Bible Talks

Exodus 21:1-271Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them. 2If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. 3If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. 5And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: 6Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever. 7And 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. 18And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed: 19If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed. 20And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished. 21Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money. 22If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. 23And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, 24Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. 26And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye's sake. 27And if he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake. (Exodus 21:1‑27)
THE laws and ordinances which we find in our chapter would show us that God, though so great, is interested in all our dealings with one another. There is instruction for everyone, boys and girls as well as men and women. The Israelites were an earthly people, and as such they were to be an example before the nations around of righteous government. Although we are a heavenly people and "are not under law," we must not forget the words of the Apostle, "Shall we sin, because we are not under 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). Grace does not command, but it does teach, and Christianity goes much farther than the laws given to Israel. It is a terrible thing to use our liberty for an occasion to the flesh (Gal. 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)). God never gives liberty to sin—never!
Of course we may state here that there were many ordinances for the Israelites which have only a figurative meaning for us. Such were not moral laws. They tested the people's obedience, for they were called upon to obey the voice of God without knowing why He told them to do certain things. The moral ways of God, however, do not change; they are always the same, and therefore our readers will find great moral instruction in going over these chapters. The law demanded an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, but here grace goes farther—we, as Christians, are to return good for evil.
Most of the laws in Christian lands are based upon the law of God through Moses. The civil government must punish the offender, and it is right that they should. "The powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God." Romans 13: 1, 2. We who are Christians recognize the authority, not for what it is in itself, as ordained. of God. We submit to it as to God, but if they ask us to do something which God's Word forbids, and we cannot obey as to God, we must still submit to the authority, but we ought to obey God. (Acts 5:2929Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. (Acts 5:29).) When the Lord Jesus stood before Pilate, He acknowledged Pilate's authority as given from above, even though Pilate used it wrongly, (John 19:1111Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. (John 19:11).)
In these days of “disobedience to parents" it might be well to notice that under law, when a child hit or cursed his parent he was to be put to death. This is very solemn, and shows us how God owns the authority of the parent, whether under law or grace. Thank God, there is salvation even for naughty children now if they come to Christ!
We also find the silver line of grace interwoven through these very laws. There was to be a place of refuge appointed for the man who killed another unintentionally. How beautifully this typifies Christ, the true "place of refuge." Although the nation killed Him, He graciously spoke of their act as being done in ignorance (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)) so that HE might be their place of refuge. And not only was that work of redemption for the guilty nation of Israel, but now Christ is the place of refuge — the true Hiding Place — for every sinner who comes, owning his guilt. Dear reader, can you say, "Jesus is MY Hiding Place"?
Messages of God’s Love 9/4/1949