The Assembly of God’s Firstborn

SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP SERVICE, 9 July 2023

Sermon Text: Exodus 13:1-16
Sermon Series: “Exodus chs. 1-19” (#17)

Main Points:
Introduction
I. The assembly of God’s firstborn
II. Consecrate to God all the firstborn
III. Eat unleavened bread
IV. Explain all to our children
Conclusion

We read last week from ch. 12 about Israel’s hasty departure from Egypt. It was the day Israel had been in Egypt for 430 years. It was such an event that could be described as ‘dream came true.’ As you can imagine, all of Israel who joined that great multitude on that day must’ve thought they were only dreaming. Four hundred and thirty years is a long time. And in most of that period, Israel had been in slavery. Now, they are leaving all things behind – leaving their sorrows and anger, despair and tears.

Then, we read the guidelines for Israel on keeping the Passover in the last part of ch. 12 and ch. 13. About when Moses delivered these words of God to Israel, it’s not specified in the text. But we can guess that it wasn’t too long, if not immediately, after their departure from Egypt.

Having said, I want you to pause and once again think about the question I raised last week, that is, why God at this specific moment gave Israel His commands and guidelines on keeping the Passover rather than such things as which way to go and where to settle or what to consider for safety in the way to Canaan and so on. Israel has just moved her first step in freedom, and why was this guideline on keeping the Passover God’s first instruction for His people? I point this out because understanding this is the key to grasping the message for today.

Putting it very simply, this section is much like a ‘welcome speech’ for the kindy students on their first day. Children who have no idea of school life hear the head teacher’s welcome on their first day and that’s exactly what this section is about. The head teacher talks to the children that they are now of the kindergarten, and there are some – although very basic – rules to keep. Similarly, God who rescued Israel from their slavery and led them to step on the land of freedom talks to them about to which family they belong from now on and what to know and what to do as members of this new household.

I. THE ASSEMBLY OF GOD’S FIRSTBORN
In a word, God tells them that they’re now members of God’s household. Heb. 12:23 of the NT puts it beautifully as ‘the assembly of the firstborn.’ The OT Israel is the assembly of God’s firstborn.

If you remember the account of God’s appearance to Moses at Mt Sinai in Ex. 4, you’d probably recall what God commanded Moses to speak to Pharaoh. This is what He said: “you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Israel is My firstborn son, and … let My son go that he may serve Me.”’” From the beginning of this great work of salvation, God’s description of Israel has always been the same – Israel is the assembly of God’s firstborn.

Before moving on, you need to understand this important term ‘firstborn.’ ‘Firstborn’ does not mean the first among multiple sons, nor does it mean that God especially loved Israel while hating other nations considering them as His second or third or fourth sons. That’s not what God’s firstborn means. Instead, God’s ‘firstborn’ carries a spiritual meaning, that is, the legitimate heir who holds the full right of inheritance of the Father. In other words, God’s ‘firstborn’ is the recipient of God’s covenant mercy who, in response, displays God’s glory as the Creator of all. In the midst of rebels in the world, Israel alone as God’s firstborn displays God’s glory and declares His lordship, and carries God’s redemption work on earth.

This is God’s instruction for Israel as soon as they left the land of their slavery and stepped into the land of freedom. He is saying something like this – ‘You’re now Mine; you have entered into the kingdom of freedom and blessing and joy. So, know that no longer are you under the heavy yoke of your former master but under the caring arm of your eternal Father. Think, therefore, as My free children; speak as My own; carry My name in all you do.’

As the Lord spoke to me through His word and opened my spiritual eyes to see Him many years ago, I became a Christian. Then, I began thinking in Christian way, began speaking as a Christian would, and began living as a Christian. I believe the same happened to you who trust in Jesus Christ the Lord, and it is continuing in you even now. All this began when your Father and my Father in heaven spoke to us that we were of the assembly of His firstborn. The same instruction God gave to Israel at the exodus, at the beginning of their journey toward their destiny, that is, Canaan the land of promise.

Change of perspective is, therefore, its immediate implication. As God demanded from Israel at the exodus, He demands the same from you and me and from all whom He calls and redeems through the blood of Jesus Christ. God explains this change of perspective in three ways or aspects.

II. CONSECRATE TO GOD ALL THE FIRSTBORN
The first is to consider all things we have belong to God. This is the spiritual meaning of consecration of the firstborn of Israel, both man and animal. Talking about ‘all things,’ it means absolutely all things. One of our favourite hymns is ‘Nothing is mine but what I received.’ When we sing that hymn, saying, ‘nothing,’ we mean ‘nothing’ indeed, excluding nothing from that ‘nothing.’ All is from God, thus, belong to Him alone. Acknowledging this is the first aspect of Christian’s new way of looking at all things.

