlife. In addition, the reversals take different forms depending on which portion of the Bible one zeroes in on. So below are a few examples taken from the separate sections:

Pentateuch

Usually, but not always, the reversal concerns which son is to be given the birthright. In some cases, the oldest son (or sons) is obviously disqualified for one reason or another. But in other instances, the choice of inheritance appears to be solely due to God's inscrutable will. And finally are those cases in which a combination of these two factors appears to be in play. A few examples will suffice:

When Cain kills Abel, neither of them is obviously going to carry on the chosen line, and so that falls upon Seth instead.

Abram's oldest son, Ishmael, is driven out after he was seen playing with (or making fun of) his younger half-brother Isaac. It is not clear whether Ishmael did anything at all wrong by his action or whether he was exiled merely because Sarah was jealous (Genesis 21:8-13). But in any case, Isaac's preferred status was clearly predicted beforehand by God (Genesis 17:19).

The well-known story of the rivalry between Jacob and Esau again illustrates several factors in play leading to the younger son, Jacob, receiving his father's preferred blessing. These include the way Esau practically gave away his birthright in favor of a pot of stew, Rebekah's plotting, and Jacob's deceit.

The pattern continues in Jacob's family. The three oldest sons were Reuben, Simeon, and Levi. Reuben had sex with his father's concubine, and Simeon and Levi proved deceitful when they massacred a group of helpless men of Shechem. That left the next oldest, Judah, to carry on the line that would eventually lead to the birth of the Messiah.

Finally, when Jacob goes to bless the two sons of Joseph, he inexplicably gives the preferred blessing to the younger one over Joseph's protests. Under God's obvious guidance, Jacob replies, “I know; he [Manasseh] shall also be great. But his younger brother [Ephraim] shall become greater than he is, and his offspring shall form many nations.”

History Books

These narratives are filled with stories of God vindicating righteous underdogs (whether it is an individual or the nation of Israel) in the presence of her enemies. Most of us would probably immediately think of the battle between David and Goliath.

Poetry and Wisdom Books

The Wisdom Books especially are, for the most part, bound up with earthly concerns in the here and now. Also, here the contrast is generally between the wise and the foolish; the rich & powerful vs. those of lowly status; and the sinful vs. the righteous, with each respective group getting their just reward of punishment in this life.

I do not have the space to go through all the examples present in the Psalms. But here are two randomly chosen samples:

    Psalm 136:23 “It is he who remembered us while we were in a lowly condition.” This is actually quite similar to Mary's words later on (see below).

    Psalm 138:6 “Even though the LORD is high and mighty, he has regard for the lowly. By contrast, he sees the haughty only from far away.”

Concerning the Wisdom Literature, we have to keep in mind that since for the most part the Jews had not yet been given a full revelation of the possibility of an afterlife, they felt that all of God's mercy and justice had to take place during one's lifetime. Thus, we get generalities such as this one in Proverbs 29:23 – “A person's pride will lead to his humiliation but the person who is low in spirit will obtain honor.”

Unfortunately, many “wise” teachers then made two additional mistakes in exegesis by (1) assuming that these proverbial statements could be applied to each and every situation and (2) feeling that one could reverse the teaching to show that if an individual was being humiliated, it must have been due to his or her pride. This is exactly what Job's friends do, as seen below:

    Zophar: This friend is fairly direct in accusing Job directly of some sort of hidden sin that has brought God's wrath down on him. So in Job 11:13-19 he strongly counsels Job to put his sin far away so that God will automatically begin to bless him again. “Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish.” “ You will forget your misery.” “Many will entreat your favor, etc, etc.”

    Eliphaz: Job 15 represents this friend's take on Job's situation. He starts with a proverbial generality in v. 20: “The wicked writhe in pain all their days.” Then in vv. 28-29 he makes a pointed allusion to the destruction of Job's house and possessions by saying, “They will live in...houses destined to become heaps of ruins; they will not be rich, and their wealth will not endure.”

    Bildad: In Job 18, Job is subjected to a long harangue beginning with the words “Surely the light of the wicked is put out and the flame of their fire does not shine.” And to make sure that Job realizes that Bildad is talking about him, he adds in v. 13: “By disease their skin is consumed,” an unmistakable reference to Job's skin condition.

Prophets

There are often three discrete sections within each book of prophecy:

    1. an enumeration of Israel's sins which have led to her political downfall,

    2. oracles revealing that the enemy nations will be judged severely by God for their sins and will meet their doom, and

    3. promises given to Israel that God will eventually restore her fortunes.

Note that #2 and #3 are equivalent, respectively, to “the first shall be last” and “the last shall be first.”

In terms of the high being brought low, it is informative that 36 times in the prophecy books, the prophet begins addressing individuals or groups with the words “Woe to....” And 17 of these instances are found in Isaiah alone. But a good representative example of this principle is seen in Ezekiel 28 addressed to the Prince of Tyre who begins by saying to himself “I am a god” (v. 2) but ends up coming “to a dreadful end” (v. 19).

Ezekiel 21:26 also represents a good, early example of the reversal principle. Concerning Zedekiah, the prophet says, “Thus says the Lord God, take off his turban and crown; things shall not remain as they now are. Exalt that which is low and bring down that which is high.” Similarly, an oracle against Judah teaches that “The haughtiness of people will be made humble and everyone's pride made low.” (Isaiah 2:17).

A final example from the prophets, and probably the most important for Christians, is found in Isaiah 53. This famous chapter contains a description of the Suffering Servant who was despised and afflicted and not felt to be worthy of consideration. And yet he will be counted as one of the great and strong (v. 12).

