Exodus Chapter 22

“If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall restore five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.2 If the thief is found breaking in, and he is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt for his bloodshed.3 If the sun has risen on him, there shall be guilt for his bloodshed. He should make full restitution; if he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.4 If the theft is certainly found alive in his hand, whether it is an ox or donkey or sheep, he shall restore double.

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1. Why do you have to restore 4 or 5 times the value of something you took or damaged?

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Our law today says that if you destroy another man’s property, you must pay the damages. All that our society demands when you damage or destroy some other person’s property is to replace the item or pay what it is worth. God’s law of restoring fourfold is much better with human nature the way it is. If we had to restore fourfold anything that we destroyed or damaged, we would be more careful. Human nature is always the same, and God is always the same. God deals with man on the basis that is best for him.

He shall restore: The Mosaic Law did not send a person to jail because of theft. Instead, the thief was simply required to restore what he stole, plus an additional penalty. In this passage, the penalty could be anywhere from 500% (he shall restore five oxen for an ox) to 200% (he shall restore double).

This can be regarded as a positive vision for the punishment of criminals, putting them to productive restitution and compensating the victims of their theft. These principles are often ignored in modern judicial systems.

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2. What difference does it make if it is night or day when protecting one’s self from a burglar?

This law gives you the right to self-protection but put limitations on the amount of force that can be used.  If the thief is found breaking in, and he is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt for his bloodshed. If the sun has risen on him, there shall be guilt for his bloodshed: A property owner had the right to protect his property with force – but only with reasonable force. The assumption was that if it was daylight, the property owner had the ability to defend himself short of lethal force.

God’s laws are basic principles which give society law and order.

22:3 if the sun has risen on him. The culpability of a householder’s actions against an intruder depended on whether the break-in (lit. “digging through” the mud walls) was at night or in the daytime. At night quick evaluation of an intruder’s intentions was not as clear as it might be in daytime, nor would someone be awake and on hand to help.

5 “If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed, and lets loose his animal, and it feeds in another man’s field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard.

6 “If fire breaks out and catches in thorns, so that stacked grain, standing grain, or the field is consumed, he who kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.

.3. What message is God teaching in these two laws?

It is your responsibility to make good on any damages caused by you or anything you own. This is the definition of propitiation… To satisfy anger or make restitution to the point that the other party is more than satisfied.

22:5 from the best. Restitution should always err on the side of quality and generosity.

And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 1 John 2:2

“If a man delivers to his neighbor money or articles to keep, and it is stolen out of the man’s house, if the thief is found, he shall pay double.8 If the thief is not found, then the master of the house shall be brought to the judges to see whether he has put his hand into his neighbor’s goods. 9 “For any kind of trespass, whether it concerns an ox, a donkey, a sheep, or clothing, or for any kind of lost thing which another claims to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whomever the judges condemn shall pay double to his neighbor.10 If a man delivers to his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep, and it dies, is hurt, or driven away, no one seeing it,11 then an oath of the LORD shall be between them both, that he has not put his hand into his neighbor’s goods; and the owner of it shall accept that, and he shall not make it good.12 But if, in fact, it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to the owner of it.13 If it is torn to pieces by a beast, then he shall bring it as evidence, and he shall not make good what was torn. 14 “And if a man borrows anything from his neighbor, and it becomes injured or dies, the owner of it not being with it, he shall surely make it good.15 If its owner was with it, he shall not make it good; if it was hired, it came for its hire.

.4. What happens when there is a dispute between God’s people?

a. The cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whomever the judges condemn shall pay double: When testimony was given, a man’s word was taken as true unless proven otherwise. This is basis of the legal principle of the accused being innocent unless proven guilty.

b. Then an oath of the Lord shall be between them both, that he has not put his hand into his neighbor’s goods; and the owner of it shall accept that: The New Testament makes it clear that believers should avoid taking legal disputes among themselves to secular judges. They should allow the matter to be judged by the church:

1 Corinthians 6:1-8. When you have something against another Christian, why do you file a lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter, instead of taking it to other Christians to decide who is right? 2 Don’t you know that someday we Christians are going to judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide these little things among yourselves? 3 Don’t you realize that we Christians will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disagreements here on earth. 4 If you have legal disputes about such matters, why do you go to outside judges who are not respected by the church? 5 I am saying this to shame you. Isn’t there anyone in all the church who is wise enough to decide these arguments? 6 But instead, one Christian sues another—right in front of unbelievers! 7 To have such lawsuits at all is a real defeat for you. Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated? 8 But instead, you yourselves are the ones who do wrong and cheat even your own Christian brothers and sisters.

