Loving God and Loving Others (part 2)

REFLECTION: Micah 6:8

SERMON: Exodus 21 - 22:20

BENEDICTION: 1 Thes 5:23-24

INTRO

" I NEED RULES” said no-one stranded on a desert island all alone.” The problem with people is that they’re people.

(In the preface to his book Ten: Laws of Love Set in Stone, Author J. John writes)

Barely three hundred words long in English, the Ten Commandments

form the foundation of our legal system,

are enshrined in the heart of our parliamentary structures,

and lie at the very core of Western civilization.

In words so brief that they would make only a palm-size piece of text in a newspaper, this great arch of divine law encompasses:

family rights,

property rights,

the rights of the individual,

and even the rights of God.

Someone once said that humans are such able creatures that they have made 32,647,389 laws and still haven’t been able to improve on the Ten Commandments.

Joel Beltz (Editor of World Magazine) commented on this very reality just this week on the World and Everything In It (a podcast I highly commend to you…there’s even a link to it in our church app). He said,

“God’s rules tend to be few, simple, non-contradictory, and sufficient to stand the test of time without constant updating.

“Man’s laws—even when they’re well intended—tend to be complex, lengthy, repetitive, full of contradictions, and constantly in need of revision and amendment.”

A major reason for this difference may be that we, unlike God, have limited power and look to the law as a means of controlling other people’s behavior. God, meanwhile, uses his law not so much to control us but to teach us his wisdom.”

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Here we are just a few moments, a few verses away from from the Ten Commandments and we’re getting into some nuanced rules that are very specific, meaningful, and life-giving to the Israelites hearing them - though we may struggle on the surface level to apply them today.

TRANSITION

With today’s sermon being Part 2 of “Loving God and Loving Others”; we could easily subtitle this passage, "while living in a broken world."

In Exodus, God formed a people to display His glory. He taught them how to live in community with one another. This section shows us that God is concerned with how we relate to one another in day-to-day life. God calls us to holiness, integrity, mercy, justice, and fairness in the ordinariness of life.

Your homework this week is to read the entire passage. Use the notes from today’s sermon to help guide you through the text.

SUMMARY VERSE / PRINCIPAL (Let’s read together)

Micah 6:8 ESV

8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

In (what one writer describes as our “SLOW JOG”) through these chapters, we run into some intriguing passages (e.g., “You must not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk,” 23:19) as well as some contemporary hot topics such as the death penalty, slavery, premarital sex, orphan care, lawsuits, fistfights, property, the poor, loving our enemies, and more.

As you read through your Bible, you’ll come to sections like this and wonder...

2 Timothy 2:15 ESV

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

How do I rightly divide this word of truth? Remembering that even the tough parts are helpful...

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

I spoke with a young brother here last week - he spoke of how rewarding his personal reading and study time in Leviticus is right now.

When you are in love with the Author, all of the book takes on new meaning.

Let’s navigate the text together…I was helped greatly by lots of personal reading time, cross-referencing, and reading behind some great writers and gospel-focused preachers that ministered to me.

Let’s categorize the laws we’re going to look at this morning:

Concerning SLAVES (21:1-11)

Concerning BEHAVIOR (21:12-32)

Homicide, Sanctity of Life, Assault on families, Injuries, Carelessness with animals

Concerning RESTITUTION (21:33-22:15)

Concerning HOLINESS (22:16-20)

There are few key things to remember as we navigate this passage:

NOTE: What a blessing that a word of grace and invitation into God’s presence preceded His law (we covered that last week - Loving God through our simple, pure, and sacrificial worship).

This is a different historical culture.

This is a different redemptive moment. The Covenant confirmed in Exodus 24 is not the covenant under which we live.

God’s character is revealed in His law, and this makes these laws relevant. We should seek to learn what these laws mean, then make responsible, Christ-centered, new covenant application.

Concerning Slaves...

God PROTECTS the vulnerable

Exodus 21:1-11 / Laws Concerning Slaves

The laws of slavery are regulating what was then a fact of life to ensure it was conducted in a humane way.

Exodus 21:2 ESV

2 When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing.

When we hear the word slavery, we think of the Civil War and everything that led up to it. But there were crucial differences between that kind of slavery and servitude in Israel. Not “slavery” like we think about in some of our dark days in American history.

