Our passage this morning, Exodus 22:16-30, covers a lot of ground. God has really clear expectations for his people in lots of areas of life. And this passage, covers lots of those areas. So this isn't going to be the kind of sermon that's neat and tidy. But I think what we will read, will prove helpful to us in lots of different ways.
Let's start by reading Exodus 22:16-17:
(16) and when a man allures (Hosea 2:16)/coaxes/deceives (1 Kings 22:21; Jeremiah 20:7) 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.
There's a lot about the mechanics of marriage that we don't know for sure in ancient Israel. When everyone knows how a man and woman come together, and what exactly it looks like for a man to leave his parents, and be joined to a woman, there's not much sense explaining it.
We know that marriages were usually arranged for daughters. We know that the parents had a lot of say in who the groom would be. We can assume that the daughter herself had some input into this (Genesis 24:8; 24:58). But we don't know everything, and it's like putting together a puzzle that's missing pieces (Genesis 24; 34).
But here's some of what we know. The most desirable of all women, for marriage, were virgins (Genesis 24:16).
We can guess about why that is: (1) They have less emotional baggage; (2) they've never given their hearts and bodies to another man; (3) they are godly, and pure, and probably more likely to be faithful to their husbands.
If you're a man, it's not necessarily the case that you won't marry a non-virgin. But that would be plan B.
Now, the law here views things from the father's perspective. Every good daughter is valuable to her dad. In ancient Israel, children are viewed as a financial blessing, and not a burden. The daughter can help in the fields and in the home. She is part of his strength. When a dad loses his daughter in marriage to someone else, he loses a lot. And the bridal price compensates the dad for this loss. It's not that the dad "sells" his daughter. The English language just fails us here; we don't have a good way to talk about it. But the groom-to-be compensates the dad. And if the daughter is a virgin, the compensation goes up.
So that's how it's supposed to work. The virgin daughter saves herself for her husband-- who hopefully saves himself for her as well.
But sometimes a virgin doesn't wait. Sometimes a guy will come along, and "coax" her, or "allure" her, or "deceive" her, into giving her body to him. Maybe he tells her he loves her. Maybe he promises her, that he will absolutely marry her a month from now-- but in the meantime, they might as well enjoy each other.
If the virgin who isn't betrothed gives in, and gives herself to the guy, it's not adultery. It's not a sin that will lead to death. But it's a sin that causes loss to the dad, and possibly to the woman. As a woman, at least in ancient Israel, you are far less desirable after the fact. And if you got pregnant, and had a son, you are even less desirable. A lot of guys won't want to marry you, and complicate the way that inheritances work. You want the family land to stay in the family, and not end up with someone else's kid.
So what does this law do? The law doesn't tell us how God feels about fornication. It doesn't tell us that you can sleep with someone, without becoming one with them (contrast Philip Ryken's commentary on Exodus here). It doesn't tell us that women are bought and sold like cattle. There's a lot of ways we can misread these verses.
The law is designed to protect the dad economically. A guy can't coax a woman into a one night stand, and then leave her, without paying through the nose. If a guy does this, he has to pay the full bridal price. And even with that, the dad still has the choice of whether or not his daughter is allowed to marry the guy. If he's a loser, or a deadbeat, the dad can say "no." And the fact that he did what he did to the daughter, shows he's not the greatest future son-in-law ever. There's a right way to do things, and it's not that.
In the end, if we think about it, the law protects the woman. If she made a bad decision, and gave herself to a loser, she's set herself up to have a difficult life. Other guys might not want to marry her. She might have to settle for an even bigger loser, down the road. But she won't walk away from this with nothing. If nothing else, her dad has her bridal price, and she can continue to live under his roof.
This is a law that recognizes the reality of human sin-- the pull of lust, the pull of wanting to become one with someone. It acknowledges that people won't always wait.
In the U.S., we have a modern parallel to this: child support payments. If a man allures a woman, gets her pregnant, and then skips town, he will pay through the nose for 18 years to provide for that child. That law is a protection for women who trusted the wrong guy, and gave in to someone they shouldn't have.
So even though these women made a bad choice, God cares about them. God makes sure that the women will be okay financially. God makes sure the women aren't locked in to a terrible marriage, because they slept with the wrong guy. None of this is ideal, but God makes the best of a bad situation.
The law is a safeguard for women.
