From the marvellous Dev Menon. If you're not reading his blog - go and subscribe now.
Read Exodus 13:1-16 - The Consecration of the Firstborn
The death of the spotless lamb of God allows us entrance into the promised land...
In chapter 13, just after the institution of the passover, we learn about the opening of wombs, the entering into the land of milk and honey and a reminder of the unleavened bread.
Egypt is the watery grave of darkness and turmoil, where everything is meaningless and heading nowhere, a prison of no hope. Christ, through His Lamb's blood, has torn an opening out of slavery - into the promised land. In this land there is no uncleanness, the old yeast of malice and wickedness is thrown away.
Exodus 13:9 And it shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth. For with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt.
This truth needs to be made a memorial on our hand and burned between our eyes - the deliverance of the saints; the redemption of the church of the firstborn (Heb 12:23) - for we are all 'firstborn' in Christ. The animals are given as sacrifice - but the children of God are redeemed.
The King leads us in triumphal procession into Canaan, the city of His choosing. He comes, to raise the bones of Joseph to life eternal in this new land.
As we follow our Champion through the wilderness, He leads us by fire and cloud - we also need to take His path - so also we redeem the beasts of burden, the donkeys, that we may walk similarly through the earthly Jerusalem, till we reach that place outside the city wall, and pass through the cross-shaped doorway, and enter the Heavenly Zion.
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And here are a couple of my (Glen's) recent sermons on Exodus 12-15
Passover and remembrance (Ex 12)
Redemption of the Firstborn, Feast of Unleavened Bread, The Red Sea (Ex 13-15)
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This truth needs to be made a memorial on our hand and burned between our eyes – the deliverance of the saints; the redemption of the church of the firstborn (Heb 12:23) – for we are all ‘firstborn’ in Christ. The animals are given as sacrifice – but the children of God are redeemed.
This part of the Exodus account is especially interesting to me as there is a similar reference to "marks" on foreheads and hands in Revelation 14:9-10. I asked Craig what he thought and he said he believes it symbolizes ownership--as when a farmer would brand His cattle. Only, it is not a physical marking, but spiritual?
A bit off topic, again, I suppose.
Was that a dumb thing to contemplate?
The reason I asked is that several months ago, I went through this passage and never did definitely understand the significance of the head and hand reference.
I assumed someone here might know.
yea maybe?
The sign on the hand declares this truth to you, yourself; the sign on the forehead declares this truth to others.
Just the one sign wouldn't be enough, especially in an age without mirrors. There's a personal sign, and a there's a sign visible to the community.
(?)
yea maybe?
Sorry, Dev.
Your post is good. I tend to get hung up on peripheral details, I guess.
Thank you, Otepoti.
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