Exodus 23
-This chapter begins with some more sundry laws and
regulations. These primarily revolve around justice being honest in one’s
testimony and reports. The children of Israel are warned not to follow the
masses in doing evil. This as we know is a tendency of man in his natural state
and has had horrible consequences through the years. Jesus was a victim of mob
mentality in His crucifixion (Matthew 27:20, Mark 15:11-15). One only has to
think back to the scenes of Nazi Germany or the recent Arab Spring events to
see the effects the masses have in stirring up a society to pervert justice and
create chaos.
-Some laws for returning lost animals, even of the enemy, are
given. The people are warned to stay from away from false charges and not to
kill the innocent or the righteous. God will not acquit the guilty.
*Application* We are all guilty under the curse of sin (Romans 3:23). Our only
recourse is to trust in the Name of Jesus to forgive and cleanse us of all sin
and unrighteousness (Ephesians 2:8-9). To reject Christ is the unpardonable sin
and will incur the ultimate wrath of a righteous God (John 14:6).
-Taking a bribe is also outlawed because it blinds the eyes
of the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just. Strangers are not to
be oppressed, which the children of Israel should easily be able to identify
with. Harvest laws are expounded upon for the purpose of the poor and the
animals and rest for the land and its people. Other gods are not to even be
mentioned or heard from the mouths of the Hebrews. *Application* God wants
exclusive worship and deserves it.
-Three national feasts are presented unto the LORD in which
all the males were to appear before the LORD. These are the Feast of Unleavened
Bread, the Feast of Harvest (First Fruits), and the Feast of the Ingathering at
the end of the year when the fruit of the field is gathered in. The choicest of
the fruits are to be presented before the LORD. *Application* God wants our
absolute best effort in every situation. Do you give Him half-hearted devotion
or are you completely His (2 Chronicles 16:9)?
-The steps in the conquest of the Promised Land are given
next with what the borders of the land should be. An angel will be given to the
Hebrews to guard and lead. They are to listen to his voice and obey completely
because he is from the LORD. No rebellion will be tolerated. If they serve the
LORD, they will be blessed in food abundance and sickness will be removed from
their midst (Exodus 23:25). The LORD outlines the people groups who will be
destroyed and how that will happen in steps. No covenant with these enemies of
God is to be made and they are not allowed to live in the land because they
will incite the children of Israel to sin against the LORD and that will become
a snare. Sadly, the children of Israel eventually fail to follow through with
this command and we still feel the results of this in the Middle East today.
God foreknew what needed to happen for complete peace, and when the children of
Israel did not obey, continual conflict and sin was inevitable. *Application*
Only complete obedience to the LORD will be blessed completely.
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