The Book of Exodus, Part 5: The Battle for the Firstborn
The Book of Exodus • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Intro
Intro
Title - The Battle for the Firstborn
Series - The Book of Exodus, Part 5
Text - Exodus 4.22-23; Exodus 12.29-32
22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Israel is My son, My firstborn.
23 So I said to you, ‘Let My son go so that he may serve Me’; but you have refused to let him go. Behold, I am going to kill your son, your firstborn.” ’ ”
29 Now it came about at midnight that the Lord struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of cattle.
30 And Pharaoh got up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians, and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was no home where there was not someone dead.
31 Then he called for Moses and Aaron at night and said, “Rise up, get out from among my people, both you and the sons of Israel; and go, worship the Lord, as you have said.
32 Take both your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and go, and bless me also.”
Background
Background
This part of the series covers Exodus 11-13
Exodus 11 - the 10th plague was announced
Exodus 12.1-13 - the passover was introduced
Exodus 12.14-20 - the feast of unleavened bread was introduced
Exodus 12.21-33 - the night before the exodus
Exodus 12.34-51 - the exodus
Exodus 13.1-16 - the firstborn to be redeemed
Exodus 13.17-22 - the long route to the promised land
Main Subject
Main Subject
Three important things were introduced here -
the Passover memorial - to be remembered every 14th day of the first month (Nisan)
the feast of unleavened bread - to be held for 7 days from 14th to 21st of the same month of Nisan
the redemption of all male firstborn - animals and human alike
The narrative is centered on the night of the Passover
the passover lamb was killed, prepared and eaten
the blood was applied on the door posts and lintel of every Israelite home
at midnight, the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt
there was a great cry all over the land
Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and declare in defeat - “Rise up and get out from among my people, you and the sons of Israel and all your possessions; go and worship the LORD as you have said, and bless me also!”
The fate of Egypt and kingdom fo pharaoh was SEALED by the Passover lamb
The future of Israel the people of God was SECURED by the Passover lamb
The Passover prefigures Christ -
He died on the very same occasion
He was declared the “lamb who takes away the sins of the world”
Paul declares “Christ is our Passover”
The 4 significant meaning of the Passover
The 4 significant meaning of the Passover
The Passover was given as a “marker”
The Passover was given as a “marker”
1 Now the Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
2 “This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year for you.
3 Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are, each one, to take a lamb for themselves, according to the fathers’ households, a lamb for each household.
God makes a new beginning for Israel, and He marks it with a unique marker - a Passover Lamb
14 ‘Now this day shall be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance.
It marks the end of an era - the years of Israel’s sojourning and affliction
“Sojourning” years
40 Now the time that the sons of Israel had lived in Egypt was 430 years.
41 And at the end of 430 years, on this very day, all the multitudes of the Lord departed from the land of Egypt.
40 And the sojourning of the children of Israel while they sojourned in the land of Egypt and the land of Chanaan, was four hundred and thirty years.
41 And it came to pass after the four hundred and thirty years, all the forces of the Lord came forth out of the land of Egypt by night.
the “sojourning” lasted 430 years
the sojourning was in Canaan and in Egypt -
this makes sense because the 4 generations from the 12 tribes to Moses woud not be enough to fill in all 430 years in Egy
“Affliction” years
13 Then God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years.
14 But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions.
years of affliction lasted 400 years
ILLUSTRATION NO. 1 - 400 or 430 years?
It marks the beginning of a new era - the years of God’s fulfilling His covenant with the forefathers of Israel
14 But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions.
it is time for Israel to be seen by the nations as -
as God’s people
as a blessed people
as a people bound for the promised land
IF CHRIST IS OUR PASSOVER -
HIS COMING INTO OUR LIFE - HIS PRESENCE IN OUR LIFE - IS A GREAT MARKER!
AN OLD LIFE HAS ENDED -
THE LIFE OF BONDAGE TO SIN,
THE LIFE OF SOJOURNING (WITHOUT DIRECTION AND PURPOSE)
A NEW LIFE HAS BEGUN -
LIFE OF BLESSEDNESS
LIFE IN THE ARMS OF GOD
LIFE THAT IS BOUND FOR THE PROMISED LAND
The Passover signifies “judgment”
The Passover signifies “judgment”
12 ‘For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and fatally strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the human firstborn to animals; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—I am the Lord.
