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FEBRUARY 5
Exodus 21:22-23:13
The laws that God is giving here may seem varied and random, but there
is a pattern. The laws here do not spell out every possible situation, but they
do provide a framework of situations that you could use to make applications to
other similar, but unmentioned, events. We see something like this on TV in
courtroom dramas. The hot-shot lawyer will find a case like, "Smith vs.
the State of Nevada," and use that judgment to help decide a case that has
some similar aspects.
It seems that the theme of this first block is restitution and
punishment in case of a death.
Exodus 21:22-36
Vs. 22-25 Notice that the baby is born prematurely. Some translations
say "miscarry," but the Hebrew has a separate word for miscarriage.
This is an injury that causes premature birth. If the child lives, no problem.
If either the mother or child is harmed, the father sets the restitution and
judges determine if this is fair. If the woman is injured, the penalty will be
the same as the injury. If either mother or child died, then death is the
penalty.
This is the first mention of the famous law of retribution. Notice that
it actually limits what can be done to a person in judgment. Life for life is
clear, but the others say that you cannot go beyond duplicating the injury.
This limited the punishment. If someone broke your tooth, you couldn't kill
them, maim them or take two teeth. It makes it clear too, that this was
overseen by the town judges or elders. This wasn't something that took place
privately in an alley.
Vs. 26-27 This law gives a slight addition to the law of retribution in
the case of a slave. As in the law above, this does not seem to be premeditated
violence, but someone losing their mind and lashing out. Not only would the slave
owner lose his eye or his tooth, but he would also lose the slave.
Vs. 28-36 These three situations have to do with restitution where
animals are inflicting harm or are harmed by carelessness.
V. 30 What strikes me here is that in the first situation, the man who
owned the ox was liable for death if he knew the animal was dangerous. Yet in
this case, the judges and family of the victim could elect not to kill the man
since he himself didn't do the killing, but instead, demand a ransom payment of
some kind.
You'll notice in many of these laws that God is sowing thoughts and
giving traditions that will point to Christ's sacrifice for us. We are ransomed
by His blood.
Knowing that you were ransomed
from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable
things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that
of a lamb without blemish or spot. (1 Peter 1:18-19)
V. 33 People were responsible to be careful for others and their
property.
Exodus 22
Vs. 1-17 This section seems to be laws to clarify the eighth
commandment, Do not steal. Notice
that this section hangs together because each block begins with If. Verse 18 begins a different kind of
thought.
V. 1 This sets the theme of this section. This is like the law of
retribution for loss or theft.
Vs. 2-3 Notice that the death of the thief was to be avoided. The
burglary at night left the owner defenseless in defending himself. The message
is pretty clear. Stuff is not a reason to kill someone. Let it go.
If the thief was caught but spent everything, he was to be sold into
slavery to repay what was stolen.
V. 4 This reflects back on v. 1. If the thief was caught and still had
the stolen animals, he gave back the animals he stole and an animal for each
one he stole.
Vs. 5-6 Again, carelessness resulting in loss had to be paid for.
Vs. 7-13 There were no banks, self-storage rooms or doggy and cattle
hotels back then. If you went on a trip, you had to leave your stuff in the
care of someone. These laws make sure that the property or animal was not lost
as a result of the caretaker.
Vs. 14-15 And then what about borrowing your neighbor’s ox? If the
neighbor damaged it, you made full restitution, but if the owner was there
either using it to plow or pull out a stump or watching it being done, the
owner had responsibility by his ownership to supervise and keep things safe.
Again, these were general situations given to give a baseline in more
complex or unexpected situations. I'm sure if the owner was there, but suddenly
the borrowing neighbor did something bizarre and the animal died, there were
other laws to make sure there was restitution.
Vs. 16-17 It seems that the issue in this section is “restitution for
damaging someone’s property or means of revenue.” You might come up with a
better title or idea. Back in that day, livestock carried things and moved
things and plowed things. You can understand the money, property and livestock,
but what is that section about the virgin doing there?
First, when a family married off their virgin daughter, they were given
money, cattle or something, the bride-price.
If a girl lost her virginity, the family was robbed of the bride-price. Virginity, and the implied faithfulness and virtue
thereof, was prized in that day.
