Scripture Focus: “But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.” Exodus 13:13 NKJV
In Exodus 13, God established a principle: the clean redeems the unclean. An unclean animal like a donkey could not be sacrificed to God, but its life could be spared if a lamb, a clean animal, died in its place. This wasn’t just about donkeys, it was a shadow of the gospel. Every human being is born in sin, spiritually unclean, unable to redeem themselves. But Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God, born without sin and untouched by Adam’s corruption, gave His life to redeem us. The clean laid down His life for the unclean.
This is the very heart of salvation. You and I deserved death, but Christ died in our place. We could not stand before God on our own, but the blood of the Lamb made us acceptable. Never forget this exchange; His purity for our guilt, His righteousness for our sin, His life for our death. That is why Paul declared, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Don’t try to earn what Christ already purchased. Receive it, live in it, and let gratitude fuel your devotion to Him.
Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, the spotless Lamb, for dying in my place. Help me never to take Your sacrifice for granted. Amen.
Further Study: John 1:29, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 1:18–19