God’s judgment covers the who spectrum -
the land of Egypt
the power of Egypt (Pharaoh)
the gods of Egypt
God’s judgment targets the root of their pride - the firstborn of all Egypt
WHY THE FIRSTBORN?
Firstborn signifies “power” and “dignity” - Ex - Gen 49.3
3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength, Preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.
because Israel was God’s ‘firstborn’ - Exo 4.22 “22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Israel is My son, My firstborn.”
Egypt has oppressed and afflicted God’s “firstborn”!
IF CHRIST IS OUR PASSOVER -
THEN WE - THE CHURCH ARE GOD’S FIRSTBORN
Firstborn signifies election - God chose a people for blessing an inheritance
note - this status/position is not confined to natural “first” born / ex Jacob, Ephraim, David,
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,
23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
church of the firstborn = collectively we are firstborn through Christ
“sons” are joint-heirs with Christ
The Passover signifies “deliverance”
The Passover signifies “deliverance”
13 The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will come upon you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
Every house where the blood of the Passover lamb has been applied is DELIVERED!
the firstborn is SAFE!
the firstborn is REDEEMED!
WHEN CHRIST OUR PASSOVER DIED ON THE CROSS -
HE JUDGED THE ‘RULER’ OF THIS WORLD - SATAN
HE ALSO JUDGED THE ‘POWER’ AND ‘STRENGTH’ OF THIS WORLD - THE SIN THAT ENSLAVED GOD’S PEOPLE!
AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN CHRIST DIED ON THE CROSS -
HE SECURED THE LIFE OF GOD’S PEOPLE
there is no more condemnation - Romans 8.1
1 Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus.
The Passover signifies “separation”
The Passover signifies “separation”
1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
2 “Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the firstborn of every womb among the sons of Israel, among people and animals alike; it belongs to Me.”
3 And Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you departed from Egypt, from the house of slavery; for by a powerful hand the Lord brought you out from this place. And nothing with yeast shall be eaten.
the setting apart of all firstborn comes from the fact that God has set apart Israel from Egypt by providing a Passover lamb for all firstborn
Israel was set apart (sanctified) for the service of God
22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Israel is My son, My firstborn.
23 So I said to you, ‘Let My son go so that he may serve Me’; but you have refused to let him go. Behold, I am going to kill your son, your firstborn.” ’ ”
Firstborn also signifies “service”
the firstborn of the house has many responsibilities
he is set to take the place of the “head” of the house - KINGLY FUNCTION
as such, he must be knowledgeable, wise, industrious, caring and protective
20 “I have found My servant David; With My holy oil I have anointed him,
21 With whom My hand will be established; My arm also will strengthen him.
22 “The enemy will not deceive him, Nor will the son of wickedness afflict him.
23 “But I will crush his adversaries before him, And strike those who hate him.
24 “My faithfulness and My favor will be with him, And in My name his horn will be exalted.
25 “I will also place his hand on the sea, And his right hand on the rivers.
26 “He will call to Me, ‘You are my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.’
27 “I will also make him My firstborn, The highest of the kings of the earth.
he is set to lead the household in worship - PRIESTLY FUNCTION
the Levites were taken instead of every firstborn
12 “Now, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of every firstborn, the firstborn of the womb among the sons of Israel. So the Levites shall be Mine.
13 For all the firstborn are Mine; on the day that I fatally struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, from the human firstborn to animals. They shall be Mine; I am the Lord.”
THROUGH CHRIST OUR PASSOVER -
OUR SONSHIP IS FULFILLED!
WE CAN SERVE GOD ACCORDING TO HIS DESIGN AND PURPOSE -
WE ARE KINGS AND PRIEST IN HIS KINGDOM
Conclusion
Conclusion
YOU ARE THE FIRSTBORN OF GOD THAT CHRIST HAS REDEEMED FROM THE POWER OF SIN!
How come?
When God chose you in Christ before the foundation of the world!
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love
5 He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
you are the blessed!
you are the chosen
you are the predestined to adoption and inheritance
11 In Him we also have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things in accordance with the plan of His will,
YOU WERE REDEEMED TO SERVE THE LORD!
REDEEMED TO REIGN WITH CHRIST!
REDEEMED TO DECLARE THE PRAISE OF OUR GOD!
SONG
Thank you Jesus for the Blood