Exodus 21-23.
IN these three chapters many things are spoken of, telling how the people of Israel should act toward one another, and very good instructions they are. They could have been no better, nor could anyone else have made so wise laws as these which God gave Moses for the people to obey.
The first thing we read of is what should be done with one of their own people who became a slave. He could only serve six years, for in the seventh year he should be set free. If he were married when he became a slave, his wife must go out free too, but if after he became a slave, his master had given him a wife, and there were children born, he should be set free by himself, and would have to leave his wife and children behind.
Perhaps, though, the slave would say, I love my master, my wife and my children, I will not go out free. What then? The sixth verse of chapter 21 tells: the master should bring him to the judges, and to the door, or door post, and there his ear should be bored through with an awl; then he should be a servant forever.
Perhaps some of you can tell me right away something about this, but anyway I shall say for the benefit of others, that the slave or bond-servant who would not go out free is a picture of the Lord Jesus. Faithfully He had served His Father all through His life here in the world, and He was entitled to go free, but He would not give up those He loved, and so we read in Galatians 2:20,20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) “The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me,” and in Ephesians 5:25,25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (Ephesians 5:25) “Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it.” He made Himself a servant forever for those He loved. O, how we ought to love Him!
There is one of these many and important laws we would particularly like to draw attention to, and that is, “He that smiteth or curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.” (21:15, 17.)
It is a very bad thing to despise father or mother—to disobey them, and that will surely meet with God’s judgment in one way or another. The one who respects his parents, and seeks in every way to obey them, shall be blessed of God in this life; so the Scripture says,
While we are not writing about all these varied laws, they are all needful and important, so we trust you will read every one carefully and treasure them up in your hearts.
ML 03/19/1922