October 23, 2020
The book of Exodus tells the story of the birth of the nation of Israel fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham. From the seventy descendants of Jacob, Israel was fruitful and multiplied greatly until they filled the whole land of Egypt. After four centuries of slavery, God answers the cries of His people for deliverance. God raises up Moses for this calling, to lead his people out of bondage to a land of promise and deliverance.
Some of the greatest stories of the Bible are featured in Exodus—from the Ten Plagues, and the Passover, to the crossing of the Red Sea, and the establishment of the covenant at Mount Sinai. The Passover lamb, the exodus from the land of Egypt, the seven feasts, the tabernacle, and even the high priest, are all foreshadows of the ministry of Christ.
Chapters 1-18 contains the events leading up to God’s delivering the Hebrews from their captivity in Egypt, and chapters 19-40 shares the events in the wilderness and the account of God’s instructions to Moses on Mount Sinai to direct the life and worship of the nation.
Exodus 23
1 “You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. 2 You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice, 3 nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit.
4 “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him. 5 If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.
6 “You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in his lawsuit. 7 Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked. 8 And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of those who are in the right.
9 “You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.
Laws About the Sabbath and Festivals
10 “For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield, 11 but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the beasts of the field may eat. You shall do likewise with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard.
12 “Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed.
13 “Pay attention to all that I have said to you, and make no mention of the names of other gods, nor let it be heard on your lips.
14 “Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to me. 15 You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. None shall appear before me empty-handed. 16 You shall keep the Feast of Harvest, of the firstfruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field. You shall keep the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in from the field the fruit of your labor. 17 Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord God.
18 “You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened, or let the fat of my feast remain until the morning.
19 “The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God.
“You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.
Conquest of Canaan Promised
20 “Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. 21 Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him.
22 “But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.
23 “When my angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out, 24 you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces. 25 You shall serve the Lord your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you. 26 None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days. 27 I will send my terror before you and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. 28 And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from before you. 29 I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land. 31 And I will set your border from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates, for I will give the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you. 32 You shall make no covenant with them and their gods. 33 They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Reflection:
- Verses 1-3 and 6-8 warn against perverting justice. Why does God condemn lying, perverting justice, and showing partiality?
- In Matthew 5:43-45, Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” How are Jesus’ command about loving your enemies consistent with what God says in Exodus 23:4-5?
- In what ways is observing a day of rest important to God, one’s self, and others?
- In what way did God promise to protect his people as they entered the land of Canaan? How can this apply to your life today?
Prayer: Lord, help me to reflect your character in every way. Help me to be fair and honest in my dealings with people of all backgrounds. Help me to love not only those who love me, but those who may even persecute me or despise me. Lord, help me to obey you and not rebel against you as you lead me through each day. Be on my mind always and help me to pray without ceasing. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I want to serve You and be a good example to others. Please help me be more Christlike in all of my dealings and daily living. I know my actions will reflect what a true Christian should stand for. Help me to remember to let my light shine daily for You in all ways. Thank You for loving me and accepting me just as “I am”. However, I want my “I am” to become more my ” I was”. In Jesus’ most precious and holy name. Amen.
PTL that I am back with this wonderful devotion. I love it.
I will serve the Lord my God.
AMEN AND HALLELUJAH!!!! DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, I WILL ALWAYS COME TO YOU BECAUSE I NEED YOU. I WILL ALWAYS FOLLOW YOU FOR MY SALVATION. In Jesus name I pray, Amen
I pray that how I live my life, reflects your truth, generosity, justice, grace and mercy. Today I will trust how and when you provide for all my needs.
Please pray for my husband Walt he was put on hospice this week and The Doctor has told me he does not think it will be long. He has been battling cellulitis in his intestines. I am not taking this good even though I have known my Lord 47 years as my personal savior.
Dear Lord please hear the cries of your Saint as she supports her precious husband. Please Lord bless her with comfort that can only come from You. Put on her path today those who will encourage her in this difficult journey – as she walks in the valley of the shadow of death, please strengthen her. I pray mercy for her sweet husband. Let their love for each other be a testimony to You and your greatness and blessings.
Tracy, Amen to your prayer for this dear, hurting saint!
Will be praying for you and your husband
Vickie, we are fervently praying for you and Walt as you go through these dark times concerning his health. May you feel God’s presence in a way you have not known before! We send Christian love and prayers.