Being Set Apart

Being Set Apart | Exodus 20:22-24:18 February 19, 2023 Early in our marriage, Natalie and I got tempted by an advertisement or something for a "free" set of pots and pans - at least that's what we remember. Of course, there was a catch, we only had to sit in on an hours long presentation for a timeshare. Of course, we had zero intention on buying a timeshare, but we at least had to pretend we were interested and even pay attention during the presentation. By the end of the presentation, when they send out all the salespersons, we filled out all the obligatory forms, and left with a false, "we'll think about it." Of course for weeks and weeks following, we received follow up phone calls. Pretty harmless, and we technically did what we were required to do in order to get those pots and pans, but our vague commitment was nothing more than words. The problem with verbal commitments is that it's easier said than done. There lies in the challenge. How do we turn a verbal commitment into something that is actionable? We'll try to answer that question this morning in our text from Exodus. This section of Scripture is referred to as the "Book of the Covenant," which is taken from chapter 24:7. It generally includes chapters 20-23 of Exodus. Chapter 24 acts as the agreement and interlude before the next section of the book. This morning, we'll pick up from 20:22 and we'll cover through chapter 24. The section that immediately follows the Ten Commandments are - at first glance - seemingly a commentary or expanded description of the Ten Commandments. But, what is important for us to remember is that these laws that we're going to see this morning, were written for a specific people, at a specific time, and in a specific place. This is why there are specific rules about topics like slaves and oxen. That's not to say that we cannot learn from these, or apply these, so what we'll attempt to do this morning is draw out some of the primary themes that we see, and later we'll pull some application from them. In order to do that, I'm going to start with our main idea right away: We demonstrate how we are a people set apart by how we honor God, love others, and respect property. Since this is a continuation of the Law given last week, and if you were here, you may recall that the ten commandments gave us and understanding what it means for us to be a people set apart. This main idea this morning is our framework for the sermon. What we'll do is explore what these chapters say about these three general topics found within the Book of the Covenant. So, let's begin with the first topic: * Honor God o Obviously, we must begin here. As we saw last week, the qualifier for the Law was that the Lord rescued the people from bondage. Because of this, the Lord set out to make them a holy people and gave them guidelines in order to do so. So, the first thing we see here in honoring God is to ... * Keep the first two commandments * The first commandment is to put no other gods before the Lord, and the second was to not make any idols. * Immediately following the reception of the Ten Commandments, the Lord gives direction on the topic of worship. * In 20:22-23, we read: 22 AND THE LORD SAID TO MOSES, "THUS YOU SHALL SAY TO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL: 'YOU HAVE SEEN FOR YOURSELVES THAT I HAVE TALKED WITH YOU FROM HEAVEN. 23 YOU SHALL NOT MAKE GODS OF SILVER TO BE WITH ME, NOR SHALL YOU MAKE FOR YOURSELVES GODS OF GOLD. * Not only were the people of Israel rescued from a place of many gods, they were also about to enter a pagan land who worshipped idols. * Later, we read these words in 22:20: 20 "WHOEVER SACRIFICES TO ANY GOD, OTHER THAN THE LORD ALONE, SHALL BE DEVOTED TO DESTRUCTION. * This specific verse goes follows two other laws that led to death. This is how important this act of worshipping the Lord, and He alone is for His called people. This leads us to the second way they were to honor the Lord, through ... * Proper worship * We just saw this with the specific instructions on the alters