Gospels

Of course, the title quotation comes from Jesus whose teachings echo this principle, applied almost exclusively to eschatological reversals. The full phrase appears in Matthew 19:27-30 as Jesus' response to Peter's question as to what those who had left everything would get in return. He was told that they “will receive 100-fold and will inherit eternal life.” It next is used in Matthew 20:1-16 at the end of the Parable of the Laborers in the Field. The first ones to begin work (the Jews?) will receive no more or less than those who are signed on much later in the day (Gentiles?). Some have questioned whether the final “first and last” saying really fits the context of that parable.

There are, however, many variations on this theme found within the Gospel accounts:

Matthew 6: The key word “reward” appears again and again in this chapter. And it is used to highlight the fact that the hypocritical Pharisees will get no further reward in heaven since they have already received all they are going to get while on earth. By contrast, the lowly believers will receive a considerable heavenly reward.

Matthew 11:11: “Truly I tell you, among mortals no one has risen greater than John the Baptist, but the least one in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

Matthew 18:1-14: The disciples want to know who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. He answers that “whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest.” The same sort of encounter occurs in Mark 9:33-35 in which Jesus tells them, “Whoever wants to be first must be the last of all and servant of all.”

Then there is the story is found in Matthew 19:13-14 where the children are brought to Jesus so that he might pray over them. When the disciples object, Jesus replies, “Let the little children come to me. Do not prevent them from coming, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” We are so used to this story that we don't realize the shock these words might have been to his audience since at the time children, in terms of status within a family, ranked below the household servants.

Another variation is found in Matthew 21:31 where Jesus tells the chief priests and elders: “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are going into God's kingdom ahead of you.” This same sort of reversal is taught in Luke 13:22-30 at the end of Jesus comment on those who will knock on the owner's door and ask to be invited in. His reply will be, “I do not know where you came from...go away from me, you evildoers.” By contrast, people from all over the world will be invited in.

But the largest concentration of this principle in Matthew's account is found in the list of Beatitudes given in chapter 5, where it is only the “last will be first” group that is highlighted:

    The poor in spirit will inhabit the kingdom of heaven.

    Those who mourn will be comforted.

    Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled.

    The merciful will receive mercy.

    The pure in heart will see God.

    The peacemakers will be called the children of God.

    Those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake will inherit the kingdom of heaven.

    Those who are reviled and persecuted on My behalf will have a great reward in heaven.

In marked contrast to these beatitudes, are those given in Luke 6, probably describing a different sermon by Christ:

    The poor will inherit the kingdom of God.

    The hungry will be filled.

    Those who weep will laugh.

Note that these are variations of the first three of Matthew's beatitudes. But then, Jesus follows those blessings with three balancing curses demonstrating that “the first shall be last.”

    The rich will receive no more rewards in the afterlife.

    Those who are now full will be hungry.

    Those who now laugh will cry.

Toward the beginning of Luke's Gospel is Mary's Magnificat, which sounds the same theme:

    “He has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant (Luke 1:48a)...He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly (Luke 1:52).”

Acts

This book illustrates the principle most powerfully in relationship to the reception of the Word moving away from the world of the Chosen People to that of the despised Gentiles.

Epistles

It is hard to capsulize in a few words the various ways this reversal theme plays itself out in the variety of NT letters that have been left for our edification. So I will just highlight three passages by Paul which illustrate both (1) the difference between God's values and those of the world and (2) and how many of His choices have the effect of demonstrating His utter sovereignty over affairs of the world.

I Corinthians 1:26-28 “Consider your own calling, brothers: not many were wise according to the flesh, or powerful, or of the nobility. But God chose what is foolish in the eyes of the world in order to shame the so-called wise. He chose the weak to shame the strong.”

I Corinthians 15:7-9 “Then he [Jesus] appeared to James and then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared to me. For I am the least of the apostles, really unfit to carry the name, because I had persecuted God's church.”

I Timothy 1:15-16 “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. But it was for that reason I received God's mercy so that in me as the chief, Jesus Christ might...[make] me an example to others who would come in belief to him for eternal life.”

I do not think that Paul was exhibiting any false modesty in these last two passages. He really was the last apostle chosen, and it would seem to be a particularly strange choice to make if it were up to us. And yet, of all the apostles one would have to say that the example he set and the words he left for us demonstrate that he was the greatest of the apostles in terms of his witness.

As he often did in his letter, James echoes the ideas of his half-brother Jesus, including the theme of divine reversal in regard to earthly riches:

James 1:9-10 “Let the believer who is of little regard be raised up, and the worldly rich be brought down, because the rich will disappear like a wildflower in the heat.”

James 2:5b “Hasn't God chosen the worldly poor to be rich in faith and to be inheritors of the kingdom He has promised to those who love Him?”

James5:1-3a “Come now, you rich, cry and await the miseries that are coming to you. Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be used as evidence against you.”

Revelation

This final book completes the picture with its vivid imagery illustrating the principle that even if evil seem to have the upper hand at times, there will eventually come a time of reckoning when it will be overthrown by God; the righteous will go to their everlasting reward while unbelievers will be consigned to everlasting darkness. The message in this book goes far beyond the rest of the Bible in portraying the “first” as not just rich and powerful individuals and nations, but actual cosmic forces in league with Satan. There may be controversies regarding who or what the dragon, the various beasts, and Babylon represent, but a wide consensus of evangelical scholars would probably agree that they comprise forces such as political power, religious leadership, and economic and military domination.

But each one of them is destroyed in the reverse order in which they are first presented in Revelation (see my post “Book of Revelation: Introduction to the Literary Structure”). And the last to be destroyed is the first to appear in the Bible: the power of death.