Most people ran small family businesses, and their “slaves” were more like simple workers or employees in the business who lived at the master’s place. They were basically “contract workers.

During time it was voluntary (people hired themselves into service of others, often because of debt).

They worked hard in exchange for room, board, and an honest wage. Involuntary slavery was forbidden in this very section of Scripture (see 21:16).

The Bible contains the seeds that would eventually lead to the abolition of the slave trade—in the meantime, it ensured slaves were well-treated.

There is an accommodation to the realities of life in a fallen world with an attempt to limit the harm caused by sin.

God is preserving the sanctity of family in this form of service - unlike American and British slavery that often separated families.

Exodus 21:3 ESV

3 If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him.

Exodus—Saved for God's Glory Manservants

God is gracious, and he wanted his people to treat one another with the same kind of grace they had received when they were delivered from Egypt and went out loaded with silver and gold

Regarding these females mentioned here in v7

Exodus 21:7 ESV

7 “When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do.

Although it’s difficult for us to wrap our 21st Century minds around all the details here, there is a cultural reality here that would suggest that the father was not trying to get rid of his daughter. He’s most likely attempting to improve her prospect for marriage by placing her in a wealthier home.

God is allowing for her protection in 3 ways:

1. If it did not work out, the family could ransom her. She could not be sold to foreigners.

2. If she became engaged to one of the sons, she was treated as a daughter. She would have full rights as a free citizen.

3. If the engagement ended, the man had the duty of providing food, clothing, and marital rights.

Follow the line of Scripture all throughout the New Testament and you’ll see that God very much cares for women. God still cares for ladies physically and emotionally and expects men to defend them and treat them lovingly and justly! Just look at Jesus’ interaction with the women he encountered - what a model!

Concerning behavior...

God PROMOTES righteous conduct

Exodus 21:12-32 / Laws Concerning Behavior

Exodus 21:12-14 Intentional and Accidental Homicides are dealt with.

Intentional = Capital punishment

Accidental = Mercy

THIS DISTINCTION MADE ISRAEL DIFFERENT FROM OTHER CULTURES OF THE DAY - which did not consider intent.

We see mercy and justice wrapped together here beautifully.

The whole of verses 12-17 really underscore the SANCTITY OF LIFE AND THE IMAGE OF GOD

I say that fully realizing that the text here calls for capital punishment for some offenses

That may seem harsh - but human life is so valuable, honoring the family is so vital, and purity in worship is so essential it would call for the ultimate payment for transgression.

Just a word here on the gravity of honoring one’s parents. The verses describe ways of “attacking” one’s parents - verse 15 is not have a minor slap in view, but a serious attack—with the intent to kill, perhaps. It is a “beat down” (Stuart, Exodus, 487).

Likewise verse 17 is not a one-time fit of rage, but a total rebellion and rejection of their authority and failure to care for them.

Jesus understood this law and challenged the Pharisees, who were trying to sidestep caring for their parents by hiding behind religious tradition ( Matt 15:3-6).

The bottom line is: Honor them and care for your parents, even if the situation is not ideal.

Exodus 21:18-27 WHAT’S REQUIRED WHEN THERE ARE Life-Threatening or Permanent Injuries.

God required care for the injured in a way that was appropriate.

Exodus 21:23–25 ESV

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.

Ah yes…the Bible’s lex talionis = laws of retaliation. This may sound barbaric, but it was actually an advance in justice compared to other Near Eastern codes. In “From Paradise to Promised Land”, Alexander Desmond writes,

In the earliest known collection of laws, monetary fines were imposed in cases of assault and bodily injury. The weakness of such fines was that they failed to take into account an individual’s ability to pay. (For an unemployed laborer, a fine of a thousand pounds imposes great hardship; to a millionaire it is a mere trifle.) The law of talion removes all such discrepancies by ensuring that the punishment should be no less, or no more, than the crime demands. (Paradise, 215–16)

These laws did not allow the rich to buy their way out of criminal penalties, which continues to be a problem around the world. The powerful have often been able to buy escape from justice.

Exalting Jesus in Exodus Work Cited

Alexander, T. Desmond. From Paradise to Promised Land. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012

Finally in this section on conduct we come to injuries cause from a an ox.

