Independence Day

Posted on July 1, 2024 by Bryan Hodge

  “No taxation without representation” was the cry of the American colonies.  The Magna Carta (1215) said, “No scutage or aid may be levied in our kingdom without it its general consent.”  The English Bill of Rights 1689 said, “That levying money for or to the use of the crown by pretense or prerogative, without grant of Parliament, for longer time, or in other manner than the same is or shall be granted, is illegal.”  Charles Pratt, Earl of Camden, also known as Lord Camden, said in a speech given in Parliament in 1768, “My position is this – I repeat it – I will maintain it to my last hour – taxation and representation are inseparable. This position is founded on the laws of nature; for whatever is a man’s own is absolutely his own; no man hath a right to take it from him without his consent either expressed by himself or representative.”  The American colonies were not represented in Parliament.  They were being taxed without representation.  The Continental Congress declared independence from Great Britain on July 2,1776.  Congress approved the Declaration of Independence document on July 4, 1776.  It was publicly read by John Dixon in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776 in what is today Independence Square.  Bells rang with the reading.  It is not certain if the Liberty Bell was rang on that day or not.  Some think that it was.    

Do you know what is inscribed on the Liberty Bell?  “The Liberty Bell’s inscription is from the Bible (King James Version): ‘Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.’ (Leviticus 25:10 B.H.) This verse refers to the ‘Jubilee,’ or the instructions to the Israelites to return property and free slaves every 50 years.  Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly Isaac Norris chose this inscription for the State House bell in 1751, possible to commemorate the 50th anniversary of William Penn’s 1701 charter of privileges which granted religious liberties and political self-government to the people of Pennsylvania.  The inscription of liberty on the State House bell (now known as the Liberty Bell) went unnoticed during the Revolutionary War.  After the war, abolitionists seeking to end slavery in America were inspired by the bell’s message… The Anti-Slavery Record, an abolitionist publication, first referred to the bell as the Liberty Bell in 1835, but that name was not widely adopted until years later” (The Liberty Bell, nps.gov). 

Freedom is something to be cherished and wisely used.  God has granted us freedom to pursue what we want in life.  How are we using our freedom?  “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and boundaries of their dwelling, so that they should seek the Lord, in hope that they might grope for Him and find Him…” (Acts 17:26-27).               

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Leeches, Always Taking

Posted on June 23, 2024 by Bryan Hodge

“The leech has two daughters – Give and Give!” (Proverbs 30:15).

The leech is a type of worm.  Some are predators, feeding on other small invertebrates.  Some are ecto-parasites (parasites that live on the outside of their hosts).  A parasitic leech attaches itself to the skin of a host and feeds off its blood.  This is the leech of the proverb. 

“There are three things that are never satisfied, Four never say, ‘Enough!’: The grave, the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water – And the fire never says, ‘Enough!’” (Proverbs 30:15-16).

Here are some examples of things which never seem satisfied.  (1) The grave (literally – sheol – the place of the dead).  It will take as many as it can.  It will never, on its own, say “enough.”  (2) The barren womb.  In Biblical times, women wanted children.  Many women were greatly troubled if they could not have a child (e.g. Genesis 25:21; 30:1; 1 Samuel 1:8-16).  (3) The earth.  As long as it stands, the hydrologic cycle will continue (Ecclesiastes 1:7 cf. 11:3).  It will never cease receiving water.  (4) Fire.  As long as conditions are present for fire to burn (heat, fuel, oxygen) then it will burn. It will never, on its own, say “enough.”

The proverb of the leech and the proverb of the four things never satisfied are related.  They both concern people.  Some people are takers and not givers.  Moreover, they never cease to take.  It is their manner of life.  It, of course, is true that we all are takers and givers in different circumstances of life.  However, a pattern of life is in view here.

Application for us: We should not be like the leech.  We should not always be taking.

Consider how Jesus lived.  He said, “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).  He “went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil” (Acts 10:38).  He said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). 

Let us try to contribute, give, and help in this life when and where we can.  This includes giving money (Ephesians 4:28).  However, it includes many other things as well.  It includes our time (Colossians 4:5).  It includes our words (1 Thessalonians 4:18; 5:11, 14).  “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).  William Penn is credited with saying, “I expect to pass through life but once.  If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing that I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.” 

