The Book of the Covenant St. Paul
3/8/2008
Intro
When you are on your knees, alone before God, do you ever wonder
what he really wants from you? Do you ever ask him that -- when it's
just you and your judge, alone.
You're talking to the one who decides whether you live for eternity or
not. But decides based on what? What does he really want in your
character and personality that would be worthwhile for him to have
around for eternity?
Recently I've often gone back to that theme. I've been thinking
about the places in the Bible where it addresses what God really wants
from us.
Here are two places where Jesus was asked that question, more or less.
Matt 22:36-40 :
a lawyer says ...
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
- what is really important? -
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
These two great principles are spiritual, and they are eternal.
And then he breaks the second one down a little finer in the next chapter:
Matt 23:23
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of
mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of
the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: ...
Thinking about this verse I at first thought I would pick out some examples
of one of these "weightier matters".
So I started looking at the beginning of the law. But there are so many
examples, that I decided to take some from the very beginning of the law.
And then I began focusing on a single section of it.
Right at the beginning of the law, in Exodus, is a very interesting book
within that book -- the "book of the covenant". I just want to stay in
that section today.
SPS
1) I want to survey the "book of the covenant" for what it tells us about
what God really wants from us.
and then
2) Note what it tells us about what God does NOT want.
Body
Let's turn to Exodus. To the beginning of God's law.
In Exodus 19 Moses goes up onto the mountain and learns that God will
come down and speak directly to the people.
We're going to categorize what God said that day. Categorize it in
terms of what Jesus said are the "great commandments" and "weightier
matters".
I'm going to make a chart of what God said that day.
(I'm going to ask my "secretary" to come up here and record the scriptural
references on my chart)
I want us to categorize the law as Jesus described its main ideas:
the "1st and 2nd great commandments" Mat 22:37
The top line expresses those great eternal principles. Love of God and
love of neighbor.
Under that:
the 3 weightier matters Mat 23:23
Justice, or "equity" is treating other people fairly. That is a basic
principle of loving your neighbor.
Mercy, or "kindness" or "compassion" is the other half. Going beyond
simple equity.
These great principles are the over-arching principles of the law
that transcend time.
In Exodus 20 God breaks these principles down into 10 commandments.
This is how human beings in general are to love God and neighbor.
This applies directly to us, and to everyone, as long as we are human.
He speaks directly to the people:
Exodus 20
#1 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
#2 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any
thing that is in heaven above ...
#3 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain ...
#4 8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
These are how to love God.
The other 6 I'm putting under 4 categories, for the purpose of our chart:
family, neighbor, property and courts/justice:
family:
#5 12 Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land
which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
#7 14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
neighbor:
#6 13 Thou shalt not kill.
property:
#8 15 Thou shalt not steal.
#10 17 Thou shalt not covet ... any thing that is thy neighbor's.
(and family [neighbor's wife]) - a very broad commandment
justice/courts:
#9 16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
But the people could not bear the sound of God speaking to them:
20:19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but
let not God speak with us, lest we die.
20:21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick
darkness where God was.
Then God speaks this "book of the covenant" to Moses, but in the sight of
the people. Moses was not up in the mountain for this.
It was done in front of the people, but far enough away that they could not
make out God's words.
The next 92 verses of Exodus are what is called The Book of the Covenant
Exodus 20:22-23:19
They are called that in:
Exodus 24
7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the
people: ...
Moses read this whole book to thousands of people, without amplification.
We should be able to skim through it's 92 verses today.
These are the statutes and judgements that God would have spoken directly
to them, if they had not been afraid of his voice.
This "book of the covenant" is how to apply the larger principles of
the law to the nation of Israel. This is an administration that doesn't
apply to us "directly", as we are not a nation.
We have to learn from the spirit of these statutes. The intent of the law.
The "book" begins at Exodus 20:22.
--[ Allow about 12 lines in your notes ]---
Exodus 20
22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children
of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.