from the end of chapter 20. Here are some of the specifics from that law: 24 AN ALTAR OF EARTH YOU SHALL MAKE FOR ME AND SACRIFICE ON IT YOUR BURNT OFFERINGS AND YOUR PEACE OFFERINGS, YOUR SHEEP AND YOUR OXEN. IN EVERY PLACE WHERE I CAUSE MY NAME TO BE REMEMBERED I WILL COME TO YOU AND BLESS YOU. 25 IF YOU MAKE ME AN ALTAR OF STONE, YOU SHALL NOT BUILD IT OF HEWN STONES, FOR IF YOU WIELD YOUR TOOL ON IT YOU PROFANE IT. 26 AND YOU SHALL NOT GO UP BY STEPS TO MY ALTAR, THAT YOUR NAKEDNESS BE NOT EXPOSED ON IT.' * There are a couple of things we can learn from this: o First, the alter should made of the things of the earth that the Lord has provided. In contrast, these verses forbid tools or special manmade stones to be used, as it may draw the attention away from the Lord. o Second, the idea of purity is seen here with the warning against exposure. The altars are usually built up, so stairs would be included. Later, there are priestly garments made for the priests to wear. As Guzik put it, this was to be sure there was no flesh in the worship of the Lord. o Finally, we see honoring God exercised through ... * Honoring the Sabbath and Festivals * We see this in chapter 23:12-17: 12 "SIX DAYS YOU SHALL DO YOUR WORK, BUT ON THE SEVENTH DAY YOU SHALL REST; THAT YOUR OX AND YOUR DONKEY MAY HAVE REST, AND THE SON OF YOUR SERVANT WOMAN, AND THE ALIEN, MAY BE REFRESHED. 13 "PAY ATTENTION TO ALL THAT I HAVE SAID TO YOU, AND MAKE NO MENTION OF THE NAMES OF OTHER GODS, NOR LET IT BE HEARD ON YOUR LIPS. 14 "THREE TIMES IN THE YEAR YOU SHALL KEEP A FEAST TO ME. 15 YOU SHALL KEEP THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD. AS I COMMANDED YOU, YOU SHALL EAT UNLEAVENED BREAD FOR SEVEN DAYS AT THE APPOINTED TIME IN THE MONTH OF ABIB, FOR IN IT YOU CAME OUT OF EGYPT. NONE SHALL APPEAR BEFORE ME EMPTY-HANDED. 16 YOU SHALL KEEP THE FEAST OF HARVEST, OF THE FIRSTFRUITS OF YOUR LABOR, OF WHAT YOU SOW IN THE FIELD. YOU SHALL KEEP THE FEAST OF INGATHERING AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WHEN YOU GATHER IN FROM THE FIELD THE FRUIT OF YOUR LABOR. 17 THREE TIMES IN THE YEAR SHALL ALL YOUR MALES APPEAR BEFORE THE LORD GOD. * You see, there is mention of the sabbath rest that we touched on last week. Verse 12 adds the element of this rest adding refreshment. Then, the mention of three feasts. o The first feast is the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is celebrated along with the Passover, marking the start of the barely harvest. o The feast of the harvest, also known as the Feast of Weeks would later be connected to the giving of the Law. o The feast of the ingathering, or the Feast of Booths would be celebrate the completion of the harvest year, and would later be in remembrance of their time in the wilderness, living in tents. * Each of these point to a period and memory of their past, teaching them to look to the Lord as the source of their lives. * So, we've seen several examples of how a people set apart honors God, now let's see how they ... * Love others o We see three primary examples of this in our text today. First, a touchy and controversial topic: * Slaves * For us in the US, slavery is a "four letter word" * I want to read a couple of verses from this section, then quickly make a couple of points: * 21:2: 2 WHEN YOU BUY A HEBREW SLAVE, HE SHALL SERVE SIX YEARS, AND IN THE SEVENTH HE SHALL GO OUT FREE, FOR NOTHING. * 21:20-21: 20 "WHEN A MAN STRIKES HIS SLAVE, MALE OR FEMALE, WITH A ROD AND THE SLAVE DIES UNDER HIS HAND, HE SHALL BE AVENGED. 