THE STORY OF JESUS: Exodus 9:13-11:10
“Every firstborn son in Egypt will die…” (Exodus 11:5)
In Moses’ Law, the firstborn – human and animal – belonged to God.
The Levites were dedicated to God in place of the firstborn (Numbers 3:40ff).
Every firstborn was to be redeemed (payed for) with a sacrifice (Exodus 34:20).
In ancient times, the firstborn son was the heir, the future of the family.
The firstborn received the rights and authority as the head of the family.
To rob a family of their firstborn is to rob them of their future.
This curse on Egypt’s firstborn reveals God’s authority over Pharaoh and his future.
But what does this mean for us, what do we learn from this?
We are reminded today – as they were then – that our future is in God’s hands.
We have no future without God, and the fact that we do is a gift of grace.
God is not being mean; He cannot allow the future of sin to go unchecked.
Pharoah and Egypt represent violence, oppression, cruelty… they must be stopped.
In Genesis 3, Satan robs God of His firstborn son, and Eden’s future is cursed.
But God robs Satan and sin of their future by offering His ‘firstborn’ son.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
Pharaoh’s refusal to release God’s firstborn (Exodus 4:22) cost him his own firstborn.
What price will we pay if we refuse God, and choose to live without Him?
Our future is jeopardized too, for without God we have no future.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, You have done everything necessary to redeem us from the curse of sin and death. You have given us a future, may we not refuse to receive the wonderful gift.