This chapter cover three main things in detail. They’re all quite important to God’s character so I’ll try to cover them all.
Topic 1: The Feast of Unleavened Bread
God gave specific instructions about the annual Feast of Unleavened bread (v3-10 not quoted). Even though the symbolism wasn’t clarified at this point, other passages in scripture inform us that leaven (eg. yeast) is symbolic of sin – even a little bit can multiply overnight and leaven an entire batch of dough, just as a little sin can quickly multiply and spoil a person. Paul tells us “Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” (1 Cor 5:6-8) Paul implies that leaven is like sin, it can multiply/spread and it needs to be kept far away in order for us to remain pure.
Topic 2: The Redemption of the Firstborn
“[Moses instructing the people:] ‘Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. And when in time to come your son asks you, “What does this mean?” you shall say to him, “By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals.” ‘ ” (v13-15a) Redeeming the firstborn, just like the aforementioned feast, was a constant reminder to the people that God delivered them out of slavery – slavery to sin (the feast) and slavery to Egypt (the firstborns had to die). The deaths of the firstborns was a direct result of sin and rebellion, and obedience to God’s commands was the only way the firstborns could be saved, so this practice was to serve as a reminder.
Topic 3: Leaving Egypt
“When Pharaoh let the people go… Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, ‘God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here.’ And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.” (v17a,19,21-22) Side note: In v19 Moses keeps the promise the sons of Israel made to Joseph in Gen 50:24-25. More importantly however, God’s presence (the pillar of cloud/fire) does not leave the Israelites day or night – He visibly shows them that He is unceasingly with them.
I realize this has dragged on a little bit, though I felt it was important to touch on all of these items: God’s desire for sin-free living, God’s desire to redeem His people, and God’s everlasting presence, for all three are integral to God’s character.
Father God, praise be to You, the one who redeems us from slavery. Thank you for buying us back from the consequence of death – not only our firstborns, but every single one of us was doomed to die eternally separated from you. Through Jesus You paid our death penalty, and redeemed us. Thank you. We also praise You for Your everlasting presence – day and night You never cease to depart from before Your people. You lead us every step of the way, and we long to follow You obediently. Jesus, help us to do this.
~ Conqueror in Training