21 BUT IF THE SLAVE SURVIVES A DAY OR TWO, HE IS NOT TO BE AVENGED, FOR THE SLAVE IS HIS MONEY. * 21:26-27: 26 "WHEN A MAN STRIKES THE EYE OF HIS SLAVE, MALE OR FEMALE, AND DESTROYS IT, HE SHALL LET THE SLAVE GO FREE BECAUSE OF HIS EYE. 27 IF HE KNOCKS OUT THE TOOTH OF HIS SLAVE, MALE OR FEMALE, HE SHALL LET THE SLAVE GO FREE BECAUSE OF HIS TOOTH. * Three things we can pull from these verses: o They were Hebrew slaves, more than likely they were fulfilling a debt of some sort, which is why they were slaves o This was not a permanent arrangement. * God wanted to be sure that His people weren't stuck in this situation o Third, they were treated fairly. * In addition to a way out, they were also protected by the laws against murder and physical violence. * The natural question is whether the Bible (the Lord) condones slavery ... I don't believe the text reveals that at all, and when we read the New Testament, there is no indication that slavery - as we know it - is permissible by the Lord. These laws were in place to create order and to ensure His people were set apart from other nations. * Next, there is a lot here about the treatment of ... * Your neighbor * Here, the Lord addresses several areas. o Violence and murder. * 21:12 tells us: 12 "WHOEVER STRIKES A MAN SO THAT HE DIES SHALL BE PUT TO DEATH * 21:18-19 states: 18 "WHEN MEN QUARREL AND ONE STRIKES THE OTHER WITH A STONE OR WITH HIS FIST AND THE MAN DOES NOT DIE BUT TAKES TO HIS BED, 19 THEN IF THE MAN RISES AGAIN AND WALKS OUTDOORS WITH HIS STAFF, HE WHO STRUCK HIM SHALL BE CLEAR; ONLY HE SHALL PAY FOR THE LOSS OF HIS TIME, AND SHALL HAVE HIM THOROUGHLY HEALED. * You see, there are levels of punishment for the action one takes over another. * Its also clear here, and a few examples from 22:18-20 that the Lord institutes capital punishment for specific violations. * The Lord also addresses ... o Restitution. * Possibly the most memorable aspect of this section is found in 21:23-25: 23 BUT IF THERE IS HARM, THEN YOU SHALL PAY LIFE FOR LIFE, 24 EYE FOR EYE, TOOTH FOR TOOTH, HAND FOR HAND, FOOT FOR FOOT, 25 BURN FOR BURN, WOUND FOR WOUND, STRIPE FOR STRIPE. o The general principle here is that we - as people set apart for the Lord - is focused around fairness. o In today's culture, someone gets injured at work or a supermarket, and they sue the business out of every penny they can get, and then some. o The Lord says if you lose a days wages, then you are owed a days wages, and so forth. o This section is long, but that is the general principle. * He also spends some time in chapter 23 regarding the lawful handling of legal issues, which seem to be addressed to those who were judging over the matters. * Finally, in relation to neighbors, we see some instruction on how the people are to treat the ... * The vulnerable * The Lord has some very stern words for the protection of the vulnerable. See what we read in 22:21-24: 21 "YOU SHALL NOT WRONG A SOJOURNER OR OPPRESS HIM, FOR YOU WERE SOJOURNERS IN THE LAND OF EGYPT. 22 YOU SHALL NOT MISTREAT ANY WIDOW OR FATHERLESS CHILD. 23 IF YOU DO MISTREAT THEM, AND THEY CRY OUT TO ME, I WILL SURELY HEAR THEIR CRY, 24 AND MY WRATH WILL BURN, AND I WILL KILL YOU WITH THE SWORD, AND YOUR WIVES SHALL BECOME WIDOWS AND YOUR CHILDREN FATHERLESS. * Jesus illustrates this throughout His ministry in how He dealt with the sick, unclean, children and women. * We see this principle played out in the early church, which led to the selection of deacons in Acts 6. * James speaks about not showing partiality to the rich over the poor and oppressed in James 2. o We've seen so far that as a people set apart, we are to honor the Lord, love our neighbors, and now, we'll see instructions on how they are to ... * Respect property o This entire section speaks to respecting one another by respecting their property. This is illustrated in several ways. First, by respecting their ... * Land * Even though they are still sojourners, meaning that they have not entered into their promised land, the Book of the Covenant is a huge reminder to the people of Israel that they will not only get to the land, but they will also have land and servants and cattle. * In fact, chapter 23, from verse 20 on, acts as an affirmation and plan for the eventual conquest of Canaan. * Here's an example that related directly to land: * 22:6 states: 6 "IF FIRE BREAKS OUT AND CATCHES IN THORNS SO THAT THE STACKED GRAIN OR THE STANDING GRAIN OR THE FIELD IS CONSUMED, HE WHO STARTED THE FIRE SHALL MAKE FULL RESTITUTION. * There is a strong emphasis in this section on personal responsibility, this also