Baptist Catechism 24

Q. 24. Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?

A. The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was and continueth to be God and man, in two distinct natures and one person, forever. (Gal. 3:13;1 Tim. 2:5; John 1:14; 1 Tim. 3:16; Rom. 9:5; Col. 2:9)

Scripture Reading: Galatians 3:10–14

“For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.’ Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’ But the law is not of faith, rather ‘The one who does them shall live by them.’ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:10–14, ESV)

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Introduction

You will probably remember that after a string of questions and answers having to do with the bad news concerning the sin and misery that all of humanity was plunged into by Adam’s first sin, we then encountered good news. Question 23 of our catechism asks,  “Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?” The good news is this: “God having out of His mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation, by a Redeemer.”

To redeem is to rescue. To redeem is to purchase back. To redeem is to regain the possession of a thing that was lost. And our catechism rightly teaches that God has provided a Redeemer – that is to say, a Savior – for fallen humanity. God, by his grace, out of his mere good pleasure, did not leave mankind to perish (which he would have been right to do), but determined to deliver some out of their estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation, by a Redeemer.

The obvious question is, who is this Redeemer? And that is what our catechism now asks: “Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?”

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The Only Redeemer Of God’s Elect Is The Lord Jesus Christ

The answer that is given first identifies the Redeemer by simply naming him. “The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ…” Who is the Redeemer? Jesus Christ is the Redeemer. 

The word “only” is important. It reminds us of what the scriptures so clearly teach. There are not many redeemers, many saviors, or many who are able to reconcile us to God. There is only one. 

This is what Paul says so clearly in 1 Timothy 2:5: “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus…” (1 Timothy 2:5, ESV).

And Jesus himself taught this when he said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6, ESV).

Is Jesus the Redeemer of the whole world, then? 

Well yes, in a sense he is. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Indeed, it is true, that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, ESV). Jesus is the Redeemer of the whole world not in that it was God’s intent that the whole world – every person without exception – be redeemed or saved by him, but in the sense that Jesus did not come to redeem Jews only, but people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. In other words, God did not send one redeemer for this people group, and another redeemer for that people group, and so on. No, there is only one mediator between God and man, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Why then does our catechism say that Christ Jesus is the “only Redeemer of God’s elect”? Our catechism teaches this because this is what the scriptures teach. God sent the Son, not to save every person without exception, but to atone for the sins of many from every tongue, tribe, and nation. This is the doctrine of predestination or election which was introduced to us in the previous question. This is also the doctrine of limited atonement, or better yet, particular redemption. Who did Christ come to Redeem? Who did he come to save? What was the will of the Father for him? Was he to atone for the sins of every person who has ever lived, or ever will live? Certainly not. Christ shed his blood for many, not all (Matthew 26:18), he laid his life for the sheep (John 10:15), and for the church, who is his bride (Ephesians 5:25). Christ came to do the Father’s will for him, which was to save for all eternity those given to him by the Father before the foundation of the world (John 17). 

This doctrine of predestination, or election, along with the doctrine of limited atonement, or better yet, particular redemption, is very clearly taught in the pages of Holy Scripture. And no, there is no contradiction with those passages that speak of God loving the world, or sending to the Son for all the world, provided those passages are interpreted properly. 

So, our catechism is very right to name the Lord Jesus Christ as “the only Redeemer of God’s elect …” 

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Who, Being The Eternal Son Of God, Became Man

After this, our catechism tells us more about who Jesus the Christ (Messiah) was and is. 

The answer continues, “who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was and continueth to be God and man, in two distinct natures and one person, forever.”

Here we have the doctrine of the incarnation briefly stated.  Who was Jesus Christ? He was, and is, the eternal Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity. 

When our catechism says that the eternal Son of God “became man” it does not mean that the Son was changed into man, but that he took upon himself a true human nature. God cannot become anything if by “become” we mean “was changed into”, for God cannot change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So whatever we think about the incarnation, we cannot think that God was changed into a man. No, he took on human nature without experiencing a change in the divine nature. All of this is beautifully and clearly stated in the scriptures, especially in John 1, and Colossians 2

All of this is clarified with these words: “and so was and continueth to be God and man, in two distinct natures and one person, forever.” When the Son became incarnate, he did not cease to be full and truly God. And when the Son became incarnate, we must also confess that he did really tackle upon himself true humanity. Jesus Christ, in other words, was not something less than fully divine in his divinity, nor was he something more than human in his humanity. In him – in the one person of Jesus Christ – there were united two natures, the divine nature and a human nature, and these two natures were distinct. They were not mixed so as to become some third thing. So then, in Christ, there were united two natures. These two natures were not mixed. But we must also say that Christ was not two persons. As it pertains to his personhood he is one. For his personhood was derived from his divinity. And so Christ is even now and will be for all eternity. 

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Conclusion

The doctrine of the incarnation is mysterious, isn’t it? It is difficult to comprehend. But it is important for us to confess, for it is the teaching of Holy Scripture. 

Let me conclude this little sermon by asking, why the incarnation? Why was it necessary for the Redeemer of God’s elect to be bolt God and man? The answer is rather simple. Humanity had to be redeemed by a true human. Where the first Adam failed a second Adam had to succeed. But there is a problem. All of humanity was plunged into sin and ruin by the first Adam so that none who descended from him were capable of saving the rest. None could be the Savior because all were in need of a Savior. And for this reason, the Redeemer of God’s elect had to be God himself. This is why the Son of God, who is called the eternal Word of God in John 1, took on flesh by being a virgin. And having come into the world, not by the seed of Adam, but by the power of God working, Christ the man did then live a sinless life, suffer, die the death of a sinner, rise, and ascend, not for himself only, but for all who were given to him by the Father in eternity.

Our catechism has a way of stating really big and really important truths in a very succinct way, doesn’t it? 

Q. 24. Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?

A. The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was and continueth to be God and man, in two distinct natures and one person, forever. (Gal. 3:13;1 Tim. 2:5; John 1:14; 1 Tim. 3:16; Rom. 9:5; Col. 2:9)

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 21:1-11, 22:21-27

“Now these are the rules that you shall set before them. When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out alone. But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever. When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do. If she does not please her master, who has designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has broken faith with her. If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her as with a daughter. If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights. And if he does not do these three things for her, she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money… [22:21] You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless. “If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him. If ever you take your neighbor’s cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.” (Exodus 21:1-11, 22:21–27, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Ephesians 6:5–9

“Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.” (Ephesians 6:5–9, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

In the previous sermon, I provided you with an overview of Exodus 21:1 through 23:19. In this large section of scripture, we learn about the civil laws given by God through Moses and to Isreal after he redeemed them from Egypt, and as he entered into a covenant with them at Sinai.

One question you might ask is this: why civil laws? Why not the moral law of the Ten Commandments only? Well, moral laws apply to individuals. It is by the moral law that all men and women will be judged at the end of time, if not in Christ. But we must remember that God redeemed the Hebrews from Egyptian bondage, not to live as individuals, but to make a great nation of them. Nations need civil laws. Civil laws (if they are good and just) take the moral law of God (as revealed in nature, and even more clearly in scripture) and establish what the penalties will be for crimes against persons.

