SCRIPTURE: EXODUS 13
BIBLE VERSES:
“he Lord said to Moses, “Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal.” (Exodus 13:1-2)
“After the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as he promised on oath to you and your ancestors, you are to give over to the Lord the first offspring of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the Lord.” (Exodus 13:11-12)
“By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.” (Exodus 13:21-22)
CONSECRATION OF THE FIRST BORN (vs. 1-16)
The Lord gave this command to the Israelites: “Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israel belong to me whether man or animal.” (v.2). They were to commemorate the day the Lord brought them out of Egypt by observing the ceremony of not eating containing yeast for 7 days and holding a festival to the Lord. They had to tell the next generation that when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let them go, the Lord killed every first born of man and animal in Egypt. They had to keep this ordinance at the appointed time year after year.
CROSSSING THE SEA (vs. 17-22)
God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. Moses carried the bones of Joseph and they caped at Ethan on the edge of the desert. The Lord used a pillar of cloud to guide them by day and a pillar of fire to guide them by night.
THOUGHTS:
The setting apart of the firstborn was to remind them that the first born sons of Israel had been redeemed by the Lord. The annual Passover would remind them of the lamb of the blood that saved their first born from being killed. Believers also commemorate the Lord’s Supper by communion service to remind us that we have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus.
The Lord wants the people to tell the next generation what God had done for them so that they would know the wonder works of God. The older generation must tell the younger generation what God had done for them so that they will trust in Him and obey His Word.
God used the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire to guide the Israelites. God’s Word is like that pillar of cloud and fire to show us the way in our lives.
God took the Israelites by a longer route to avoid fighting with the Philistines. If God does not lead you along the shortest path to your goal, do not resist or complain. Follow him willingly and trust Him to lead you safely around unseen obstacles. He knows the perfect and best route because He works in the way that is best for us.