When a baby is born to parents in the congregation then the parents will bring this baby to church in order to have it baptized. In the Church order we stipulate that the consistory must see to it that this happens as soon as feasible. One of the first “journeys” we make in life is to church to be baptized. In Israel the birth of a baby was also surrounded with ceremonies. There was the circumcision of boys on the eighth day. There were the sacrifices for the mother. But there was also the redemption of each firstborn male. The father had to pay five shekels to redeem his oldest son.

We find the law concerning this redemption in Exodus 13. When you read these verses you notice that this law applies to humans as well as animals. Also the first male of each animal had to be redeemed. It is even so important that when you cannot redeem that animal, you shall break its neck. There were two options: life through redemption or death. In connection with the oldest boy, there was no command to kill when redemption was not possible. The command is simple: redeem. The message is that without redemption there is no life possible in Israel.

However, this is not how the commandment begins. The LORD says to Moses, consecrate to me all firstborn. What does it mean to consecrate a child? You find the answer in verse 2: “Whatever opens the womb is mine, says the LORD.” To be consecrated means that the LORD says “You are Mine. You belong to Me.” It is as if the LORD puts a stamp of ownership on this oldest boy. “You are mine, therefore your father has to redeem you and you can now live with Me.”

Why would this apply only to the oldest boy? Is the oldest better than the rest? Are boys more important than girls? No, all children in Israel belonged to the LORD and His covenant. Then why take only the firstborn? Because the firstborn is the symbol of all that follows. The Israelites were used to this symbolism. When they brought the first fruits to the LORD, then these first fruits represented the whole harvest. So also when it comes to the children of Israel. The children born in the covenant belong to the LORD. It applies to the baby you carry in your arms, to the toddler that learns to walk, to the child that starts grade one, to the teenager that struggles with him/herself. They belong to the LORD. Their baptism signs and seals it.

At the same time we know that our children are sinners like all other children, like all of us. How is it then possible that the LORD God adopts them for His own? We have to keep in mind the close connection between consecration and redemption, as shown in Exodus 13. The LORD says these children are mine, therefore they need to be redeemed. The background of this command is what happened in Egypt. It refers to what happened with the firstborn in Egypt, they were killed by the angel of God. At the same time, in Israel, the firstborn were kept alive. Why was this? It was because there was blood on the sides and the top of the door frames. No blood meant, death. Blood meant, life.

The LORD, therefore says to His people, “Through this blood you have become mine.” The blood on the door frames in Goshen points to the blood of Christ. In Him we are sanctified. In Him we have been ransomed. No, our fathers do not have to go to redeem their oldest sons, we may bring our children to be baptized. Yes, they are conceived and born in sin. Yes, they are even subject to condemnation, but thanks to God He redeems them through Christ.

Our children do not know about this at the time they are baptized. The children in Israel did not know about their redemption either. In itself that is no hindrance for being grafted into His covenant. At the same time the LORD shows that it cannot stay this way. Eventually these children will have to come to know it. That is the task of the parents. In verse 14 the LORD says that when in time to come your son asks you, “What does this mean?” then you have to explain to your son that the LORD has redeemed us with His mighty arm.

It is wonderful to bring your child to church to be baptized. It is also wonderful to say, “I do.” But then, we have to do it too. Then, we are called to teach our children how rich they are, and what this means for their daily lives. Sure it also means that we send them to catechism instruction and to our schools, but as parents we have the calling to teach them. This teaching is not saying it once and expect that the children will know it. It means that as parents we have to be consistent and patient. We have to make our instruction understandable to them in their circumstances. This is not easy. It can lead to struggles between parents and children. Rather than let it escalate into a power struggle, let us as parents and children together marvel at the grace of our Lord. Let us together ask Him for His grace and Holy Spirit.