Statute חֻקָּה

We are in chapter thirteen of Exodus with our word for today. חֻקָּה statutes, due, something prescribed, enactment. It is used 104 times in the Old Testament. We find our word used most of the time in the sense of an authoritative rule. Our word is used specifically to the initial setting up of the feasts of Unleavened Bread and Passover four times, three in chapter twelve and once in our chapter for today. Let’s look at these. Exodus 12:14, 17, 43 This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a חֻקַּ֥תstatute forever, you shall keep it as a feast… And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as a חֻקַּ֥ת statute forever… And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the חֻקַּ֣ת statute of the Passover. Exodus 13:10 You shall therefore keep this הַחֻקָּ֥ה statute at its appointed time from year to year. God is saying this is not an optional thing but rather a requirement based on my authority as the one who brought the people out of slavery. Why would God make such a command? Because it is the best thing for us to stop and remember by following what he prescribed. God even says this is what his statutes are for in Deuteronomy 10:12-13 And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and חֻקֹּתָ֔יו statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good? And because David understood God’s love for us he had a positive perspective on God’s law and statutes. Psalm 119:14-16 In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight בְּחֻקֹּתֶ֥יךָ in your statutes; I will not forget your word. As New Testament people we are no longer required to follow statutes regarding the feasts that God put on the Hebrew, Israelite, and Jewish people who lived back in that time period. Because Christ has fulfilled the law for us and we follow Him. What Christ has set up as a memorial for us to remember does have roots in Passover. I’m talking about the Lord’s supper or communion. Jesus said do this in remembrance of me. The backdrop of Passover was that the Israelites were slaves for over 430 years with no way out that is until God saved them out of slavery with his strong hand. As sinners we are enslaved to sin with no way out until Jesus came and rescued us out of our sin. This is why we remember Jesus body that was broken and his blood that was poured out for the forgiveness of sins. God has real elements for us to touch and taste just like he had set up with the Passover so the experience would be more memorable. Jesus set up this statute if you will so that we would not forget how much God loves us and how he has saved us. I’ll close with this great verse. Romans 5:6-8 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.