These are not the laws of a man. No one is be above the law. No king or
pharoah or dictator. These are the laws of the very God they have seen
and heard.
The first section of the book elaborate on the principle of love of God.
23-26 clarify commandment #2.
23 Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto
you gods of gold.
24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon
thy burnt offerings, ...
25 ... if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
The altars of sacrifice themselves are not to be an excuse to make images.
So (20:23-26) are under the category of faithfulness to as #2.
It seems taken for granted that there would be sacrifice. There has been
sacrifice since Cain and Abel, Noah and Abraham. But God does not specify
what, when, where or how. Only that the altar is not itself to be a
graven image.
Exodus 21
1 Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.
Judgements are applications of the law to nationaly Israel.
These are God-given legal "precedents". They illustrate the spirit of the
law with examples.
Verses 2-11 deal with slaves or servants.
2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh
he shall go out free for nothing.
Interestingly, the first issue of application of God's commandments to
your "neighbor" is to a slave, or servant.
People who hate the Bible and seek to undermine its authority will immediately
say "Aha, your God advocates slavery. How can you honor such a God?"
But the point here is not that God advocated it, but God permitted it. And
he changed it to be much more just and kind than people did.
Israelite slavery was not the permanent, inhumane ownership of a person as
in the nations around. It was to be more like an employer/employee
relationship.
And it could serve in place of prisons. A person could be sold into this
indentured servitude instead of being put in prison.
The legal code of ancient Babylon (~2000 BC), the Code of Hammurabi
prescribed the death penalty for aiding a slave to escape. It in general
was especially harsh in penalties for the poor acting against the rich.
Of the Code of Hammurabi's 282 paragraphs, the rights of slaves were dealt
with in the last 5 paragraphs.
But God states the rights of slaves first.
His people had just been freed from slavery. They were to remember the
lessons of slavery.
In God's law he was particularly careful to protect the disadvantaged
classes: the slave, the sojourner, widow, orphan, and poor.
3-6 protect a slave's family
3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married,
then his wife shall go out with him.
...
These are laws not so much of justice, but of kindness, or "mercy".
7-11 are about an arranged marriage
7 And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out
as the menservants do.
...
This is not a slave laborer, but an arranged marriage.
In the New Testament Jesus said this about such arrangements: (Matt 19:7-8)
They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of
divorcement, and to put her away?
He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered
you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
Not the ideal, certainly. Not as marriage was intended from the beginning.
But God made concessions in the Old Covenant to culture of those times, and
to the ability of an unconverted people.
The rights of a bride purchased for a man or for his son.
The point was the protection of such a woman, as God's judgements were
to protect the disadvantaged.
In general, Ex. 21:2-11 are laws of "neighbor" -- and I would circle them
to denote examples of mercy, or kindness. One of the weightier matters
of the law.
The book of the covenant are largely minimum standards. Do any less than
these minimums and you are committing a punishable crime.
But the point for us is we enforce these standards on ourselves. These
are mostly just minimums, but they point out areas of life where we need to
apply God's standards. We need to think in the spirit of these judgements.
Verses 12-14 differentiate between murder and manslaughter:
13 ... if a man lie not in wait ...
I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.
14 ... if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbor ...
21:12-14 are laws of justice, regarding the life of one's neighbor.
And they not only protected life with a deterrent, but protected the
offender from an unjustly harsh punishment.
15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
21:15 I'd put that under "family".
16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand,
he shall surely be put to death.
Kidnap. Slavery. Protective deterrent against such a crime.
21:16 I'd put that under "neighbor".
17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
21:17: "family" again
Next is bodily harm:
18 And if men strive together ... and he die not, but keepeth his bed:
19 ... he shall pay for the loss of his time ...
This is justice. Not vengeance, but compensation for injury. Help for
the injured, and no over-punishment for the offender.
21:18-19 "neighbor"
Harm of a slave:
20 And if a man smite his servant ... and he die ...
21 ... if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished ...