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No Bit or Bridle

Posted on June 21, 2024 by Bryan Hodge

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.  Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you” (Psalm 32:9).

Who is the speaker?  God seems to be he speaker.  However, some think that  the speaker may be David, who is teaching others.

Who is addressed?  This may be addressed, specifically, to David.  However, it may be addressed to man, in general (cf. Psalm 51:12-13). 

What is the context?  David had experienced great distress in his life because of his sin (Psalm 32:4).  He confessed his sin before God and was forgiven (Psalm 32:1-2, 5 cf. Proverbs 28:13; Acts 8:22; 1 John 1:7, 9).  David summed things up by saying, “Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he who trusts in the LORD, mercy shall surround him” (Psalm 32:10).

What is the point about bits and bridles?  (v. 9-10).  Some animals must be made to comply with their master’s wishes. A bit is the mouthpiece, and the bridle is the headgear used to govern and control an equine. We should not be like such animals.  One writer commented, “Do not be like the horse and the mule who resist being led.  Because of their stubbornness they have to be forced into submission.  Consequently, when one refuses to be taught by God and guided by His holy word, he is no better than the brute beast of the field.  Two great classes of men are here pictured.  The first, …are those who are in rebellion…  The later, the humble in spirit, are those ever willing to submit and obey” (Tom Wacaster, The Songs and Devotions of David, Vol 2, p. 103). 

Application for us: May we willingly serve the LORD. It is the “meek” who will be blessed (Matthew 5:3).  Meekness may be thought of as strength under control.  We should willingly be under the control of the LORD. 

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Thinking About the Eclipse

Posted on June 20, 2024 by Bryan Hodge

Did you see the total solar eclipse (April 8, 2024)?  I hope that you did.  It was truly amazing.  If you missed it, the next one in the contiguous United States should occur in 2044 (When is the Next Solar Eclipse in the United States?, accuweather, YouTube).  The next one in central Texas should be in 2343 (Next Solar Eclipse in Austin, Texas, KXAN.com).

God created an interesting relationship between the Sun and the Moon.  The moon does not produce its own light.  It can reflect the light of the sun.  It can also block the light of the sun.  It can totally eclipse it (The sun is about 400 times the size of the moon.  It is also about 400 times farther away from the Earth). 

This relationship between the Sun and the Moon causes me to think about our relationship to God.  The word of God is compared to the light in the firmament (expanse) above (Romans 10:17-18 cf. Psalm 19:1-4).  Jesus is described as the light of the world (John 8:12). We may bear or reflect God’s light, but he cannot produce true light (cf. Isaiah 8:20). 

Are we shining as light in this world?  “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).  “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life…” (Philippians 2:14-16).  “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts… having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that… they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:11-12).

Are we hiding the light?  “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?” (Mark 4:21).  “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18). 

God certainly wants His light to shine on Earth.  Paul wrote, “It is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).  This addresses why Paul preached.  Darrell Beard comments, “Verse 6… explains why Paul devoted himself to preaching Christ and serving others… As God brought light out of darkness in the material creation (Genesis 1:3-5), so He has illuminated our hearts with the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (Studies in 2 Corinthians  editor Dub McClish, 8th Annual Denton Lectures, p. 114).  J.W. McGarvey comments, “Paul… declares that it is his business to reflect the light of Christ which has shone in his heart; for God sent His son to be the light of earth’s darkness.  The apostle here alludes to the glorified face of Christ which appeared to him on the way to Damascus.  After such a vision it was impossible that Paul could look upon himself as any other that a reflector of the true light which was sent from God (McGarvey, Thessalonians, Corinthians, Galatians, Romans, p. 189).

Are we shining?

“This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.

Oh this little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.

This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.

Let it shine, all the time, let it shine.

All around the neighborhood, I’m going to let it shine…

Hide it under a bushel? No!

I’m going to let it shine…

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The Ox and the Donkey

Posted on June 20, 2024 by Bryan Hodge

“Hear, O heavens and give ear, O earth!  For the LORD has spoken!  ‘I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me” (Isaiah 1:2).