Not every violation of God’s moral law should be considered a crime, mind you. It is a sin for a little child to disrespect their parents, but not a crime. It is a sin to tell a lie, but not a crime (unless an injury is done to another by the lie). It is a sin to covet your neighbor’s possessions, but not a crime. Civil laws establish what crimes are in a nation, and they also establish punishments according to the principle of an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, and life for life. In other words, civil laws are to be concerned with crimes against persons and with matters of restitution. Stated in yet another way, civil laws are to be concerned with matters of justice. Men and women are to be treated in a way that is right and just. Their person and their property are to be respected. And when an injury is done to a person or to their property, restitution is to be made by the guilty party. 

Whenever we consider the civil laws of Old Covenant Israel, I want you to keep something in mind. Old Covenant Israel was a holy nation like no other nation on earth. We can learn a great deal about matters of morality and justice from the civil law code which God gave to them, but their law code was peculiar in at least two ways. One, Old Covenant Israel was given civil laws pertaining to the right and proper worship of God under the Old Covenant. For example, idolatry was a crime in Old Covenant Isreal. But in common nations (like ours) that operate under the terms of the Noahic Covenant, civil laws ought to deal, not with matters of worship (except to leave men free to worship), but with crimes against persons only. Two, the punishments attached to the civil laws of Old Covenant Israel were sometimes unusually strict. Again, this is because they were a holy nation. The kingdom of God was prefigured on earth amongst them. The temple of God was in the midst of them, and there the glory of God was manifest. We must be open to the possibility, therefore, that the civil punishments attached to violations of the second table of the law were in some ways unusually strict. Remembering these two things will help to guard against the error of thinking that we should take the civil laws given to Old Covenant Israel and apply them unaltered and in exhaustive detail to our nation, or to some other nation, today.

Brothers and sisters, have you noticed how often I have warned against the misuse of the law of Moses, first in our consideration of the Ten Commandments, and now in our consideration of these civil laws given to Israel? We are studying the law of Moses because the law is good. But the law is only good for us provided that we interpret and apply it lawfully, to use the language of Paul in 1 Timothy 1:8. So please bear with me as I continue to install guardrails while providing teaching on the law of Moses. 

In brief, I hope you all agree that, on the one hand, these civil laws which were given by God, through Moses, and to Old Covenant Israel are not binding on us. But on the other hand, they are of great use to us as we seek to grow in our understanding of matters pertaining to general morality and universal justice. Our confession of faith communicated both of these truths well in 19.4. Speaking of the civil laws of the Old Mosaic Covenant, it says the “judicial [or civil] laws… expired together with the state of that people [Old Covenant Israel], not obliging any now by virtue of that institution; their general equity only being of moral use.” So, as I have said, on the one hand, these Old Covenant judicial or civil laws have expired with the Old Covenant and are no longer binding on anyone. But on the other hand, they are still of moral use. This means that we ought to consider them in a general way. And where there is agreement with the moral law (which is for all people), and where there is agreement with matters of ordinary justice (which all of the nations of the earth have been commanded to uphold under the Noahic Covenent), then it is binding upon us. But in those places where the civil laws of Old Covenant Israel were unique to them as God’s chosen and holy people, they are not binding.

We will be considering two sections: Exodus 21:1-11 and 22:21-27. Why are we considering these two sections together, though they are separated in the book of Exodus? I trust that you remember what was said last week regarding the structure of this section of Exodus which contains case laws. There are ten parts. They are structured in a chiastic way. The first portion matches the last. The second portion matches the second to last, and so on. And so I thought it would be best to preach on the corresponding parts together. 

a Kindness to servants (21:2-11)

b Capital offenses: “he shall be put to death” (21:12-17)

c Noncapital bodily assaults requiring restitution (21:18-27)

d Death or injury of a person by an animal (21:28-32)

e Loss of property due to an accident (21:33-36)
e’ Loss of property due to theft (22:1-9)

d’ Death, injury, or loss of animal by a person (22:10-15)

c’ Noncapital bodily offense: the seduction of a virgin (22:16-17)

b’ Capital offenses: “shall be put to death” (22:18-20)

a’ Kindness to aliens, widows, orphans, poor (22:21-27)

So what is the theme that unites the first and the last portion of this section of case laws for Old Covenant Israel? The first and last portions of this section demand that the poor, weak, and vulnerable within society be treated in a way that is just. Slaves (or servants, if you prefer) were to be treated justly within Old Covenant Israel – that is what is commanded in the first part. And so too, the sojourner, widow, orphan, and poor. The strong were not to oppress the weak. All men and women, no matter their position or status in society, were to be treated with dignity as image-bearers of God. 

This idea should sound familiar to you. Not long ago we learned that this is what the fifth of the Ten Commandments requires. The moral command to honor father and mother requires all men to preserve the honor, and perform the duties, belonging to everyone in their various places and relations, as superiors, inferiors, or equals (see Baptist Catechism 69). Here I am saying that these civil laws given to Israel are a specific application of that moral principle. If it is true that children are to honor their parents, then it is also true honor is to be shown to the weak and vulnerable within society, and here God commands it. 

So now I ask you, do these case laws of Exodus 21:2-11 and 22:21-27 apply to all nations, including ours? If you have been tracking with me, you should say, “yes” and “no”.  First, no. They are not meant to be taken as they are and adopted without alteration and applied with exact strictness by any other nation besides Old Covenant Israel. Now for the yes. Yes, every nation on earth has been called by God to enact and enforce just laws, and we may learn a great deal about matters of justice from these civil laws which God gave to Israel, all of which are rooted in God’s moral law. Though we are not to adopt Israel’s law code as our law code (for their circumstance was in some ways unique), we had better sure that our laws are just. Stated in a negative way, any nation that allows or perpetuates injustice – especially the unjust and oppressive treatment of the weak and vulnerable in their midst – will come under God’s condemnation, for all nations are accountable to God who sees all and judges rightly.  

There is a lot of talk today about “social justice”. “Social justice” is a hot topic within the world, and it is also a hot topic within the church. Should we as Americans, and should we as Christians, be concerned to promote justice within our society? Of course, we should! But please do not forget this very important (and rather obvious) truth. Before we can promote and uphold justice within our society we must know what justice is. And before we know what justice is, we must know what is right and wrong, good and evil. In other words, we must first know something of God’s moral law as revealed in nature, and ever more clearly in scripture, before we can get on with the task of building a just society. 

I find myself repulsed by most of what I hear from the “social justice warriors” of our time, not because I’m opposed to justice, but because I’m opposed to their understanding of what justice is. It seems to me that many in our day have an understanding of justice that is rooted, not in God’s moral law as revealed in nature and scripture, but in the understanding of the world put forth by figures like Darwin and Marx. In other words, it seems clear to me that the “social justice” movement that is prominent today (at least among the elites, in our institutions, and promoted by the media), is rooted, not in God, nor in his revelation of himself in nature and especially in Christ and in scripture, but in an atheistic and morally relativistic understanding of the world. 

Brothers and sisters, as Christians, we must not have anything to do with this. Should we seek justice in our land? Yes, indeed. Should we fight against injustice when we see it and when we have the power to do so? Yes, indeed. But you would be a fool to seek to promote justice or to fight against injustice without first understanding what it is. And you will do much more harm than good if you advocate for a form of justice that is rooted in anything other than God who is himself holiness, righteous, and just, and his moral law which he has revealed to us. 

I think you would all agree that the Ten Commandments are a great help to us. Here I am wanting to convince you that the civil laws which God gave to Old Covenant Israel are a great help to us too, for these laws were perfectly just.