Notice, that she is “seduced” and not a willing participant. The girl
is not looked on as being responsible. The guy is responsible. Back in that
day, a girl could be engaged as a young teen. Some say that Mary, Jesus’
mother, could have been as young as 14 or 15 when she was betrothed to Joseph.
In this case, I suppose if she was at a feast or celebration and someone was
feeding her wine this could happen. (BTW, when a guy says, “Can I buy you a
drink?” that is not a gift, it is a speculative investment.) In any case, this guy
was a premeditative predator and the girl is not seen as being of age or
maturity to fend off the influence.
The penalty was not only the bride-price, but marriage, unless the guy
was such a jerk that the father couldn’t stand thinking of his little girl
being hitched to him or having him in the family. Whatever you get from this
episode, marriage is seen as the proper context for sex.
Vs. 18-20 So what are these warnings doing here? Generally speaking it
seems to be concluding the previous section. If there was an unknown theft or
if there was need for prosperity or for information, they were to go to God,
not to other sources. The people were to depend on God.
V. 18 Remember when Joseph was testing his brothers in Genesis 44:15,
he said that he discovered their "theft" by divination. Joseph didn't
really divine anything. He said that to conceal his identity. Divination is how
you did things back then. You hired an occultist to see an event or tell you
the future. You can see how this would be used as a way to make decisions or
find out things. God wanted them to come to Him and use the law to decide. In a
short time we'll see God give the people a method for judgment, the Urim and
the Thummim, by which they could find out almost anything. They were to depend
on God only.
V. 19 Baal worship was a way to obtain fertility and fruit in your
fields and livestock. Sexual intercourse with cult prostitutes was part of this
worship, as was having intercourse with animals. You wonder how VD was
introduced to mankind? I'm not a doctor, but this would be a safe guess.
V. 20 Especially in pagan worship, you worshipped in order to get
something. God was the One they were to seek.
Vs. 21-27 Over and over it is mentioned in the NT that loving your
neighbor was the fulfilling of the law. These laws regarding the defenseless
also have something to do with finance and prosperity.
Vs. 21-24 They might be tempted to take advantage of aliens, widows and
children, working them for next to nothing, feeding them little, because there
was no one to protect them. That still happens today.
Vs. 25-27 Even in lending money to these kinds of people, you couldn't
make interest. Nor could you hold as collateral anything they needed for daily
life and well-being.
V. 28 At the heart of the matter was their respect for God and those
God put in authority to keep law and order. Just as a note here, Paul quotes
this sarcastically in Acts 23:3-5. Paul was saying that he didn't know the high
priest was the high priest because the people hated him and made jokes about
his corruptness. The fact that they spoke evil of the high priest proved he was
not a ruler of the people. Please tell me you got that.
Vs. 29-30 The people were to see themselves completely in God's care.
Blessing came from Him; therefore, they were to be quick to give Him what He
requested in these laws. Also, these tithes were used for the poor and to feed
the priest and Levites who cared for the people.
V. 31 They were to see themselves so completely in God's care that they
didn't need to eat road kill. They could trust God for His provision and walk
on by.
Exodus 23:1-13
This section looks like there is more emphasis on “love your neighbor,”
but there is still a sense of commerce and well-being. These people lived
directly from the land, and often from "hand to mouth." God is
training them and teaching them to depend on Him. He will take care of them
with His love so they can relax and show love to others.
Vs. 1-3 This is the ninth commandment; but again, what did you gain by
lying and bearing false witness? It was often for financial advantage or
personal well-being. Notice here they couldn't be partial to a poor man. Surely the rich or the thrifty had something
to spare. Again, that is the financial aspect of what is implied in this
section on truth. Justice was always to be just.
Vs. 4-5 This is not only "love your enemy," but his life and
livelihood would be at risk losing an animal. God brings justice and
vindication. We "play God," not by vengeance or looking the other
way, but by showing His love.
Vs. 6-9 Faith in God gives courage to be just and fair. There is no
need to oppress the poor or needy, or to watch it happen. Notice then, that
there would be no need to take a bribe or pervert justice.