A relationship is described.  The LORD is the parent.  The people of Israel are his children (Isaiah 1:2 cf. 49:14-15; 63:16; 64:8; Also, see – Exodus 4:22-23; Deuteronomy 14:1-2; 32:6, 10-11).  This relationship had been damaged.  The LORD had been good to them.  He had provided for them and reared them.  However, they had rebelled against him.  Rebellion is a frequent subject in this book (e.g. Isaiah 1:2, 4, 23; 24:5, 20; 30:1, 9; 46:8; 48:8; 57:4; 65:2; 66:24).  This book begins and ends speaking against rebellion (Isaiah 1:2; 66:24).  A parent can rear children but he can’t make them do right.  Their rebellion no doubt made God sad.

The heavens and the earth are addressed.  They were witnesses to God’s covenant with Israel, and his warnings to Israel (Deuteronomy 4:25-26; 30:19; 31:24-28).  They are now called upon to bear witness to the sins of this people. 

“The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master’s crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider” (Isaiah 1:3).    There is a contrast between farm animals (ox and donkey) and the people of Israel.  The animals know to whom they belong, and who feeds and cares for them (Animals sometimes come running when they see their owner or their owner’s truck).  The people of Israel did not know or appreciate how much God had done and still was doing for them.  They were not thankful.                  

There are lessons in this for us.  (1) We should consider how much God has done for us.  “God, who made the world and everything in it… He gives to all life, breath and all things” (Acts 17:24-25).  “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17).  (2) We should be thankful.  “Serve the LORD with gladness, come before His presence with singing.  Know the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.  Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.  Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.  For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations (Psalm 100:2-5).  Let’s not let farm animals show more sense than us.

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As the Deer…

Posted on June 19, 2024 by Bryan Hodge

“As the deer pants for the water brooks so my soul for You, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  When shall I come and appear before God?” (Psalm 42:1-2).

Imagine a deer in a drought or in the heat of the summer.  It thirsts for water.  It pants (The Hebrew word taarog only occurs one other time in the Bible.  It occurs in Joel 1:20, where the beasts of the field cry out due to fire and drought). 

In context, the psalmist for some reason has been unable to assemble with God’s people for worship in the house of god (tabernacle/temple).  He deeply misses being able to do so (Psalm 42:4).  Evil men ridicule him for his trust in God (Psalm 42:3, 10).  However, he continues to place his hope in God (cf. Psalm 42:11).  The exact circumstances are unclear.  Some believe that this refers to some time in David’s life.  The exact circumstances are not essential to the basic lesson.  It is an example of one who maintains faith in God despite the difficult circumstances.     Applications for us:  (1) For what do we thirst (desire)?  All living beings thirst to some degree thirst for things necessary for life, for example – water.  We cannot live without certain things (e.g. air, water, food).  Some thirst for other things this world offers (e.g. wealth, material possessions, power or even sinful things).  However, the psalmist thirsted for God.  He desired to be in his presence.   

He desired to assemble and worship.  Do we?  Do we deeply desire to be in fellowship with God?  Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6).  He also said, “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4 cf. Deuteronomy 8:3).  Do we hunger for God’s word?  (cf. Job 23:12; Psalm 19:10).  Do we daily feed on it. 

(2) How intensely do we thirst for God?  Do we thirst for him as a deer does water on a hot, dry day?  (Psalm 42:1 cf. 63:1-2).  There is a story of a young man who came to Socrates in search of knowledge and wisdom.  The teacher took the young man to the water.  He dunked him and held him under for a period of time.  The young man was then let up gasping.  Socrates asked the man what he desired the most while under water.  The man answered, “air.”  Socrates then explained that the man needed to desire knowledge and wisdom as much as he desired air, if he would acquire knowledge and wisdom.  Let’s so desire God and spiritual things. 

(3) In whom do we place our trust?  The psalmist placed his hope in God (Psalm 42:11).  So should we.  “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD” (Jeremiah 17:7). 

“As a deer panteth for the water

So my soul longeth after Thee/

You alone are my heart’s desire

And I long to worship Thee/

You alone are my strength, my shield/

To you alone may my spirit yield/

You alone are my heart’s desire

And I long to worship Thee”

(Song: As the Deer by Martin J. Nystrom, 1984)

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A Hen and Her Chicks

Posted on June 19, 2024 by Bryan Hodge

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!  How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:34).