Exalting Jesus in Exodus Loving God and Neighbor

Because virtually everyone farmed in the ancient world, laws had to be put in place regarding animals. If it was written in our day, it might include laws related to automobiles

Exodus for You The Law Points to God’s Will

Most of us don’t own bulls, so in one sense this law is irrelevant to us. But it is nevertheless also expressing something that is timeless. Accidents happen, and people shouldn’t be held responsible for something that was an accident. But you can be culpable for an accident if you didn’t takes steps to prevent what could have been anticipated. So I learn two things from this passage:

■ I shouldn’t blame someone if they accidentally harm me.

■ If I can anticipate an accident, then I should take steps to prevent it.

In fact, it’s not difficult to distil what is timeless and universal in the Law of Moses.

We see God’s protection for the lowest rung of society, the oft-scorned, vulnerable slave.

We see God promoting righteous conduct among His people in a broken world so justice can prevail.

Next we see...

God PROVIDES for the Wronged

Exodus 21.33 - 22:15

What happens when people get ripped off?

Well, offenders have to deal face to face with the offended - the amount was related to the crime but in multiple values of the loss.

When you read these laws you’ll see that they appear sensible.

BUT if you’re just plowing through a Bible reading plan and you hit Scriptures about a man, a pit, an ox and a donkey…I’m not sure you’re going to dive deep. So can we tear these pages out of our Bibles?

If they’re “obsolete” and they no longer apply, can we dispose of them?

Can we skip them in our Bible-reading plans?

The answer is emphatically NO. Paul says,

Romans 15:4 ESV

4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Think about this - someone ripping someone off, then restoring the offended party with multiplied restitution...

Can you think of a New Testament illustration of this reality.

(SING) Zacchaeus was a wee little man...

This is what Loving God and Loving Others in a broken world look like - we don’t intentionally do harm - but when we do, we confess, repent, and do our part to repair the breech.

FINALLY THIS MORNING

God POINTS His people to PURITY AND HOLINESS

Exodus 20:16-20

Exo 20:16-17 SEXUAL PURITY

The consequence to premarital sex was huge!

This involves seduction toward the physical act. This shows us that anyone who committed this sin violated the purity of ladies, showing blatant disregard for their worth.

We live in a morally bankrupt culture where more money is spent on pornography than on pro baseball, football, and basketball.

Premarital sex and cohabitation are so commonplace now, that few people think about modesty and honor.

Ex 20:18-20 SPIRTUAL PURITY

Really, verses 18-20 were all connected to Spiritual Purity.

Parents with little ears in the room…all 3 of the offenses mentioned here were actively engaged in by the Canaanites and even v19 was a reflection of how some of the gods were depicted.

Exodus—Saved for God's Glory Three Capital Crimes

These three sins—witchcraft, bestiality, and idolatry—are so ungodly that it is almost embarrassing to mention them

Dabbling in the occult has become so common that most Americans hardly even notice.

Rude and crude jokes around sexual perversion show our tolerance for the abominable

Though most westerners don’t offer sacrifices to pagan gods, more and more are worshiping false gods.

Sorcery, bestiality, and idolatry are heinous because they are contrary to God’s character.

God is sovereign and good; so we must not mix with lovers of dark powers

He is holy and pure; so we don’t behave like animals.

He is the only God; so we must not worship anyone else.

HE’S THE GOD WHO

PROTECTS THE VULNERABLE,

PROMOTES RIGHT JUSTICE,

PROVIDES FOR THE WRONGED,

POINTS HIS PEOPLE TO PURITY

We love others in this broken world, the same way Israel was instructed to except with the NEW COVENANT secured for us by the blood of Jesus, we accomplish this by His Spirit and with the mind of Christ.

Conclusion

Joel Belz wrote in that piece this week:

God wants us to apply our hearts to the task of wisdom.

Yes, he wants compliance. But he could have that any time he desires it. What he wants even more is for our remade hearts to think their way through, and then to desire fervently, the way of life he had designed for us.

No legal library in the world has shelves long enough for all the books it would take to spell out such a code. 

Micah 6:8 ESV

8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Protect, Promote, Providing, and Pointing others to Him.