Exodus 13:1-10: a reflection

1The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Sanctify to me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal. It is mine.” 3Moses said to the people, “Remember this day, in which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. 4Today you go out in the month Abib. 5It shall be, when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month. 6Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD. 7Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and no leavened bread shall be seen with you. No yeast shall be seen with you, within all your borders. 8You shall tell your son in that day, saying, ‘It is because of that which the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9It shall be for a sign to you on your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that the LORD’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt. 10You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.

As God institutes the memorial of the exodus, he gives instructions not only for remembering it themselves, but for passing the memory on to their children. You shall tell your son in that day, saying, It is because of that which the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt. The story of God's deliverance was not to end with the generation that experienced it; it was to be told to the children, passed on to the next generation, so that they too would know what the LORD had done. The memory of God's mighty deliverance was to be handed down, told to the sons, so that each generation would know the story of what God had done.

Notice the command to pass the story on: you shall tell your son. God did not want the memory of his deliverance to die with the generation that saw it; he commanded them to tell their children, to hand the story down, so that the next generation would know what the LORD had done. The story of God's saving acts was to be told, passed on, kept alive from generation to generation. The children were to be told, so that they too would know the deliverance and its meaning. The transmission of the story to the next generation was part of God's command; the memory of his deeds was to be handed down, not lost with those who first experienced it. Each generation was to tell the next.

That is worth taking to heart, for we are called to pass on to the next generation the story of what God has done. The memory of God's acts, in the world and in our own lives, is not to die with us; we are to tell it to our children, to the next generation, to hand it down so that they too will know what God has done, as Israel was to tell their sons of the exodus. The story of God's deeds is to be passed on, not lost. Do not let the story of what God has done die with you; pass it on to the next generation, telling your children what the LORD has done, as Israel was commanded to tell their sons. Pass on to the next generation the story of what God has done, telling your children of his deeds so that they too will know them, as Israel was to tell their sons, it is because of what the LORD did for me; for the memory of God's saving acts is to be handed down, not lost with those who first knew it, and each generation is to tell the next what God has done.

Lord, as you institute the memorial of the exodus, you give instructions not only for remembering it themselves, but for passing the memory on to their children. You shall tell your son in that day, saying, it is because of that which the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt. The story of your deliverance was not to end with the generation that experienced it; it was to be told to the children, passed on to the next generation. Show me the command to pass the story on: you shall tell your son. You did not want the memory of your deliverance to die with the generation that saw it; you commanded them to tell their children, to hand the story down, so that the next generation would know what you had done. The story of your saving acts was to be told, kept alive from generation to generation. The children were to be told, so that they too would know the deliverance and its meaning. Each generation was to tell the next. Take that to my heart, for I am called to pass on to the next generation the story of what you have done. The memory of your acts, in the world and in my own life, is not to die with me; I am to tell it to my children, to the next generation, so that they too will know what you have done. The story of your deeds is to be passed on, not lost. Keep me from letting the story of what you have done die with me; help me pass it on to the next generation, Lord, telling my children what you have done, as Israel was commanded to tell their sons of the exodus.