Exodus Chapter 13

EXODUS 

CHAPTER 

13

3. Moses said to the people, "Remember this day on which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, because the LORD brought you out from there by strength of hand; no leavened bread shall be eaten, 4. Today, in the month of Abib, you are going out.

(Exodus chapter 13 verses 3 to 4)

Funnily enough the first verse number of this chapter is the number 3. The reason is that the chapter seems to have continued from chapter 12 of the book of Exodus. In chapter 13 of the book of Exodus God by means of Moses reminded the people that they were never to forget those four hundred and thirty years that  they had spent in the bondage of Egypt. God is also telling us, now that I have healed from from that addiction, cancer, sin or condition, do not go back to your old ways or else you will have to face the consequences. Therefore the day of our deliverance is very important. As Christians God has already delivered us as a people by means of His passion, however God also delivers us from our personal crisis or situations of Egypt. Moreover we are still waiting in hope and in faith for our final deliverance at the time of God's final visit and judgment of the earth, where all shall be reconciled back to him.

5. When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore to your ancestors to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall keep this observance in this month.

(Exodus chapter 13 verse 5)

The Canaanites, Hivites, Amorites and |Jebusites may be people or situations or even our sins that are keeping us aware from God who is our promised land. God promises to give us a victory over such situations and instead of hardship give us an idyllic situation in His presence. The analogy of milk and honey has an interesting significance. Milk has vitamins as can be given by the world, but it is not sweet. God can give us the milk of the world and even more. The homey that God can give us is far sweeter than that of the World for it is ever lasting.


6. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a festival to the LORD. 7. Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen in your possession, and no leaven shall be seen among you in all your territory. 8. You shall tell your child on that day, 'It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.'

(Exodus chapter 13 verses 6 to 8)


According to God's commandment to His people who were still as we all are in a state of spiritual, social and psychological formation, were to eat leavened bread only on the seventh day of the week. After some digging I found that the leaven was the raising agent in the dough that also gives sweetness to it. Therefore before having left Egypt the people especially on that special day before leaving Egypt ate unleavened bread which was flat like a cookie, however when God liberated them sweetness and uprightness was given to the people and their life was given both a value, meaning and a purpose that of getting to know God again with the aim of being reunited with Him in a relationship of love. God's message of love is also to be transmitted to our children and their children so that the raising agent of God's love will continue to spread in the world.


9. It shall serve for you as a sign on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead, so that the teaching of the LORD may be on your lips; for with a strong hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt. 10. You shall keep this ordinance at it's proper time from year to year.

(Exodus chapter 13 verses 9 to 10)


God's teachings are to be forever in our hearts and in our minds, we may not practice certain Hebrew traditions as in the Word of God, however we have God's rule of love inscribed in our heart, that only our sinful self can hinder us from practicing. Our sinful self which is always in conflict with the spiritual grace of God in us.


 11. When the LORD has brought you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your ancestors, and has given it to you, 12. you shall set apart to the LORD all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your livestock that are males shall be the LORD's. 13 But every firstborn donkey you shall redeem with a sheep; if you do not redeem it, you must break its neck.

(Exodus chapter 13 verses 11 to 13)


On reflecting on verses 11 to 13 which have a somewhat macabre tone, we can reflect on God's choice of the first human offspring. When compared to the firstborn of the animals there seems to be another classification thus placing sheep as superior to donkeys. The bottom line seems to be that all firstborn were to be consecrated to God. On reflecting as sons and daughters of God we are all set apart to be consecrated to God. At the moment of baptism we are consecrated to God, however there are certain religious groups and orders who personally consecrate themselves to God by chanting particular prayers to God.


14. When in the future your child asks you, what does this mean? you shall answer, 'By strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.

(Exodus chapter 13 verse 14)


According to the Word of God we are duty bound to transmit God's Word to our sons and daughters. We are also duty bound to share with them all the wonders great and small that God has performed in our life, especially those important moments of deliverance.


15. When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from human firstborn to the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD every male that first opens the womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem'. 16 It shall serve as a sin on your hand and as an emblem on your forehead that by strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt."

(Exodus chapter 13 verses 15 to 16)


 When passing on the faith to our sons and daughters we are to explain in detail the greatness of God, especially during our moments of trial and tribulation. Every day of our life is to be an offering to God. Every time we go to Church we celebrate the renewal of this great even or events in our life, when God delivered us again and again from the forces of evil both within us and around us, and also the great deliverance at the time of His loving passion.


17. When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was nearer; for God thought, "If the people face war, they may change their minds and return to Egypt."

(Exodus chapter 13 verse 17)


What seems to be the easy way is not always God's way. God is aware of human frailty and deficiency and does not want us to experience more than we can take. Therefore for our own good some things or processes may take a bit longer than we planned to take place because it may not be exactly good timing and according to God's timing. God is aware of what we think and feel before we even experience the given situation. He is so sensitive and loving.


18. So God led the people by the roundabout way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of the land of Egypt prepared for battle

(Exodus chapter 13 verse 18)


The chosen people of God had no other alternative but to trust in God's directions. They placed their lives in the hands of Moses and of God. When we do so we experience God's love, wonders and even power. At times as in the case of chosen people God, we would need to experience a round about turn in our lives, which may be a time to reflect before setting our tracks again and continuing on the path that God has prepared for us. At times the roundabout turn may mean a complete change in our lifestyle or what is called a Copernican Revolution which conditions us to make radical changes in our lifestyle in order to correct previous behaviour patterns.


19. And Moses took with him the bones of Joseph who had required a solemn oath of the Israelites, saying, "God will surely take notice of you, and then you must carry my bones with you from here."

(Exodus chapter 13 verse 19)


Jacobs bones were like an important document which contained the authenticity to an important deed. Through Joseph God promised the chosen people of God that in the time chosen by God they would be delivered from their bondage. Jesus Christ in person was a living document who promised liberation by means of love that although it was the means that led Him to the cross, it was enough to claim our redemption from the forces of evil, from living a life in eternal damnation.


20. They set out from Succoth, and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness. 21. The LORD went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night. 22. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

(Exodus chapter 13 verses 20 to 22)

Throughout their time of Exodus and even after God, remained with His chosen people. He appeared to them by means of symbols that provided them with the necessary directions. Even though today we do not have the pillar of cloud or fire, God has given us His Word which is a lantern of light to our mind and a perfect reference manual on which to base our life. God has also given us the Holy Spirit which is the driving force of the Roman Catholic Church, that if we obey this Holy Spirit we will make it to our promised land in Heaven and even enjoy the peace of God on earth.


In order to picture the way that God chose for His chosen people on their way out of Egypt as referred to in Exodus chapter 13 verses 20 to 22 please click on the following link:

The way out of Egypt


I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:


Oh God Almighty creator of heaven and earth, I would like to thank You for all those moments when You have entered my live and saved me from my moments of Egypt. Thanks for the promised land in heaven that You have promised me and humanity. Thanks for delivering Your chosen people and for wanting us to keep on remembering this important event which changed the course of humanity. I pray for Your chosen people during this difficult period in their life. I pray for all Christians who are facing persecution for who they believe in. Please give them the endurance to remain faithful in You during this moment of trial. 

Please deliver them as You delivered them in the past. Please do not let unbelievers say that you have abandoned Your chosen people and try to use this issue to make more harm against You and all Christians. I pray that You will give Your chosen people the lands that You personally promised them to claim as being theirs forever. Please enact Your justice in this situation and let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Thank You God