Notes on Exodus 21:1-6
1 Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them. 2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. 3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If 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. 5 And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: 6 Then 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.
Verse 1
These are judgments (Mishpat - legal decisions) for deciding cases of civil disputes in ancient Israel. They are not primarily moral principles, although moral principles can be derived from them.
Knowing the difference between judgments, statutes, commandments and ordinances is essential to rightly divide the law of God.
We will discover this distinction as we meditate on the law of the Lord.
Verse 2-6
A slave is not a possession, he has rights. This judgment deals with his right to be released after a time.
This judgment assumes that at times a slave would actually choose to remain in slavery, and love his master. This shows that slavery in ancient Israel was not so very demeaning.
A slave can choose to serve his master forever; in this passage, "forever" means "until death", there will be no slavery in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Principles:
We should respect the value of every human being made in the image of God, no matter their situation.
God demands that a human master give free choice to his slaves to leave or stay. God also gives us free choice to accept him in love or to reject him; forfeiting the gifts he has given us, including life.
A person who loves God will choose to serve him forever.
If you love God, how are you serving him?
Saturday, 20 October 2012
Tuesday, 12 June 2012
Be Perfect
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:48
Based on Hebrews 13:20-25
Paul's blessing to the Hebrew believers: May the God of Peace who resurrected Jesus, the great shepherd, by the blood of the eternal covenant, make you perfect in doing his will, changing you to be righteous by Jesus Christ, who deserves the credit for every positive change. Please accept the words of this letter which is to strengthen you in your spiritual life. Timothy is free now, I hope to join him while he is with you. Greet the church leaders for me and all true followers of Jesus. The Italians send their greetings. May you have grace.
Jesus can make us perfect by his blood but we must accept and live by the words of scripture to achieve this.
Do you trust God to use the Bible to make you perfect like Jesus?
Are you reading, memorising and thinking the words of the Bible so they can change you?
Based on Hebrews 13:20-25
Paul's blessing to the Hebrew believers: May the God of Peace who resurrected Jesus, the great shepherd, by the blood of the eternal covenant, make you perfect in doing his will, changing you to be righteous by Jesus Christ, who deserves the credit for every positive change. Please accept the words of this letter which is to strengthen you in your spiritual life. Timothy is free now, I hope to join him while he is with you. Greet the church leaders for me and all true followers of Jesus. The Italians send their greetings. May you have grace.
Jesus can make us perfect by his blood but we must accept and live by the words of scripture to achieve this.
Do you trust God to use the Bible to make you perfect like Jesus?
Are you reading, memorising and thinking the words of the Bible so they can change you?
Sunday, 10 June 2012
Nice
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Matthew 25:40
Based on Hebrews 13:16-19
Do not forget to do good and to be generous because God considers this a good sacrifice to himself. Be obedient to authorities in your church, to make their job more pleasant, since it is a heavy responsibility and for your soul's benefit. Pray for them too because they are trying to do what is right, and doing so would bring real benefit to them. It would have even caused Paul to be freed from prison.
God regards kindness to others as kindness to himself. The most important kindness is to submit joyfully to church leaders and pray for them.
Are you praying for anyone who is ruling or counselling you in the church?
Based on Hebrews 13:16-19
Do not forget to do good and to be generous because God considers this a good sacrifice to himself. Be obedient to authorities in your church, to make their job more pleasant, since it is a heavy responsibility and for your soul's benefit. Pray for them too because they are trying to do what is right, and doing so would bring real benefit to them. It would have even caused Paul to be freed from prison.
God regards kindness to others as kindness to himself. The most important kindness is to submit joyfully to church leaders and pray for them.
Are you praying for anyone who is ruling or counselling you in the church?
Memory and Hope
Based on Hebrews 13:10-15
Our sacrifice is not what was going on in the temple in Paul's day. Because the bodies of animals sacrificed for sin are burnt outside the camp signifying how Jesus would suffer outside the city to make us holy by his blood. Let us therefore be like him and be willing to suffer and be excluded from Jerusalem and Jewishness (your own home and culture); because Jerusalem is not God's city, but God's city is to come. Let us therefore praise and thank God constantly despite persecution because Jesus has blessed us so much.
We should be willing to face the same kind of suffering as Jesus and praise God.
If you are a follower of Christ, think back on the blessings he has brought into your life.
Our sacrifice is not what was going on in the temple in Paul's day. Because the bodies of animals sacrificed for sin are burnt outside the camp signifying how Jesus would suffer outside the city to make us holy by his blood. Let us therefore be like him and be willing to suffer and be excluded from Jerusalem and Jewishness (your own home and culture); because Jerusalem is not God's city, but God's city is to come. Let us therefore praise and thank God constantly despite persecution because Jesus has blessed us so much.
