Now these are the rules that you shall set before them (21:1)
As we have been reading through Exodus, we have seen God’s dealings with a certain people – His people, the Israelites. What about all the Gentile followers of Yeshua (Jesus) who are following the God of Israel. How is all this relevant to them?
For one thing, all people should be able to see themselves in the lives of the Israelites. Have you ever been in a bad situation and been anxious? Have you always fully obeyed God? It is easy to read about the Israelites and think, “I would never act that way,” but is that true? “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom.3:23). Also, all people can learn in these pages of Scripture about God and His character, His power, His patience, His faithfulness, etc.
As we read the next few chapters, we will see that there are laws that deal with things that we don’t deal with in our day, such as slavery. Slavery is something that was part of every society in those days. God isn’t condoning slavery, but rather giving instructions concerning slaves that were more merciful than the common treatment would have been.
There is the death penalty for some behaviours – murder (if it’s intentional and not accidental), striking one’s parents, stealing and selling a man or buying a man, cursing a parent. That would have been quite the deterrent.
As one reads through these laws of God, one finds that God is just and wise. One also sees the disparity between God’s ways, and the ways of our current society. For example, “Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death” (21:17). In our society, while someone cursing their parent is not seen as a good thing, it is definitely not something to evoke a serious punishment. In fact, many would say, “They’re just expressing their emotions” and find it acceptable.
“Cursing” is not simply saying a bad word, it is more serious than that. It’s the opposite of blessing. Blessing has to do with the potential for life, so cursing is wanting the object of your curse to wither, to experience pain, loss, or death.
God distinguishes between an accident and criminal negligence in the law regarding a man who digs a pit and someone’s animal falls into it, or someone’s ox who gores another person’s ox. If the ox who gored is in the habit of goring, his owner is responsible. While many of us are city dwellers who don’t have oxen that gore people (33:36), the spirit of this can apply to pet owners who should be responsible for their pets – if a dog has bitten someone, the owner should be responsible to keep the dog confined so that he does not repeat this harmful act.
As we read through the next few chapters, let us keep our eyes open to see what we can learn about God and His ways.
Prayer: God, would you show me as I read Your ways, to appreciate You more, and to discern what applies to me and how to live a life pleasing to You.