This is again protection for the disadvantaged. Killing a slave was murder.
But punishment of a slave was allowed, recognizing that a master would
not intentionally kill a person of value to him.
21:20-21 neighbor, but protection of the slave. circle as "kindness"
Negligent harm:
22 If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from
her, and yet no mischief [serious injury] follow: he shall be surely
punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he
shall pay as the judges determine.
This one is a bit obscure. The question is whether "her fruit depart" is
a miscarriage or a premature birth.
23 And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, ...
The weight of evidence seems to support a premature birth. There was to
be a money penalty for the gross negligence of such behavior that would
cause trauma to a pregnant woman. Whether mother or child were harmed or not.
But if either mother or child were harmed, justice was to meted out
according to the harm.
21:22-23 Love of neighbor, in this case, protection mother/child: family
24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
Not literally, but the principle was to make the punishment equal to the
crime. The crime has to be punished, but not more harshly than the harm
caused by the crime. No death penalty for poaching on the king's land,
for example.
26-27 protection of slaves
26 And if a man smite the eye of his servant ...let him go free for his eye's
sake.
Again, protection of the disadvantaged. The servant is a person, not a thing.
21:26-27 "neighbor" column. Maybe circle as "kindness" as well.
28-32 Accidental versus negligent death:
28 If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die ...
This is accidental death.
29 But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past ...
his owner also shall be put to death.
But this is grossly negligent death.
21:28-32 neighbor - protection of a neighbor's person
Accidental versus negligent loss of property:
33 And if a man shall open a pit ... and an ox or an ass fall therein;
This is just property loss.
35 And if one man's ox hurt another's ...
36 ... if it be known that the ox hath used to push ... he shall surely pay
ox for ox ...
21:33-36 This is "justice" under "property".
Exodus 22
1-5 Theft (commandment #8):
1 If a man shall steal an ox ... he shall restore five oxen for an ox ...
2 If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall
no blood be shed for him.
3 If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him ...
... if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.
Not prison.
Another form of stealing;
5 If a man shall cause a field ... to be eaten ...
22:1-5 This is "justice" under "property". No dictator's arbitrary ruling
such as cutting off of a hand. But a penalty that fits the crime.
Negligent destruction of property:
6 If fire break out ... so that the stacks of corn ... be consumed therewith;
he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.
22:6 Negligent destruction of property; under "property"
7-15 responsibility for loss of property in another's care:
7 If a man shall deliver unto his neighbor money or stuff to keep, and it
be stolen out of the man's house ...
10 If a man deliver unto his neighbor an ass, or an ox ...
and it die, or be hurt...
14 And if a man borrow ought of his neighbor, and it be hurt ...
22:7-15 All principles of justice, under "property".
16-17 A form of rape, at least the stealing of virginity:
16 And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he
shall surely endow her to be his wife.
The man marries the woman. This certainly is no romantic principle!
But if this were man's law in a male-dominated society it might blame the
woman and execute her. But God's law recognizes her loss to a stronger
individual. It protects her, now that she is no longer a virgin.
This is protection of family, particularly protection of women.
22:16-17 under "family". And as a protection of a weaker party, we
might also circle this as "kindness".
18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Witchcraft is a kind of service to another god.
22:18 This is a matter of "faithfulness" to God, directly under #1.
19 Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.
22:19 Perversion of sexuality. I would categorize as injustice to "family".
20 He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be
utterly destroyed.
22:20 A direct breaking of #1. under faithfulness
In 21-27, God is direct in protecting all kinds of the disadvantaged:
21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger ...
22 Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.
25 If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt
not ... lay upon him usury.
Protection of the stranger, widow, fatherless, poor. The point is to go
beyond equity. Anyone can soon learn that to be successful in business you
have to gain a reputation for fairness. Helping others is good business.
But in God's law you help those who cannot benefit you in return.
