Exodus 21:28-22:3128If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit. 29But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death. 30If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him. 31Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him. 32If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned. 33And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein; 34The owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be his. 35And if one man's ox hurt another's, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money of it; and the dead ox also they shall divide. 36Or if it be known that the ox hath used to push in time past, and his owner hath not kept him in; he shall surely pay ox for ox; and the dead shall be his own. 1If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. 2If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him. 3If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. 4If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double. 5If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution. 6If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution. 7If a man shall deliver unto his neighbor money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him pay double. 8If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbor's goods. 9For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbor. 10If a man deliver unto his neighbor an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it: 11Then shall an oath of the Lord be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbor's goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good. 12And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof. 13If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn. 14And if a man borrow ought of his neighbor, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good. 15But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire. 16And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife. 17If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins. 18Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. 19Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death. 20He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed. 21Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. 23If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; 24And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. 25If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. 26If thou at all take thy neighbor's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down: 27For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious. 28Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people. 29Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me. 30Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me. 31And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs. (Exodus 21:28‑22:31)
THE value of a Hebrew servant was set at thirty pieces of silver, but the price of a freeman was much higher than this. Christ, as we have remarked before, was the true Hebrew Servant, yet the nation of Israel valued Him at this miserable price. Such is the heart of man! The Creator of the universe was sold by Judas for the price of a slave, and they bought Him only to crucify Him! Dear reader, what' about you? You cannot be neutral in this matter. "What think ye of Christ?" is still the great question. Remember your eternal destiny depends upon your answer. Have you received Him as your Saviour, or are you still rejecting Him in your heart?
Another beautiful link in the chain of grace is found in chapter 22:1. If an ox or a sheep were stolen and killed, the one who was guilty must return four in place of the one he killed. Israel has been guilty of taking the Lamb of God, selling Him for a slave, and then killing Him. How can they make such a terrible act right before a holy God? They never can. There is only one Lamb of God, and they have nothing to pay. Surely their case is a hopeless one! But we hear that blessed One saying, "Then I restored that which. I took not away." Psalm 69: 4. The Israelite was to give four sheep for the one taken and killed, and so the Lord Jesus, because of the infinite value of His person and work, has not only brought salvation to the guilty nation of Israel, but the glorious message of the gospel now goes out to the four corners of the earth. Surely He has restored that which He took not away, and fourfold too!
The children of Israel were reminded that they were not to afflict strangers, widows or fatherless children, nor were they to oppress the poor. If they God said that He would hear the cry of the needy, for, He said, I am gracious." How good to know that He cares for the needy, and how abundantly He has provided for our need as sinners!.
They were also to be careful not to delay the offering of their firstfruits to the Lord. God could not accept the firstfruits of the ground when Cain offered them, but He told the Israelite to bring theirs. This might seem like a contradiction to the careless reader, but there are no contradictions in the Bible. It is God's Word and. God could not contradict Himself! If there is something we cannot understand in the Bible, let us remember that the faith is with us, not with the Bible. God could not accept Cain's offering, he.. cause he brought it as the ground or his acceptance before God, whereas the Israelites were a redeemed people, sheltered by the blood in Egypt, and now they were to own God's claims over what they possessed. If you are unsaved, dear reader, God does not ask you to do something, or to bring something to Him. You must accept His Son as your Saviour first—you must be redeemed with His precious blood—and then you can gladly own His claims over all you have. Under law they must give a certain amount and they must give promptly, but grace teaches us to give more than they, joyfully and willingly.
Messages of God’s Love 9/11/1949