This week we will be exploring Exodus 21:1-22:20, Understanding Difficult Old Testament Laws.
OK, now we get into some of the more difficult sections of Exodus. What are we supposed to do with three chapters of various laws about slaves, goring oxen, stolen sheep, knocked out teeth, seducing men, and sorceresses? Should we just skip all of this? (Believe me, as a pastor, there are certainly some passages that I would rather skip! 🙂
But all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable to us so we are going to dive into this section of Exodus for the next two Sundays and see what we find.
This Sunday, we will work our way through the first half of the Book of the Covenant (Exodus 21-23). We will look at the historical context, examining such texts as the Code of Hammurabi which gives us an idea of the legal and cultural milieu of the ancient world. We will also take a look at the issue of slavery which raises so many questions about the Bible in today's culture. Finally we will stop and consider what all of this means for us today. We are not under the Mosaic Law (praise God!) but we are under the law of Christ and there are principles that we can learn even in this section of Scripture.
So buckle up your seatbelts, do some work in your study guides, and join us on Sunday! I can honestly say that this is one of the most unique sections of Scripture that I have ever attempted to preach from. So pray for your pastor too!
May God open our eyes to understand His truth! May we be a people fed by His Word and led by His Spirit for His glory and our good!