18 MISHPATIM (Judgments); Ex 21:1-24:18, Mark 9

[Bruce Bertram]

God begins to lay out for His people more examples of what it means to live a holy and separate life in order to testify to the nations about Him. In the first part of chapter 21 there are ordinances on owning male or female Hebrew slaves, and what to do if a slave wants to stay with his master (put an awl through the ear). The second part covers assault and injury or death between people and between livestock and people. In the midst of this chapter we have the famous section quoted several times throughout the Word, most notably perhaps by Jesus.

23“But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, 24eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. (Exodus 21:23-25 NASB95)

This verse speaks more about equal justice, however, than for determining penalties.

The first part of chapter 22 covers material on theft and thieves. The second part covers the rape of virgins (16,17); the death penalty for female sorcerers (v. 18); the death penalty for sex with an animal (19); idolatry (20); wronging strangers (21); afflicting people, especially widows or orphans (21-27); and some pointers on offerings (28-31).

Chapter 23 really continues the thoughts on afflicting others by giving examples of not bearing a false report, not taking bribes or being partial to poor people because they are poor, not perverting justice or afflicting a stranger, a Sabbath for everyone, and even returning lost animals or helping an enemy with an animal that can’t carry a load properly. God is even shown to care for the land with regulations concerning a Sabbath for the land every seven years. Three feasts are specified for appearing before the Lord (Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Harvest and the Feast of Ingathering). Towards the end of the chapter God reinforces prohibitions against idolatry and instead listening to the Angel He will send ahead of Israel to drive out the people living in the Land. In the middle of these things towards the end of the chapter there is the following admonition.

25“But you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water; and I will remove sickness from your midst. 26“There shall be no one miscarrying or barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days. (Exodus 23:25-26 NASB95)

In chapter 24 Moses writes down what God says and reads it to the people, the elders go up the mountain a ways to have a picnic with Moses and God, and Moses ends up going into a cloud to talk with God further.

Interestingly, in the first part of Mark 9 we hear about Jesus taking Peter, James and John and going up on a mountain, being surrounded by a cloud, and talking with Moses and Elijah in what is known as the transfiguration. After going back down they run into a crowd around the remaining disciples who couldn’t throw out a particularly troublesome unclean spirit out of a boy. Jesus orders it out and the boy is healed.

Jesus and the disciples move on about the Galilee, and Jesus speaks of His impending death. After they get to Capernaum, Jesus asks the disciples about what they were talking about on the road. They didn’t want to tell Him they had been talking about who was the greatest. Jesus takes a child in His arms and says that His followers must be servants and become like a child in order to be great. The disciples respond with a testimony concerning a man who was casting out demons in Jesus’ name but wasn’t part of their group so they told the man to stop. Jesus says, “Whoever is not against us is for us.” He goes on to say that anyone who causes ‘one of these little ones who believe to stumble’ should throw himself into the ocean with a millstone around his neck rather than face God and answer for it. He also says that if your hand causes you to sin better to cut it off and enter the kingdom maimed than to be cast into hell. He repeats the warning using the eye also. These teachings could probably best be explained by realizing that our hands and our eyes do not really cause us to sin, it is something deeper than simply ‘hand – eye’ coordination. It is the coordination of our hands and our eyes with what is in our heart. ‘If’ your hand causes you to sin, then cut it off and stop sinning. I do not think Jesus means for us to go around removing hands and eyes, since that really wouldn’t stop the sin.

Shalom

[Bruce Bertram]

7Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!” (Mark 9:7 NASB95)

In the ‘70’s there was a comedy team you might be familiar with by the name of Cheech and Chong. Sometimes profane and unfunny, frequently they put their fingers on the heart of an issue in such a humorous way that I couldn’t help but laugh. One of their verbal routines concerned a man who did too many drugs, then played Black Sabbath at 78 speed (in the ancient days we had vinyl records that were usually played at 33 1/3 rpm), then he ‘saw God.’ Whatever you might think of the humor of this comedy partnership, it is one clear example of even the non-believer knowing that the pinnacle of human experience is to ‘see God.’

Many people in the Word are recorded as seeing God. Enoch “walked with God” (Genesis 5:22) which if limited to a spiritual understanding doesn’t exclude literally walking with Him. This was obviously the pinnacle for Enoch, because he walked with God and ‘was no more,’ meaning probably a translation without death. Abraham apparently walked and talked with Him (in places such as Genesis 18:16-33). Hagar spoke directly with Him as He rescued her from dying in the desert (Genesis 16:13). Jacob wrestled with God (Genesis 32:30), and Moses is said to have interacted with Him “face to face” (Exodus 33:11, Deuteronomy 5:4, 34:10). Gideon (Judges 6:22) and the parents of Sampson (Judges 13:22) see God. Ezekiel sees “visions of God” in Ezekiel chapter one, including a throne and a figure on it that looked like a man (verse 26). Isaiah (chapter 6) records a vision of the Lord sitting on a throne and the train of His robe (His glory) filling the temple. John in the book of Revelation (1:8, 17) sees Him (the Alpha and Omega) in yet a different way.

