Who is First and Who is Last?

Who is to be first and last is a question of equality. Many dispute who should be first. No matter if you are first or last, in the kingdom of God, God is with you.

Isaiah 41:4

Who has performed and done it,
Calling the generations from the beginning?
"I, the LORD, am the first;
And with the last I am He."'

Isaiah 44:6

There Is No Other God
"Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel,
And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:
"I am the First and I am the last;
Besides Me there is no God.

God places first and last. We should be content with what we are given from God and pray for guidance in all we do.

Matthew 19:29-30

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

The parable below in Matthew 20 is a striking example of our just reward. All men receive eternal life who accept Jesus and follow him. There are no varying degrees of eternal life. We all receive it. If we work for Jesus a little while and die or we work for him for 100 years we both receive the same reward: Eternal life and a life forever with our God and his wonderful love.

Matthew 20:8

"So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, "Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.'

Matthew 20:11-15

And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, "These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.' But he answered one of them and said, "Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. 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 my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?'

Even the disciples wanted to know who would be greatest among them. Jesus had a lesson to teach about being a leader. A leader is first in many things but ultimately the first are the last. A captain of a ship is one of the first on board. If an accident happens the Captain is last off the boat. It is his responsibility. If we were managers we should be servants to those that work for us. We are last in line. We look after them and they look after us. A manager without employees is nothing. A leader must be ready to serve all under him. Jesus is our leader. How many people ask of Him prayers to be answered each day? Jesus serves us and we serve Him. It is by His first example that He is the last to see things through. He is the ultimate coordinator not letting anything lack seeing from start to finish. Those with more responsibility are at times to be last.

Mark 9:34-37

But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all." Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."

Galatians 3:28

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.