Exodus 13:11 - Meaning and Application

Here we have further instructions about dedicating their firstborn to God.

First, the firstborn of their animals were to be given to God as part of what belonged to him. The firstborn of clean animals, such as calves, lambs, and goats, if male, were to be sacrificed (Exodus 22:30; Numbers 18:17-18). The firstborn of unclean animals, such as colts, were to be redeemed with a lamb, or their necks were to be broken. Anything unclean, as we all are by nature, if not redeemed, will be destroyed (Exodus 13:11, 13).

Second, the firstborn of their children were to be redeemed, never sacrificed, unlike the Gentiles who offered their children to Moloch, a false god. The law later set the price of redeeming the firstborn at five shekels (Numbers 18:16). We were all under God’s wrath and curse, and by the blood of Christ we are redeemed so that we may be joined to the church of the firstborn. They had to redeem their children, just as they redeemed the firstborn of unclean animals, because our children are also born sinful. Who can bring a clean thing out of something unclean?

There are also further directions here about teaching children, and all the rising generation, about this matter from time to time. It is assumed that when they saw all the firstborn being set apart, they would ask what it meant. Then their parents and teachers had to tell them (Exodus 13:14-16) that God had a special claim on their firstborn, and on all their firstborn animals, because he had specially spared them from the sword of the destroying angel. Since they had been delivered like this, they were bound to serve him.

Children should be encouraged to ask their parents questions about the things of God. This may be one of the most useful ways to teach them the faith. Parents must also equip themselves with helpful knowledge so they can always answer their children’s questions. If the knowledge of God is ever to cover the earth as the waters cover the sea, then family teaching must begin first.

We should all be able to explain why we do what we do in religion. Just as sacraments are made holy by the word, so they must also be explained and understood by the word. God’s service is reasonable, and it is acceptable when we perform it with understanding, knowing what we are doing and why.

Notice how often this chapter says that the Lord brought them out of Egypt “by strength of hand” (Exodus 13:3, 14, 16), and “with a strong hand” (Exodus 13:9). The more opposition there is to God’s purposes, the more his power is shown in bringing them about. It takes a strong hand to conquer hard hearts. At times God delivers, not by human strength or power (Zechariah 4:6), but by his own mighty work.

Their descendants who would later be born in Canaan were told to say, “The Lord brought us out of Egypt” (Exodus 13:14, 16). The blessings given to our fathers are blessings to us too. We receive the benefit of them, so we must keep a thankful memory of them. We stand on the foundation of earlier deliverances, and we were in the loins of our ancestors when they were delivered. We have even more reason to say that in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we were redeemed.