Exodus 13:1-22 Study Guide: Feasting with Family

Community Group Study Guide — Feasting with Family 
Exodus 13:1-22

Study Information:
We are just a few days away from Christmas at the time of publishing this study guide. For many it is a time to spend with family and friends filled with gifts, memories and eating more food than we should. As a church family, we gather to celebrate and remember the birth of Jesus Christ, God with us. We remember with Advent messages, Christmas Eve services, decorations and special music that point to how the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). Similarly we learn that presence of God among his people is a theme of Exodus and that them is magnified in our passage as God commanded his people to consecrate themselves and to celebrate yearly the deliverance they had from slavery in Egypt. God gave them a sign of their belonging to him through their consecration, their feasting and the visible presence as a pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night.

Consecration
Exodus 13:1-2, 11-16
To be consecrated means to be set apart as holy, the New Testament often used the word “sanctified” to communicate this. In Exodus 13, God commanded that the firstborn from the womb, both people and animal, to be set apart to God. Numbers 18:15-16 instructed the people that this consecration would include a financial contribution of 5 shekels, usually around 2-3 days wages per shekel. This was a costly sacrifice to consecrate their firstborn. To consecrate the first born animal would require sacrifice of that animal. This too was costly since that firstborn animal would have great potential to bring wealth to the owner. In this we have a reminder of the Exodus story in that God rescued the firstborn of Israel through the sacrificial death of the passover lamb. 

This consecration practice reminded them again and again that God rescued them and they belonged to God. God made this connection clear in Exodus 13:11-14 specifically saying to Moses “when in time to come your sons ask 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.” Most of their new life of freedom would have visual and regular reminders of their deliverance and freedom. They no longer belonged to Pharaoh, they no longer belonged to themselves, instead they belonged to God and God would be with them. 

This is not a command to be kept by Christians today, but the main idea about our freedom from death to life and that we belong to God because of Christ is an important thing to remember. To be sanctified by God means that we have been set apart as his own. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 instructs us that the Holy Spirit is within the people of God and Paul directly wrote “you are not your own.” True freedom comes with belonging to God.  

Commemoration
Exodus 13:3-10
This new family and people of God would celebrate and remember their freedom with a feast. The feast would similarly remember the passover story but would focus on removing the leaven from their midst. For a full week they were to not eat leavened bread or even have any around and on the seventh day they’d all gather together to celebrate and feast together. Moreover they were to mark their hand or between their eyes as a memorial. These were common markings that slaves would have, except instead of being slaves to Egypt, they were serving and worshipping God. Notice that this command points forward to when the people of God would dwell in the Promised Land. When they’d have peace and security it would be easy to forget what God had done, but festivals and celebrations would remind them of the power and presence of God. 

Celebration is a key part of how we remember and praise God for what he has done and typically we do not do enough celebration and feasting for the great work that God has done. When was the last time God did something wonderful in your life and you threw a party?! Yet at the party the people of God were able to gather around and praise God, eat good food and remember the goodness of God in a physical and concrete way as they reenacted some of their story of freedom from Egypt. 

As we approach the Christmas season, many of us will gather around tables with family, but do not forget that we gather for worship as a church family Sunday by Sunday and on Christmas Eve where we sing songs of praise to God and light candles to remember that Christ is the light of the world, God with us to save us from our sins! 

Presence of God with Us
Exodus 13:17-22
The Israelites left Egypt with a visual reminder of God’s presence with them. God led their way with a pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. Each would be highly visible and a consistent reminder that God was with them. Our passage tells us that God led them through the wilderness, in the roundabout way because they were not ready for war. It appears that they left with weapons for battle, but their hearts were not ready for conflict, even if God would give them victory in the battle. Notice too that they were faithful to Joseph’s request that they take up his bones out of Egypt (Genesis 50:25). This is another reminder that their freedom was permanent and there would be no trace or remnant of Israel left in Egypt. 

This Christmas season, we are reminded that Christ came as Immanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23). Even though we cannot see God’s presence physically, all throughout scripture we are reminded that God has consecrated his people, calls them to celebrate their freedom and that he will be with them (Matthew 28:20). 

At your community group:
Take 15-20 minutes to share about how God has been at work in your life, prayer concerns and pray for one another.

How did God speak to you through the scripture and the sermon this week? 

Discussion Questions:
Read Exodus 13:1-22

How does our passage remind us of God’s presence with his people? 

Do you think many Christians are known for their joy and celebrations? What are some ways you can grow in celebrating the work that God has done?

How did God provide for and prepare the Israelites for the wildness (see verses 17-22)?

What are some things we learn in this passage that point us towards Advent and the birth of Christ? What key ways are you celebrating God’s presence this Christmas season?