“Do you solemnly swear that what you are about to say is the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”  Still said today, with one hand on the Bible, before witnessing in front of a judge and jury.

Do you ever wondered where the ideas for the laws and judgements of our land come from?  As we read and study The Law of God given to Moses, we see where it all comes from—from the crimes to punishment—all decided by judges in court who decide who did what with punishments of restitution.  The Law described in detail in Exodus clearly gives humanity the outline for law abiding. 

God began their journey with Him by giving His People the Non-Negotiable Ten Commandments as simple statements that cover all that is for humanity’s good while giving God all the glory for being their God of redeeming rescue, provider, healer, and protector.  But what if, even after all God has done, some people break the Law?  God, who knows us well and knows that there will be some who for whatever reason do not adhere to the Law, presents ways to judge offenders with punishments to deter the perpetrators from sinning again.  God knows we need the discipline of law because left on our own we resort to self-preservation tactics.  Our own American history of pioneers moving west where no law was established proves that without the protection of rules of behavior, we become the “wild west of lawlessness” that leads to disastrous outcomes for humanity—whom God loves. We need laws to guide us and keep us honest.

Exodus 22

Protection of Property

“Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.

² “If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed; ³ but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed.

“Anyone who steals must certainly make restitution, but if they have nothing, they must be sold to pay for their theft. ⁴ If the stolen animal is found alive in their possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—they must pay back double.

⁵ “If anyone grazes their livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in someone else’s field, the offender must make restitution from the best of their own field or vineyard.

⁶ “If a fire breaks out and spreads into thornbushes so that it burns shocks of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution.

⁷ “If anyone gives a neighbor silver or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double. ⁸ But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges, and they must determine whether the owner of the house has laid hands on the other person’s property. ⁹ In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their cases before the judges. The one whom the judges declare guilty must pay back double to the other.

¹⁰ “If anyone gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep or any other animal to their neighbor for safekeeping and it dies or is injured or is taken away while no one is looking, ¹¹ the issue between them will be settled by the taking of an oath before the Lord that the neighbor did not lay hands on the other person’s property. The owner is to accept this, and no restitution is required. ¹² But if the animal was stolen from the neighbor, restitution must be made to the owner. ¹³ If it was torn to pieces by a wild animal, the neighbor shall bring in the remains as evidence and shall not be required to pay for the torn animal.

¹⁴ “If anyone borrows an animal from their neighbor and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, they must make restitution. ¹⁵ But if the owner is with the animal, the borrower will not have to pay. If the animal was hired, the money paid for the hire covers the loss.

Social Responsibility

¹⁶ “If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife. ¹⁷ If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.

¹⁸ “Do not allow a sorceress to live.

¹⁹ “Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal is to be put to death.

²⁰ “Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed.

²¹ “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.

²² “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. ²³ If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. ²⁴ My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.

²⁵ “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest. ²⁶ If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, return it by sunset, ²⁷ because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in? When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

²⁸ “Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.

²⁹ “Do not hold back offerings from your granaries or your vats.

“You must give me the firstborn of your sons. ³⁰ Do the same with your cattle and your sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day.

³¹ “You are to be my holy people. So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts; throw it to the dogs.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Our nation, under God, was established before getting off the ship from England with the writing of the Mayflower Compact.  These rules and procedure began a government “by the people, for the people” as they rebelled against English rules of submission.  There are many reasons for leaving the tyranny of English rule for this new land called America but one thing is for certain, the settlers were led by God. The Word of God would be their guide for establishing a way to live by the Laws of God. 

Our greatest accomplishment as a nation was the establishment of “checks and balances.”  Three branches of our government oversee the adherence to the laws created to protect us and guide our behaviors toward each other. This 3-pronged approach was simple and clearly stated.  I still remember the words taught to me by my government teacher in seventh grade: The Legislative Branch is made up of representatives of the people, write, edit, revise, and pass new laws by a majority vote. The laws are designed to protect all people.  The Judicial Branch was designed to judge the people who broke the law by giving fair verdicts of restitution with punishments.  The Executive Branch was given the responsibility to enforce the law.  Enforcement was also designed for protecting the innocent while watching over those who might do harm, standing ready to intervene under authority of the Law.  When each branch “stays in their lane” of responsibility; our government is a well-oiled machine for the protection and provision of all people who live what we call the UNITED States. When we do not stay in our lanes; we are less than united.