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I don't agree with Ryken here completely (regarding the marriage part), but this is helpful:
"There was one exception. Even after a seduction, a father could refuse to allow a man to marry his daughter. By itself, the act of intercourse did not establish a marriage, as if the couple were “married in the sight of God.” No; if they were to be married at all, they had to be married properly, which included having the father’s blessing. In most cases he would probably consent, partly to protect his daughter’s reputation. But if he thought that the man was unsuitable, he had the right of refusal. This provided a strong incentive for a man who wanted to get married to conduct himself in an honorable way. If he went ahead and had sex with a girl, he was really pushing his luck! He still had to get her father’s permission, only now his character was in question" (Ryken, Saved for God's Glory, 735).
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At this point, the law changes gears. What we've been reading lately are called "case laws." They are specific examples of how God wants people to act, in particular situations. They help us to use our imaginations, and think about how God, and everyday life, are joined.
Now though, we move away from case laws, into "Thou Shalts," and "Thou shalt nots." God just flat out tells us, that some behaviors are off-limits. And some are okay.
God starts here by stating three things that punishable by death:
(A) One practicing sorcery you shall not allow to live.
Sorcery here, I imagine, involves things like magic spells and voodoo. The idea of sorcery is that you able to do things, that have no earthly, logical explanation (h/t William Propp). You know things about people, that you should have no way of knowing. You can do things to people-- probably mean things-- from miles away. You can put curses on people, or hexes, or whatever. Or we saw in Exodus-- you can turn wooden staffs into snakes. Magic, truly.
All of these things are possible. They are real. But the only reason they work, is because these things involve other elohim (divine beings; 1 Samuel 28). They invite spiritual beings to come close, and help, and partner with you. They are a substitute source of spiritual power. And the appeal of that, I think, is that you can have spiritual power, without being committed to Yahweh, our God. You can live a wicked life, and still have power.
And God just flat out has no tolerance for that. It's not that God isn't willing to give you power, or insight. It's not like God expects his people to live ordinary lives, apart from the supernatural. But God wants you to do things his way. Want insight into the future? Seek out a prophet, or ask God to give you dreams and visions. Desire spiritual power? Commit yourself fully to God.
1 John 3:19-23 NIV no reason:
19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
God gives his people a path to power, and an extraordinary, supernatural life. You don't need an evil demon to access this. All you need, are three things: (1) to give your allegiance ("believe") to Jesus, fully, truly, (2) to love one another, and (3) to pray big. Seek that out; don't seek demons.
Verse 18:
(18) Everyone lying with a domestic animal shall surely/in fact be put to death.
Bestiality is gross. I'm hoping none of us need encouragement here to avoid doing that.
Verse 19:
(19) The one sacrificing to the elohim/Elohim/gods/God shall be kheremed/dedicated to destruction, except only to Yahweh alone,
The idea in verse 19 isn't idolatry (contrast Duane Garrett), exactly. We talked in our "Sons of God" series about Yahweh, the God of Israel, has an earthly family, and a heavenly family. He, and all the other members of his heavenly family, are called "elohim" in the OT (Psalm 82, 97 in particular). They are all divine beings, by nature immortal. To us humans, all of them are impressive. All of them are powerful, and can offer things. If we found ourselves face to face with any of them, our natural desire would be to fall down and worship then (Revelation 22:8-9). But the only elohim we can worship, is Yahweh. He is our Elohim. He is our God. And in ancient Israel, any Israelite who worships other elohim is to put to death. That's not the kind of evil Yahweh will tolerate.
Verses 20-23:
(20) and a resident alien you shall not mistreat/take advantage of (DBL),
and you shall not squeeze/oppress him,
because resident aliens you were in the land of Egypt ["resident aliens" is focused].
(21) Every widow and orphan you shall not afflict.
(22) If you actually/in fact afflict them, when they actually/in fact cry out to me, I will actually/in fact listen to their cry,
(23) and my anger shall burn,
and I will kill you (plural) with a sword,
and your wives shall be widows,
and your sons [shall be] orphans.
In any society, there are three really vulnerable groups of people-- immigrants, widows, and orphans. All three groups, in all likelihood, can do nothing for you financially. And our natural reaction to seeing these groups, is think we are better than them. It's easy to harden our hearts toward them. It's tempting to take advantage of their poverty and need, and exploit them.
