Living Justly
Ex.23:1-9
By Andrew Chan, PBC, Vancouver, BC
Wednesday Night Bible Study Notes
June 27, 2001
Get certain things right here:
1. Exodus experience is one of grace, not of works (ex.19:3-6). All glory to God! It is God’s initiative!
2. Hence the requirement to obey God comes out of this experience of grace. If someone saves u from drowning wouldn’t u be grateful and want to know something more about the person, perhaps get to know the hero? God laid down the ground-rules of how to get to know Him more. It is not meant to be a noose around the neck but an invitation to rely on God as the only God, to be His special people, “kingdom of priests and a holy nation” to relay blessing of redemption to others (Gen.12:1-3).
3. To apply these laws today, requires us to look as well through the lens of grace in Christ. We too are His special people. “…for you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. “Once you were not a people; now you are the people of God. Once you received none of God’s mercy;
now you have received his mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9,10 (NLT)
In our series in Exodus, we have discovered that this ex-slave community needed to be distinct from surrounding nations to be God’s representative. This is in response to the outpouring of His grace by His mighty hand of deliverance. Therefore they cannot be like the other nations, and to remain free, liberated, and not in bondage they must now learn to relate to each other and in their community in new ways. They are no longer to do like the Egyptians do to them, i.e. oppression where they’ve groaned in slavery and cried out for help (Ex.2:23). They are to “Live as free men, and not use their “freedom as a cover-up for evil” (1 Pet.2:16, NIV). They are to reflect God’s grace to others as they have experienced it and to do that they need to be a community that will honor people. This is reflected in 1 Peter 2:17 (NIV) “show proper respect to everyone: love the brotherhood of believers…” There is a principle in Scripture as stated in Galatians 5:9 (NLT) “But it takes only one wrong person among you to infect all the others—a little yeast spreads quickly through the whole batch of dough!” One bad apple spoils the whole bunch! It doesn’t take much to destroy community. One step out of freedom, and you will land yourself back in Egypt. So that is why they are to follow these laws, to ensure that they’ll stay out of Egypt and the way of the other nations…
Exodus 23:1-9 (NLT)
Do not pass along false reports. Do not cooperate with evil people by telling lies on the witness stand.
2 “Do not join a crowd that intends to do evil. When you are on the witness stand, do not be swayed in your testimony by the opinion of the majority. 3 And do not slant your testimony in favor of a person just because that person is poor.
4 “If you come upon your enemy’s ox or donkey that has strayed away, take it back to its owner. 5 If you see the donkey of someone who hates you struggling beneath a heavy load, do not walk by. Instead, stop and offer to help.
6 “Do not twist justice against people simply because they are poor.
7 “Keep far away from falsely charging anyone with evil. Never put an innocent or honest person to death. I will not allow anyone guilty of this to go free.
8 “Take no bribes, for a bribe makes you ignore something that you clearly see. A bribe always hurts the cause of the person who is in the right.
9 “Do not oppress the foreigners living among you. You know what it is like to be a foreigner. Remember your own experience in the land of Egypt.
The Big Idea: Be just, don’t twist justice! Living justly ensures that community life is preserved. Twisting justice ensures disruption of well-being of the community of faith.
True story: July 15, 2000 Tim Tolton was rushing his wife who had intense pain to the emergency ward of a Lakeshore General Hospital in Pointe Claire, west of Montreal, Quebec. But the entrance to Emergency was blocked, so Tim decided to park in front of another set of doors. He just wanted to get his wife into Emergency as fast as possible. Tim remembered picking up a parking ticket on his windshield and throwing it into his car. He forgot about it until he decided to clean out his care and removing his wife’s belongings after her July 30 death.
Tim then wrote a letter to the municipal court of Pointe Claire to explain the circumstances that led to the ticket. He expected that the ticket would be forgiven. The response was this: a notice that said “pay up by Sept.7 or 30 days in jail.” Tim said: “That was the last thing I needed, I was trying to help my wife, and it seemed they were trying to put me in jail.” The municipal court clerk explained that there was nothing that could be done. Tim paid his ticket and he asked “Where are the people behind the rules and regulations?”
