Living As God's Holy, Consecrated People (Exodus 22:16-30) Series

Really, what God is saying here, is encouraging you to not live in fear. God is trustworthy. God will make sure you have enough. So don't delay your giving.

Verse 28, second line:

The firstborn of your sons give to me.

(29) Likewise you shall do for your oxen, for your sheep and goats.

Seven days it shall be with its mother.

On the eighth day you shall give it to me,

God claims the firstborns for himself. This doesn't mean that Israel practiced child sacrifice. Families sacrificed an animal, in the firstborn son's place. But God claims the first fruits, and firstborns, for himself.

Doing so is a reminder that we live, because God provides for us. It forces us to live in faith-- to trust that there will be another newborn ox, and sheep, and goat. That God can be trusted, down the road.

Verse 30:

(30) while/and a holy/consecrated people you shall be to me, ["a holy people" is focused]

while/and meat in the field-- a mangled carcass-- you shall not eat.

To the dogs you shall throw it.

There's a show on TV, apparently, called "Alone." People are dropped into remote parts of Alaska, and it's a contest to see who can survive the longest.

The one episode I watched of this, had two people finding dead animals, and picking out the worms, and eating them. It was dangerous, and super gross. They were like humming and smiling while they ate. And everyone watching is trying not to puke, while reading the little disclaimer at the bottom of the screen about how you can get flesh-eating bacteria by doing stupid stuff like this.

God doesn't want his people to live like animals. We are not like dogs, or vultures. Part of living a holy life, is eating good foods. And even if those things are technically "clean" for us today as NT Christians, I'd think twice before turning a mangled carcass into goose jerky.

So that's this week's passage. God has clear expectations, in lots of areas of life. But let me leave you, focusing on the things that will get you killed under the Mosaic covenant. Sorcery, worshipping other gods, and bestiality, will get you killed by your fellow Israelites. Mistreating orphans and widows will get killed, by outsiders. Foreigners will come, and kill the men, and leave make your wives into widows, and your kids into orphans.

Those are the things that make God really angry. Those are things that will turn him against us. So let's be a people who live in a way that respects and honors God. Doing so, is how we live as God's holy, consecrated people.

Translation:

(16) and when a man allures/coaxes/deceives a virgin

who hasn't been bethrothed,

and he lies with her, he shall surely/in fact pay the marriage price for him for a wife.

(17) If her father surely/in fact refuses to give her to him, silver/money he shall weigh out equivalent to the bride-price of the virgin.

One practicing sorcery you shall not allow to live.

(18) Everyone lying with a domestic animal shall surely/in fact be put to death.