Jesus compares himself with a mother hen.  A hen wants to protect her chicks.  A hen will shelter her chicks under her wings keeping them warm and dry, out of the cold and the rain, and away from other dangers. 

Jesus says that his desire was to protect the people who lived in the city of Jerusalem.  This is why prophets, in the past, had been sent to them (2 Chronicles 36:15-16; Jeremiah 7:13; 25:3-4; Ezekiel 33:11).  This is why Jesus spoke to them. 

However, they needed to listen to him.  They needed to come under his wing.  Some would listen to him and find safety (cf. Luke 21:20-21).  Many would not.  One source says, “All know of the frantic protection a mother hen provides as she scurries her chicks under her wings in the face of danger – danger such as a swooping eagle.  Jesus would have offered such protection from impending doom.  Soon the Roman eagle will descend on Israel.  In spite of Jesus’ warning, the Jews will not listen.  Their own refusal seals their doom” (Contending For The Faith, Matthew, studylight.org). 

There are lessons in this for us.  (1) Jesus (and God) care for us.  He left the glories of heaven for us (Philippians 2:4-8).  “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:17).  His desire is for our salvation (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9).  (2) We need to listen to Him.  The wise hear and do what He says (Matthew 7:24-25; James 1:22).

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Juneteenth – Freedom!

Posted on June 13, 2024 by Bryan Hodge

This history is as follows.  Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, It granted freedom to slaves in confederate states.  This was not very enforceable while the war continued.  Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, 1865 at Appomattox Court House, Virginia.  The war east of the Mississippi was ending.  The war continued west of the Mississippi for almost two more months.  Kirby Smith surrendered to John Pope onboard the USS Fort Jackson in Galveston Bay on June 2, 1865.  General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3 on June 19, 1865 in Galveston, Texas.  It announced, “The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.  This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor” (archives.org).  The order was read in four places when it was originally proclaimed: Ashton Villa, Reedy AME Chapel, U.S. Customs House and Courthouse, and the Osterman Building.  (Celebrating Juneteenth in Galveston June 6, 2023 by Taylor Bounds, Galveston.tamu.edu).  As a personal note, the U.S. Customs House is now owned by the Hodge Law Firm.  Shaun Hodge is my brother.  [The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution would be ratified Dec. 6, 1865, abolishing slavery.].  June 19th (shortened to Juneteenth) began to be celebrated by freed-slaves.  It became a Texas state holiday in 1979.  It became a federal holiday in 2021.

If I, or my family, had been a slave, Juneteenth would be life-changing.  News of emancipation came to the most westward confederate state.  Freedom!

How truly special the first day of the week should be to us.  Jesus “was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification” (Romans 4:25).  Jesus was raised for our justification.  “If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile.  You are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:21).  No wonder we read, “Now on the first day of the week the disciples came together to break bread” (Acts 20:7 cf. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

Consider what some early writers said.  Justin Martyr (c. 100-165 A.D.) “And on the day called Sunday there is a gathering together in the same place of all who live in a city or a rural district we make our assembly in common on the day of the sun… For they crucified him on the day before Saturn’s day, and on the day after (which is the day of the sun) he appeared to his apostles (Everett Ferguson, Early Christians Speak, pp. 67-68 quoting from Apology I, 67-1-3, 7).  Tertullian (c. 150-222 A.D.).  “Others… suppose that the sun is the god of the Christian, because it is well known that… we regard Sunday as a day of joy” ibid, quoting to the Nations 1:13).  The epistle of Barnabas (late first or early second century), “We keep the eighth day with joy, on which Jesus arose from the dead and when he appeared ascended into heaven” (ibid,  quoting 15:8).

May we never take our freedom from sin as a small thing.  Let us truly lift up our voices in praise to God every first day of the week. 

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Law of Moses: Worship

Posted on May 29, 2024 by Bryan Hodge

We have been examining the Law of Moses, topically.  The series was requested by a teen in Bible class.  This will conclude the series (Though we may revisit it at some point).