God’s Design of His Law was for the purpose to unite His People—not separate them from each other or from Him.  God’s People are united by God and His Law for their good and His glory.  When we rebel and decide to be our own god, thinking we know what we need better than God and live in ways to please only ourselves we live without His Protection.  We shun God’s Law of Love and the Compassion He has for us that He longs for us to have with each other.  And we wonder why our lives fall apart when we choose anything or anyone other than God!  When we choose disobedience; we are no longer united with God.  In our rebellion, we are disconnected.  I bet you are now realizing with me that God knew the disconnect would happen among people who live in an imperfect world brought on by the rebellion of His first created humans, Adam and Eve, right?  So let’s go there.  We know now that God had a plan that would resolve humanity’s sin problem of rebellion and disconnect—beyond judgements and punishment.  That plan was Jesus who came as “God in flesh” to fulfill every Law given while paying in full the punishment we deserved but spared.

As I decorate to celebrate the reason for Christmas my thoughts go to when God chose a virgin and a devout man to bring Jesus into the world as a helpless infant through her womb.  These God-led people raised him and loved him while living a humbled lifestyle.  Despite all the rumors and gossip, growing up of being born of a virgin; Jesus lived a holy, perfect life without sin.  Jesus learned the Jewish way of life, God’s Law in the local synagogue school, and became the joy and amazement of His teachers.  After a journey in the desert to fast and pray and to battle the Enemy’s temptations; God made Him more than ready to be His spokesperson.  God’s Son who would explain and expand the thinking of everyone who thought they knew the Law with God’s real intent of the Law originally given to Moses! “You have heard it said…but I say to you…” (Matthew 5-7)

But the “Gatekeepers” of the God’s Law, (teachers, scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, and zealots) added to the Law as they saw fit to appease themselves to create more power for themselves.  These appointed religious leaders used and abused God’s Law for their benefit with the ruse that this was the only way to have peace with the Romans—the oppressive government in their day.  They had a good thing going—until Jesus came, preached, and told the Truth about God’s Law meant for protection His people while showing His people how to love Him back and to love each other.  God’s verdict for the gatekeepers?  “Their hearts are far from me.”

Jesus, Promised Messiah, came down from heaven and moved into the neighborhood of humanity and showed God for who He really is, telling the Truth of God.  The religious hated him and wanted Jesus killed.  The plotted against Him as they showed up at the places where Jesus preached and taught to harass Him.  The disconnected to God could not and would not listen.  But that did not stop the Son of God from God’s mission to seek and to save the lost, to serve all who would come for help, while telling all who would listen the Truth. Jesus embodied Truth.  He became the Only Way to reconnect to God who offered Eternal Life for all who would believe.  But a price had to be paid for this work to be complete.

The night before arrest and judgement, Jesus would pray to God, His Father; “Not my will but Your will be done.”  And it was done—completely. God’s plan for our redemption, in every excruciating detail was accomplished, according to what the prophets foretold centuries earlier.  The will of God, his Father was to give us Jesus, His Son, in exchange for our redemption.  Jesus paid for our sins with His life on a cruel cross.  Jesus, Son of Man, felt the pain of the beatings, humiliation, betrayal from his friends, the grieving of leaving his earthy mother behind for a while, the metal whips tearing away his flesh and then the nails—oh the nails that pierced his flesh—in ways so that his body could hang for hours on cross beams of wood.

Jesus, who knew no sin, paid for the all the sins of the world—yours and mine.  Paid in full—fulfilling the Law by God for us.  So, as believers we look upon the laws of God and the laws of our government differently than non-believers.  Our desire is to please God because of our love for God.  We love Him because He first loved us.  “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  Our obedience to Him and the laws of our land are opportunities to show our love for God and others.  We don’t obey to simply avoid the wrath and punishment of disobedience; we obey because of all God did for us through Jesus, His Son!  Jesus unites us to God and to each other! Believing reconnects us to our Father who loved us so much He gave Jesus to save us and set us free from our sins! 

“To obey is better than all sacrifice,” says God to His people. (1 Samuel 15:22) That means to simply obey what God says, which is always for our good and shows our love for Him—more than keeping busy with church work, giving to the poor, and working hard so others will know how hard we work. The good we do must be motivated by our love for God while being led of God.

To daily offer ourselves as an offering is a great way to worship and praise God. (Romans 12) It is also a way to know His good, perfect and pleasing will that deters our temptation of going about life on our own.

Oh Lord,

So many lessons were offered today by the reading of Your Word!  My heart, mind, and soul is full.  I will meditate on Your Word all day long.  Thank you for Your Word and Your Holy Spirit who leads us to understand more and more each day. Lead and help us in all the details of this day given back to you for your glory.

In Jesus Name, Amen