God thinks of everything and His reminders are for our good. Don’t forget: God remembers!
The rest of Exodus 12 speaks of the special relationship God’s redeemed people now had, and how they should memorialize the Passover. In chapter 13, the Lord repeats the principle of the firstborn (vv 2, 11-13). The firstborn of man and animal, saved from death through the blood of the lamb, were His. The need for eating only “unleavened bread” (vv 3, 6, 7) during this festival is again stressed. Redeemed people should be holy people. And three times over we hear the refrain, “By strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt” (vv 3, 14, 16). In verses 17-18, we discover that the Lord began with a detour. “God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, ‘Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt’” (v 17). How thoughtful! These people had been labor-camp slaves; they were not yet ready for combat. Then verse 19 adds an interesting historical note. At the end of Genesis, Joseph said, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here” (50:25). Now began this long funeral procession, a testimony to Joseph’s certainty that God would deliver His people. In fact, Stephen informs us that all of Jacob’s sons had their bodies returned to the Promised Land (Acts 7:15-16). To remind them that they were not alone, “the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light” (Ex 13:21). “He spread a cloud for a covering, and fire to give light in the night” (Ps 105:39). Imagine! Even a night light for His children! Every saint can join in saying, “Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me” (Micah 7:8 ESV).