In other words, where is the compassion? It is possible that we just don’t see people? Many hide behind rules and regulations, in order not to deal with the messiness that comes with real life. If real people are hurt, who cares, who gives a rip? Just follow procedure! Make it nice and tidy, efficient and folks like Tim Tolton will be hurt some more… Is this really the justice that God wants? That’s the trouble with many people who use the law of God, they hide behind it, rather than deal with compassion and mercy which reflects much more the image of God!
In Galatians 5 (NLT), it is illustrated for us how people who with no thought of expressing God’s love perverts the law. It shows how far folks go to insist on following the rule book rather than the Spirit of the law…
“So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.
2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ cannot help you. 3 I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey all of the regulations in the whole law of Moses. 4 For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.
5 But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive everything promised to us who are right with God through faith. 6 For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, it makes no difference to God whether we are circumcised or not circumcised. What is important is FAITH EXPRESSING ITSELF IN LOVE…
13 For you have been called to live in freedom—not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature…”
That is why when Christ summarized the entire law and the prophets he said this:
35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
37 Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” (Matt.22:35-40, NLT).
It is with this kind of commitment to God in love that you will “not pass along false reports.” Because it destroys your neighbor! So the community life of the people of faith is preserved when we “Do not cooperate with evil people by telling lies on the witness stand.” Because imperfect people will be living with imperfect people in this new community, they will be disputes. God is not saying there will be perfection even among the chosen redeemed folks. It seems clear God knows there will be disputes that will make its way to the courts. And when they do because of love – no false reports are allowed, let the truth come out. For it is brings lots of grief to a community of faith when truth is missing. The life of a community is at risk when justice is perverted. Real people are hurt! Justice is to be the norm…
Even when the majority is pressuring you to do otherwise.
2 “Do not join a crowd that intends to do evil. When you are on the witness stand, do not be swayed in your testimony by the opinion of the majority.”
This is where those who hold democracy as a divine revelation, need to step aside and reflect that the majority can be wrong! Important to note. To intentionally goes against the will of the majority is a tremendous risk but measure that with going against the will of God!
Even when there is pressure to take sides with the less privileged.
“3 And do not slant your testimony in favor of a person just because that person is poor.”
You may feel like Robin Hood, “rob rich, give poor” thing… rob and using stolen goods -2 wrongs don’t make a right!
Even you are tempted to let your enemy suffer.
Justice shows itself by making sure the needs of the “other” esp. in a face to face agrarian society where the loss of a beast of burden can be catastrophic. The health of a community overrides one’s natural emotional propensity. Here even the enemy is taken care of, love of neighbor transcends hurt feelings. So it seems care for others is the prime directive… especially when it concerns “ox or donkey” issues. I.e. don’t take away people’s means of making a living. So we are to be practically aware so that life of everyone is enhanced. It is a proactive stance! Not just say I did not do anything to cause harm , we are to help practically!
“4 “If you come upon your enemy’s ox or donkey that has strayed away, take it back to its owner. 5 If you see the donkey of someone who hates you struggling beneath a heavy load, do not walk by. Instead, stop and offer to help.”
Even Christ noted this for loving one’s neighbor is to include your enemies too… (Matt.5:43-48,NLT)
43 “You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and on the unjust, too. 46 If you love only those who love you, what good is that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Can we see God’s type of perfection in love?
Even when you can get rich quick.
6 “Do not twist justice against people simply because they are poor.
8 “Take no bribes, for a bribe makes you ignore something that you clearly see. A bribe always hurts the cause of the person who is in the right.
Many know that money “talks” in court and wherever “power” is. Voices of need, pain and memory from the community of faith can be wiped out if we give in to get rich quick schemes!
