Exodus – Page 6 – Be Still…

Exodus 23:1-13 – Justice

God is our final judge. He makes the rules and enforces them. Our obedience should be to God alone. We may not ever see all of the “rulings” he makes, and that’s okay. God is God, and we are not. When people ask me something about God’s law or his desire for us, I can point to Scripture, but ultimately, God decides and has the final say. Suffice it to say God is faithful and just.

There are some interesting reminders in today’s reading. What ones resonated most with you? We see God doesn’t like gossiping, peer pressure, accusing the innocent, bribery, or oppression of foreigners. He wants us to rest on the 7th day and let our fields rest during the 7th year. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe farmers today still do this to help maximize yield in their crops.

Exodus 22:1-31 – God’s Laws

Read Exodus 22:1-31

In our last reading we talked about disputes and God’s resolution for those. Today gets into some laws to protect your property and laws to help our attitudes and communication. It’s all helpful stuff. He wanted to be sure his people had all they needed for a good start in their new home.

Where there any statements that surprised you? Verse 29 surprised me (as it appears in this translation. Perhaps you are reading from your own Bible and not the link above. In any event, verse 29 in the above translation simply reads “You must not hold anything back when you give me offerings from your crops and your wine. You must give me your firstborn sons.”

Exodus 21:1-36 – Disputes

Read Exodus 21:1-36

Disputes happen. I was a paralegal for many years before retiring. Working in a law office opened my eyes to humanity on so many levels. People can be ruthless and cruel. People can be greedy and disrespectful. It can be a handful to keep them in line and understanding the system. Not all negligence is punished. Not all familial issues can be resolved with dignity and grace. Without laws in place, there would be more chaos then there already is.

I can truly identify with Moses having to sort out disputes such as this. You may recall several readings ago when Moses was visited by his father-in-law, Jethro. You will recall Jethro had a solution to help Moses from losing his mind in handling all the people’s disputes.

Exodus 20:22-26 – What About Altars

Read Exodus 20:22-26

What image comes to mind for you when you see the word, “altar”? Do you imagine a pile of rocks in the middle of the desert? Do you picture a piece of furniture at the front of your worship center or sanctuary? Interesting thing about altars. They were to be the site of a sacrifice or burnt offering.

The altars we see today are not designed for that purpose. In fact, most of them are probably made out of wood, and to slaughter an animal and burn it would cause the altar to go up in flames, too. God makes it clear here to build an altar wherever he (God) causes his name to be remembered. It is also clear he wants raw stone and not crafted stone. He also wants no steps leading to the altar.

Exodus 20:18-21 – The People’s Reaction

Read Exodus 20:18-21

Can you remember a time when you were fearful? I mean, you were really scared! Imagine the people standing in the wilderness, listening to the thunder and ram’s horn blast. When you put two and two together and realize that the God of the universe is coming to you, it can be a little intimidating, to say the least.

They were quick to let Moses take the fall and be the one who faced the fire. They wanted to hear what God had to say but wanted to hear it from Moses. They feared for their lives. I loved Moses’ reply, didn’t you? ” Don’t be afraid,” Moses answered them, “for God has come in this way to test you, and so that your fear of him will keep you from sinning!”