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Exodus 21:1-11

Exodus 21:1-11 contains laws for Israel concerning the just treatment of slaves. I think you can see that I have my work cut out for me with the text that is before us today. The text is admittedly difficult. But in my opinion, it is difficult, not so much because of what it says, but because of the presuppositions that we bring to it.

I’m afraid it is difficult for modern people to read the word “slave” without thinking of the kind of slavery that was practiced in this land not long ago. Please hear me. The kind of slavery that was practiced in this country not long ago was unjust. I’m sure there were exceptions to the rule, but in general, the slavery that existed in this land was built upon the idea that some men and women were inherently inferior to others, men and women did not choose to be slaves, but were often stolen into slavery. They were often badly treated, even abused, and opportunity was rarely given for upward movement nor for eventual freedom. The kind of slavery that was practiced in this land not long ago was racist, brutal, and oppressive. It was unjust and worthy of condemnation. All of that is very important to acknowledge, I think. 

But this morning I will also ask you to consider the possibility that not all forms of slavery, or servitude, are unjust. Slavery can be unjust. Indeed, we might even say that slavery is often unjust. This is because the strong do tend to oppress the weak in this sinful world. But slavery is not inherently or necessarily unjust. In other words, it is not at all impossible to imagine a situation wherein one human being willingly, or out of necessity, commits himself or herself to the service of another human being for a time, for the betterment of their position in life, and are there treated with kindness, fairness, and in a way that us just, so much so that do not want to leave when given the opportunity. You may think that this is unrealistic or wishful thinking. And perhaps it is. But the point that I am here making is that the civil laws given to Old Covenant Israel demanded that servants be treated justly. Slavery, or servitude, was a reality in that agrarian society. And the Hebrews were forbidden from treating the servants in an oppressive way.

Consider this. All societies must address the question of what to do with the poor in their midst. There will always be rich and poor amongst us. Some are born into poverty. Some fall into poverty through circumstances outside their control. Others fall into poverty through foolish living. And some may do wrong to another – perhaps they harm them bodily, damage their property, or steal from them – and the law requires that restitution must be paid. As I have said, every society must deal with the problem of poverty. How will we treat the poor? How will we show honor and kindness to them? How will we provide for our fellow image-bearers if they are unable to provide for themselves? And if they are able to work, what opportunities should be afforded to them for the betterment of their position in life? All societies, if they are just, will care for the poor in their midst.

I think I could spend a great deal of time critiquing our approach here in this nation. I’m concerned that our minimum wage laws and our welfare system do more harm than good. I’m concerned that inexperienced and unskilled workers are sometimes pushed out of the workforce by minimum wage laws as businesses are forced to cut back on employees or to automate. I’m concerned that our welfare system, though it may appear to be caring on the surface, does in fact hinder its recipients by disincentivizing work in one way or another. It seems to me that the entire approach is very impersonal and inhumane. Those who fall destitute are not drawn in close to those who are successful and prosperous in society so that they might learn from them, and through them find a pathway to prosperity for themselves, but are in fact isolated. 

I draw your attention to these weaknesses in our system, not so much to propose solutions now (that is very large subject and outside the scope of this sermon) but to contrast the weakness of our system with the wisdom,  justice, kindness, and compassion of the laws which God gave to Israel. You see, we tend to look back upon these ancient laws with a kind of chronological snobbery. We see ourselves as being advanced and civilized. But sometimes I wonder if we have not de-volved as a people, morally speaking.

I want for you to notice six things about the laws concerning the just treatment of slaves (or servants) in Old Covenant Israel. 

One, the slavery that is being addressed here in this passage was voluntary. “When you buy a Hebrew slave…”, the text says. Hebrews were not sold into slavery by force, but by choice. If a Hebrew fell destitute, one option for him (or her) would be to contract with a more wealthy and prosperous person or family to serve them in their estate for a time. In this way, they could pay off their debts by working as indentured servants. It may be that a father would sell his daughter into this kind of servitude (I assume, with her consent) so as to provide a better future for her. This form of slavery was not racially motivated. It was not inherently oppressive. And it was certainly not the result of man stealing. In fact, Exodus 21:16. It says​,​ “Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death” (Exodus 21:16, ESV). Throughout the history of the world men and women have come to be slaves through man stealing, but this was utterly forbidden amongst the Hebrews, and punishable by death. What was this form of slavery (or servitude) all about then? It was a solution to the problem of poverty and indebtedness in that culture. Those who fell destitute and indebted in society for one reason or another had this option – they could sell themselves into the service of another fior a time. And the law of Moses here is concerned to insure that those in this weak and vulnerable position be not exploited, but honored. 

So then, this form of slavery was voluntary. Two, slavery was to be limited in time for the Hebrews. Verse 2 continues saying, “he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing.” (Exodus 21:2, ESV). So, there was a limit of six years. This follows the pattern of the weekly Sabbath. The servant was to work for six years, and in the seventh, he (or she) was to be released without any payment being required.

Three, the family was to be honored in this arrangement. Verse 3: “If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him” (Exodus 21:3, ESV). The agreement to become an indentured servant was not to disrupt the family. 

Four, the investment of the one who purchased the servant was also protected. You will notice this about the laws given to Israel. They are concerned that justice is shown to the poor and to the rich, to the weak and to the powerful. And that is the case here. Verse 4: “If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out alone” (Exodus 21:4, ESV). Here the law addresses a situation where a man comes to be a servant single and enters into marriage while a slave. Imagine that he has one year left on his contract and his new wife has 5 years remaining. Does the wife go free with the husband? The law says no. In other words, the marriage does not make the agreement made between the woman servant and her master null and void. This may sound strange to us, but really, it is not complicated. If we use the term “salary” it may be easier for us to see the justice in it. Can you imagine paying an employee up front for six years of work only to have her leave after two or three? It would not be fair to the employee, and neither would it be fair to the master in Old Covenant Israel. The wife would need to fulfill the terms of her agreement. This does not mean that marriage would be broken, only that the wife would be required to fulfill her obligations. 

Five, if a servant found himself in a situation where life in his master’s house was more desirable than a life of independence, he could willingly commit himself to his master permanently. Verse 5: “But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever” (Exodus 21:5–6, ESV). 

Why would a man choose to be a slave forever? Well, for the same reasons that you have chosen to be a slave of Christ. By God’s grace, you have come to see that Christ the Lord is a good, kind, and loving Master, that life in his household is far better than a life lived for yourself in the world and that in Christ your future hopes are much, much brighter than if you would choose to go your own way. 

Masters in Old Covenant Israel were to treat their servants in such a way that when the time came for freedom it was possible that they would not want to leave. Were they free to leave after six years (or after a shorter period of time, if that was agreed upon)? Yes. But slaves were to be honored so much so that some would choose to stay if the prospects for their future were brighter in their master’s household than if they were to take advantage of their freedom. Certainly, good and loving Masters and bondservants in Old Covenant Israel functioned as a picture of the Christ who was to come and of his church whom he purchased with his blood. 

Those who choose to remain in their master’s house for life would have their ear pierced to show that they were a servant for life. The symbolism is powerful. It was the ear that was to be pierced. And what do we do with the ear except listen? When the ear of the bondservant was pieced it signifies his commitment to listen to the voice of his master all the days of his life and to obey.  And where was his ear to be pierced? On the door post of his mater’s house. This signified the bondservant’s permanent attachment to that household. Again, this was the servant’s choice. When I consider this I think of it as a very warm and loving thing. Consider how good a master would have to be to his servant to move him to make such a commitment. And even it was not as warm and romantic as I imagine it to be, certainly, it cannot be called unjust.

