Friday, December 20, 2024
Firstborn is the Lord’s – Exodus 13 Submitted by Kay Crumley
Did you know? I learned something this morning and wanted to share it.
Our Sunday School lessons have been in Exodus and last week was about the first Passover in Exodus 12. This morning, in an Advent study I am doing, I was directed to Exodus 13 that was continuing the instructions God is giving the new nation, Israel. They had escaped Egypt who had held them in slavery for 430 years. God is instructing them with new methods of worship in the land He will give them. They were freed from bondage by God who killed the firstborn male of all of Egypt including their livestock forcing Pharoh to finally free God’s people. The firstborn male held great significance in the ancient world. He would receive the inheritance of wealth, position and power from his father and have the responsibility to take leadership of the family by ensuring its future. Now, God is commanding that the firstborn be consecrated, set apart to God, either as a sacrifice or as belonging to God.
In Exodus 4:22 Israel is referred to as God’s firstborn people. Israel is God’s favored nation among all the nations. The firstborn was considered the best and our best always belongs to God. In Exodus 12, God redeemed, rescued, His firstborn people from Egypt.
God is instructing His people to remember the significance of the firstborn and how that was used to bring them out of slavery to the promised land that He would give into their hands. We must remember what He has done for us. As we celebrate Christmas and Easter we are called to remember His provision for us. This passage is a foreshadowing of His promises fulfilled.
Exodus 13
11 “When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your ancestors, and gives it to you, 12 you are to present to the Lord every firstborn male of the womb. All firstborn offspring of the livestock you own that are males will be the Lord’s. 13 You must redeem every firstborn of a donkey with a flock animal, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. However, you must redeem every firstborn among your sons.
14 “In the future, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘By the strength of his hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.
The practice of giving the firstborn to the Lord was to begin when they reached the Promised land so they would always remember what God had done for them in Egypt. The donkey was essential to the people so its firstborn could be substituted with a lamb so the donkey would be redeemed to be used for its intended purpose. All the firstborn sons should be redeemed, a substitute found to sacrifice, as the people were never to sacrifice by death their firstborn sons. The firstborn son was to be dedicated to the Lord for His purpose and plan. The reason for this practice was so the nation of Israel would never forget the redemption God provided for them at their escape from Egypt.
However, God provided the promised Messiah, His firstborn Son, to be the final sacrifice. Colossians 1:12 He is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn over all creation. God came to earth, fully God and fully human, who is God’s firstborn. As believers we are the adopted sons and daughters of God, but Jesus Christ is the firstborn Son of God. We see the completion of God’s plan for the perfect, final sacrifice in Hebrews 10:9-10 Well, it was to do away with offerings and sacrifices and to replace them. This is what he meant by saying to God, “I have come to do what you want.” So we are made holy because Christ obeyed God and offered himself once for all. (CEV)
Now it is our responsibility, as it was in Exodus 13:14, to teach our children, those in our sphere of influence, all the things we are taught in the Word. Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, don’t stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Be prepared to answer the questions “Why do we celebrate Christmas” this season with the truth of His Word. Jesus is our ultimate Redeemer and Savior.
