today's meditation (Ex.21:1-14) Run to God

(Dear Lord Jesus, show me what I need to see in Your word...)

(Exodus 21:1-14)  “Now these are the ordinances which you are to set before them:

2 “If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall go out as a free man without payment. 3 If he comes alone, he shall go out alone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall go out alone. 5 But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,’ 6 then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently.

7 “If a man sells his daughter as a female slave, she is not to go free as the male slaves do. 8 If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master who designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He does not have authority to sell her to a foreign people because of his unfairness to her. 9 If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters. 10 If he takes to himself another woman, he may not reduce her food, her clothing, or her conjugal rights. 11 If he will not do these three things for her, then she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money.

12 “He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death. 13 But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint you a place to which he may flee. 14 If, however, a man acts presumptuously toward his neighbor, so as to kill him craftily, you are to take him even from My altar, that he may die.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

God gave laws to the Israelites in order to help govern themselves fairly and justly.  

At first glance, it doesn't seem quite fair when we see terms used such as "slave".  Slavery existed for several reasons.  Either a person became a slave because they stole or they owed a lot of money and were unable to pay.  Or a person became a slave because they had no other means to survive.  God gave laws around the practice of slavery in order to protect slaves from being locked into a lifetime of service, unless they wanted.  One could look at this as job security.  That person would always have a place to work and live.

We might also struggle at the mention of "another wife".  In this, God doesn't condone the practice of polygamy at all, but He does set in place laws to protect the first wife!  And that law being there, should have given husbands pause before taking on another woman.

God also differentiates between premeditated murder and involuntary manslaughter.  It comes down to motives.  But whether someone was killed intentionally or accidentally, loved ones of the deceased can desire revenge, therefore God suggested having a safe place to run to for those people who did not deserve a death sentence.

The scripture above can also be an illustration of how God is our righteous advocate.  Even though we are born into slavery - as slaves to sin - we can choose at any time to have God as our Master, which is permanent!  Then God our Master "pierces our ear" - seals us with the Holy Spirit for eternity.  Even though unworthy, Jesus redeems us, because He has paid the full price for sin.  

And then nothing we do here on earth can undo what God has done.  There will be consequences here on earth, but we will never lose our salvation.  

And while on earth, as we live in God's will and practice obedience, even in times of trouble, He is our safe place to run to.