Sixthly, the civil law of Israel was especially concerned to provide protection for women. 

Verse 7: “When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do” (Exodus 21:7, ESV). So a distinction was made between male and female servants. Greater protections were afforded to female servants. 

Verse 8: “If she does not please her master, who has designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people since he has broken faith with her…” (Exodus 21:8–9, ESV). This is an interesting verse, and a very important one, I think. Let me explain. It was possible that a master would enter into marriage with a female servant. If she did not please him for some reason, he was not to sell her to a foreign people but was to allow her to be redeemed. And then the text says, “since he has broken faith with her…” Other English translations say, “because he has dealt deceitfully with her…” (NKJV), or “because of his unfairness to her…” (NASB). 

Here is something very important that I want you to understand about the civil laws given to Old Covenant Israel.  Though it is true that they Israel’s civil laws were in some ways uncommonly strict (blatant violations of the first table of the moral law were crimes, and adultery was punishable by death, for example), it is also true not every sin – not every distortion of God’s ideal – was criminalized and punished civilly. No, sins and perversions of God’s ideal design for things were tolerated even in the society of Old Covenant Israel. This is crucial to understand. 

I have already made the obvious point that not all sins are crimes. Is it a sin for a child to lie to their parents? Yes. Is it a crime? No. It was not a crime in Old Covenant Israel, and it is not a crime in our nation, nor should it be. Men and women will stand before God and be judged for every sin at the end of time, if not united to Christ by faith. Until then, God does restrain evil in this world, in part, through civil governments, where crimes against persons are punished, not sins. In other words, the justice that is upheld here on earth is only partial. God will judge with perfect and complete justice at the end of time. 

What does that have to do with our verse? Well, clearly Exodus  21:8-9 is considering a situation where a man does wrong to a woman. He breaks faith with her, deals deceitfully with her, and treats her unfairly. Has he sinned against her and against God? Yes! Has he done something criminal? No. The law that is given here does not criminalize his immoral behavior, but it does provide protection for the woman to ensure that she is not treated in an unjust way. A husband did not have a right to sell his wife whom he had originally entered into a contractual agreement as a servant. Instead, she was to be set free through redemption. 

The civil laws of Israel (like ours) did not criminalize immorally. If everything immoral were criminalized then that society would not be able to function.  Instead, the civil laws of Old Covenant Israel did function to restrain evil and uphold a measure of justice amongst that holy nation, filled with sinners, some of whom were saved by grace. 

Listen, another example of this dynamic that is more well known is the civil laws of Old Covenant Israel regarding divorce. Did God permit divorce in Israel? Yes, he did. And why did he permit it? The scriptures are clear that divorce is not the ideal – divorce is not God’s design. Divorce was permitted because of the hardness of men’s hearts, Christ says. The laws of the Old Covenant allowed for divorce and regulated divorce, providing protection, especially for women, because of the wickedness of the hearts of men even within Old Covenant Israel. 

Two more scenarios are put forth regarding the special protection afforded to female indentured servants. First, in verse 9b we read, “If he designates her for his son [that is, to be his wife], he shall deal with her as with a daughter” (Exodus 21:9b, ESV). He was to deal with her as a daughter, not a servant. Second, in verse 10 we read, “If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights” (Exodus 21:10, ESV). As you probably already know, polygamy was tolerated in Old Covent Israel’s civil law. Is polygamy God’s design or ideal for marriage? No, two are to become one flesh. But polygamy was tolerated in Old Covenant Israel given its prominence in the ancient world. 

I think we must keep this principle of toleration in mind as we consider the civil laws of Old Covenant Israel. Though it is true that Israel was a holy nation, this does not mean that they were pure. They were special, yes. They were set apart to God in a unique way. But as you know there were many who were unbelieving, unregenerate, and even very wicked in the midst of them. Israel’s civil laws functioned in a similar way to ours. The civil laws of Israel did not aim to eradicate all sin, but they did seek to restrain it so that a degree of justice might be upheld within that society. I’m afraid that we sometimes ask too much of Israel’s civil laws, and therefore we misinterpret them. They were given to restrain sin, not to eradicate it. 

I’ll say one last thing about these laws regulating the treatment of indentured servants. I forget who said this, but we should remember that “the past is a foreign country, they do things differently there.” We should remember that when we read the Old Testament scriptures. The world was a very different place back then. Let us be humble as we consider these laws which were given to govern life in a world and culture much different than our own. 

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Exodus 22:21-27

Now, I’ve left very little time for Exodus 22:21-27. And really, I think that is fine. This section is much less controversial and much easier to understand. I’ll read it again to you and make only a few brief remarks. 

“You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless. If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him. If ever you take your neighbor’s cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.” (Exodus 22:21–27, ESV)

One, though it is true that Hebrew special protections were given to Hebrew citizens in these laws, foreigners were not to be oppressed. The Hebrews were to remember their time in Egypt and how they were unjustly treated as slaves in that land. They were not to do the same to the foreigners in their midst. No oppression. 

Two, the Hebrews were warned against taking advantage of the vulnerable in their midst, especially widows and fatherless children. Notice that the Lord himself threatens them. He will hear their cries for help and will take vengeance. 

Three, if a Hebrew was to lend money to a fellow Hebrew who was poor, interest was not be charged. As you probably know, this is one way that the rich may take advantage of the poor, though charging interest, especially exorbitant interest, on loans. This was forbidden amongst the Hebrews, especially when lending to the poor and destitute. 

Four,  concerning collateral taken for loans given, if the person was so poor that no other collateral could be given besides something as essential as their cloak, the cloak (or any other essential thing) was to be returned to them at night so that their life and health might be preserved.

Five, the Hebrews were to have compassion on the vulnerable people in their midst, be they slaves, sojourners, orphans, widows, or the poor, because God is compassionate. That is the reason that is given in verse 27. 

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Refections

You know, brothers and sisters, as I consider God’s moral law, along with the civil laws given to Old Covenant Israel, and compare them to what I see in our culture today, I’ll admit that I feel a bit sickened and overwhelmed by the immorality, injustice, and oppression that is so prevalent. But that is to be expected. We live in a fallen world, and so God’s law has a way of magnifying our sin.

The question is, what should we do about it? Three things:

One, pray and work to promote justice within society as you have opportunity and according to your giftedness and callings. 

Two, be sure that you treat others justly. Take no part in injustice or oppression. Show kindness to the needy around you. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Love your neighbor as yourself. 

Three, long for Christ’s return and the new heavens and earth that he will bring, in which righteousness dwells. Live for that world, brothers and sisters. Store up treasures there. Be good sojourners now. Be good citizens in this land. Do not neglect to do good in this place where the Lord has planted you. But remember, this is not your home. Long for and live for the inheritance which Christ has purchased by his obedient life, his shed blood, and his victorious resurrection. Be sure that you are found in him, united to him by faith, for there is salvation in no other name. 

