Exodus 13:1-16 To raise up a glorious generation and change the world, we must raise up children of faith

Exodus 13:1-16 To raise up a glorious generation and change the world, we must raise up children of faith

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me.” 3 Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you went out from Egypt, from the house of slavery; for by a powerful hand the Lord brought you out from this place. And nothing leavened shall be eaten. 4 On this day in the month of Abib, you are about to go forth. 5 It shall be when the Lord brings you to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall observe this rite in this month. 6 For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the Lord. 7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and nothing leavened shall be seen among you, nor shall any leaven be seen among you in all your borders. 8 You shall tell your son on that day, saying, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9 And it shall serve as a sign to you on your hand, and as a reminder on your forehead, that the law of the Lord may be in your mouth; for with a powerful hand the Lord brought you out of Egypt. 10 Therefore, you shall keep this ordinance at its appointed time from year to year.

11 “Now when the Lord brings you to the land of the Canaanite, as He swore to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you, 12 you shall devote to the Lord the first offspring of every womb, and the first offspring of every beast that you own; the males belong to the Lord. 13 But every first offspring of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. 14 And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you shall say to him, ‘With a powerful hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. 15 It came about, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the Lord killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to the Lord the males, the first offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16 So it shall serve as a sign on your hand and as phylacteries on your forehead, for with a powerful hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.”

Background

The Lord instituted this ordinance after the pattern of Abraham who sanctified Isaac, his firstborn to God. By sanctifying the firstborn to God, they partake in the covenant of Abraham and experience its promises. The advent of Christ has changed the norms and traditions of what constituted family and descendant. The true children of God are those who do His will. Therefore, we must be careful not to pride ourselves on the basis of our biological children but our children of faith. Today’s devotion teaches us: To raise up a glorious generation and change the world, we must raise up children of faith.

Observation

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me.

The Lord instituted the ordinance to sanctify to Him every firstborn, both of man and beast. Beneath this ordinance lies principles that Israel must hold on to if they and their descendants are to experience enduring prosperity in the promised land. The earliest incident concerns Abraham who was asked by God to sanctify to Him Isaac, the firstborn of his old age. Abraham’s obedience in not witholding his only son resulted in God saying to him,

“indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” – Genesis 22:17-18

To “sanctify to Me every firstborn” in essence is to commit one’s children, and their children’s children to live according to the ways and purposes of God. The result is a prosperous nation of priests and sons of God. Moses understood the ordinance not as mere directives, but as the outworking of the Abrahamic covenant. For the promise to come to fruition, Israelites must continue to sanctify their firstborn to God as Abraham had done. This ordinance reminds the Israelites to raise up their children, and their children’s children according to God’s ways and to serve Him fully.

Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and nothing leavened shall be seen among you, nor shall any leaven be seen among you in all your borders.

Moses proceeded to unpack the Lord’s directives into actionable elements: the feast of the unleavened bread and the sanctifying of the firstborn to God. Leaven is a symbol for impurity and sin. Jesus warned His disciples against the leaven of the Pharisees which are hypocrisy and unbelief. To keep leaven out of their territory is to keep evil attitudes and influences out of their lives. And they are to tell their children the reason for the observances: “It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.” (v.8). Because the Lord had redeemed them from slavery, their lives belong to God to fulfil His purposes.

Now when the Lord brings you to the land of the Canaanite, as He swore to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you, you shall devote to the Lord the first offspring of every womb, and the first offspring of every beast that you own; the males belong to the Lord.

By sanctifying the firstborn to God, the Israelites partake in the covenant of Abraham and inherit its promises. This ordinance of redeeming the firsborn son with a lamb casts a severe reminder that if they are to have glorious descendants, the firstborn must belong to the Redeemer, who redeems them from Egypt.

Truth

To raise up a glorious generation and change the world, we must raise up children of faith.

The Old Testament saints make heirs of their children and blood descendants. In the gospels, Christ broke the Old Testament norms of what constituted family and descendants. Jesus said,

“Who are My mother and My brothers?” Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.” – Mark 3:33-35

Hence, it is no longer by blood that one is considered family or descendant, but by faith: whoever does the will of God. Jesus who never married had no children by biological means. But by faith, He gave birth to descendants that are as numerous and glorious as stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore. Indeed, Jesus is the last firstborn and blood descendant of Abraham. The heirs of God from here on will be birthed not by blood, but by faith.

The apostle Paul who later had disciples who are Greeks said,

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise. – Galatians 3:28-29

Therefore, as believers of Christ, we must not pride ourselves on the basis of our blood descendants, but our descendants of faith. Our true and eternal children are those we raise up to walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

Application

How much time do you spend raising up your biological children as compared to the children of faith? There are many children (of different age, race and social background) out there who have never heard of Jesus or His values. God is calling you to adopt them as your spiritual children and to raise them according to Christ’s glorious image. They are your blessed descendants of faith numerous and glorious as the stars of heaven and sands on the shore. And you will be a blessing to the world through them. Ask God to give you a plan as to how you can reach out and change their lives for God.

Dear Lord, I commit myself to the mission of raising up children of faith. Give me disciples as you have given Jesus His disciples. Use me to teach and guide them through the wisdom and power of your Spirit. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.