Day #34

Sermon - Audio
Ex 13-15 - Audio
Ex 13-15 - Daily Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

Ex 13

The Feast of Unleavened Bread, or Passover, begins as a response to and a remembrance of God's faithfulness during the Exodus from Egypt.

For more information on how the passover is celebrated - http://jhom.com/calendar/nisan/basics.html

For an interesting article on how Jews still look to the Passover when various issues arise - http://www.aish.com/jw/s/48960796.html

13:2 - God requires the people of Israel to consecrate the firstborn of animals and children. A lamb is to be sacrificed in place of the firstborn human. Consecrate in this tense means to be "made holy by God." This was done so that future generations would always remember what God has done for His people.

We have probably heard Jesus referred to as the "Passover Lamb," or "Lamb." In 1 Peter 1:18-20 we see this analogy used, and also in John 1:29. This was used to show Jesus as the final passover lamb that was needed to be given for the sins of the world. He is without blemish, firstborn, and the ultimate sacrifice. Knowing the history and customs of the passover should help us understand this picture a little better.

13:3 - This idea of "remembering" is getting drilled into the people of Israel. God doesn't just want us to "remember" in the way a bookkeeper might remember a check #. He wants us to remember His majesty and why it makes a difference in everyones life for generations to come. We must continually be thankful and in awe of the grace given. I find it amazing that they seem to forget only a few days later...didn't take real long. However, the passover is still celebrated today, so some of them must have "remembered."

13:9-16 - A pre-echoing of Deut 6:7-9, verses that parents like to discuss, but are we paying attention to its teachings?

Q. Do we discuss God's majesty with our kids?
Q. Are we just giving our kids facts about God, or are we pointing them to who He is?
Q. Do your kids know who God is? Ask them who they think God is.

13:17 - This is an interesting verse because God knows "how fickle our minds are." He knows that even though Israel has seen all these things, at the first sign of fear they will try to flee back to Egypt! So he sends them into another conundrum...the Red Sea, except they can't flee.

14:4 - Once again God is choosing to harden Pharoh's heart. He does this so that His glory will be made known.

14:11-14 - Let the complaints continue! The people have already forgotten that God has brought them to this place. Look at Moses' response: "Fear not, Stand Firm, and see the Salvation of the LORD...The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent."

14:21-30 - The people of Israel have seen God's hand at work in various plagues and miracles, but it is now that they will see it in a "war-like" atmosphere. Pharaoh is coming after them and their only hope is now in God.

In v31 we see that Israel now feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD.

The song sung in Chapter 15 is one of praise to God for His deliverance from Egypt. I imagine that this is the first time most of these people are acknowledging God as their God.

15:24 - Complaints! 3 days later, 3 days! God decided to still show grace to His people.

15:26 - We get a new name of God - "I am the LORD, your healer" The LORD refers to himself as "your healer" indicates that Israel has already been graciously spared from what happened to the Egyptians and that faithfulness is the means by which they will continue to appropriate the blessings of the covenant relationship with the Lord -ESVSB-