22:21-27 under "neighbor", and circle as "kindness"
28 Thou shalt not revile the gods [judges], nor curse the ruler of thy people.
22:28 put this under "justice", or the court system.
29 Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits ...
the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.
30 Likewise ... with thine oxen, and with thy sheep...
Remember that this book of the covenant was before the tribe of Levi was
chosen as a priesthood. The firstborn were still intended to be the
priesthood. And the firstfruits were akin to tithing. Tithing was an
old principle, since Abraham at least.
22:29-30 This was supporting the religious work of the nation. It was part
of faithfulness to God. Similar to observance of his Sabbath and holydays.
31 And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that
is torn of beasts in the field ...
How would you categorize this? Is what you eat showing love of God, or love
of neighbor? It seems to be already known that God created things that
should and should not be eaten. It had been known at least since Noah.
What does it hurt if you do the uncouth, vulgar or self-destructive thing?
This is about behaving like God's "holy" people. Israel bore God's name
as those redeemed from Egypt by God himself. Just as we bear God's name as
the church of God. To bear that name but not really live up to it is
hypocrisy.
22:31 So I would liken this to the 3rd commandment. We are not to bear
God's name just for empty show, which is hypocrisy. But living in real
faithfulness.
Exodus 23
Verses 1-3 are about the justice system:
1 Thou shalt not raise a false report ...
2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil ...
3 Neither shalt thou countenance [partiality] a poor man in his cause.
These are the underpinnings of a just justice system. No perjury. No
playing politics. No respect of persons, rich or poor.
23:1-3 under "courts"
4-5 are about who you offer help to:
4 If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray ...
5 If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and
wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.
(as James says, "to him that knoweth to do good, and does it not, to him
it is sin") Jmes 4:17
This is a very hard principle to follow. As Jesus put it, "love your
enemies, bless those who curse you ..." Matt 5:44
Ex. 23:4-5 under "neighbor", circle this as "kindness" -- even to your enemy.
Back again to the justice system.
6 Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.
23:6 courts, but circle this as another "kindness" to the disadvantaged.
7 Keep thee far from a false matter ...
8 And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift ... perverteth the words of the
righteous.
The justice system depends on no respect of persons, and no bribery.
23:7-8 courts
9-11 Back to the stranger and the poor:
9 Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger ...
10 And six years thou shalt sow thy land ...
11 But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor
of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall
eat. ...
23:9-11 neighbor, and circle as "kindness" to the disadvantaged
12 Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest:
that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and
the stranger ...
23:12 The Sabbath naturally falls under #4. But in this context the Sabbath is
a blessing to "neighbor". And I would circle it as "kindness" to servants,
strangers, and even animals.
13 And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no
mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.
23:13 faithfulness to God. Directly under #1.
Lastly, here at the end of the covenant is even an outline of the holydays:
14-19 prescribe the holydays: (and ~tithing)
14 Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.
15 ... the feast of unleavened bread: ...
16 And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labors ...
... and the feast of ingathering ...
19 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house
of the LORD thy God. ...
These holydays fall under worshipping God as he prescribes.
23:14-19 "faithfulness" to God, as commandment #4.
That is the book of the covenant, as it's called in 24:7.
Exodus 24
7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the
... and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.
God makes the covenant directly to them. And they agree to abide by it.
What Jesus pointed out were the eternal spiritual principles.
Mankind is to apply them according to the 10 commandments of human life:
Love of God expands to 4 commandments.
Love of neighbor expands to 6 commandments.
Then here in the book of the covenant God gives examples of how these 10
are to be applied to the nation of Israel.
Notice how these judgements cover all important areas of love of God.
Prescriptions of how to worship him, and how not to disrespect him.
Notice that we have the Sabbath. And we have the outline of the holydays.
And examples of the important areas of love of neighbor - both justice and
compassion.
We, as New Testament Christians, can see the spirit of the law in this book.
