Skip to content The Significance of the Firstborn Feb 11 · 14 min ...more
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Consecration of the Firstborn: Set Apart by Grace 0:09 Good morning, and welcome to Stand on the Word. Thanks for joining me this morning as we continue our journey in the book of Exodus, chapters 13 and 14 today. Verse 31 of chapter 14, thus Israel0:21 saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt. So the people feared the Lord and believed the Lord and his servant, Moses. So in today's passage, we have, some significant,0:34 some significant teachings and some aspects of God's work that he is doing in the life of the nation of Israel. First, we have the dedication of the firstborn, the instructions again to observe the0:46 newly established day of the Passover, the introduction of God's presence in the cloud and the pillar, and the crossing of the Red Sea, and the destruction of the Egyptian army. So there's a lot to cover here.0:58 So let's let's first look at the dedication of the firstborn. Verse 1 chapter 13. Then the Lord spoke to Moses saying, consecrate to me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel,1:10 both of man and beast, is mine. What's this about? This is 1 of those significant truths in the scripture that provides a better understanding of the expectation1:22 of our relationship with the lord under the new covenant. Remember, the Old Testament speaks to the physical, where the New Testament speaks to the spiritual. The Passover lamb was a shadow, a1:34 type of the lamb of God, Jesus Christ, whose blood applied to our sins causes spiritual eternal death to pass over us. Here in Exodus, as the death1:45 angel, by the grace of God, passed over the homes covered under the blood, the firstborn was spared. So God now says to it says that that which his grace1:58 spared is set apart as sacred to him. So how does that apply to us? Well, if we have been saved, spared by the grace of God through2:10 the blood of the lamb, then we are set apart unto God, meaning we belong to him. Alright? This is what Paul wrote to the Corinthians2:22 who were having issues with immoral behavior. First Corinthians chapter 6 verse 19, Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have from God,2:34 and you are not your own, for you have been bought at a price? Therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. We belong to2:46 the Lord. Alright? And so we must we are called to serve him. Now let's go over to chapter 14. God was not done with Pharaoh. God draws Pharaoh into a trap,Trapped by Fear: Israel's Test of Faith 2:58 and at the same time, he tests the faith of Israel. Verse 1, chapter 14. Now the Lord spoke to Moses saying, speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp3:10 before Pi Hara between Migdah Migdah and the sea, opposite of Baal Zephon, you shall camp before it3:21 by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, they are bewildered by the land, and the wilderness has closed in on them. Then I will harden Pharaoh's heart so that he3:33 will pursue them, and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord, and they did so. So God told Moses3:45 to, to turn back so it looked like the children of Israel were, were lost, that, the men were in charge and they wouldn't ask for directions, so they were going in circles. But in fact, he is setting a trap3:57 for Egypt that would test the faith of Israel. Verse 5. Now it was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled and that the heart of pharaoh and his servants was turned against4:09 the people, and they said, why have we done this? That we have let Israel go from serving us. We just lost our workforce. What are we doing here? So he made ready his chariot and took his4:21 people with him. Also, he took 600 choice chariots and all the chariots of Israel of Egypt with the captains over every 1 of them. And the Lord4:33 hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel. And listen to this. And the children of Israel went out with boldness. Now they didn't know what was happening. They thought they were4:45 finished. They had seen the angel of death. They had been sent out. They had plundered Egypt, and they were going out with boldness. So the Egyptians pursued them, all the horses and4:57 chariots of Pharaoh and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them camping by the sea. And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after5:08 them. So they were afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. Then they said to Moses, because there were no graves in Egypt, you have taken us away to die in the wilderness. Why5:20 have you so dealt with us to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it would have5:32 been better for us to serve the Egyptians than we should die in the wilderness. Don't miss this. I mean, wow. This is 1 minute they're marching to Zion with boldness, literally high handed5:44 defiance, and, oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. We got them. But as we see, the transformation of their hearts was far, far from complete. In fact, it5:56 was just beginning. This is really a picture of our walk with God. We're saved when we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Passover lamb, as our savior, but our journey6:08 has just begun. And I know many who come out of the bondage of sin, they come out with with great, and and I would add, genuine enthusiasm. But sometimes they're quickly discouraged by6:20 the spiritual warfare that ensues. I mean, we see that in the parables that Jesus tells of the seeds. And we we we we just have to realize that6:32 following Jesus is simple, but it's not easy. And and like the, the children of Israel, we may want to we may be tempted at times to wanna go