The firstborn belong to the Lord

Exodus 13:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine. 3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. 4 This day came ye out in the month Abib. 5 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month. 6 Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD. 7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters. 8 And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt. 9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD’S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt. 10 Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.

11 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee, 12 That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD’S. 13 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem. 14 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: 15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem. 16 And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.

17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: 18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. 19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you. 20 And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. 21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: 22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

1. The firstborn are His 13:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.

2. By sacrificing the lamb God, His Son, and saving their sons, He now claims all firstborn as His

3. He wants the people to realize that their firstborn belong to Him--Sanctify unto me

4. They were to give all, children and animals that were firstborn to God. Without Him, they would all be dead anyway 11 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee, 12 That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD’S.

5. They could keep their firstborn donkeys but only if they would sacrifice a lamb in its place 13 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.

6. They would also make a special sacrifice for their firstborn children Numbers 3:44 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 45 Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD. 46 And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites; 47 Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:) 48 And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons. 49 And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites: 50 Of the firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: 51 And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

7. If you owe God the life of your firstborn child, the life of all your firstborn animals, etc, it might help you to consider that giving is not really a big deal

8. He gave His Son for us

9. He has the rights to our son

10. He owns all of it

11. Giving or being stingy with what we have, should be totally foreign to us

12. Remember

13. God never wants them to forget what He did in bringing them out of Egypt. He continues to say, Remember 3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.

14. As they remember, they should consider that it was all the power of the Lord that did the job for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.

15. It is easy once you have gotten the victory and some time has gone by, to slowly begin to think that you did it

16. You will begin to think that you deserved it

17. You were smart enough, sly enough, hard-working enough

18. You will think that you were not like everyone who couldn't get the victory

19. Remember what God did and realize that God is going to do great things again 4 This day came ye out in the month Abib. 5 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.

20. Notice that the story isn’t simply, remember what I did once but it shall be when God has finished doing all for you that you still remember

21. Just know we are remembering the past and what He did for us but that also as we remember the past we can know that He will do it again in the future

22. One day soon, you will be even more victorious, just don’t forget to keep remembering me

23. He set up a special remembering time and asked to be remembered 6 Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD. 7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters.

24. He set up something special that happened every time a new couple had a baby 9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD’S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.

25. It would be something that would make them remember what God did there in Egypt

26. They would have to tell their children, their family, why they sacrificed a lamb at the birth of their child 8 And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.

27. Everything would be considered a teaching opportunity

28. They would show their son

29. They would say, this is because of what the Lord did when He brought us out of Egypt

30. This time of remembering was to keep in front of them what God had done

31. Their sacrificing a lamb would be in front of them always, reminding them of what the Lord had done in Egypt 10 Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year. 16 And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.

32. They were to never forget that it was the Lord that did the work that got them out of Egypt

33. In what ways do we remember what He did on Calvary for us?

34. Teach your children

35. Everything God does in our life, everything in our worship, is an opportunity for us to teach our children about God, His works, His grace

36. They would be sacrificing a lamb at the birth of their firstborn. The question would come up, why. They were to tell them that it was because of what the Lord did in Egypt 8 And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.

37. They were to tell their children that it was God who did the work that freed them from slavery in Egypt. It was God and not them 14 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:

38. So, son, you will notice all the sacrifices. 15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.

39. We sacrifice when the firstborn child arrives

40. They sacrifice for the firstborn donkey

41. They sacrifice all the firstborn other animals

42. How are you teaching your children?

43. Do you get them into everything the church offers to help you?

44. Do you take advantage of their questions to answer them correctly?

45. Do you work at having a time in your home when you teach them?

46. Preparations for the battle before the battle

47. God knows when we are ready to deal with things

48. God led them in a way that would avoid conflict because they were not ready 17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:

49. He knew what He could do. He wanted them to be ready to trust Him.

50. When they left Egypt, they were dressed for battle on the outside but they were not ready for it on the inside 18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.

51. Realize that God is currently at work in you. Getting you ready for what is coming next

52. It seems like things are dragging, you should be there

53. It seems like God isn’t answering your prayer but maybe He is waiting on you to get ready for the answer

54. God keeps His Word 19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.

55. Joseph knew when they went to Egypt that they were leaving.

56. It had been over 400 years

57. God will surely visit and you will carry my bones out of here

58. As they go forward, God goes before them 21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: 22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

59. He directed them

60. Comforted them

61. Never left them

62. Do you trust His Word? Do you fully expect Him to do what He says?