What the Book of the Covenant is Not
One other thing that I find particularly interesting about the book of the
covenant is that we don't any ritual method for forgiveness here. No things
to do to gain reconciliation to God for breaking his law.
We do have the assumption that there will be an altar for sacrifice. There
had been sacrifice in the days of Cain and Abel. And of Noah and Abraham.
But so far there is no tabernacle or temple for it.
No instructions on what, how, or when to offer sacrifice.
"Justification" was not concern in the book of the covenant.
There are no rituals to be justified before God.
There are no "works of law", as the apostle Paul would call them.
[I think that Paul applied the words "works of law" to Old Testament rituals
of justification. And also to replacements of those rituals in some
peoples' allegorical interpretations of the law.]
But Israel was originally to stand justified before God in the same way
that Abraham had. They were to repent, to perhaps offer a burnt offering as
an act of contrition, and to ask for God's forgiveness. And then they
would remain His people by their faithfulness to him.
The "works of law", the ritual means of justification, begin in Exodus 25
with the instructions on constructing a tabernacle.
Those rituals of reconciliation were added until the coming of that one
sacrifice for all time.
That ritual part was temporary. And that was not the thing that God really
wanted from his people.
Let's turn to a passage in the prophets that comments on this subject.
Jeremiah 7.
This is about 800 years after the book of the covenant. Just before Judah
was conquered and deported.
4 Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The
temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these.
In Jeremiah's time, as in Christ's, the people had lost site of the
weightier matters of the law. They trusted that they were God's people
because of the form of their temple religion.
But God says that they are just, or justified, before Him not by
sacrifice or ritual "works of law":
5 For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly
execute judgment between a man and his neighbour;
6 If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed
not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt:
7 Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to
your fathers, for ever and ever.
If you want to align with God's will, "execute judgement", and "opress not
the stranger". Justice and kindness.
It is this that God wants in those who will dwell in his kingdom.
21 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt
offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.
(or more clearly (New Living Translation): "Away with your burnt
offerings and sacrifices! Eat them yourselves!")
22 For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that
I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or
sacrifices:
He's not talking about the very day that Israel came out through the Red
Sea. He's talking about the whole time of the Exodus story. The time
of their redemption and covenant with God. The giving of the law at
Mt. Sinai was part of that time.
But he says "I spake not unto your fathers ... (at that time) concerning
burnt offerings or sacrifices".
The negative in the Hebrew ("I spake not") doesn't mean that he didn't say
anything about sacrifices. It means that they were small in comparison to
his main points. Not the weightier matters.
He is speaking of the time when he literally "spoke" unto their fathers.
And that was the giving of the 10 commandments and the book of the covenant.
And what they heard was not about justification; not about sacrifices.
That was given to Moses alone, and later.
23 But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be
your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that
I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.
In that day the "important" thing God commanded was not sacrifice but
obedience to the weightier matters of the law.
Conclusion
The ultimate example of this kind of faithfulness to God was of course
Jesus himself.
His ultimate example was following God's will directly into his own death.
Jesus deliberately walked to Jerusalem for his last Passover.
He made his presence public. He made his enemies angry with him. And he
made himself available to them. He walked straight into an agonizing death
by crucifixion.
He didn't want to. He prayed saying,
"O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless
not as I will, but as thou wilt." Mt. 26:39
Why did he do it? Because it was written. It was patterned, foreshadowed
in type, and prophesied that it was to be done.
Jesus read the book. There was no escaping what God wanted him to do. So
he did it, even to that death.
That is faithfulness. Those are his steps that we are called to walk in.
Not that we are called to be obedient to such an extreme as crucifixion.
But to read the book as he did. To understand the spirit of the law, and
in the face of anything and everything, say "not as I will, but as you will".
What does God want from us? To make his character our own. To adopt
his own standards of justice, kindness and faithfulness.
There is no point of resurrecting anyone to eternity who has not
aligned their own will with those principles.