Baptist Catechism 23

Q. 23. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?

A. God having out of His mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation, by a Redeemer. (Eph. 1:3,4; 2 Thess. 2:13; Rom. 5:21; Acts 13:8; Jer. 31:33)

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:3–10

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” (Ephesians 1:3–10, ESV)

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Introduction

The catechism has been all bad news from questions 16 through 22. In those questions and answers, we learned all about Adam’s sin and its terrible effects upon the whole of the human race. Here in question 23, we hear good news.

Again, the question: Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery? 

Before we go to the answer, it should be acknowledged that God would have been right to leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery. God would have done nothing wrong –  he would have been perfectly right and just – to leave men and women in their sins and to give them what they deserve. 

Now, for the good news. 

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The Good News

The first word in the answer to our question is “God…” That is significant. If mercy and grace were to be shown to man, if salvation were to be provided, God had to take the initiative. God had to act. In other words, man in sin is in a helpless and hopeless state of being.

Next, our catechism says, “having…” “God having…” Having is past tense, notice. So we are about to learn about something that God did “before” Adam fell into sin. I say “before” knowing that that is not a completely accurate way of speaking about God’s determination to offer grace to fallen man, for God is not bound by time in the way we are. Soon, we will learn that God determined to show grace to man “in eternity”. That is the more accurate way to put it.  

Back to our answer: “God, having out of His mere good pleasure…” our catechism says. The words, “out of his mere good pleasure” speak to what motivated God. What motivated God to show grace to sinful man? Was it something deserving in man? Did someone convince, or pressure God to show grace? No. God determined to show grace from within himself, “out of his mere good pleasure.”  The most famous of all Bible verses, John 3:16, speaks to this when it says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, ESV). What “moved” the Father to send the Son to accomplish redemption? The perfection of his love moved him to provide a savior. In other words, it was not something outside of God that moved him, but something from within, namely, the perfection of his love. 

When did God determine to show grace to fallen man? Here it is stated with precision. “From all eternity”, our catechism says. This truth that God determined to save sinners “before” Adam sinned and “from all eternity” is found in many places in the scriptures. In my mind, the clearest of these texts are the ones that contain the phrase, “before the foundation of the world”. Clearly, these texts are  speaking about something that happened before the heavens, earth, and even time itself were made. 

In Ephesians 1:4 we learn that God “chose [those who believe]  in [Christ]  before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him” (Ephesians 1:4, ESV). 1 Peter 1:20 says that “[Christ] was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you…” (1 Peter 1:20, ESV). In John 17:24 we hear the prayer of Jesus to the Father, wherein he says, “I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24, ESV). Lastly, in Revelation 13:8 we hear about “the book of life of the Lamb who was slain” that was “written before the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8, ESV).

All of these texts clearly teach that God determined to show grace to sinners and to bring them to salvation through a redeemer, Christ the Lord, before the world was made, before man fell into sin, and in eternity.

What in particular did God do in eternity? Our catechism is right to say that he “elected some to everlasting life…” This is the doctrine of election or predestination which is so clearly taught in holy scripture. 

Again, Ephesians 1:4 says that God “chose us in [Christ]  before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him” (Ephesians 1:4, ESV). Verses 5 and 6 continue, saying, “he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:5–6, ESV).

There are many other places where this doctrine is taught. In John 17 Jesus speaks of those given to him by the Father in eternity. In Colossians 3:12, those in Christ are called “chosen ones”. Romans 8:33, 9:11, 11:7, 2 Timothy 2:10, Titus 1:1, 1 Peter 1:1, and 2 Peter 1:10 all use the language of election to refer to the believer. Those who are united to Christ by faith are said to be the elect or elected by God. This is another way of saying that those who place their faith in Christ in time were first chosen by God in eternity. 

And I suppose now would be a good time to remind you of what motivated God to choose, elect, or predestine some (and to leave others in their sin).  It was not something deserving in the creature, but out of God’s mere good pleasure. In other words, this election was by the grace of God alone. There is no room for boasting, therefore. And this is what Paul so famously says in Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9, ESV).

So we have learned about what God did in eternity. Now we will learn about what God has done in time.

“God having out of His mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation, by a Redeemer.”

When and with whom was this covenant of grace made? Not within God in eternity, but between God and man in time.  

If we wish to be more precise (which is in fact important here) we must say that this covenant of grace was ratified when Jesus Christ lived, died, rose again and ascended to the Father. That is when the covenant of grace was made. But we must also admit that the saving power of this covenant was present in the world before Christ’s death and resurrection. Indeed, the saving power of this covenant of grace was present in the world even in the days of Adam. Shortly after Adam fell into sin a promise was made that God would provide a Savior who would, in the fulness of time, arise from the offspring of the women. 

All who have ever been saved from their sins – be it Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, or any other who lived in their days – were saved by faith in the promised Messiah.   

The covenant of grace is the New Covenant of which Jeremiah 31:31 spoke. The covenant of grace is the one mediated by Christ. It is the one that instituted on the night he was betrayed, saying, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And taking a cup, and having given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:26–28, ESV). It is this covenant, the New Covenant, that is the Covenant of Grace. This covenant alone provides for the forgiveness of sins through faith in Christ, the mediator of this covenant, who atoned for sins through the shedding of his blood. 

We have already learned about covenants. Remember, a covenant of works was made with Adam in the garden. It is called a covenant of works because Adam had to work (or obey) to obtain the blessing of that covenant. Why then is the New Covenant called the Covenant of Grace? It is because in this covenant the work has been done for us by Christ. The only thing for us to do is to believe, and we have already heard in Ephesians 2:8 that the ability to believe is itself a gift from God. 

This covenant – the Covenant of Grace – is not a covenant of works for us. It is a covenant of grace. In this covenant, God has promised to “deliver [his elect] out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation, by a Redeemer.“

Please allow me to make just a few remarks about the phrases, “to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation, by a Redeemer.”

One, notice the language of “estate” again. Man was created in an estate of innocence. When man sinned, he fell into an estate of sin and misery. But those who have faith in the promised Messiah are brought into another state of being. They are transferred into an estate of salvation. 

Our confession of faith calls this estate “the state of grace”.  Listen to the way 2LCF 9.4 describes this state of being. “When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, he frees him from his natural bondage under sin, and by his grace alone enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good; yet so as that by reason of his remaining corruptions, he does not perfectly, nor only will that which is good, but does also will that which is evil.”

Two, our catechism does not only talk about the estate that the elect are brought into when they believe upon Christ, but also the estate from which they are freed, namely the estate of sin and misery.  Again, in the Covenant of Grace God promises to “deliver [his elect] out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation, by a Redeemer.”

Thirdly, notice that this salvation is obtained, not by works, but through faith in a Redeemer, Christ Jesus the Lord. 

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Conclusion

So here is the good news. Though man fell into sin and was hopelessly lost in an estate of sin and misery, having “lost communion with God”, being “under His wrath and curse”, and being “made liable to all the miseries of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever”, “God having out of His mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation, by a Redeemer.” The Redeemer is Christ the Lord. “whoever believes in him [will] not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (John 3:16–18, ESV).