When people are truly desperate for food, and clothing, and shelter, they'll do anything. Anything. But just because you can take advantage of the vulnerable, doesn't mean God is okay with that. If you squeeze them, and oppress them, there will probably cry out to God in their distress. And when they do that, God will hear. That's the kind of sound that always gets God's attention. And then, the next thing that God promises will happen, is that God will send foreign invaders against you, and kill you, and turn your wives into widows, and your children into orphans.
So when you see a widow, or an orphan, you should live in a way that makes sure your own wife and kids don't become like them. Don't oppress, or exploit, or squeeze. Don't advantage of people, and mistreat them. The power that God used for his people against the Egyptians, when they were oppressed, He will use against his own people, when they oppress others.
Verse 24-26:
(24) If silver/money you lend to my people-- to the poor among you-- you shall not be to him as a creditor.
You shall not charge him interest.
(25) If you actually/in fact take in pledge a cloak of your neighbor-- until the sun goes down-- you shall return it to him,
(26) because it [is] her only garment.
It [is] his cloak for his skin.
What else will he lie down with,
and then, when he cries out to me, I will listen,
because compassionate, I [am]. ["compassionate" is focused]
The other really vulnerable group in any society-- so I guess that makes four groups-- is the poor. There are times, especially in a recession, or famine, or drought, when a paycheck isn't big enough to last a week. Or, if you're a farmer, there are years where you your bins don't have enough grain to hold you over until the next summer.
Here again, we find people in a desperate situation. They're hungry. They lack. And they will do anything to provide for themselves, and their families.
And here again, just because people are vulnerable, doesn't mean you can exploit them. A hungry brother or sister, isn't an opportunity get rich. If you're giving out what's basically a payday loan, you can't charge interest.
Verse 26 is the kind of verse that can haunt you, if you let it. One of the secrets to being hard-hearted toward people in need, is to avoid really thinking about them, and putting yourself in their shoes. If you let yourself really see the needy, as human beings, it's almost impossible not to help.
God, knowing that, cuts through our defenses by talking about the way that the cold feels on bare skin. So imagine a homeless, poorly clothed person, lying down to sleep at night. The cold wind blows across her skin, because you refused to give back her cloak. You held onto it, over some small debt.
Could you sleep, in that situation? If you took away her cloak, which did double duty as her only blanket, how will she cover herself?
And what will happen next? He will cry out to God, and at that point, you're doomed again. Right? When people cry out to God about you, that's the kind of sound that gets God's attention. God is compassionate, and He will listen.
And how does God's compassion work?
We tend to think of God's compassion, and his anger, as opposites. But usually, they are two sides of the same coin. Most of the time when God comes in judgment on his people, that judgment is based on his compassion. [That's probably the most important part of this sermon]. And when we read Isaiah, and Amos, and Micah, we see that this was no empty threat. One of the main reasons God sent Assyria, and then Babylon, against his people was because they oppressed the poor. God made a lot of widows, because of how they treated widows.
What we should learn from this, is that if we don't have compassion on people, then it's up to God. God will show compassion, if we won't. And the way that God has compassion on the poor, goes right through us. God will run over his kingdom people, if he must, to help the poor.
So let's take that warning seriously. There are groups we can take advantage of-- resident aliens, widows, orphans, the poor. But if we mistreat them, God will treat us very badly (Matthew 25:31-46).
And if there's one business you shouldn't work at in town-- if there's one business, that should just permanently close its doors-- it's Mister Money. Don't prey on the poor. And if there's anyone here who needs a loan, to cover the basic necessities, there are lots of people in this church who would be happy to help. No good can come from going to Mister Money.
Verse 27:
(27) God/Elohim you shall not belittle, [Lev. 24:11; 1 Samuel 3:13; cf. 1:15]
while a ruler of your people, you shall not curse. [different word]
If you're following along in an English Bible, it will tell you in verse 27 that you aren't supposed to "curse" God. The meaning of the verb here is debated. But (following Goldingay and Motyer) I think the idea, isn't so much "cursing," as "belittling."
Let's turn to 1 Samuel 3:10-14 (NRSV updated):
10 Now the LORD came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” 11 Then the LORD said to Samuel, “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. 12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 For I have told him that I am about to punish his house forever for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were BLASPHEMING God,[b] and he did not restrain them. 14 Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering forever.”