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16 “If a man entices a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall surely pay the bride-price for her to be his wife.17 If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money according to the bride-price of virgins.

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5. Is God trying to say that there should be consequences when a man takes advantage of a woman?

22:16 If a man seduces … pay a dowry. The male was held accountable for premarital intercourse and the victim was seen as having been exploited by him, for which he paid a price.

If a man sees a young virgin, who has not given her word to be married to anyone, and he takes her by force and has connection with her, and discovery is made of it;

29 Then the man will have to give the virgin’s father fifty shekels of silver and make her his wife, because he has put shame on her; he may never put her away all his life. Dt. 22:28-29

18 “You shall not permit a sorceress to live.

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6. What about the “good witch” in the Wizard of Oz?

Let there not be seen among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter go through the fire, or anyone using secret arts, or a maker of strange sounds, or a reader of signs, or any wonder-worker, 11 Or anyone using secret force on people, or putting questions to a spirit, or having secret knowledge, or going to

the dead for directions. 12 For all who do such things are disgusting to the Lord; and because of these disgusting things the Lord your God is driving them out before you. Dt. 18:10-12

a. A sorceress: The practice of sorcery was almost always associated with “medicinal arts” (the taking of drugs) in the ancient world, and was therefore a connection between drug taking and occultist practices.

b. You shall not permit a sorceress to live: This was considered a severe enough threat that sorcery was considered a capital crime. The link between drugs and the occult was rightly seen as deadly.

Some claim to have  dabbled in white witchcraft and that it was harmless. Unfortunately it leads into drug problems, sexual perversion, all kinds of evil and ultimately destroys marriages. Witchcraft is playing with fire.

You don’t want to give the darkness an opportunity to get into your life. I don’t even want to hear about what sign you are born under, it bothers me.

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19 “Whoever lies with an animal shall surely be put to death.

Ancient myths and epics describe acts of bestiality performed by pagan gods and demigods in Babylonia and Canaan.

The degree of sexual perversion in Canaanite culture was such that bestiality was fairly commonplace. Hittite laws, for example, even permitted cohabitation with certain animals. What amazes me is that the very real problem of HIV/AIDS is believed to have been caused by this practice. Isn’t it amazing that God, in HIS infinite wisdom had given HIS people HIS law to prevent such things from occurring. Whoever lies with an animal shall surely be put to death: Bestiality was practiced in the ancient world, and God’s Word specifically prohibits it. However, if someone will not allow God’s Word to guide his or her sexual morality, there is no rational reason why this should be considered wrong.

If we reject God’s Word when it comes to other areas of sexual morality, there is no other place to draw the line. We cannot say that sex with animals, children, or the dead is wrong if the ethic is “if it feels good, do it.”

“He who sacrifices to any god, except to the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.

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7. What about worshiping statues of people?

You are to have no other gods but me. 4 You are not to make an image or picture of anything in heaven or on the earth or in the waters under the earth: 5 You may not go down on your faces before them or give them worship: for I, the Lord your God, am a God who will not give his honour to another; and I will send punishment on the children for the wrongdoing of their fathers, to the third and fourth generation of my haters; 6 And I will have mercy through a thousand generations on those who have love for me and keep my laws. Exodus 20:3-6

Seems pretty clear to me.

21 “You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22 “You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child.23 If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry;24 and My wrath will become hot, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

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8. Why does God care about strangers and widows and orphans?

God reserved His special attention for widows and orphans who often had no one to care for them. He also reserved a special reaction, His wrath, for those abusing and exploiting them. This wrath would work out in military invasions as the sword reduced the abusers’ families to the same status of being without spouse or parents. The poor, the widow, the orphan, the alien—in fact, all defenseless people—are objects of God’s special concern and providential care is clear from the writings of Moses, the psalms, the prophets as well as from the teachings of Jesus and the apostles.

: The widow and fatherless child were the weakest and most vulnerable members of society. Therefore God commanded a special care and concern for them, and God promised to protect them.“A nation is judged by how it treats the defenseless, weak and the innocent.”  

How can God bless a nation that murders 50 million unborn children?

25 “If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest.

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9. What about bankers?

