Title Two postures necessary for blessing
The two postures necessary for the blessing of Exodus (31) (Exodus 12:40-51)
1. Gratitude for grace
Until the liberation of the Passover, the Israelites lived in Egypt for 430 years (verses 40-41). And he called the night of the Passover from which he left when he came out of the land of Egypt, 'the night of the Lord,' and told them to keep it in commemoration of that day from generation to generation (verse 42). So the Passover became the only festival that the Israelites kept at night.
Because the Passover was a festival to commemorate the joy of liberation for the people who were saved by the blood of the Lamb, uncircumcised Gentiles could not participate in the Passover meal. Also, slaves bought with money at that time could eat the Passover food after being circumcised, but foreigners and foreign laborers could not eat it (verses 44-45). When we ate the Passover food, we were to eat in one house, and never let any of the meat out of the house, nor break any bones (verse 46). Not breaking the bones of the Passover lamb foreshadows that when Jesus died, none of the bones would be broken (Psalm 34:20; John 19:36).
If a foreigner tried to keep the Passover while keeping the Passover, all men could only keep the Passover after being circumcised. If they were circumcised, they could become like natives, but if they were not circumcised, they could not eat the Passover food (verses 47-48). The law thus enacted applied equally to Gentiles as well as from Israel (v. 50). This law tells us that circumcision is the only standard that distinguishes the chosen community regardless of race and status, and also tells us that everyone is equal in God regardless of race, class, or region.
If you look at the scenes before and after the Exodus, you can see that God puts a lot of emphasis on keeping the feasts even in that urgent moment. Why is it important to observe the seasons? This is because we learn to live a life of gratitude for God's grace while keeping the feasts. It is also because it can be used as an opportunity to examine one's roots through the life of keeping the seasons.
Diligent and diligent people work hard towards their goals. However, running hard without thinking deeply is not a good look. Also, there are many times when we do not achieve our goals no matter how hard we work. Even if you can't achieve your goal like that, it's not that you can't live well, but if you don't achieve that goal, you push like crazy. And when one goal is achieved, another goal emerges.
If you run like that, you can gain some financial freedom and pride, but you often lose your peace of mind, lose the hearts of your neighbors and friends, and sacrifice communion with nature and a deep encounter with God. Then you will lose more than you gain. Therefore, you need to take a break from time to time and look around. The most important significance of the season is to use it as a time to remind ourselves of God's grace and reflect on ourselves.
2. Attitude to obey the Word
According to the text, all the children of Israel did as the Lord God commanded Moses and Aaron and kept the Passover. Finally, God brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt (verses 50-51). This verse clearly shows that God's blessings of salvation and liberation were made on the basis of the people of Israel's obedience. When we celebrate such a feast, the most important thing we need to do is to live a life of obedience to God's Word.
In John 15, Jesus said that Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. A branch cannot survive without the activity of its roots. If the heart gets tired of the constant work and says to rest for a while, even the most talented people will die soon. It is important not to look like that, and although people admire the branches and fruits, they often do not care about the role of the roots. To revive interest in its roots, God emphasized the need to keep the feasts even at the urgent moment of the Exodus.
Parents are the root of children, but the root more fundamental than parents is God. In other words, if your parents are the root of the beard, God is the same as the root. As such, God is the original force that sustains life. Why should we live with gratitude in everything? It is because even if you have achieved great success, you are unhappy if you forget to thank God for allowing you to succeed. Now, don't forget that it is the root that supports the branch, and always strive to be in the Word. A disciple is someone who lives according to the Word even when suffering and damage are expected. All dramatic blessings are actually built on the ground of obedience.