G-D Knew We Would Forget If We Weren't Reminded

The story of the Exodus from Egypt is one of the most compelling narratives in the Bible. It hits upon nearly every theme there is in the relationship between G-D and man. There are G-D's blessings upon Israel. There is Israel’s bondage and G-D’s deliverance. There is prayer and answered prayers. There is a deliverer empowered by G-D to deliver those who not only prayed but acted upon their prayers. There is evil and good. There are miracles and wonders and there are covenants kept by both man and G-D.

There is so much action and wonder in the Exodus that you would hardly think that G-D would have to command the Israelites to share this historical miraculous deliverance with their children and grandchildren. Yet, four different times in the Exodus narrative G-D commands Moses and by extension all Israel to tell the story and all of its details to their children. The first time was in Exodus 12:24-26:

24 Also you are to observe this event as an eternal ordinance, for you and your children. 25 “When you come into the land which Adonai will give you as He has promised, you are to keep this ceremony. 26 Now when it happens that your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’

The second time was in Exodus 13:7-10:

7 Matzot is to be eaten throughout the seven days, and no hametz is to be seen among you, nor within any of your borders. 8 “You are to tell your son on that day saying, ‘It is because of what Adonai did for me when I came out of Egypt. 9 So it will be like a sign on your hand and a reminder between your eyes, so that the Torah of Adonai may be in your mouth. For with a strong hand Adonai has brought you out of Egypt. 10 You are to keep this ordinance as a moed from year to year.

The third time was in Exodus 13:14-15:

14 “So when your son asks you in times to come, ‘What is this?’ say to him, ‘By a strong hand Adonai brought us out from Egypt, the house of bondage, 15 and when Pharaoh refused to let us go, Adonai slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both men and animals. So I sacrifice to Adonai all firstborn males, but I redeem the firstborn of my sons.’

And lastly, the fourth time was in Deuteronomy 4:9-10:

9 “Only be watchful and watch over your soul closely, so you do not forget the things your eyes have seen and they slip from your heart all the days of your life. You are to make them known to your children and your children’s children. 10 The day that you stood before Adonai your God in Horeb, Adonai said to me, ‘Gather the people to Me and I will make them hear My words, so that they learn to fear Me all the days that they live on the earth, and so that they teach their children.’

One would think that having experienced the Ten Plagues, The parting of the Sea, The destruction of the Egyptian army, and all of the other astonishing and awe inspiring acts performed by G-D’s strong hand, that the Israelites would always remember what G-D had done for them and to Egypt. But G-D in His infinite wisdom knew better and placed four reminders within the Torah to tell our children. Maybe this was because at the very start of the book of Exodus, in Exodus 1:8, we read these foreboding words:

8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.

Think about it. This king arose only a few generations after Joseph saved Egypt and the world from the famine. As important as Joseph's rise to power and leadership in helping Egypt to become the most powerful and rich country in the world was, it did not take long for Joseph, and all that he had done for Egypt, to be forgotten. 

I believe there is more to G-D commanding the Israelites four different times to tell their children about the Exodus. I believe it is because the Exodus was designed by G-D to foretell the coming of the Messiah. That every event in the Exodus story prophetically foreshadows the events of Yeshua’s life. G-D’s deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt by His miraculous power is more than an epic tale of miracles, signs, and wonders. The story of the Exodus is rather the backdrop to what would take place years later when Yeshua would come and redeem His people from their personal slavery to sin.

In Judaism, the primary way that the commandment tells us to tell our children the story of the Exodus is when we gather around our table and celebrate the Passover Seder every year. During the Seder, the youngest child in the family asks the Four Questions, one question for each of the times that G-D commanded us to tell our children. Every child in the family has the opportunity to ask these questions, because each one is the youngest at least once. So the story is told to each child personally. As we read the Passover Haggadah, we also share the story of the four sons: the wise, wicked, simple, and the one who does not know how to ask. Each son asks the question based on their ability and understanding. Notice there is one son to represent each of the four times we are commanded to tell the story to our children. 

It shouldn’t be a surprise that in the New Covenant we find writings in the four Gospels by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John telling us the story of Yeshua, the Lamb of G-D who was slain on Passover and by whose blood provided deliverance to Israel as the Passover Lamb did on that night in Egypt. Because G-D commanded us to tell this story to our children, it is so important to gather with our families every year and observe Passover. When we don’t, we are like Pharaoh and forget our history. We forget that it was through Joseph, the brother who was first rejected by his brothers and then recognized, that G-D provided deliverance for Israel and the world from famine and destruction. 

G-D in His infinite wisdom knew that if we didn’t tell our children about Joseph and Moses, then they wouldn’t remember, and because they forgot about Joseph, they wouldn’t remember and understand about Yeshua, the brother who was also rejected by His brothers. The brother who also is revealed and will be recognized by His brothers as the one who will deliver Israel. Unfortunately, in many Christian homes today, observing the Passover no longer takes place. The children then grow up without being personally told the story of the Exodus as we were commanded to do. And because they are not being told the story, they often don’t see nor understand the fullness of the connection between Joseph and Yeshua. Nor do they understand the prophetic connection and fulfillment between the blood of the lamb slain on Passover and the Blood of the Lamb, Yeshua, slain on Passover.