The Firstboarn are Sanctified to God part 2

by John Thomas Lowe
(Woodruff, S.C.)

part 2
(4) Seeing in Christ the firstborn, we attain the birthright; let every Christian beware of profaneness and passing away his birthright as Esau, who sold his birthright for pottage (Hebrews 12:16).
(5) Learn to grow in conformity with our Elder Brother Christ, with whom we cannot be equal, but like as brothers. We must be like Him in affection, like Him in affliction, like Him in combat, and like Him in the crown.
Consecrated to the Lord
When Bishop Selwyn spoke to Sir John Patteson, then a widower, of the desire of his splendidly gifted son, Coleridge, to join him in the New Zealand Mission, the father's first exclamation was: "I cannot let him go!" but he immediately added, "God forbid I should stop him!" Furthermore, he closed the conversation by saying: "Mind, I give him wholly, not with any thought of seeing him again. I will not have him thinking he must come home to see me."
A consecrated child
A young man was about to enter the foreign missionary work. A gentleman said to the young man's father, "It is hard to give up the boy.” “Yes,” replied the father, “but it is just what we have been expecting.” “How so?” inquired the friend. “When he was a baby,” answered the father, “his mother and I went to a missionary meeting. Most earnest and touching, an appeal was made for men to become missionaries. We could not go. When we returned home, the baby lay asleep in his crib. We went to the crib. His mother stood on one side, I on the other. We laid our hands on his forehead together and prayed that it might be God’s will for him to become a foreign missionary. We never spoke to him about what we did. However, all these twenty-five years, we have believed that our prayer about him would be answered, and we answered it now. Yes, it is hard to give up the boy, but it is what we have been expecting.”
In one house - i. e. "in one company." Each lamb was to be entirely consumed by the members of one company, whether they belonged to the same household.
Break a bone - John's typical significance of this injunction is recognized by (see the margin reference.) It is not easy to assign any other satisfactory reason for it. This victim alone was exempt from the general law by which the limbs were ordered to be separated from the body.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 13
Ex 13:1, 2. The Firstborn Sanctified. God commands all the firstborn to be consecrated, Exodus 13:1,2. The day of their going forth out of Egypt to be had in remembrance, Exodus 13:3. The feast of unleavened bread to be kept in the land of Canaan, Exodus 13:5-10. The firstlings of beasts to be set apart for the Lord, Exodus 13:12. The reason of it, Exodus 13:15. The way God led them into the wilderness, Exodus 13:18. Moses carries Joseph’s bones out of Egypt, Exodus 13:19. Israel encamped at Etham, Exodus 13:20. God conducteth them by a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night, Exodus 13:21,22.
(2) Sanctify unto me all the firstborn.—It was a reasonable demand that the existing firstborn of Israel, spared by God when the Egyptian firstborn were destroyed, should be regarded thenceforth as His and set apart for His service. The extension of the demand to existing beasts was also reasonable since they had been spared. God’s further requirement that henceforth all the future firstborn should also be His was intended to perpetuate the memory of the recent deliverance and help to fix it in the nation's mind. The circumstances of the case necessitated the substitution of redemption in the case of unclean beasts since they could not be sacrificed. The redemption of the firstborn sons naturally followed when the Levitical priesthood was established, and their services were no longer necessary. (See Numbers 3:40-51; Numbers 18:16.) The Jews still observe the ordinance, so far as the children are concerned, and redeem the son who has “opened the womb” on the thirtieth day after the birth.
Benson Commentary
Exodus 13:2. Sanctify — That is, command all the people to sanctify; unto me — To my use and service, in a manner, I shall hereafter explain; all the firstborn — That are males, as the command is limited, Exodus 13:12; whatsoever openeth the womb — That is, every child who is the firstborn of his mother: so that if a man had many wives, either together or successively, his first child by every one of these was a firstborn, and, if a male, was claimed by the Lord. However, if a female came first, and afterward a male, that male was not devoted to God because he was not the firstborn. Hence the parents were not to look upon themselves as having an interest in their firstborn, if males, till they had first solemnly presented them to God and received them back from him again. It is mine — By special right and title, as being by special favor preserved from the joint destruction. The firstborn of man, if males, were claimed for the sacred ministrations of the priestly office. However, after the Jewish commonwealth was formed, the Levites were chosen to officiate in their stead, Numbers 3:12; and the firstborn were to be redeemed at a specific rate, which was part of the priest’s maintenance, Numbers 18:15-16. Furthermore, of the beast — Which was to be offered to God, if a male: only an ass was to be redeemed.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
13:1-10 In remembrance of the destruction of the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast, and the deliverance of the Israelites out of bondage, the firstborn males of the Israelites were set apart to the Lord. By this was set before them, their lives were preserved through the ransom of the atonement, which was to be made for sin in due time. They were also to consider their lives, thus ransomed from death, to be consecrated to the service of God. The parents were not to consider themselves as having any right in their firstborn till they solemnly presented them to God and allowed his title. That which is, by special mercy, spared to us should be applied to God's honor; at least, some grateful acknowledgment, in works of piety and charity, should be made. The remembrance of their coming out of Egypt must be kept every year. The day of Christ's resurrection is to be remembered, for, in it, we were raised up with Christ out of death's house of bondage. The Scripture tells us not expressly what day of the year Christ rose, but it states particularly what day of the week it was; as the more valuable deliverance, it should be remembered weekly. The Israelites must keep the feast of unleavened bread. Under the gospel, we must remember Christ and observe his holy supper. Please do this in remembrance of him. Also, care must be taken to teach children the knowledge of God. Here is an old law for catechizing. It is of great use to acquaint children betimes with the histories of the Bible. Moreover, those who have God's law in their heart should have it in their mouth and often speak of it to affect themselves and teach others.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Sanctify unto me - The command is addressed to Moses. The command is expressly based upon the Passover. It was to declare the will of God that all firstborns were to be consecrated to Him, set apart from all other creatures. The firstborn exempt from the destruction became the exclusive property of the Lord in a new and unique sense: the firstborn of man as His ministers, the firstborn of cattle as victims. Instead of men's Firstborn, the Levites were devoted to the temple services.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
2. Sanctify unto me all the firstborn—To "sanctify" means to "consecrate," to "set apart" from a common to a revered use. The foundation of this duty rested on the fact that the Israelites, having had their firstborn preserved by a distinguishing act of grace from the general destruction that overtook the families of the Egyptians, were bound in token of gratitude to consider them as the Lord's peculiar property (compare Heb 12:23).
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Sanctify unto me, to my use and service, in a manner as I shall hereafter explain. Moreover, sanctify, i.e., command all the people to sanctify, as Moses did, Exodus 13:12.

All the firstborn, viz., if they are males, as it is limited, Exodus 13:12.

Whatsoever openeth the womb; every child who is the firstborn of his mother: so that if a man had many wives, either together or successively, his first child by every one of these was a firstborn. Whether clean or unclean, though in a different manner; see Numbers 18:13,15,17. It is mine, by special right and title, as being by my special care and favor preserved from the joint destruction. Therefore I challenge a peculiar interest in them and now require that they be devoted to me.