Old Testament Reading: Selections From Exodus 21:1-22:27

“Now these are the rules that you shall set before them. When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing.” (Exodus 21:1–2, ESV)

“Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death.” (Exodus 21:12, ESV)

“When men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist and the man does not die but takes to his bed, then if the man rises again and walks outdoors with his staff, he who struck him shall be clear; only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall have him thoroughly healed.” (Exodus 21:18–19, ESV)

“When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner of the ox shall not be liable. But if the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not kept it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death.” (Exodus 21:28–29, ESV)

“When a man opens a pit, or when a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, the owner of the pit shall make restoration. He shall give money to its owner, and the dead beast shall be his.” (Exodus 21:33–34, ESV)

“If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall repay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.” (Exodus 22:1, ESV)

“If a man gives to his neighbor a donkey or an ox or a sheep or any beast to keep safe, and it dies or is injured or is driven away, without anyone seeing it, an oath by the LORD shall be between them both to see whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor’s property. The owner shall accept the oath, and he shall not make restitution.” (Exodus 22:10–11, ESV)

“If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife. If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride-price for virgins.” (Exodus 22:16–17, ESV)

“You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless. If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him. If ever you take your neighbor’s cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.” (Exodus 22:21–27, ESV)

New Testament Reading: James 1:27

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1:27, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

We have come now to what is probably the most neglected portion of the book of Exodus. The narrative of Exodus 1 through 18 is well known and much loved. The story contained there of the birth and deliverance of Moses, his forsaking of Egypt, his encounter with God in the burning bush, his commission, the ten plagues, the Passover, the parting of the Red Sea, and God’s leading of Israel into the wilderness, is truly epic. Chapters 19 and 20 are also well-known and much loved. There God appears to Israel at Sinai and begins to enter into a covenant with them. He appears to them in a most awesome and glorious way. He speaks his moral law to them with a thunderous voice. The people tremble, fear, stand afar off, and beg that no further word be spoken to them, requesting that Moses mediate between them and God. 

Chapters 21 through 24, which we are just now being to study, go together with chapters 19 and 20. All together Exodus chapters 19 through 24 tell us about the covenant that God made with Israel through Moses. The covenant was introduced or proposed in chapter 19. In chapter 20 God spoke his moral law from Sinai with his own voice – this moral law served as the foundation for all other laws in this covenant. But in Exodus 20:22 through 23:19 God gives more laws to Israel to govern them as a society. These laws are about worship and civil affairs. Finally, the covenant is confirmed in Exodus chapter 24. 

I’ll admit, this portion of Exodus is not nearly as exciting as the story which preceded it – at least not on the surface. And not only is this portion of scripture less exciting, it also seems very foreign to those of us living so long after the Old Mosaic Covenant has passed away, having been fulfilled by Christ. 

So it is somewhat understandable that this section of the book of Exodus is neglected by those who live now, not under the Old Covenant, but under the New. Notice I said “somewhat”. Also, I said “understandable”, not “acceptable”. In a moment I will tell you why we ought to pay very careful attention to these civil and ceremonial laws given to Old Covenant Israel. But for now, I wish to acknowledge that there is a sense in which these laws are not for us. 

These laws were given to Old Covenant Israel to govern them as a nation. Old Covenant Israel was not a common nation, but a holy nation. There are some civil laws that God gave to Israel which were unique to them, therefore, and should not be adopted by common nations. Sabbath-breakers were to be put to death in Old Covenant Israel. So too were idolaters and false prophets. Here I am simply saying that this law code along with its punishments was given by God through Moses to Israel to govern them as a nation under the Old Covenant. It would be wrong to assume that God’s intention was for the civil laws of Israel, along with their civil penalties, to be adopted without alteration by all nations. Nowhere does the text say this. Nowhere is this suggested in the scriptures. In fact, the context in which these laws were given to Israel makes it quite clear that these laws were given to govern them as God’s special people. Israel is here entering into a special covenantal relationship with YHWH. No other nation on earth before or after could claim this. As I have said, these civil laws were given by God, through Moses, to Israel, to govern them under the Old Covenant. Just as we are not obligated to obey the laws given to Israel pertaining to worship at alters (20:22-26), the observance of festival days (23:10-19), or worship at the tabernacle through the priesthood (25-30), neither are we obligated to take these civil laws and to apply them with exact strictness in the common nations in which we now live. This would be a grave mistake. I belabor this point a little because there is a movement known as theonomy which is currently gaining popularity amongst the Reformed which makes this error. It is a misinterpretation of scripture, and it is contrary to our confession of faith (see Second London Confession Of Faith chapter 19).  

At this point, some may wonder how it is that we can claim that God’s moral law as summarized in the Ten Commandments is still binding on us, whereas these civil and ceremonial laws are not. I’ve spoken about this issue before. Many arguments can be made for the permanence of the moral law as summarized in the Ten Commandments, and the abrogation of the civil and ceremonial laws of the Old Covenant. The strongest of these arguments come from our consideration of the New Testament and the way in which Christ and his Apostle spoke concerning the law of Moses. Clearly, they taught that the moral law remains binding, whereas the civil and ceremonial have been fulfilled by Christ and thus taken away. For now, I wish only to draw your attention (once more) to the distinction that is made in the book of Exodus itself between the Ten Commandments and the rest of the laws given to Israel through Moses. God spoke the Ten Commandments with his own voice. He revealed them first. And later in Exodus, we will learn that he wrote the Ten Commandments with his own finger on tablets of stone to be kept in the ark of the covenant. The rest of the laws given to Israel were revealed in a different way. They were added later. They were revealed through Moses the mediator. This does not make them less inspired or less important. But it does make a distinction for us. God’s moral law is most fundamental. It is everlasting, unchanging, and universally binding. And to this moral God added ceremonial laws to govern Israel’s worship and civil laws government of the people. 

So, there is a good reason why when we read the Ten Commandments they seem so familiar to us, and when we read the ceremonial and civil laws that follow, they seem to be foreign. These civil and ceremonial laws that were given to Israel to govern them under the Old Covenant are foreign to us. The culture of Israel (and of the surrounding nations) is foreign to us. Their special covenantal relationship with God is foreign to us. But please hear me. It would be a terrible mistake to ignore the civil and ceremonial laws of the Old Covenant. There is so much to learn from them concerning matters of morality, justice, and even our salvation in Christ Jesus. For this reason, we will not skip over or rush through this portion of scripture but will come back to it next week to move rather slowly through the laws of Exodus 20:21-23:19.

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The Structure Of Exodus 21:1-23:19

In this sermon today I would like to provide you with an overview of this portion of Exodus. And I think the best way to do this is to draw your attention to the structure of Exodus 21:1-23:19. I think knowing something about the structure of this large section will help us to better understand the individual parts. 

As you read Exodus 21:1-23:19 you can sense that there is a structure to it, but it is not immediately apparent what that structure is. I found David Dorsey’s book, “The Literary Structure Of The Old Testament” to be helpful here. He shows that Exodus 21:2-23:19 is divided into two large sections. 

Firstly, we find case laws in 21:2-22:27. In case law examples of legal cases are given which then serve as a precedent for future legal decisions. Case laws say, here is what you are to do in this situation. And then it is up to judges, governors, and kings to apply the principles in the one case to others as they arise. This requires wisdom. Case laws are typically presented with the language of “if/then” or “when”. You can clearly see that language in 21:2-22:27.  

Secondly, we find imperatival laws in 22:28-23:19. Imperitaival laws are stated with imperatives or commands. Imperatival laws are stated with the words, “you shall…”, or “you shall not…” If you look at 22:28 you can see the beginning of the “you shall…”, and “you shall not…”, imperatival formula. 

