The King James Version lists the word “firstborn” 109 times in the Old Testament, and they all speak of either a child, beast, or the nation of Israel. In the New Testament you have 7 references. In Matthew 1:25 and Luke 2:7 they refer to Mary bringing forth her “firstborn son” (Jesus). There are 4 more that refer to the Lord Jesus. He is the “firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29); the “firstborn of every creature” (Colossians 1:15); the “firstborn from the dead” (Colossians 1:18); and the “church of the firstborn” (Hebrews 12:23). These all refer to Him having the “first place”; in other words, it denotes rank and position and “has nothing to do with being born.” Finally, in Hebrews 11:28 we read of Moses that he, “By faith kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the FIRSTBORN should touch them.” This last reference hearkens back to the firstborn son mentioned in 5 times in Exodus chapter 12.

As we shall see, it was the “firstborn child” or “firstborn beast” in Old Testament times where God commanded the Israelites to dedicate their firstborn to God. This command is found in quite a few scriptures. One example is in Exodus 13:1-2, “Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Consecrate to Me all the FIRSTBORN, whatever opens the womb among the CHILDREN of Israel, both of MAN and BEAST; it is Mine” (NKJV). Why the firstborn? Because the firstborn was looked at as being in a place of privilege and great value was attached to them, whether it be the eldest son (see Genesis 49:3 & Deuteronomy 21:17) or the firstborn of the animals (Leviticus 27:26). One of the greatest examples of dedicating the firstborn son to the Lord is found in 1st Samuel 1:11, 27-28 where a woman named Hannah prayed, “O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a MALE CHILD, THEN I WILL GIVE HIM TO THE LORD all the days of his life….For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. Therefore, I also have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives, he shall be lent to the LORD.”

In the New Testament there is no mention whatsoever of believers in Christ dedicating their firstborn son (or daughter) to the Lord. To answer your question, “ALL CHILDREN are to be dedicated to the Lord,” first, by the parents, and then by an act of their own will. For example, we read in Ephesians 6:4, “And you, fathers, do not provoke YOUR CHILDREN to wrath, but BRING THEM UP IN THE TRAINING AND ADMONITION OF THE LORD.” Christian parents are to “train their children in the ways of the Lord” and in doing so their children may, by the grace of God, learn to love and serve the Lord. In serving the Lord they will, in effect, be “dedicating themselves to the Lord.” Once a child is saved, they can act on the exhortation of Romans 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” How wonderful it is to see a Christian household where godly parents raise their children for the Lord, resulting in their salvation and the whole family dedicating their lives to the Lord as a living sacrifice. This “total dedication” is indeed their “reasonable service,” for if Christ “died for them” they should gladly “live for Him” (see 2nd Corinthians 5:14-15).

Before we close it would be good to say add a thought or two to the verses we cited earlier where Christ is referred to as the “firstborn.” After Mary gave birth to Him, we read in Luke 2:22-23, “Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the LORD’).” Mary and Joseph faithfully “dedicated their firstborn son to the Lord.” But from the moment that Jesus was born “He dedicated Himself to the Lord,” just as He said He would do when He left heaven to come to the earth. “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God” (Hebrews 10:9). And because He did His will every day of His life and then “became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8), God gave Him to be “the FIRSTBORN from the dead” and “the FIRSTBORN among many brethren.” He has the “first place” in God’s heart and purposes, and He should have “first place” in our heart and lives as well. “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that IN ALL THINGS He may have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18).  (DO)  (573.1)