What’s the MOTIVATION for living justly :
1. God will judge the unjust…
7 “Keep far away from falsely charging anyone with evil. Never put an innocent or honest person to death. I will not allow anyone guilty of this to go free.”
Peter said “love as brothers, be compassionate and humble” in 1 Peter 3:8 and then he quotes in 1 Peter 3:12 (NLT) from Ps.34:
“The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers.
But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.”
You can be sure the Lord will judge those who do not love their neighbor. Wanna face God’s wrath?
2. Remember the experience of Egypt… unjust living, oppression felt, pretty bad, right? wanna live through that again? If you didn’t like that, then do not do the same to others, remember how bitter it was, and so do not make life miserable for others…
9 “Do not oppress the foreigners living among you. You know what it is like to be a foreigner. Remember your own experience in the land of Egypt.”
3. Life is so much more pleasant and rewarding, when there is just living, don’t u think? Ex.19:5 “…if you obey me and keep my covenant, then out of all the nations you will be my TREASURED POSSESSION.” You will know the richness of the blessing of being God’s treasure!
Micah 6 (NKJV) tells of a time when the people forgot to be just, to really love the neighbor…
1Hear now what the LORD says:
“Arise, plead your case before the mountains,
And let the hills hear your voice.
2 Hear, O you mountains, the LORD’s complaint,
And you strong foundations of the earth;
For the LORD has a complaint against His people,
And He will contend with Israel.
3 “O My people, what have I done to you?
And how have I wearied you?
Testify against Me.
4 For I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
I redeemed you from the house of bondage;
And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam…
Here we see God explaining the freedom He has brought to the people. He has not done any harm to do (see v.3) but they spurned His love and preferred to go their own ways, forgetting that they were saved by grace and now they totally graceless to others. Micah 6:9-12 (NLT) reported:
9 Listen! Fear the LORD if you are wise! His voice is calling out to everyone in Jerusalem: “The armies of destruction are coming; the LORD is sending them. 10 Will there be no end of your getting rich by cheating? The homes of the wicked are filled with treasures gained by dishonestly measuring out grain in short measures. 11 And how can I tolerate all your merchants who use dishonest scales and weights? 12 The rich among you have become wealthy through extortion and violence. Your citizens are so used to lying that their tongues can no longer tell the truth.
What does God want, you say? Worship services? Human sacrifice? Listen to God’s word:
6 With what shall I come before the LORD,
And bow myself before the High God?
Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,
With calves a year old?
7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
Ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
BUT TO DO JUSTLY,
TO LOVE MERCY,
And to WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD? Micah 6:6-8 (NKJV)
Ask self as we deal with each other, have I dealt justly, loving mercy (companions of love, forgiveness, compassion, patience, kindness, goodness etc.) and learning His ways, walking in close connection with God? If not, time to make things right by repenting before God. Community life is destroyed when we choose to forget God, His love towards us undeserving sinners. When we forget grace, it is so easy to be graceless, and forget loving your neighbor and let worldly passion take over. Heb.12:15 (NLT) says: “ Look after each other so that none of you will miss out on the special favor of God. Watch out that no bitter root of unbelief rises up among you, for whenever it springs up, many are corrupted by its poison.” Choose not forget grace, live out faith that expresses itself through love, it shows off how kind God is to us that He sent His own Son to die for us. This is distinctive living in the love of God at its best!
Keep on living justly by being loving to the neighbor as 1 Peter 3:8-14 (NLT) tells us, it is quite rewarding:
8 Finally, all of you should be of one mind, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds. 9 Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate when people say unkind things about you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God wants you to do, and he will bless you for it. 10 For the Scriptures say,
“If you want a happy life and good days,
keep your tongue from speaking evil,
and keep your lips from telling lies.
11 Turn away from evil and do good.
Work hard at living in peace with others.
12 The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right,
and his ears are open to their prayers.
But the Lord turns his face
against those who do evil.”
13 Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t be afraid and don’t worry.