related to ... * Cattle * Cattle, such as donkeys and oxen, were not only property, but they were also resources used for their livelihood in farming and other work. * An extreme warning about the cattle of another comes from 22:1: 1 "IF A MAN STEALS AN OX OR A SHEEP, AND KILLS IT OR SELLS IT, HE SHALL REPAY FIVE OXEN FOR AN OX, AND FOUR SHEEP FOR A SHEEP. * Next, some laws speak to the ... * Property of others * 22:14 offers this scenario: 14 "IF A MAN BORROWS ANYTHING OF HIS NEIGHBOR, AND IT IS INJURED OR DIES, THE OWNER NOT BEING WITH IT, HE SHALL MAKE FULL RESTITUTION. We've seen this morning that we demonstrate how we are a people set apart by how we honor God, love others, and respect property. Once again, we see that being a people set apart is more than just being branded. It requires action from us. That's what we'll see here as we close our time together. Let's see what it says in chapter 24: 1 THEN HE SAID TO MOSES, "COME UP TO THE LORD, YOU AND AARON, NADAB, AND ABIHU, AND SEVENTY OF THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL, AND WORSHIP FROM AFAR. 2 MOSES ALONE SHALL COME NEAR TO THE LORD, BUT THE OTHERS SHALL NOT COME NEAR, AND THE PEOPLE SHALL NOT COME UP WITH HIM." 3 MOSES CAME AND TOLD THE PEOPLE ALL THE WORDS OF THE LORD AND ALL THE RULES. AND ALL THE PEOPLE ANSWERED WITH ONE VOICE AND SAID, "ALL THE WORDS THAT THE LORD HAS SPOKEN WE WILL DO." 4 AND MOSES WROTE DOWN ALL THE WORDS OF THE LORD. HE ROSE EARLY IN THE MORNING AND BUILT AN ALTAR AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNTAIN, AND TWELVE PILLARS, ACCORDING TO THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL. 5 AND HE SENT YOUNG MEN OF THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, WHO OFFERED BURNT OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICED PEACE OFFERINGS OF OXEN TO THE LORD. 6 AND MOSES TOOK HALF OF THE BLOOD AND PUT IT IN BASINS, AND HALF OF THE BLOOD HE THREW AGAINST THE ALTAR. 7 THEN HE TOOK THE BOOK OF THE COVENANT AND READ IT IN THE HEARING OF THE PEOPLE. AND THEY SAID, "ALL THAT THE LORD HAS SPOKEN WE WILL DO, AND WE WILL BE OBEDIENT." 8 AND MOSES TOOK THE BLOOD AND THREW IT ON THE PEOPLE AND SAID, "BEHOLD THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT THAT THE LORD HAS MADE WITH YOU IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL THESE WORDS." With this section in mind, let's discuss the: IMPLICATIONS FOR ME The first thing we see here is that a people set apart must first: * Hear the Word o First, we see that Moses received the Word from the Lord, then Moses gave the Word to the people. o Hearing the Word is critical in the process of having faith. o Paul made this very clear in Romans 10:17 when he said: SO FAITH COMES FROM HEARING, AND HEARING THROUGH THE WORD OF CHRIST. o You see, when we hear the Word of God, He speaks to us. o Once we hear the Word, next we must: * Agree to the Word o Upon hearing the Word, they agreed to the Word. o Remember, this was all part of the covenant, so by them agreeing to the Word, they were agreeing to keeping their end of the covenant promise. o This is why we see the offerings and the rituals with the blood being done here, it was all part of the agreement between the two parties of the covenant - the Lord and His people. o Finally, we must: * Commit, then do the Word o Most of us are capable of making a verbal commitment, but the problem with that is it could easily be broken. o Making a profession of faith requires action to be taken. o The Bible teaches that others will know we belong to Jesus by how we act, our fruit. o In our passage today, we see this in the final half of chapter 24 through the actions of Moses as he goes up to the mountain per the instructions and guidance of the Lord. It is here where the rubber meets the road. This is where that commitment we spoke about earlier takes its required action. If we are to be a people set apart, then we too must take that verbal commitment a step further, and put it into action, becoming a doer of the Word. Will you be a doer of the Word? Let's pray. 2