1. Preparation.  At Mount Sinai, the Israelites were told to prepare to be in the presence of God (Exodus 19:10-14).

This was not to be taken lightly.  (1) They were to wash their clothes (Exodus 19:10).  Why?  No doubt this was to impress them with the specialness of the occasion.  This was not an everyday affair.  This was special.  (2) The men were to not come near their wives in preparation for the coming presence of the LORD (Exodus 19:15).  Why?  It is not because sexual intimacy between a properly married man and woman is sinful.  It is not (Hebrews 13:4).  H.D. Simmons provided this explanation “As fasting from lawful food was at times engaged in to devote one’s total energy and mind to God, there were occasions where sexual relations were temporarily prohibited.  This was the case here” (Studies in Exodus, editor Dub McClish, Second Annual Shertz Lectures, p. 201).  I believe that this is correct (cf. 1 Corinthians 7:5).  (3) Boundaries were to be set (Exodus 19:12).  Why?  This would remind them of the distance that still existed between God and man.

Application for us: (1) We should seek to be clean and properly clothed before God.  In the New Testament the emphasis is on being spiritually clean (James 4:7-8; 1 Timothy 2:8-10; Ephesians 5:25-26; 1 John 1:7; 1:9; Revelation 7:13-14), and spiritually clothed (Galatians 3:26-27; Romans 13:13-14; 1 Peter 5:5; Colossians 3:12-15, etc.).  What about physical cleanness and clothing?  God has not specified how we are to dress (other than modestly).  However, how one dresses may reflect, in some cases, the esteem one has for an event or an occasion.  I am not alone in this opinion.  James Burton Coffman comments, “What must we think of the slipshod, casual, disheveled, common or even torn and dirty clothes that one sees these days even waiting on the Lord’s table?  Why?  Has the conviction that worshippers are ‘in His presence’ weakened?  If that is not the reason, what is the reason?  Oh, but people cannot afford to clean up and dress up!  If one thinks so, let him attend a wedding of any of the sloppy dressers at church, and he will get his eyes opened, if not popped!  A profound reverence lies at the root of all true religious feelings” (studylight.org, Coffman on Exodus 19:10-14).  We are appearing in the presence of God.  Let us never take this lightly.  (2) Let us focus on Him before we come to worship.  Let us not stay out so late on Saturday night that we fail to give God our best on Sunday morning.  Let us not spend so much on the weekend playing that we have nothing to give on Sunday morning.  Johnny Ramsey once told a story of shame from his youth.  He said that he went out with friends to the movies on Saturday night.  On Sunday morning he was ashamed that he had little to give.  He has spent more on his entertainment than on supporting the work of the church.  He said that he determined that he never wanted to do that again. I have known some who did not want to read the newspaper or do anything which could distract their minds form worship. I believe that I read some where that this was Gus Nichols practice (though, I cannot document it. Please share it, if you have it.). I once attended with a member who did not want to engage in any small talk until after worship. He wanted his thoughts to be on things which prepared him for worship. Alexander Campbell once contrasted two individuals going to worship. He wrote, ” Suppose two persons, A and B … A, from the time he opened his eyes in the morning, was filled with the recollection of the Savior’s life, death, and resurrection. In his closet, in his family, along the way, he was meditating or conversing on the wonders of redemption, and renewing his recollections of the sayings and doings of the Messiah. B, on the other hand, arose as on other days … talks about the common affairs of everyday life, and allows his thoughts to roam over the business of the last week, or, perhaps, to project the business of the next. If he meet with a neighbor, friend, or brother, the news of the day is inquired after, expatiated upon, discussed; the crops, the markets, the public health, or the weather – the affairs of Europe, or the doings of Congress, or the prospects of some candidate for political honor – become the theme of conversation. As he rides or walks to church, he chats about any of these topics, till he enters the doors of the meeting house … can B by a single effort unburden his mind … from comtemplation of things on earth to things in heaven ? … Is it accordant to reason that B can delight in God, and rejoice in commemorating the wonders of his redemption, while his thoughts are dissipated upon the mountains of a thousand vanities?” (Alexander Campbell, The Christian System, p. 247). How much mental preparation do we make? (3) While we can draw near to God through Jesus (Hebrews 10:19-22), He is still to be feared (1 Peter 2:17, etc.).  Let us respect His boundaries.