I believe the OT Israel at Ex. 13 must’ve understood this almost instantly and perfectly. All of them must’ve nodded their heads and agreed wholeheartedly based on their fresh experience. They’ve just walked out of their centuries-old slavery; a few hours ago, they were slaves who could not claim the ownership of their own life. But now, they’re free by the mighty hand of God. Moreover, their own lives were spared in the night that had just passed when God took the life of all firstborns in Egypt! In addition, bringing them out of Egypt, God caused Egyptians to look favourably at Israelites and to give them all they asked. Israelites have seen it all. So, they must’ve almost instantly and perfectly apprehended this ‘all belong to God’ perspective.

This is exactly what consecration of all firstborn sons to God means. As I’ve explained earlier, the firstborn represents all in his household. Consecrating the firstborn son means giving the lives of all family members. The same principle applies to giving of every firstborn male animal to God.

Unlike the Israelites at the exodus, some Christians of our time regard this God demanded perspective unattainable. They doubt the integrity or soundness of this new outlook. They question – ‘If I give all I have to God, how could I continue my life in this world? How could I give up all things? No one can.’

Asking this, they miss the most important truth of Christianity – that is, the truth of God’s redemption. God’s demand for all firstborn of Israel was with a way of redemption. Every firstborn son was to give to God but God allowed their parents to pay a ransom for their son. Although the exact substitution isn’t specified here in our text passage, we know exactly what was needed for redeeming a son. The price was the Passover lamb. Its blood put on the door posts and the lintel of their house was the sign of that redemption. So, the life of Israel’s firstborn sons was redeemed, substituted and atoned for.

And that blood ultimately points out Jesus Christ who is the Lamb of God came to be our substitute, thus, redeem and make atonement for us sinners. This ‘all belong to God’ perspective is to grasp the true nature of Jesus’ atonement for us. He died for us and cancelled our sins, so we’re not our own but Christ’s. He rose from the dead to enable us to live in a living hope, thus, everything we enjoy in this new life belongs to Him and, through Him our Saviour, to our Heavenly Father!

Never does God demand everything from His beloved; instead, He gives a way to redeem, substitute and atone for. To teach us Christ’s atonement, God demanded Israel to consecrate their firstborns. To us of the NT, the same demand is given through keeping the Lord’s Day holy, for example, that is, separated for the purpose of worship to the Triune God. By keeping the Lord’s Day holy, we give all our time to God. Bringing a tithe to God is another example of consecrating all we have to God. From what God grants us, we give back to Him its firstfruit as a token of our recognition of and thanks for His gracious provision. All of these point out to apprehending Christ’s atonement for us.

In all these, God tells us, as to the OT Israel, this – ‘You’re now Mine! Think, therefore, as My blessed children; speak as My own; carry My name in all you do.’

III. EAT UNLEAVENED BREAD
Once you understand this first aspect of the new Christian perspective, the next two become much simpler and easier to grasp. The second is this – ‘Keep your house and church pure and fill it with godliness.’ This is expressed through ‘eating unleavened bread while keeping everyone’s house free from leaven.’

This pictures both individual’s and church’s full and complete submission to God. As the Passover was a communal meal, entire household were to participate. So, keeping the house free of leaven was a shared duty. It wasn’t any single person’s responsibility but everyone’s.

This is what we read almost every chapter of the NT, especially in the letters of the apostles. For example, our first Bible reading from 1 Pet. 2 is saturated with this new believer’s way or perspective in terms of keeping the house, Christ’s church pure and filling it with God-honouring obedience and mutual love. Listen to the words from 1 Pet. 2 and see for yourself how the OT command for keeping the house free of leaven is directly connected to these words of the NT: “put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. … Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you [all] may grow up into salvation.”

This must be sought constantly by all members of God’s household, Christ’s church, as God states it as a perpetual practice, never-ending business, in His household.

IV. EXPLAIN ALL TO OUR CHILDREN
The third and last aspect of this new outlook or perspective is to teach and explain all truth to our next generation. In v. 8 of our text passage, God requires parents to tell children how God saves and redeems His dear ones. God says in v. 8, “You shall tell your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt (meaning, when God saved me from my sin).’” Again in v. 14, the same is asked for parents: “you shall say to [your son], ‘By a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.”

Moreover, this teaching should not be words only but accompany with a testimony of parents’ living faith. Listen to what God adds in v. 15 as the words for parents to say to their children: “Therefore … all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’”

CONCLUSION
Let me conclude and tell you this amazing truth about you and me and all who truly depend on Jesus’ saving grace. That is, we’re ‘the assembly of God’s firstborn.’ We are the children of our eternal Father’s household. As Heb. 12:23 beautifully describes, we are “enrolled in heaven, and to God.”

Based on this truth, our great and gracious Father asks us to think like His redeemed, thus, blessed children; speak as God’s own; and carry the name of His Son our Lord and Saviour in all we do. ***