Deuteronomy 26:4-11 “Then the priest shall take the basket out of your hand and set it down before the altar of the Lord your God. And you shall answer and say before the Lord your God: ‘My father was a Syrian, about to perish, and ehe went down to Egypt and dwelt there, few in number; and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. But the hEgyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and laid hard bondage on us. Then we cried out to the Lord God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labor and our oppression. So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, “a land flowing with milk and honey”; and now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land which you, O Lord, have given me.’ “Then you shall set it before the Lord your God, and worship before the Lord your God. So you shall rejoice in every good thing which the Lord your God has given to you and your house, you and the Levite and the stranger who is among you.

Deuteronomy 26 presents a fascinating ceremony that was to be performed at the offering of first fruits. The ceremony acknowledged that all the produce of the land came from God. It was a confession of relationship and reliance. It also was an expression of thankfulness for God’s provision and goodness. Part of that ceremony involved a brief retelling of what God did for Israel. The Israelites intentionally committed these events to memory and when it came time for them to recognize God’s Lordship in this ceremony of presenting their first fruits, they would recite those things that prove His care and goodwill for them. Similarly, there is a review we can make and it follows the outline of these last few verses.

1. “Never forget where you came from.” (v5-7)

God told Abram that He would be the father of many nations and that through him, God would bless the world. Abraham believed God and it was counted for righteousness. But the man who’s name meant, “Father of Nations” had few children, one of which was sent out of the camp, leaving him with one son, Isaac. Isaac later married Rebekah, and two boys were born to them, Jacob and Esau. Jacob was tricked by Laban into marrying his older daughter, Leah, but then also married Rachel. And the tribes of Israel were then born. But one son named Joseph was despised by his brothers and they sold him into slavery and he ended up in Egypt. When a famine engulfed the world, Joseph had been blessed by God with knowledge, ability, position and authority and he was able to pre-plan and store food in Egypt. Egypt became the storehouse everyone went to for food during this famine. Joseph’s family moved there and he forgave his brothers and they settled in Goshen. There they grew, until a later Pharaoh put them under bondage as slaves. Prior to Christ we were all under bondage.

Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin” (John 8:34 NKJV). Paul wrote to the church in Rome, “having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:18). In the Bible, Egypt is a picture of the world and just as Israel were slaves in Egypt, so we were slaves to the world unto sin and judgement. We were slaves to sin, and we were subject to the judgement that is upon the world because of sin. But through Christ we are set free, and we should …

2. “Never forget what the Lord has done.” (V8)

So the children of Israel were slaves in Egypt. But then God used Moses and Aaron to bring Israel out of Egypt, freeing them of their bondage and in a single day a new nation was born. The same thing happened when Jesus was sacrificed as the true Passover Lamb. He was resurrected in three days and another nation was born. Only twice in history have two nations been birthed in one day: (1) Israel born out of Egypt and (2) When Christ died on the cross, another nation was born, made up of all who call on the name of Christ for salvation. Each of us individually experience this moment of being freed from the bondage of the world when we receive Jesus. And that’s not something we could do ourselves … but only by the power and grace of God. I am certain that you, like me, can easily look back at life and say, “Were it not but for the grace of God.” I’m not one for advising anyone to dwell on the past, because we could easily feel condemned over it. The Bible is clear that there is “Now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 5:8). However, we may look back to when we were with the world in it’s judgment to recognize that God has saved us out of that with His mighty Hand. Then we vividly realize we are firmly held in the hand of Christ … a place we can never be snatched away from. But that’s not all. God has wonderful plans for us, and so we should …

3. “Look forward to what the Lord is going to do.” (v9)

Following Jesus is a progressive, forward motion, not a backward sloped decent into the past.  Jesus didn’t die on the cross to strap your past around your neck like a great weight, but to lead you out of your past and into an amazing future. So, what does your future look like? If you have received Jesus, then put on those shades, because it’s bright, my friend. Galatians 4 tells us that Jesus Followers are adopted as sons and daughters of God. Not only that, but Ephesians, Galatians and 1 Peter tells us we are now heirs to the riches of Christ. And, we are referred to in the book of Revelation as kings and priests. That is all Christians. Yet so many Christians choose to live their life in the slums. They choose for themselves the baser things of this world in exchange for the magnificent things of the Father. They cling to that which God has freed them from, no longer under the judgement of the world, but living as those who are. Son of the King, are you making tradeoffs? You don’t have to …

4. “Remember Who you belong to.” (v10)

Israel was chosen by God. They did not choose God, though they were to choose obedience to God based on Who He is and who they were to Him. God is Lord, but more than that, He was their LORD, and they were His chosen people. When they brought their first fruits, they presented it to the priest and said to him, “the Lord your God.” And once the Israelite had made his confession, he placed their offering before the Lord his God and he worshipped the Lord his God. You have not saved yourself. God alone has saved you! At one time, it was a relationship that required a divider. But Jesus, died on the cross and your sins are now washed away by His blood. The divider that once existed between you and God has been torn, not from the bottom up, but from the top down. It is not your doing, but God’s. And now you can, “Come boldly to the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16 NKJV). We can now “Present ourselves to Him as instruments of righteousness” (Romans 6:12-14). Paul, in Romans wrote that he knows how difficult it can be to not live in sin because he struggled with that even after he became a follower of Christ. He said that while we’re now set free from the penalty of sin, we still live in the presence of sin while we’re alive on this earth. By the power of the Holy Spirit Who is given to believers at the moment we come in faith to Christ (Ephesians 1:13–14), we are free from the power of sin and sealed unto Christ as a pledge of our inheritance as God’s children. We can come and place our offering before the Lord and worship because we are made right with God through His Son, Jesus. Who do you belong to? You’re God’s kid. You stand to inherit far more than you could ever imagine. Even today, He’s blessing you, though it’s not yet time for you to claim your inheritance. Live the life God has set before you and don’t choose the slums … or better put …

5. “Rejoice in those things.” (v11)

When Israel was safely across the sea and God sent those great walls of water crashing down on the Egyptian army the Bible says that Moses and all of Israel sang out praises to the Lord and all the women danced and sang. The instruction of verse 11 is to rejoice in every good thing which the Lord has given you, your family, your church and even those who enjoy blessings through your relationship with God. Notice that the rejoicing comes after the confession, the giving, and the worshipping.