So there are two large sections within Exodus 21:2-23:19. The first contains case law, and the second contains imperatival law. And both of these sections are highly structured. I’d like to show you the structure of each, not to fill your minds with useless information, but one, to help you have a clear understanding of this portion of scripture, and two, so that you might see where the emphasis is placed in these laws which God gave to Israel. Literary structure is often used to bring clarity to a passage, and also to place emphasis on some things over others. 

Both of these sections containing case laws and imperatival laws are structured chiastically. This means that in each section the first part mirrors the last, the second part mirrors the second to last, the third part mirrors the third to last, and so on. Diagrammed out, the passage looks like a “V” laid down on its side so that it points to the right. In a chiastic structure, everything leads up to a central point, and then descendants back down from there in a symmetrical way. And so it is with the case laws of Exodus 21:2-22:27, and the imperatival laws of Exodus 22:28-23:19. 

Consider now the literary structure of the case laws of Exodus 21:2-22:27.

a Kindness to servants (21:2-11)

b Capital offenses: “he shall be put to death” (21:12-17)

c Noncapital bodily assaults requiring restitution (21:18-27)

d Death or injury of a person by an animal (21:28-32)

e Loss of property due to an accident (21:33-36)
e’ Loss of property due to theft (22:1-9)

d’ Death, injury, or loss of animal by a person (22:10-15)

c’ Noncapital bodily offense: the seduction of a virgin (22:16-17)

b’ Capital offenses: “shall be put to death” (22:18-20)

a’ Kindness to aliens, widows, orphans, poor (22:21-27)

We could probably spend a lot of time analyzing this structure. I’ll make only a few remarks, for the sake of time. 

One, notice that this section containing case laws is divided into ten parts. This matches the Ten Commandments. I think we are to see that these civil case laws are rooted in God’s moral law. 

Two, in his book on the literary structure of the Old Testament, Dorsey notes that when a passage is structured in a symmetrical or chiastic way and consists of an even number of parts (like this one does), then the emphasis tends to be placed, not in the middle (or peak) of the chiasm, but at the beginning and end of the symmetrical pattern. This makes sense, doesn’t it? When the symmetrical pattern consists of an odd number of parts, the whole thing comes to a sharp point (a, b, c, b’, a’). The emphasis is often placed upon what is said in the middle of the chiasm. But when there are an even number of parts, the passage does not really come to a point or peak but is blunted (notice how in this passage e and e’ (prime) share the middle). And indeed, when we consider the content of this section we find that the emphasis is placed at the beginning and end of this chiasm. Notice how things move from most serious (crimes punishable by death) to less serious (the loss of property due to accident) in points b through e, and then from less serious (the loss of property due to theft) back down to most serious (sins punishable by death in Israel) in parts e’ through b’. 

Three (and this is the thing that I really wanted to show you), this even-numbered chiastic structure of Exodus 21:2-22:27, which places the emphasis (or stress) at the beginning and end, starts by demanding that kindness be shown to servants and ends by demanding that kindness be shown to aliens, widows, orphans, and the poor. 

This might sound strange to you, but this brought tears to my eyes when I saw it. The first set of civil laws which God gave to Israel as a nation begin and end with this emphasis – you must care for the weak and vulnerable among you. Treat them justly. Do not oppress them, but seek their well-being. Remember that you were slaves and sojourners in Egypt. Do not oppress or mistreat the slaves and the sojourners who dwell in the midst of you, therefore.   

Laws concerning the just and kind treatment of slaves, aliens, widows, orphans, and the poor are mentioned first and last. In other words, they are stressed or emphasized.  Again, the pattern in this chiastic structure is clearly from most serious to least, and then back down again from least to most serious. And what is emphasized as being the most serious thing of all for Israel as it pertains to their treatment of one another in society? Do not take advantage of the weak and vulnerable among you! Care for them! Seek their prosperity. Threat them justly! Do not oppress.  

As I have said, the imperatival laws of Exodus 22:28-23:19 are also structured as a chiasm. This section is made of seven parts, though (an odd number), and so we will find that the emphasis is placed, not at the beginning and end, but in the middle.

Consider now the literary structure of the imperatival laws of Exodus 22:28-23:19.   

a Responsibilities to God (22:28-30)
(tribute from crops and herds; no other gods)

b Do not eat meat torn by wild animals (22:31)
(do not scrounge for food; God will provide for you as his holy people) 

c Justice upheld (favoritism not to be shown to the poor in a lawsuit) (23:1-3)

d CENTER: Kindness to personal enemies (23:4-5)

c’ Justice, especially for the poor (23:6-9)

b’ Do not eat sabbath year produce (23:10-12)

(leave it for animals; Sabbath rest; God will provide)

a’ Responsibilities to God 23:13-19)

(tribute from crops and herds; no other gods)

Please allow me to say just a few words about the structure of this section, before concluding with suggestions for application. 

One, this section follows the pattern of the Ten Commandments moving from laws pertaining to the worship and honoring of God to the honoring of our fellow man. Do you see it? Love God. Honor him with your produce, your children, and your flocks. Trust him to provide as you keep his commandments. And your love for God must manifest itself also in your love for neighbor. Uphold justice for both the rich and the poor – show no partiality. Yes, even do what is right to those you consider an enemy within society. “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him” (Exodus 23:4, ESV).

Two, I have said that stress is placed here, not on the responsibilities we have before God, but on the love we are to show to our fellow man – yes even our personal enemies. By that, I do not mean that love for man is to have priority over love for God. No, what I mean is that in this section of scripture which is about the civil laws given to Old Covenant Israel, stress is placed upon the proper and just treatment of others within society. Do you love God? Then you must fulfill your obligations to him, and you must also love your neighbor by doing what is just and right no matter if they are high or low, friend or foe. That is where the laws the imperatival laws of Exodus 22:28-23:19 take us.    

Three, taken together these two sections (the case laws and the imperatival laws) do away with every excuse that men and women may give for the unjust treatment of another human being. Some might say,  I can oppress them because they are weak and I am strong. Or, I can act unjustly against them because I am poor and they are rich. Or, I am permitted to do him wrong because he is my enemy. When God began to give Israel her civil laws, he said “no” to all of this. He stressed that the weak and vulnerable in society are to be honored, not exploited; that justice is to be upheld always for the rich man and the poor man; and that we are to do what is right and good before God, even towards those we consider to be our personal enemies.    

I know that this sermon was a bit unusual in that I have dealt with a very large portion of scripture in a very general way. We will return to Exodus 21 and look a bit more carefully at verses 1-11 next Sunday, Lord willing. But hope you have benefited from this overview of the section of scripture that is before us. Having considered the whole, I do hope that we will be in a better position to consider the parts. And more than this, I hope you have been struck by the emphasis that is placed upon the obligation we have to care for the poor and vulnerable within our midst and to uphold justice within the societies in which we live. The civil laws that God gave to Israel demanded this, and I am saying that all nations have an obligation to do the same – to protect the vulnerable, cease all forms of exploitation, and uphold justice always. 

 *****

Suggestions For Application

So how, in particular, are we to apply this portion of Holy Scripture to our own lives today? I will make suggestions for application under two headings: First, politically. Second, personally. 

Politically

First, let us seek to apply the truths of Holy Scripture politically, that is to say, within the context of our own society. 

Some of you may be thinking to yourselves, did he forget what he said earlier about these laws being for Israel and not for us, and his strong opposition to the theonomists who wish to take these laws and apply them in exhaustive detail in our nation today? 

