First Sunday After Christmas: Old Testament, Exodus 13:1-3a, 11-15             

Exodus 13:1-3a, 11-15

God sets apart the first-born in the lines of Israel. And it begins as a result of His rescuing their first-born sons as the tenth in a line of plagues ravages the nation of Egypt and its King. “Then Moses said to the people, ‘Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the LORD brought you out from this place’” (Exodus 13:3a).

The first-born is tied to the deliverance wrought by the Lord. He is the rescuer of Israel. He is the redeemer of Israel. He is the destination of Israel. For the first-born He first called for the blood of lambs. Later, much later in time, He shed the blood of the Lamb.

His blood shed for us, it becomes the drink of the Divine meal we are served at His altar. The First-born of creation sheds His privilege into our hearts and we are set apart in Him.

No greater love, no greater gift, no greater place. He has made us “first in line.”