Other passages in the Old Testament remind us that God wanted them to take worship seriously (Ecclesiastes 5:1-7; Psalm 89:7; Proverbs 15:8; 28:9; Isaiah 1:12-17).  Should we do any less?

2.  Participation.  No Israelite male was to appear before the LORD at a feast empty-handed (Deuteronomy 16:16-17).

They were expected to offer something to the LORD.  “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you” (Deuteronomy 16:17).

Consider these words from the Psalms.  “What shall I render to the LORD for all of His benefits toward Me?  I will take up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the LORD.  I will pay my vows to the LORD now in the presence of all His people… O LORD… I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call upon the name of the LORD.  I will pay my vows to the LORD now in the presence of all His people, in the courts of the LORD’s house, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem” (Psalm 116:12-19).

 Application: What do we bring to Him in worship?  Do we offer Him our spirits (John 4:24 cf. Joshua 24:14)?  Do we offer Him the fruit of our lips (Hebrews 13:15 cf.. Hosea 14:2)?  Do we liberally give (1 Corinthians 16:1-2 cf. Deuteronomy 16:17; 2 Corinthians 8:1-7, 12; 9:7)?  Do we truly present ourselves as living sacrifices to Him (Romans 12:1-2)? 

3.  Presentation.  Their offering was to be without blemish or defect (Leviticus 22:17-24; Deuteronomy 15:21; 17:1).

Only the best was to be offered.  Anything less was not acceptable.  The LORD upbraided those of Malachi’s day, “When you offer the blind as a sacrifice, is it not evil?  And when you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil?  Offer it then to your governor!  Would he be pleased with you?  Would he accept you favorably?” (Malachi 1:7-8).

Application: Let us bring only our best to the Lord (Matthew 22:36-37; Luke 9:23-26; 14:26-33; Romans 12:1-2).  He doesn’t want our unsacrificial offerings, our scraps, our left-overs.

“All He wants is you.  No one else will do,

Not just a part, He wants all of your heart.

All He wants is all of you.  All He wants is you.

All He wants is me, unreservedly.

Not just a part, He wants All of my heart.

All He wants is all of me.  All He wants is me”

(Audrey Meier, song: All He Wants Is You)

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Law of Moses: Slavery

Posted on May 29, 2024 by Bryan Hodge

In this series, we are examining some of the many commandments which are contained in the Law of Moses.  It is our aim to understand them better, build faith, and answer critics.  We are considering them topically.

1.  Kidnapping.  Kidnapping people to serve or to sell as slaves was forbidden (Exodus 21:16; Deuteronomy 24:7 cf. 1 Timothy 1:9-10).

Israel was not to hunt people down to be slaves.  There were ways one could become a slave (e.g. war, punishment, debt).  However, taking people to be slaves was forbidden. 

This is different from what some have done in the past and what some still do.  For example, kidnapping and child slavery is reported to be a common part of  West African cocoa (chocolate) farms (Child Labor and Slavery in the Chocolate Industry, foodispower.org).

2.  Permitted slavery.  There were ways one could become a slave under the Law of Moses (Exodus 22:2-3; Leviticus 25:39-47; Numbers 31:9-ff; Deuteronomy 15:12-18).    These ways included: (1) Debt.  One could sell himself into slavery (Leviticus 25:39-40, 47; Deuteronomy 15:12).   One could also sell his children into slavery (Leviticus 25:41, 45-47; Exodus 21:7-11; 2 Kings 4:1; Nehemiah 5:5).  (2) Criminal Punishment/restitution.  One could become a slave if he could not make restitution for theft (Exodus 22:1-4).  (3) War.  One could become a slave due to war (Numbers 31:9, 15-18; Deuteronomy 21:10-14; Also, Joshua 9).

3.  Debts.  Slaves were released from their debts every seven years or on the year of Jubilee (Deuteronomy 15:1-2, 12-15; Leviticus 25:10, 39-40).