While certainly not a parody of a drug induced vision as in the Cheech and Chong routine, in our Exodus section 70 elders also get to ‘see God.’

9Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. 11Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank. (Exodus 24:9-11 NASB95)

The elders in Exodus see God standing on a transparent blue pavement. Blue (sapphire, also called lapis lazuli in places such as Ezekiel 1:26) is the color of royalty or kingship or even deity, and the transparency speaks of purity and great value. Perhaps it is also meant to illustrate the place where the King dwells, that is, in heaven. A king stands when he greets someone or is ready to go somewhere or if he wants a more friendly or intimate position when speaking with someone. He sits when he judges, or when making rulings. The number of elders relates to the number of the sons of Israel going down to Egypt (Genesis 46:27 and Exodus 1:5) and is also representative of the number of nations (Genesis 35:11, 48:19, Deuteronomy 32:8).

Though not specifically stated, perhaps this vision was in connection with ideas given in previous verses in Exodus.

1Then Moses said, “What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say? For they may say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’ ” (Exodus 4:1 NASB95)

9The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe in you forever.” Then Moses told the words of the people to the LORD. (Exodus 19:9 NASB95)

In Mark 9 of our reading section, three of Jesus’ disciples get to see the kingdom of God when they go with Jesus up on a mountain, where He is transfigured into a very bright shining person. God’s voice speaks words of approval and admonition, from a cloud, that this was His Son and to “listen to Him.” Moses and Elijah also appear and converse with Jesus, which completes the representation of the kingdom. In other words, Jesus is seen in His glory, with a living saint (Elijah) a dead saint (Moses) and God again speaking from a cloud as He did with Moses (and again for the purposes of getting people to listen).

It begins to look as though the two incidents are related, and that Jesus is at least equal with Moses as a speaker for God and leader. God speaks from a cloud like He did with Moses, so that people would ‘listen to him.’ But John (one of the people with Jesus at His transfiguration) also has interesting words to say about seeing God.

18No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. (John 1:18 NASB95)

If it’s true that no one has seen God but the Son (and there is no reason to believe John is lying), then who were the elders in Exodus visiting with? How did Moses speak with Him face to face? When bargaining for the salvation of Sodom and Gomorrah, who completed the transaction with Abraham? Who is it that Isaiah sees “high and lifted up” in the Temple? Who did Ezekiel see riding on the heavenly chariot? When Gideon and Manoah and Manoah’s wife ‘see God,’ who was it really? Which ‘god’ did Enoch ‘walk with’ (even if we want to see this as purely spiritual)? Who did Hagar ‘see’ and speak with in the desert? How did Jacob wrestle with Him if no one has seen Him? Jesus explains in several other verses.

37“And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form. (John 5:37 NASB95)

7“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” (John 14:7 NASB95)

If we take John and Jesus at their word, then the only conclusion is that Jesus was the person who people ‘see’ when they say they ‘see God.’ Jesus is the physical representation of God, the Glory of God, the Way the Truth and The Life. No man comes to the Father but by Him, and no one has seen God but Jesus. Fortunately for us Jesus has revealed God the Father to us His people.

How do we see God? Some instruction is in places like Psalm 32.

12Who is the man who desires life And loves length of days that he may see good? 13Keep your tongue from evil And your lips from speaking deceit. 14Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it. 15The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous And His ears are open to their cry. (Psalm 34:12-15 NASB95, also quoted by Peter in 1 Peter 3:10-13)

Matthew also records Jesus reinforcing Psalm 32.

8“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8 NASB95)

Is this time-bound? In other words, does this mean that the pure in heart have a clarity of vision to see God now, or does it mean that if we keep our hearts pure we will eventually see Him? The writer of Hebrews tells us that seeing God is an end result of sanctification, meaning the process of becoming pure.

14Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14 NASB95)

To see God, we need to keep our eyes open and ears unstopped.

14“In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; 15FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES, OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.’

16“But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17“For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. (Matthew 13:14-17 NASB95)

Prophets and other righteous men throughout history would’ve loved to see Jesus and walk and talk with Him as the disciples did when God was incarnated as a man.

Paul says that we see Him only dimly because we only know in part.

12For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12 NASB95)

Thank the Father that Jesus did not stay in unapproachable light where we couldn’t see Him, but came to us and allows us to see the Father in a way we could understand and approach.

13I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15which He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. (1 Timothy 6:13-16 NASB95)

We ‘see God’ because we can see Him in the effects that follow Him around, such as when people do loving acts or when He converts a sinner to new creation. But John tells us that we will eventually see Him as He is and change to be just as He is, reflected glory and all.

2Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. (1 John 3:2-3 NASB95)

Jesus counsels an assembly of people in Revelation 3 to buy eye salve to see Him. This is undoubtedly the healing power of the Word of God.

18I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. (Revelation 3:18 NASB95)

The end of this age is coming soon, and the transition to the next age, when God will reign as King of Kings. When that day comes, those who are of Israel will again see Him face to face.

34“I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out; 35and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. 36“As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you,” declares the Lord GOD. 37“I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; 38and I will purge from you the rebels and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Thus you will know that I am the LORD. (Ezekiel 20:34-38 NASB95)

Then we will all ‘see’ things much different than we do now.

3There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; 4they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. (Revelation 22:3-4 NASB95)

Shalom
Bruce

[Bruce Bertram]

Exodus 21:1 - 24:18; Jeremiah 34:8-22, 33:25-26; Mark 9; Matthew 5:38-42, 15:1-20; Mark 7:1-23; Acts 23:1-11; Hebrews 9:15-22, 10:28-39

You recently repented and did what was right in my eyes by proclaiming liberty, each to his neighbor, and you made a covenant before me in the house that is called by my name, but then you turned around and profaned my name when each of you took back his male and female slaves, whom you had set free according to their desire, and you brought them into subjection to be your slaves. (Jeremiah 34:15–16, ESV)

The prophet Jeremiah gave these verses as part of the word of the Lord to Zedekiah in Jeremiah 34. Zedekiah wasn’t a good king of Judah. According to 2 Kings 24 and 2 Chronicles 36 he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, wouldn’t listen to Jeremiah, and rebelled against the king of Babylon.

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD his God. He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the LORD. He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. He stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel. All the officers of the priests and the people likewise were exceedingly unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations. And they polluted the house of the LORD that he had made holy in Jerusalem. (2 Chronicles 36:11–14, ESV)

At the time of this word given by Jeremiah, there were only two cities left in Judah that hadn’t been conquered. The armies of Babylon had withdrawn, but God was going to bring them back to finish the job. In the middle of all that, Zedekiah did at least one thing right by making a covenant with the people of Judah to free their slaves according to the Law given in Exodus 21. But they couldn’t even hold onto that one small thing. They proclaimed liberty for the slaves, and then profaned the name of God by going back on it. So God was going to proclaim “liberty to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine” for Judah.

Following God’s Law by proclaiming liberty to the slaves was right in God’s eyes. Amidst all the wrong, God acknowledged the one right thing. In spite of the wickedness of King Zedekiah, doing what was right in his own eyes mostly, God took the time to commend him for doing what was right in God’s eyes. If he had stayed with it, and added more obedience in other actions, he might have repented to the extent that he and Judah might’ve been saved from Babylon.

What is right in God’s eyes is what is laid down in His Law. That is how He defines what is right. So that’s how we figure out what is right too. In the current age, we have virtually removed the standard of right and replaced it with what is right in our own eyes. Do not think that God doesn’t see. Don’t think He doesn’t hold us all accountable anyway. He is always watching, and always ready to proclaim the liberty of sword, pestilence and famine to those who will not proclaim the liberty of His Law.

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified. (Isaiah 61:1–3, ESV)

You may recognize these verses as those read by Jesus (He stopped at the word 'favor') in the synagogue of His hometown of Nazareth, related to us in Luke chapter 4. Remember, what Jesus is proclaiming, quoting Isaiah, is that which is right in God’s eyes. His message is to repent, stop doing what is right in our own eyes, and do what is right in God’s eyes. It is the same message that Zedekiah didn’t heed. Zedekiah reneged on doing what was right in God’s eyes.

God’s Law is liberty for captives. If we are not with God we are captive to our flesh and to a god that is a tyrant and not a god at all. Slavery is to abandon God’s Law. We give ourselves to slavery with a hostile god when we abandon the Law. True tyranny is trying to live by the decrees and opinions of others who don’t care what is right in God’s eyes. He is justice, life, love, and light. His Law reflects His character. We profane His name when we don’t continue in His Words. We do right and obtain liberty by fixing our eyes on Him and following in spite of opinions to the contrary. Life and love is ours if we do what God commands. Sword, pestilence and famine follow us when we do what is right in our own eyes.

Happily for us we can repent anytime. Anywhere we can start doing what is right in God’s eyes is good. Zedekiah could’ve kept it going and avoided his fate. We can repent and avoid a fate worse than death. Grab hold of Him, and learn to see with His eyes by following His commands. If we follow in love His Law is not even a command, or a Law, or a statue or ordinance, but a normal part of life. His eyes see everything, and judge accordingly. He loves with a righteous love based on a rock solid standard. Jesus brings us back to that standard time and again. So repent and live.

Shalom
Bruce