EXODUS 13 lesson # 10
The Price of Privilege
Laddie Version
I. Greetings. It was cold Friday morning at 6:45 a.m., and so I wore my Yankee athletic jacket. I love being with those guys and warmly someone said, “I can’t believe someone like you would wear a jacket that identifies with George Steinbrenner”. It was said in fun, and I did not reply, but it got me thinking. Why did I wear this jacket and why do I like it so much. I do love that jacket not just because it is a “Yankee Jacket”, but because of who gave it to me. It is from my “like an adopted daughter, Dawn Daughtery”.
In fact, I decided to put it away for a while lest I wear it out, and wear another favorite piece of clothing. My jackets which the Pam Pak labels on them from my brother. Why do you love those jackets. Well, they come from my family and there is something even more special. They have a “rabbit logo” on them. Why? My friend Deane Hata and I designed or picked out that logo years ago. I like that rabbit because it reminds me of my dear friend.
Do I wear clothes only in symbol? No! I usually care little about clothes, but it is fun once in a while to remember in a tangible way that I am privileged. I am privileged to have a friend like Dawn, or a friend like Deane. And I am privileged, very privileged, to have a brother like the one I have.
Today we are going to speak of privilege, the privilege of being, in a special way, a recipient of God’s friendship.
II. Introduction: Whose First Born: Egypt’s or Israel’s? Exodus 13:1-2.
A. First Born of Egypt.
>>>> Have someone read Exodus 13:1-2.
Q What does “first-born” remind you of in the Exodus story?
An = The “first-born” of Egypt. Let me read Exodus 12:29-33.
Q Why is the first born being killed or made so important? What does first born mean?
An = The first born was symbolized two major things.
1) It symbolized the beginning of new life, a new creation. The first of the new generation. The first-born represents therefore “all” of the new generation. In the one, the whole was represented.
2) It is a special privilege to be the first-born. You received special inheritance and honor. This was so in Israel and still is in many cultures today. The first born represents the leadership of the new generation.
Q So what does it mean to that the “first-born” of Egypt was killed?
An = It means judgment of all Egypt. To be the first born of Egypt is to be the first born of judgment. The judgment that fell on the first born was representative of judgment that fell on the whole of each household of Egypt. Each house mourned those deaths and suffered.
Note: Egypt had killed mercilessly the Israelite boys when it suited them and this represented their enslavement of the whole population. The whole of each Israelite home mourned the death of their children.
However, Egypt did not have to lose their first born in judgment. They were warned to let Israel go, to repent of the slavery they had imposed. The death of the first born is the 10th plague. Nine plagues, nine signs, nine miracles, served as warnings but they refused to change. So God judged Egypt and Israel was set free. It was set free, not avenged.
B. The First born of Israel.
>>>> Re-read Exodus 13:1-2.
Q What does it mean to be the first born of Israel?
An = The answer is in the last phrase of 13:2: it means we belong to God.
Q What does it mean to sanctify to God the first born?
An = Foremost it means it means we remember who we are what we have received from God (see Exodus 13:3,8,14,15,16). We have been redeemed by God. There is something else involved as well. This is explained further in Exodus 13:11-13.
>>>> Have someone read Exodus 13:11-13.
Note: In the future Israel was to give to God their first born, not just their sons, but all of their cattle as well: their wealth. You see Israel had to understand that not just the privilege of God’s grace, but the price.
Note: The first born male in a family not only has privilege, but responsibility. My uncle, was first born, and joined in the army in WWII so his brother did not have to go. My oldest son knows he is to take care of his younger brothers and sisters. He is responsible for them. It is not a burden either, it too is a privilege.
Note: Such responsibility is to be acted out tangibly. For Israel it was a small fee, paid to God for the children and the cattle given in sacrifice. This was not because God needed money, but because it helped Israel understand in physical way that she belonged to God. She had a special place, that God had specially saved her. She was grateful and she knew that she had special responsibilities.
Q Whose first born do you want to be: Egypt’s or Israel’s? The world’s or God’s?
III. Teaching Our Children: Exodus 13:14-16.
Note: In this first born teaching is a beautiful addition. It concerns our children. It concerns the new generation of believers. The new believers.
>>>> Have someone read Exodus 13:14-16.
Q How are we to help our children understand what it means to belong to God?
An = With tangible symbols. An example is when we take communion. It symbolizes our freedom: our freedom from sin because of what God did. We go to church. We tithe of our time, our wealth. We should do the symbols but explain them to our children as well.
Note: Do you know why? Part of my job is to teach you. That is why I try to explain what we do in baptism, communion, etc. And I never mind being asked questions. It is an honor to explain. I enjoy it.
Note: You though, will be the most effective teachers of your children. How? They will see you do them. Until you actually do them, they will never see and then ask. How can they ask you about what you never do?
Q What does verse 16 mean? What is being referred to here?
An = Parts of the Scriptures were tied in little boxes to their hands. Fretheim reminds us that the body is pressed into the service of memory (Fretheim, p. 148.)
IV. The Observance of Unleavened Bread: Exodus 13:3-10.
Note: You will notice that I have skipped over verses 13:3-10. Let me now read them to you.
>>>> Read Exodus 13:3-7.
Q What is leaven?
An = It is yeast – it changes the dough, it makes it rise.
Q Why is it not to be eaten?
An = Two reasons, at least. It involves gratitude and freedom in two ways.
1) Yeast takes time to work. It has to be put into the dough and allowed to rise. Israel had to leave Egypt in haste. It symbolized their leaving Egypt quickly – the moment God said to leave. They could not catch the next bus. When God calls they had to be ready to move. They did not have time. Also, when God moves, He can do a lot in a little bit of time.
2) Leaven later became of symbol of becoming pure: therefore leaving sin. Christians are not moral so they can go to heaven, but because they remember what God did for them. They are free from sin and so they leave sin behind. They are free and they are grateful.
Note: Leaven is not wrong in itself, but we must leave some things behind sometimes or they become sin.
>>>> Read Exodus 13:8-10.
Q What do we tell our children about leaven?
An = Israel left leaven out for a week so we remembered that God loved them so much that He brought them out of slavery. It lets our children know we leave certain things out in a physical way to concentrate our thoughts.
Note: This is what “Lent” means for some. This is why certain Christians fast at certain times. It is a physical way to remember.
V. Application:
Q How do we tangibly express our gratitude to God for His redemption in Christ?
An = 1) One way is when we take communion together. There we physically remember that Christ is our “Passover Lamb”! That His blood was shed for us.
2) Perhaps put something out of your life for a week “TV”, or sweets, or something of your choosing: bragging, etc. Every time you abstain think of your Lord. Perhaps read John 19 in seven installments, fast from a little time from your busy schedules.
3) One way you can remember the Redemption in Christ is do something a little extra for someone. But this time do it, not just for Christmas spirit, but because Christ redeemed you. It is your Christmas gift to Jesus.
4) Sometimes when we take time to be grateful it takes our minds off of our own petty problems of the moment.