No, I have not forgotten about that. Though it is very important for us to remember that this law code was given to Old Covenant Israel, and not to any other nation on earth, it is also important for us to consider the just and morally upright laws that were given to Israel so that we might formulate and uphold just and morally upright laws of our own in this nation – laws that are fitting to our particular circumstances and our status before God as a common (not a holy) nation. 

Great care must be taken as we contemplate these things. 

One, we should remember that in Old Covenant Israel church and state were united together by the command of God in a way not true of any other nation on earth. This is why external violations of the first table of the moral law were considered to be civil crimes punishable even by death.  Sabbath-breakers, false prophets, and idolaters were to be put to death in Old Covenant Israel. We ought not to seek to impose these laws in this common nation, or any other, where church and state, elder and Emporer, are given distinct spheres of responsibility and jurisdiction by God.  

Two, some of the laws given to Old Covenant Israel were given to them to govern the realities of the world in which they lived. In the ancient world, for example, slavery or servitude was a reality. We will come to talk about this in detail next Sunday, Lord willing. Here I am simply saying that the existence of laws regulating slavery in Old Covenant Israel does not mean that slavery ought to be instituted in our society. No, these laws regulated slavery (which was different from the form of slavery that existed in this country not long ago), to ensure that it would be just, for the betterment of the poor, and to forbid all forms of abuse and exploitation. Again I say that the laws concerning slaves regulated the way things were in the ancient world. That is how the economy worked, and these laws did not seek to change that but to ensure that justice would be upheld in Israel.   

Three, though we must take great care to see the uniqueness of Old Covenant Israel and her laws, we must also be careful to observe those moral and just principles contained within Israel’s laws so that we might grow in moral maturity ourselves and be useful in the societies in which we live as we seek to promote justice, peace, and prosperity among all men.  

Please hear me: The civil law code of the Old Testament is not binding on us, but it is of great use to us, for in it we see the holiness, wisdom, justice, and goodness of God displayed. This law code was for Old Covenant Israel only. Not even modern-day Israel should seek to implement it in exhaustive detail, for the Old is gone and the New has come. But all of the nations of the earth may learn from these civil laws, for they are rooted in truth, are morality pure, and perfectly just. 

These laws were given by God, to Israel through Moses. These laws are perfectly upright and just, therefore. The nations of the earth should take notice. 

Yes, the nations of the earth may also consider God’s moral law as revealed in nature when seeking to establish and uphold just laws of their own. All can see plainly that there is God who is to be worshipped, and that men should do unto others as they would have others do unto them. These obvious truths and their implications should be enough to provide societies with a foundation upon which to build their judicial systems, wherein men are left free to worship God, and wherein those who commit crimes against persons are punished with proportionate penalties – an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life (or some other agreed-upon form of restitution). This is what we call retributive justice. Yes, there is enough light in the light of nature to enable societies to wisely build their judicial systems, leaving men and women free to worship and to provide a living for themselves, while also punishing evildoers. But here I wish to say to our fellow citizens, to our lawmakers, law enforcers, and politicians (as if any are listening), look to the Holy Scriptures. Consider the Ten Commandments in your quest for the truth regarding what is right and wrong, good and evil. The light of nature reveals it, but the light is so much brighter in the Scriptures. And consider how God applied these Ten Commandments to govern Israel as a society when he gave them their civil laws. You cannot adopt them in total as you make and enforce the laws of this land, for we are not Old Covenant Israel. But we can look upon them to consider them so that we might grow mature in matters of morality and justice.

I highly doubt that any of our politicians will ever hear my voice. But you are listening, brothers and sisters. And here is the challenge that I would give to you – learn to think biblically, carefully, and critically about matters of morality and justice and the political issues that we face in our day and age.  

I think it is especially important for Christians in this country today to break free from the partisan politics of left against right, Democrat versus Republican. Yes, at the end of the day we will likely be presented with one of these two options in the voting booth. And yes, the Republican Party does tend to stand for so-called Judeo-Christian values more than those who have “D” by their name. But really, this is a rather shallow way of looking at things. In my estimation, there is plenty of blame to go around. Both parties fall far short of God’s standards. Unplug from the partisan politics, brothers and sisters. Unplug from the propaganda. And become students of Holy Scripture as it pertains to matters of justice so that you might better pray for this nation, and if this Lord has called you to it, work for the betterment of this society in the political realm.

You know, I will admit that I feel a sense of frustration regarding the moral and political state of this nation. Evil is all around. The government has grown so big, so distant, and our laws so complex, that it feels as if very little can be done by the common citizen to bring about any real and lasting change. Two things comfort me, the first far more than the second.

One,  I serve a God who is Sovereign over all, who is working all things for the good of those who love him, who are called according to his purposes. He is establishing an eternal kingdom than cannot be shaken. The gates of hell will not prevail against it. Through faith in Jesus Christ the Lord, I am a citizen of that kingdom now, and I await the consummation of all things, the new heavens and earth. Whatever happens here – no matter how good or bad things get – that will not change, for God is faithful, he will surely do it. I trust that you all have the same confidence.

Two, I do also take some comfort in the fact that I can, by the grace of God,  control what I think, say, and do. And I have some ability to impact those around me, perhaps even our local community. As it pertains to the betterment of society, the upholding of morality, and the pursuit of justice, this is where we must aim – not at the globalists; not at the elites in Washington; not even at the technocrats – they are so far beyond our range. We must focus our attention on those people and institutions right in front of us. 

Husbands, love and lead your wives. Parents, raise your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Brothers and sisters, love one another. Fellow citizens, love your neighbors as yourself. Do good to all, especially to those who believe. Yes, be aware of what is going on in the world. Do not be naive! And then focus your love and attention on what is right before you and within your reach. Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.     

Personally

So I have spoken a little to the political. Let me now offer some suggestions for personal application. 

Brothers and sisters, we should love and contemplate God’s law. All of it. The moral, civil, and ceremonial. I’m afraid God’s law has been neglected by many within the church today. But our opinion should be that of King David who loved God’s law deeply and cried out to God, saying, “Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments” (Psalm 119:5–6, ESV). Yes, David was under the law in a way that we are not. He was obliged to keep the civil and ceremonial. But we too should love God’s laws and fix our eyes upon them, not to be saved – for salvation comes by grace alone through faith alone – but so that we might grow in maturity, wisdom, and obedience. 

Secondly, as we consider the civil laws which God gave to Israel, we must be careful to treat others in a way that is good, right, and just, even if those in our society do not. There is a great deal for us to learn from the civil laws given to Israel. Yes, we should long to see our society embrace God’s moral law and to enact and enforce laws that are just. But even if they do not, we do have an opportunity to treat others in a way that is good, honorable, and just. As we do, we will shine as lights in the darkness more brightly, and the gospel we proclaim will be adorned with beauty as men and women observe our good deeds. 

Thirdly, do be especially mindful of the weak and vulnerable in our society and in our midst so that we might be careful to protect them, provide for them, so far as we are able. As I have demonstrated, concern for the oppressed and vulnerable was emphasized when God gave Israel her civil laws. Here again Exodus 22:21-27, and with this we close. “You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless. If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him. If ever you take your neighbor’s cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate” (Exodus 22:21–27, ESV).

 Our God is kind and compassionate. May the Lord enable us to be kind and compassionate too.