January 2, 2021
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Reading along with us in some Exodus? Here’s today’s reading:
Exodus 23 (NIV)
Laws of Justice and Mercy
1“Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.
2“Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd,..........Continue Reading
God will provide for His people. Not only has he supplied them with leadership, laws to follow, specific instruction and consequences on how to live amongst each other; now He will provide an angel to go ahead of them.
I do find two points interesting here he starts with an urging to not get caught up in the crowd and go along with what they are doing and finishes with a warning that the worship of other God’s will become a snare for the people. Just a reminder how vulnerable we are to evil in a crowd and how we justify things because others were doing it too!
Exodus 23
Exodus 23
God is very detailed, sophisticated and righteous.
Righteous judgment
Sabbath, the rest in God
Exodus 23: 25-26
And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.
There shall nothing cast their young, not be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfill.
Amen.
God always wants to bless us enormously. But our sins are blocking God’s blessings.
26 There shall nothing cast their young;
We watched the movie ‘unplanned’ a few days ago. It was very shocking how people make up stories to justify sins; murder and all other devilish behaviors.
Exodus 23
Justice….interesting how an ancient law can be so applicable today. “You shall not circulate a false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. 2 You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after many to pervert justice. 3 You shall not show partiality to a poor man in his dispute.”
I was thinking of how blessed the Israelites were to have God’s angel go before them with authority (pre-incarnate Christ?) Also, how their daily needs were met and beyond that – no sickness, every woman fertile and delivering healthy babies, and long life.
“So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you. No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.”
How important honesty and justice are especially in a courtroom. As decisions are being made to establish right and wrong, right consequences and things that will effect people’s lives, having accurate testimony of things is vital. It’s no wonder God in His wisdom specifies these things after including not giving a false testimony in the top ten commandments.
And what trust the Sabbath required…especially a sabbath year….but along with faith is the blessing of obedience in seeing God work and everyone in the community taking a break and focusing on what is most important, God and community! And that community was instructed to gather together 3 times a year…to remember God’s work in Egypt and His work in providing the spring and fall harvest.
And what provisions God made for their travels and what promises He makes for how He will provide in the promised land. If only they followed and obeyed! I too wonder if this angel that would go before them is THE angel of the Lord (ie pre-incarnate Christ). It is significant that God says His name is in Him as opposed to just on Him. And He seems to share in God’s authority rather than just representing it. Certainly indicators that it is…..
20“See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. 21Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him. 22If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. 23My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out. 24Do not bow down before their gods or worship them or follow their practices. You must demolish them and break their sacred stones to pieces. 25Worship the Lordyour God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, 26and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span.