Interest for profit was not to be charged at the expense of the poor.

One way in which the people showed their concern for the poor and needy was to take no business advantage of them. Charging interest was allowable (Lv 25:35–37; Dt 23:19, 20), but not when it was exorbitant or worsened the plight

of the borrower. The psalmist identified a righteous man as one who lends money without interest (Ps 15:5).

Interest was prohibited on loans made to the poor and the taking of collateral had to be reasonable.

This did not prohibit the taking of interest on loans that were not for relief of the poor. “It is evident that what is here said must be understood of accumulated usury, or what we call compound interest only; and accordingly neshech is mentioned with and distinguished from tarbith and marbith, interest or simple interest, Leviticus 25:36,37; Proverbs 28:8; Ezekiel 18:8, 13, 17, and 22:12.” (Clarke)

26 If you ever take your neighbor’s garment as a pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down.27 For that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What will he sleep in? And it will be that when he cries to Me, I will hear, for I am gracious.

10. Yeah but this garment is my collateral for something you owe me?

If all a person had to offer in pledge for a loan was a cloak, that person was among the poorest of the poor

28 “You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.

Do not … curse the ruler of your people. A ruler was God’s representative. A penitent Paul quoted this law after he had unwittingly insulted the high priest (see Ac 23:4–5). The most basic arena for holiness is always the tongue. God cares how we talk about Him and those He has put us into submission to.

29 “You shall not delay to offer the first of your ripe produce and your juices. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me.30 Likewise you shall do with your oxen and your sheep. It shall be with its mother seven days; on the eighth day you shall give it to Me. 31 “And you shall be holy men to Me: you shall not eat meat torn by beasts in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.

You shall not delay to offer the first of your ripe produce and your juices: We also respect God by giving Him His due. If we are commanded to give something to God, it is a sin to not give it. Give to God what you owe him. aIt belongs to him.

Will a man keep back from God what is right? But you have kept back what is mine. But you say, What have we kept back from you? Tenths and offerings.

9 You are cursed with a curse; for you have kept back from me what is mine, even all this nation. 10 Let your tenths come into the store-house so that there may be food in my house, and put me to the test by doing so, says the Lord of armies, and see if I do not make the windows of heaven open and send down such a blessing on you that there is no room for it. Mal. 3:8-10

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11. But other people are not perfect and eat dead animals, why do we have to be so different?

22:31 holy men to Me. All these laws and regulations caused Israel to be set apart in conduct, not just in name. The special calling as Yahweh’s firstborn son (4:22) and as His treasured possession, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (19:5, 6) mandated ethical uprightness. not eat any flesh torn. Flesh of

an animal killed by another and lying in the field became unclean by coming into contact with unclean carnivores and insects and with putrefaction by not having had the blood drained properly from it. A set-apart lifestyle impacted every area of life, including from where one collected his meat.

And you shall be holy men to Me: you shall not eat meat torn by beasts in the field: We are commanded to act differently than the animals. We are called to be holy men, not scavengers who tear at carcasses as animals do. This reinforces the basic idea of holiness: that we are set apart, different

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     ·        ESVN………….ESV Study Bible Notes

·        MSBN…….MacArthur NASB Study Notes

                    

·        NIVSN…..NIV Study Notes. 

·        JVM ……………..J Vernon McGee,

·        ACC ……………. Adam Clarke’s Commentary

·        BN ……………..Barnes Notes

           WBC…………….   Wycliffe Bible Commentary

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CN …… …………..Constables Notes 

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IC………………….Ironside Commentary

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NET……………….Net Bible Study Notes.

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JFB…………..Jamieson  Fausset  Brown Commentary

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VWS……………..Vincent Word Studies

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CMM………….Commentary on Matthew and Mark

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BDB………….. Barclay’s Daily Study Bible (NT)

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Darby………..John Darby’s Synopsis of the OT and NT

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Johnson………Johnson’s Notes on the New Testament.

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NTCMM…………..The New Testament Commentary:  Matthew and
Mark.

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EHS………………….Expositions of the Holy Scriptures

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CPP…………………The Complete Pulpit Commentary

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SBC…………………Sermon Bible Commentary

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K&D……………….Keil and Deilitzsch Commentary on the OT

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EBC…………………Expositors Bible Commentary

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CBSC……………….Cambridge Bible for Schools and College

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GC……………………Guzik Commentary

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RD…………………….Robert  Deffinbaugh

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