Exodus 21:7-177And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. 8If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her. 9And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters. 10If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish. 11And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money. 12He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. 13And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee. 14But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbor, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die. 15And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death. 16And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. 17And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. (Exodus 21:7‑17)
ISRAEL were a people whom God had redeemed and brought to Himself; He dwelt in their midst in the thick cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. Thus they were the objects of both His care and government. The various “judgments” or statutes which follow in these chapters, were to govern the conduct of gig people in their various relationships. As we read through these statutes given by God we are impressed with the care that He had for the walk and ways of His people. He is interested in all our dealings with one another. There is instruction here for everyone, boys and girls, young men and maidens, and older folks as well. The Israelites were to be an example before other peoples and nations around of uprightness in conduct and righteous government. We as Christians are a heavenly people and are called to be a testimony to the grace of God which has saved us, and to manifest Christ in our dealings one with another and with the world. Although we are a heavenly people and are not under the law, we must not forget the word, “Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace?” Rom. 6:1515What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. (Romans 6:15). In Galatians 5:1313For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. (Galatians 5:13) we read: “We have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”
We shall find rich moral instruction in reading through these chapters, for the moral ways of God do not change. We see here how God in His love and compassion watches over and protects. His weak and defenseless ones, setting forth laws which would assure them of just and fair treatment. God knows the human heart, all too often prone to take advantage of those who are subject and dependent on others. We see this in the directions given to a maid-servant that has been sold by her father. How tenderly and carefully God guards her rights in the instructions given.
Next, violence was not to go unpunished, and there were offenses that called for the death penalty. “He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.” v. 12. We live in a day when this precept, first given to Noah and repeated here, is being largely set aside. The trend is to abolish capital punishment. In this so-called enlightened age men think they are wiser than God; but they will surely prove the folly of substituting human ideas in the place of God’s law.
There was an exception, however. “If a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.” v. 13. This was grace appointing a refuge for one who killed another unintentionally. And how beautifully this typifies Christ, the true “place of refuge.” Although the nation of the Jews slew Him, yet in unspeakable grace, even as He hung upon the cross where they nailed Him, He spoke of their act as being done in ignorance and prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:3434Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. (Luke 23:34). God answered the prayer of the blessed Saviour and a remnant out of that guilty nation was spared. Grace triumphs over the penalty of the law because of the atonement for sin the Lord Jesus accomplished by His death on the cross. He will be the hiding place for the remnant of His people in a coming day, but He is even now the refuge of every sinner who flees to Him from the wrath to come.
And now, dear boys and girls, we have a very solemn word about dishonoring our parents when we ought to show them reverence. The one who smote or cursed his father or mother “shall surely be put to death.” vv. 15-17. This shows us how God owned the authority of parents, whether under law or grace. “Disobedience to parents” is a mark of the last days (2 Tim. 3:22For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (2 Timothy 3:2)). How we can thank God that there is salvation for a naughty or disobedient child now, if he comes to Christ and confesses his sin. God loves us and the blood of His dear Son can wash us whiter than snow.
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