20130924 Tuesday, September 24 2013
Exodus 13: Liberation, Not Liberal-ation

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition"

The LORD God (Who was and is Jesus Christ; see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) liberated the Israelites from their slavery to the Pharaoh - not so that they could thereafter live in "free" anarchy, but so that they could follow and obey the LORD. When they refused to obey Him, and instead became a liberal mob (see The Mount Sinai Riot, A Journey Without A Destination and Israel In History and Prophecy: The Sinai Journey), the LORD destroyed them. It was their conservative children and grandchildren who entered the Promised Land forty years later (see Deuteronomy: The Law and History Lessons By Moses).

"10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 10:3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

10:5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 10:7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 10:8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 10:9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 10:10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." (1 Corinthians 10:1-12 KJV)

The consecration of the firstborn was prophetic, first of the Messiah (see The Firstborn Of Passover), and then of those who will be the first to serve Him in the Kingdom of God when they are resurrected, or changed if alive that day, on the day of Christ's return (Pentecost: The Christian Feast Of Firstfruits and The Harvest Prophecies).

"13:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 13:2 Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.

13:3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. 13:4 This day came ye out in the month Abib. 13:5 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month. 13:6 Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD. 13:7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters. 13:8 And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt. 13:9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD'S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt. 13:10 Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.

13:11 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee, 13:12 That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD'S. 13:13 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.

13:14 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: 13:15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem. 13:16 And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt." (Exodus 13:1-16 KJV)

The route of the Exodus was a deliberate and purposeful choice by the LORD. It also plainly proves that Mount Sinai is in the Sinai Peninsula (see Paul's Geography Lesson).

"13:17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: 13:18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.

13:19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.

13:20 And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: 13:22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people." (Exodus 13:17-22 KJV)

Fact Finder: By the time that the LORD was born as a human, had the religious authorities of Judah (the northern Kingdom of Israel was long gone by then; see Israel In History and Prophecy: The Lost Ten Tribes) again become so liberal (i.e. they failed to conserve the actual law that the LORD had given to their forefathers) that they didn't recognize His Word?
See How Did The Messiah's Levite Priesthood Change? and Why Did The Sadducees Fear The Messiah?