Exodus 13
There are three important passages highlighted in today’s reading. Let’s address each one individually:
· Consecration of the firstborn. On the heels of all firstborns in Egypt dying in the tenth and final plague that God sent upon the land, “The LORD said to Moses, ‘Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine’” (vv. 1-2). The Hebrew word for consecrate here carries with it a meaning of something (or someone) being set apart to God.[i] For Israel, the firstborns would serve as a perpetual reminder that all is from God, and all is His (Psalm 24:1). Additionally, of this command, Griffin Thomas states that “Israel had been saved through the destruction of Egypt’s first-born, and now they were required to dedicate their own first-born as a constant memorial of their deliverance.”[ii] In sum, obeying this instruction from God reminded the Israelites (and us, too) of His faithful provision, absolute ownership, and powerful deliverance.
· The Feast of Unleavened Bread. Recall Exodus 12, when the Israelites made haste to leave Egypt: “And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough that they had brought out of Egypt, for it was not leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves” (v.39). “First and foremost, with its link to Passover and the departure from Egypt, unleavened bread reminded the Israelites of the immediacy of their salvation...For us, the context is flipped. We’ve received salvation, but we eagerly await its consummation. So we’re called to wait vigilantly. Rather than knowing we’ll leave tonight, we must be found ready for Christ to return at an unknown hour…Nothing must occupy our attention in a way that leaves us unready to depart when he returns and we’re called home to stand before him (Luke 21:34–36).”[iii]
· Pillars of Cloud and Fire. God led the Israelites out of Egypt on a rather odd route—certainly not one most pragmatic travelers would have opted for. However, God knew that if His people chartered a direct course to the Promised Land, they would encounter some enemy combatants on the journey, lose heart, and long for a return to Egypt. This is a humbling reminder that there may be times God redirects our paths from the way we would otherwise choose to go, but we can trust that He knows the proper direction for us to take. “And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people” (vv. 21-22; emphasis added). Wouldn’t it be nice if God led us like that? What if I told you that, in a way, He does? The psalmist declares in Psalm 119:105 that “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Henry Blackaby was known for saying that God speaks through His Word, prayer, circumstances, and the Church (i.e., body of believers). God still leads, but are His people today willing to be led by Him?
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Journal responses to the following prompts:
· What tries to occupy your attention in a way that could leave you unready to depart when Jesus returns?
· Are you willing to be led by God? Or do you want to be the one at the front of the line, calling the shots?
[i] qāḏaš. (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. Retrieved March 5, 2026, from
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h6942/esv/wlc/0-1/
[ii] Thomas. W. H. (1985). The Pentateuch: A chapter-by-chapter study. Kregel Publications.
[iii] Thigpen. J. M. (2023, April 6). Feast of Unleavened Bread: How a hasty escape prepares us to wait for Christ. The Gospel Coalition. Retrieved March 5, 2026, from
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/feast-unleavened-bread/