Vs. 10-13 This is the first mention of the Sabbatical year. This will
loom large in Israel’s history, but once we are past Deuteronomy it will become
hidden and forgotten, until Jeremiah. It looks like Israel never, under any
king, celebrated the Sabbath year. Here, it is mentioned as to how it related
to the poor. The poor were free to gather food for a day or two but not
harvest. This would have been different than the general provision given later
that landowners were always to leave something in the corners of their fields
so the poor could find food. In this case, the poor could wander into the
fields and take what they found growing for the entire growing year. They
couldn’t harvest it and sell it, but they could meet their needs every day.
Even more than the Sabbath day, the Sabbath year reflected a deep trust
and dependence on God. “Can I relax and trust and not work for a day? Sure.”
“Can I relax and trust and not sow or harvest for a year?” It seems they never
obeyed this one. But imagine trusting God and having the year off!
Although some of the laws look social and simply humane, God wanted the
people to see them as coming from Him so that the message behind the laws and
the motivation to obey was, “You are my people. Love Me and love your
neighbor.” As Jesus says later, loving God and your neighbor sum up the law. As
disciples, we are consecrated to God. We belong to Him to live for Him as
lights in the world. For those in the western world, obeying government laws,
as it says in Romans 13, should be easy for us because we know why we’re here.
Loving our neighbor to show them the love we have found is our mission, born
out of our love and appreciation for Jesus saving and calling us to Himself and
to His service.
Matthew 24:1-28
Vs. 1-2 Jesus is talking about the immediate judgment of Israel and
Jerusalem under Titus in 70 A.D. The disciples now knew this was coming. This
launches them into asking Jesus what the close
(end) of the age would look like.
Vs. 3-28 The Mount of Olives,
directly across from Jerusalem, would have given this discourse a great vantage
point to view the city. It also gave it a great name, “The Olivet Discourse.”
V. 3 Notice that the disciples ask Jesus about the close of the age. The close
of the age is what Jesus is talking about here, not what will happen in 70
A.D. It will be the time of the Tribulation of the Jews that will precede the
second coming of Christ and the 1000-year reign of Christ on earth in
Jerusalem.
Vs. 4-8 These are the days leading up to the Tribulation. There will be
confusion and questioning. Jesus describes these as the pains before the birth.
Notice that there will be deception and people claiming to be Christ.
Vs. 9-14 This would be the first part of the Tribulation. It will be a
time of disaster on earth, and therefore, people will be looking for Christ.
This means that the Bible will be used and people will have some idea of what
is happening.
Even during this awful time, the earth will be reached by the
proclamation of the gospel. By whom? By the 144,000 Jewish preachers from
Revelation. Israel will rise and fulfill its ministry.
Vs. 9-10 During this time of disaster and hardship on the earth, the
heart of man will instinctively know that God is responsible and the followers
of Christ will be hated by all nations.
Imagine that. Since it will not be popular or cool to be a Christian, many
"believers" will fall away
and will betray and hate other, true, believers. It is a way
that the Lord will reveal those who actually belong to Him. How foolish we are
to think that the mark of a disciple is anything other than bearing our cross
of death with a heart of love and joy, following our Lord into the harvest.
Vs. 15-28 The abomination of
desolation refers to the event where a man, the antichrist, will come into
the rebuilt temple, stop the worship, set up a desecrating image, and proclaim
himself to be god. At that point in time, there will be 3.5 years of
tribulation left; and at this point, all heck will break loose on Israel as a
nation, and on all of those who have become disciples of Christ. During this
time, it will get very desperate, having greater deceiving signs, more
destruction and death; and when it gets darkest, Jesus returns. The sign of
Jesus' coming will be so pronounced and obvious that all men will see it
regardless of where they are on the earth.
Vs. 27-28 refer to the appearance of the Son of Man in the heavens. If someone were to ask, "where
is the body (corpse)," the answer was to look up to the circling
"eagles" (vultures). Jesus was telling His disciples that the
question as to where the Christ was would only be answered one way, "Look
up." Notice that the sign isn’t necessarily lightening, but it will be
bright and obvious and striking. And, it looks like all people around the world
will see it at the same time. (Matthew 24:30)
As disciples, we know that there is great judgment coming and this
earth will get wrecked. We work now realizing this is coming. Things will not
get better; they will get worse. We who are saved will be taken before that
time, but others will go through the Tribulation. Jesus says the harvest is
white; but there won’t always be time to harvest for us, so we follow Him now,
every day, reaching out to the lost, making disciples, who make disciples.
