Exodus 22:22-3122Ye 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 22:22‑31)
“YE SHALL not afflict any wow, or fatherless child... I will surely hear their cry.” In these verses we read the tender heart of God for the poor and the helpless. They are the objects of His tender mercies and care all through Scripture.
“If thou at all take thy neighbor’s raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down; for that is his covering only...: wherein shall he sleep?” Oh the tenderness of the heart of God who would think and feel for a poor man without a covering for his body when he lay down to sleep at night! What a God we have!
David knew well the tender heart of God. How many nights he had spent out under the stars, alone, when hunted by Saul; but the Lord watched over him and preserved him. How often in the Psalms he speaks of the lovingkindness of the Lord. “Because Thy loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise Thee.... Because Thou hast been my help, therefore in the show of Thy wings will I rejoice.” Psa. 63:3,73Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. (Psalm 63:3)
7Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. (Psalm 63:7).
“Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of Thy people.” The “gods” here, as used elsewhere, refer to judges, or those in authority. This is a timely word for the Christian today when almost every authority is being challenged, when many demand the right of free speech, to say what they like, and often heap slander and contempt on those set in places of rule. Christians are to be “subject unto the higher powers... the powers that be are ordained of God.” Rom. 13:11Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. (Romans 13:1). We are to pay respect and obedience to these authorities as long as we are not called on to do something contrary to the will of God.
“Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits.” When Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to the Lord, the Lord would not accept it. That was because he brought it as the ground of his acceptance before God. But the children of Israel here were a people redeemed by blood and now they were to own God’s claims over what they possessed.
If you are still unsaved, dear rear, God does not ask you to do something nor ask you to bring something. You must first come to Christ, to be cleansed from your sins in His precious blood, and then God will accept your offerings of praise and thanksgiving. You will then delight to own His claims over you and all you have.
I love to own, Lord Jesus,
Thy claims o’er me divine;
Bought with Thy blood most precious
Whose can I be but Thine?
Under the law the people must give a certain amount, and they must give promptly, but grace teaches us to give more than they, joyfully and willingly.
“And 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.” Those whom the Lord has redeemed are to be separated unto Him, who is holy. He would have us suited to Himself. Things of the flesh which those in the world ("the field") feed on are unclean to the Christian. The food of the “new man” is Christ alone.
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