Slavery was, in general, limited in time.  War captives seem to be an exception (Leviticus 25:44-46).  Also, one could voluntarily choose to remain a slave for life (Exodus 21:5-6; Deuteronomy 15:16-17).  One who wanted to remain a slave for life was to have his ear pierced through to a door or a doorpost.  This is an odd ceremony.  Why do this?  It is probably symbolic.  James Burton Coffman comments, “The ear is the organ through which the master’s commands are communicated; and such a ceremony indicated that the servant was perpetually bound to heed his master’s commandments and obey them.  It also signified that the servant was permanently attached to the master’s house” (Deuteronomy, p. 170).

Do we have pierced ears?  That is, are we a willing slave of God?  There is a song which says, “Pierce my ear, O Lord, my God; Take me to Your door this day.  I will serve no other god; O Lord, I’m here to stay.  For love.  Ever bound by love” (Song: Pierce My Ear by Steve Croft, 1980).

Some believe that there may be a connection with Hammurabi (Code #282).  Under Babylonian law a rebellious slave could be punished by having his ears cut off.  In the Law of Moses a willing slave chose to have his ears pierced, willfully identifying him as a slave. 

4.  Abuse.  Slaves were not to be abused (Exodus 21:20-21, 26-27; Leviticus 25:39-40).  Israelites were to remember certain things.  They were to remember that all Israelites had once been slaves (Deuteronomy 15:12-15).  They were to remember they had a God above them (Leviticus 25:43 cf. Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 4:1; Job 31:13-15).

There were consequences to abuse.  (1) If a master injured a slave (e.g. destroying an eye, or knocking out a tooth), then the slave was to be set free (Exodus 21:26-27).  (3) If a master killed a slave (e.g. by beating him) he was to be punished (Exodus 21:20).  Dennis Prager comments, “Thus, like any murderer, a master who murders his slave is subject to the death penalty.  Sarna points out that of all the ancient Near Eastern law codes, the Torah is unique in protecting slaves from homicide and other forms of maltreatment by their masters” (Exodus, p.292).

What about Exodus 21:21?  Many have difficulty with this verse. Dennis Prager comments,  “The Hebrew does not say ‘survives,’ it says ‘stands.’  This literal reading may imply that if slave is not so injured as to be unable to get up, the master is not put to death if the slave dies sometime later… In other words, if the slave is strong enough to get up and stand for a day or two, the matter is not punished (with a death sentence)” (Exodus, pp. 292-293).  This may be provided to protect the master from the death penalty should the slave’s death not be clearly the result of the beating.  Another possibility is, “if a master beats his slave and the slave is unable to work for some time, the master has punished himself by losing the work he might have received from the slave.  The implication here is that it is in the master’s best interest to not be too severe” (Why Does the Bible Allow Slaveowners to Beat Their Slaves? Gotquestions.org).

Why did God allow the slave to be beaten?  (1) Many believe in the concept known as progressive revelation.  That is, God started with man where he was and progressively raised his morals over time.  God in the Old Testament tolerated many things which were less than is ideal (e.g. polygamy).  This is not a move from error to truth.  It is a move from some truth to more or clearer truth.  (2) It should be remembered that some of the slaves were criminals and war captives. 

5.  Days off.  Slaves (servants) were given the same time off for religious obligations as others (Exodus 20:8-10; 23:10-12; 12:43-44;Leviticus 25:1-6; Deuteronomy 12:10-12).

They were not worked without rest.  They were allowed to have time off on the Sabbath and other holy days.  They were also allowed time for worship. 

6.  Freedom.  When a slave was freed, he was not to go out empty-handed (Deuteronomy 15:13-14).

The freed slave was to be supplied liberally with provisions.  This was designed to help the man return to a life of freedom. 

7.  Runaway.  A runaway slave from another country could seek refuge in Israel (Deuteronomy 23:15-16).

He was not to be returned to his master.  This appears to have applied only to slaves from outside of Israel.  James Burton Coffman comments, “The presumption here was that Hebrew masters were superior in their treatment of slaves and servants” (Deuteronomy, p. 258).  Perhaps, this is part of the answer.  Also, many lands engaged in the slave trade (e.g. Genesis 37, 39; Ezekiel 27:13; Amos 2:6; 8:6; Joel 3:1-3; Revelation 18:11-13).

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