Consecration of the First Born

EXODUS 13 - Consecration of the Firstborn

The 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."

"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. Redeem with a lamb every firstborn donkey, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem every firstborn among your sons."

"In days to come, when your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' say to him, 'With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed the firstborn of both people and animals in Egypt. This is why I sacrifice to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.' And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand."

Consecrate - emphatic in the Hebrew language: "It belongs to me (emphatic). It is my property. It is mine. The first born is mine."

In verse 12: "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." Again, this shall be the property of the Lord - it belongs to Him.

But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, and if you will not redeem it, you shall break its neck. In other words, you're going to lose it anyway if you don't dedicate it to God.

1. The first born must be sacrificed or redeemed

How do you know what you should sacrifice or redeem? God gives two classifications of animals:

- Clean animals (e.g., lambs)

- Unclean animals (e.g., donkeys)

If the firstborn is a clean animal, it has to be sacrificed. If it's an unclean animal, it has to be redeemed or purchased back from God because God owns it.

Redeemed means to buy back - not just to buy, but to buy back. It has to be redeemed with the sacrifice of a clean animal.

This was written about 4,000 years ago, so what does this have to do with us today?

You and I were born spiritually speaking, in our spiritual state before God, we were born unclean. You don't have to teach your children to be bad - it comes naturally (lying, stealing, selfishness). You don't have to teach them to be bad; it comes naturally. You have to teach them to be good.

"So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith." (Galatians 6:9-10)

So we were all born unclean. Was Jesus born unclean or clean? Jesus had to be sacrificed so that the unclean could be redeemed.

Through the blood of Jesus, we also have redemption (Ephesians 1:7). The word redemption means "freedom that is bought through the payment of a ransom." Jesus redeemed us by paying His blood; He freed us from sin.

1. Our redemption price was paid to God

Some have taught that Jesus paid the ransom to Satan, but we have never been indebted to Satan. Our debt is to the holiness and justice of God. Whereas God's holiness demanded a payment for sin, His love and grace paid the debt for us through the blood of Jesus.

2. Redemption sets us free from the consequences of sin

Paul wrote, "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).

The Holy Spirit brings freedom from sin. The Greek word used for "No" is a special negative, stronger than the ordinary no - very emphatic, double emphasis. Condemnation is already out of question.

"Has set you free" - not "will set you free." The Greek verb (Eliotherosem) indicates it already happened in the past - you have been set free.

Why did God set us free?

- V4: Live according to the Spirit

- V6: Mind controlled by the Spirit

Condemnation means "judgment or penalty." We could paraphrase this: "Now there is no punishment for sin for those who are in Christ Jesus."

Paul restated this truth: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

3. Redemption frees us from the power of sin

Suppose a cocaine addict is arrested for drug possession and then is freed on a technicality. While he momentarily escapes the consequences of his sin, he is not freed from the power of the addiction that controls him. Within weeks, he is arrested again for the same crime.

In contrast, our redemption is complete. God frees us not only from the punishment for sin but also from sin's controlling power in our lives.

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." (Colossians 1:13-14)

When we were controlled by our sinful nature, we could not please God. Now, however, we are controlled by the Spirit if the Spirit lives in us (Romans 8:8-9).

4. Redemption sets us free from an empty life

God redeemed us "from the empty way of life handed down" from our forefathers (1 Peter 1:18).

Jesus himself said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10).

Through redemption, we find true meaning and purpose for our lives.

"And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as 'temporary residents.' For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake. Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory."

(Exodus 13:17-22)

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, "If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt."

So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle. Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath: "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place."

After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. 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.

You have access to a pillar of fire or cloud (the Holy Spirit). What steps can you take to seek out God's presence this week? Where has God been trying to move or lead you in recent days, weeks, or months?