The NRSV translates the same verb here "blaspheming." But what is this sin that Eli's sons were committing?
Let's go back to 1 Samuel 2:12-17:
12 Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels; they had no regard for the LORD 13 or for the duties of the priests to the people. When anyone offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, 14 and he would thrust it into the pan, kettle, caldron, or pot; all that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself.[d] This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. 15 Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the one who was sacrificing, “Give meat for the priest to roast, for he will not accept boiled meat from you but only raw.” 16 And if the man said to him, “Let them burn the fat first and then take whatever you wish,” he would say, “No, you must give it now; if not, I will take it by force.” 17 Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the LORD, for they treated the offerings of the LORD with contempt.
Eli's sons "belittled" God, by treating sacrifices to God with contempt. The idea that they could steal meat from God, and from his worshippers, and that God wouldn't care? That's belittling God.
So the warning here, isn't against lifting your middle finger against heaven, and cursing God out. Don't do that. But the idea here, is more like, don't act in a way that belittles God. Treat him with respect, and honor. Revere Yahweh, as God Most High. Respect sacrifices. Treat his people with dignity, and respect.
Verse 28, first line:
(28) Your harvest and your best drippings (from grapes or oil) you shall not delay [to give].
If you're a farmer, it would be easy to live in fear. You need a lot of things to go right, over the course of a season, to get a crop-- rain, but not too much rain. Sun, but not too much sun. You need the insects to not ruin things. You need the locusts to stay away. And you need the severe storms to not happen.
A few years ago, in the mid-September, we had a freak storm that blew through our area. There was one strip of land, about five miles across, where the corn was cut in half, just below the ear. Maybe that farmer had insurance, but he lost his entire crop-- and that had been beautiful corn a day earlier.
There's a moment, when the crops first come in, where you still might struggle with fear. The beans start hitting your bin, but you're still worried about that freak storm, or an early blizzard. There's still a chance you can end the year with almost nothing.
One solution to that, is to delay your giving to God. You'll give God your first fruits, absolutely-- but you'll give once the full crop is in, just in case.
Those of us who aren't farmers can do the same thing in other ways. You can tithe on your paycheck, giving God the first 10%, but you can delay. You live off your savings for a few weeks, just in case it ends up being a bad month. You write the check eventually, but you're always a month or two behind. Just in case. You can tell yourself that you are still be obedient, and giving. But you're not giving how God wants, and you aren't learning the lesson from giving that God intends for you.
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.
(19) The one sacrificing to the elohim/Elohim/gods shall be kheremed/dedicated to destruction, except only to Yahweh alone,
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On "except alone," BHRG 41.7.2: (2) Constituent negative
In some cases the events or states of affairs referred to by the expression following ????????? expression and ????????? are exceptions to a generalization in the preceding expression and ????????? indicates exclusion: “only,” “unless.” In (#a) the scope of the focus is a clause, and in (#b) a constituent (the temporal adjunct).
Genesis 43:3: "You won't see my face UNLESS your brother is with you."
A way of highlighting the one single possibility/option.
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(20) and a resident alien you shall not mistreat/take advantage of (DBL),
and you shall not squeeze/oppress him,
because resident aliens you were in the land of Egypt ["resident aliens" is focused].
(21) Every widow and orphan you shall not afflict.
(22) If you actually/in fact afflict them, when they actually/in fact cry out to me, I will actually/in fact listen to their cry,
(23) and my anger shall burn,
and I will kill you (plural) with a sword,
and your wives shall be widows,
and your sons [shall be] orphans.
(24) If silver/money you lend to my people-- to the poor among you-- you shall not be to him as a creditor.
You shall not charge him interest.
(25) If you actually/in fact take in pledge a cloak of your neighbor-- until the sun goes down-- you shall return it to him,
(26) because it [is] her only garment.
It [is] his cloak for his skin.
What else will he lie down with,
and then, when he cries out to me, I will listen,
because compassionate, I [am]. ["compassionate" is focused]
(27) God/Elohim you shall not belittle, [Lev. 24:11; 1 Samuel 3:13; cf. 1:15]
while a ruler of your people, you shall not curse. [different word]
(28) Your harvest and your best drippings (from grapes or oil) you shall not delay [to give].
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,
(30) while/and men of holiness/consecratedness you shall be to me,
while/and meat in the field-- a mangled carcass-- you shall not eat.
To the dogs you shall throw it.