back to the6:43 bondage of sin rather than press forward toward the promised land of freedom. Why? I mean, why? When you look at that objectively, you say, why would you do that? Well, as we follow6:56 God, we need to realize and I know sometimes in in the preaching when people are called to accept Christ, we don't we don't tell them that, look, following God is not7:08 a stroll through the park. He leads us on a path of perfection, which is a refining, purifying, and sometimes painful process as we have to die to ourself7:20 so that we can live unto him and experience his power and the abundant life. Now, how can we get to a place where we live for God in the7:32 power of God so that we won't desire to go back to bondage? Here's our answer, verse 13, and Moses said to the people, do not be afraid. Stand still,7:44 and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight7:56 for you, and you shall hold your peace. And the Lord said to Moses, why do you cry out to me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward, But lift up your rod and stretch out your handForward in Faith: God's Miraculous Deliverance 8:08 over the sea and divide it, and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So8:20 I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen. Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord when I have gained honor for myself8:32 over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen. Here it is. Do not fear. Several years ago, I did a literally a year long study. This is before I I8:43 did the journey through the Bible. I just did a a year long study on this phrase. Whole year, just studied this. I looked at every time it appears in scripture, and and we repeatedly see8:55 this in the Bible, this this phrase, do not fear. So I I wrote a book. It was, in fact, titled No Fear. But what I found in these 3 words was that they almost always preceded9:07 a manifest manifestation of God's power. Look what Moses says. He says he he says this, look to the Lord. See the9:19 salvation of the Lord. We are to look to the Lord in faith. Faith here's something we need to realize. Faith and fear cannot coexist.9:31 You can't have faith and fear. You know, 1 will cancel out the other. You can't operate in faith if you have fear, and fear will not overcome you if you have faith.9:43 We must look to God in faith and overcome our fear and the obstacles and challenges that we face. So to stay in the power of God, we must not fear. We9:55 must look to the Lord in faith, but look what the lord says. He says we must act. What are you doing? Standing around, move forward even when it looks impossible. I mean, the the the Red Sea10:07 is right there. What are we gonna do? Where are are the Egyptians are behind us. The sea is in front of us. Act in faith. Do not fear. Look to the Lord in faith10:19 and act. Why do you cry to me? Go forward. Our faith must be combined with action. James 2 20 says, but do you not know, oh foolish man, that faith10:31 without works is dead? Now, let's look at a few concluding verses here. Look at verse 23, chapter 14, and the Egyptians pursued and went after him. Alright? The the Lord parted the sea. They were in this10:43 the the children of Israel were marching across in dry land. You had the the the pillar of fire and the cloud on each end, bookending the children of Israel, blocking and10:55 slowing down the Egyptians. So the Egyptians pursued and went in after them in the midst of the sea and Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. Now it came to pass in the morning watch that the Lord looked down11:05 upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and he troubled the army of the Egyptians, divine intervention. And he took off11:17 their chariot wheels, caused them to have a few flat tires, so that they drove them with difficulty. And the Egyptians said, let us flee from the face of Israel, for the11:28 Lord fights for them against the Egyptians. In verse 30, so the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw that the Egypt11:40 saw the Egyptians dead on the sea seashore. Thus, Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt, so the people feared the Lord and believed11:52 the Lord and his servant Moses. The miraculous delivering power of God is not seen in times of comfort and ease. It is12:04 seen in those times of crisis when we call out in desperation to God, and by faith, we go forward. Father, thank you for your word, and we12:16 just, once again, just thank you for the Holy Spirit that leads us on this journey, opening our our our minds, our understanding, opening our eyes spiritually to see the truths of your word, and then, lord, how to12:28 apply them to our lives. Lord, we are we are the firstborn. We are sanctified as we are covered by the blood of the lamb. And so, father, we're set apart to service unto you. May we12:40 realize that, and may we act accordingly. And, father, your great hand of power and deliverance still goes before us today. May we, Lord, look to you in12:52 faith. May we not fear, but, Lord, may we act in obedience going forward, Lord, knowing that you will make a way where there is no way. For we pray and ask this in13:03 Jesus' name. Amen. Thanks for joining me this morning. Until next time, keep standing on the word.13:12 Today's study comes from the Stand on the Word Bible Reading Plan, available for free at frc dot org slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day, you13:24 can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at frc dot org slash bible.In this video 0:00 Consecration of the Firstborn: Set Apart by Grace2:53 Trapped by Fear: Israel's Test of Faith8:00 Forward in Faith: God's Miraculous Deliverance93.9K followers
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