When thy son asketh thee.
The Book of Exodus introduces that new epoch in the scriptural history of sacrifices when they began to be regulated by fixed laws, to be part of a national economy.
I. The offering of the firstborn was the deification and consecration of the whole Jewish nation. The firstborn represented its strength, its vitality, its endurance. This act signified that its strength lay only in its dependence on God’s strength, that its vitality came from the life which is in Him, that it would endure from generation to generation, because He is the same and His years fail not. The calling of the Israelites was the calling to confess a Redeemer of Israel, a righteous Being who had brought out their fathers from the house of bondage.
II. Moses taught the people that by looking upon themselves as beings surrendered and sacrificed to the God of truth, the Deliverer of men, by feeling that they held all the powers of their minds and bodies as instruments for the great work in which He is engaged, thus they might be a nation indeed, one which would be a pattern to the nations, one which, in due time, would break the chains which bound them to visible and invisible oppressors.
III. When once we understand that we are witnesses for God, and do His work, self-sacrifice can never be an ambitious thing--a fine way to get the reputation of saints or the rewards of another world. It will be regarded as the true ground of all action; that on which all the blessed relations of life stand; that which is at the same time the only impulse to and security for the hard and rough work of the world. (F. D. Maurice, M. A.)
Meaning of ordinances to be explained
1. Ancient ordinances may be justly questioned in succeeding ages to know the meaning of them.
2. Reason is to be given of our religion to such as reasonably demand it.
3. Children may ask of parents and they must inform them of the ordinances of God.
4. Redemption-mercies are to be recorded and reported as just ground of God’s ordinance (verse 14).
5. Opposition against redemptions are justly declared to make the work glorious, and God’s people obedient.
6. Vengeance upon the enemies of the Church’s redemption is fit to be known to quicken them to duty.
7. The Church’s reason for its religion to God is rightly taken from its redemption (verse 15).
8. God’s redeeming mercies ought to work in the Church eternal memorials of Him (verse 16). (G. Hughes, B. D.)
Lessons
1. After redemption of His Church God provideth for guiding them in the way to rest.
2. Nearest ways to rest with men are not always approved by God for His people.
3. God’s foreknowledge of dangerous ways to His Church doth prevent them.
4. God will not put His people upon war or hard trials until He have fitted them for it.
5. God’s special care of His Church is to keep them from a retreat to bondage after redemption (verse 17). (G. Hughes, B. D.)
Imparting knowledge
Knowledge cannot be stolen by or from you. It cannot be sold or bought. You may be poor, and be troubled by the sheriff on the journey of life. He may break into your house and sell your furniture at auction; drive away your cow; take away your ewe lamb, and leave you homeless and penniless; but he cannot lay the law’s hand upon the jewellery of your mind. This cannot be taken for debt; neither can you give it away, though you give enough of it to fill a million minds. In getting rich in the things which perish with the using, men have often obeyed to the letter that first commandment of selfishness: “Keep what you can get, and get what you can.” In filling your minds with the wealth of knowledge, you must reverse this rule, and obey this law: “Keep what you give, and give what you can.” The fountain of knowledge is filled by its outlets, not by its inlets. You can learn nothing which you do not teach; you can acquire nothing of intellectual wealth except by giving. (Elihu Burritt.)