Especially in election years, we need to remember we are not called or
commissioned to obsess about our political situation. We are to work in the
harvest as the storm clouds are gathering on the horizon.
Psalm 29
The most natural way to witness is to be overcome by God. Count as
precious the love of Christ and His payment and deliverance and forgiveness and
gift to you, and it comes out of you. Work with the lost in the harvest, and
see what you have that you take for granted as you strain in prayer to God for
the salvation of others; and you will find praise and gratitude to God becoming
heartfelt and natural.
If you read this slowly, looking for clues to the structure, this
beautiful psalm is also a good lesson in studying the Bible.
Vs. 1-2 This section is marked by the word ascribe. What does that mean?
Vs. 3-9 Notice the word voice - the
Word of God.
V. 10 He sits enthroned.
Cool! Think of the first lines of the Lord's Prayer.
V. 11 Amen.
Proverbs 7:6-23
One of the things that is interesting in reading the Proverbs at this
speed, daily, is that you notice how often Solomon is hitting on this theme.
Did you ever notice this before this year? I guess God is really, really,
really saying, “Watch Out!” Stay away from the willing woman. Beware of sexual
adventure. Unplug the computer. If you’re married, make enjoyment with one
another your hobby and passion. If you need to be married, lay it before the
Lord, submit to Him, make Him your heart’s desire and begin asking God how to
seek for a marriage partner. Ask Him where you can get involved in the harvest,
and as He leads you toward that person, focus on the harvest now. Don’t wait.
Vs. 8-9 Notice that this man is already "had" because of the
openness of his own heart. It isn't the woman or the website that is the ultimate
problem. She has him here.
Vs. 10-21 Hollywood!
Vs. 22-23 We think that God is overstating the case, yet our world of
leaders, political and spiritual, is a landscape filled with corpses. And each
of these intelligent people walked to their demise as the fool in v. 7. When
will we learn?
Please Read
the Following Disclaimer
I'm writing the Reading Notes to and
for those who are following a One Year Bible and are interested in growing
deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the
growth of a discipleship culture in the church, that is, groups of 3-4
disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to
reach out and make disciples, who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most
universal and important discipleship manual we have and it is the key to our
growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here,
or what we are to be doing, or whom we are to be following. My comments are
only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of
God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are
designed to keep us, as disciples, focused on Christ and our role in His
harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be
willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their
growth as disciples, making disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a more descriptive
commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary (BKC).
I read the BKC in doing background for the Reading Notes and refer to it quite
often. I also make reference to maps or charts in the BKC, though I will only
note where those resources can be found. Often you can do a search for these
and find them in Google books. Buying both volumes of the Bible Knowledge
Commentary would be a good idea.
I am not endorsing any particular
One Year Bible translation; in fact, I read something you probably don't, Die
Revidierte Lutherbibel, 1984. Unless noted, all Scripture quotes are from the
ESV Bible.
Anyone reading along with us is
welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own
observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition
or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any
point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as
I understand it. Often there is a breadth of opinion on certain events, both
historical and prophetic. Many of my views come from my church background,
theological training and my personal study.
I'm
doing this with discipleship in mind, meaning, I'm writing out thoughts that
will keep discipleship and our growth as disciples applied to what we are
reading. Remember, the real focus of the Reading Notes is to be a
supplement, a disciple’s commentary, giving motivation and insight so that we
will keep following our Lord in the harvest, reaching the lost and making
disciples, who make disciples. Being in
the Word every day, sitting at Jesus’ feet, learning directly from Him, is the
essential essence of being and making disciples.
May the Lord bless you as you follow Him in the
harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples, who make disciples. Dan
If you would like documents
containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
If you would like a full
presentation of discipleship read Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples.
Or if you are struggling with
insomnia and would like a long boring dissertation on disciple making, these
can both be found on https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
Reading Notes ©, Dan Kachikis
2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
The One Year Bible © by
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton Illinois 60189
The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of
Good News Publishers.
All charts/graphics/outlines
from the Bible Knowledge Commentary are used with the permission of David C.
Cook.
© 1983, 2001 John F Walvoord and Roy B Zuck.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary is published by David C Cook.
All rights reserved. Publisher permission
required to reproduce.
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