We should be willing to face the same kind of suffering as Jesus and praise God.
If you are a follower of Christ, think back on the blessings he has brought into your life.
Wednesday, 6 June 2012
Rambo Christians?
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Ecclesiastes 4:10
Based on Hebrews 13:7-9
Be grateful to godly spiritual leaders who have helped you know God through his Word. Imitate the faith of these people and pay attention to why they behave the way they do. It is to become like Jesus Christ who is the same always. It is possible to know what is right because Jesus set the example for all to follow throughout the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. Jesus has not changed.
So do not get distracted by strange ideas that do not come from the Bible, but focus on the grace of God that he gave Jesus to sinners like us. Do not regard people who teach continuing to worry about the ordinances that Moses was given at a specific time for a specific situation. Rather focus on God's eternal law and how it reveals Jesus to us.
We are not able to obtain salvation alone. Imitate the faith of godly people, notice how it leads to action. Consider that they do it all because of Jesus Christ; they are empowered by him as they strive to be like him as revealed in his eternal law. We need Jesus to be saved, and often Jesus uses other people to do his work in our lives.
Are you following the good example of those who you believe have a better experience with God than you? Do not think you cannot be like them; you can be better, you can be like Jesus.
Remember that any improvement in your life will be powered by God and you must resolve to trust him, even if it means accepting criticism from sinful people.
Based on Hebrews 13:7-9
Be grateful to godly spiritual leaders who have helped you know God through his Word. Imitate the faith of these people and pay attention to why they behave the way they do. It is to become like Jesus Christ who is the same always. It is possible to know what is right because Jesus set the example for all to follow throughout the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. Jesus has not changed.
So do not get distracted by strange ideas that do not come from the Bible, but focus on the grace of God that he gave Jesus to sinners like us. Do not regard people who teach continuing to worry about the ordinances that Moses was given at a specific time for a specific situation. Rather focus on God's eternal law and how it reveals Jesus to us.
We are not able to obtain salvation alone. Imitate the faith of godly people, notice how it leads to action. Consider that they do it all because of Jesus Christ; they are empowered by him as they strive to be like him as revealed in his eternal law. We need Jesus to be saved, and often Jesus uses other people to do his work in our lives.
Are you following the good example of those who you believe have a better experience with God than you? Do not think you cannot be like them; you can be better, you can be like Jesus.
Remember that any improvement in your life will be powered by God and you must resolve to trust him, even if it means accepting criticism from sinful people.
Thursday, 31 May 2012
Terrifying but Good
Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. Revelation 14:7
Based on Hebrews 12:18-29
God, not just God the Father, but God; is terrifying at best to sinful weak human beings. God is so holy that any lesser being who steps near him must be killed.
But God has given us himself as Jesus, and his blood guarantees us harmony with God, a place in heaven and stability in these strange times.
It is so important that we hold onto the truth that God has revealed, only then are we able to be firm when everything around us is falling apart.
God should be feared, but he is also kind and generous.
Are you standing for the truth?
If you are, are you also being kind and generous?
Based on Hebrews 12:18-29
God, not just God the Father, but God; is terrifying at best to sinful weak human beings. God is so holy that any lesser being who steps near him must be killed.
But God has given us himself as Jesus, and his blood guarantees us harmony with God, a place in heaven and stability in these strange times.
It is so important that we hold onto the truth that God has revealed, only then are we able to be firm when everything around us is falling apart.
God should be feared, but he is also kind and generous.
Are you standing for the truth?
If you are, are you also being kind and generous?
Wednesday, 30 May 2012
The Value of Discipline
My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:
For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Proverbs 3:11-12
Based on Hebrews 12:11-17
Being disciplined doesn't feel good at the time; but it makes us righteous, giving us contentment.
We need to help each other to live righteous lives. We need to get along with each other. We need to watch over each other making sure that nobody is rejecting the grace God is giving to help us forgive each other; causing the offended person to be bitter and ultimately causing many people to fall into sin. When this happens in the church it leads to a widespread devaluation of God's principles inside and outside the church, resulting in sin. Eventually people will be so hardened against the Holy Spirit that they will be eternally lost.
It is absolutely essential that we are all willing to be disciplined by God and others, and that we are willing to discipline others as well.
Are you rejecting discipline which the Holy Spirit is bringing into your life, perhaps through another person? Are you bitter against someone? Is it really worth losing heaven for? What will you say to Jesus when he shows you how your bitterness has also destroyed others?
Do you know others in your church well enough to help them with their struggles?
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