Exodus Chapter 22 Verses 1 – 4

• Notice, this is interesting. The Mosaic Law did not just immediately imprison someone for stealing something.  They were instead required to restore what they stole.  I think that’s interesting…some have called this a positive approach to the punishment of criminals…a productive restitution for the offender with compensation for the victim.  It’s very interesting to think about.  I bet however if we asked ten people what they thought of this then we’d get eleven opinions, HA!
• But there is a principle here that is applicable and important for me to take in and hear the heart of God in…if I have wronged someone, just making it right, paying back what I’ve taken, isn’t enough. I ought to repay more.  Just like in doing a job or fulfilling an expectation…I serve the King of Kings…or at least I tell myself and others that I do…if that’s really the case, then I should not do what is asked of me.  I should always do more…

Exodus Chapter 22 Verse 5

• I love that! The restitution is not just the repayment in terms of the produce but notice, the offender is to give the best of their own field!  And listen, this is a grazing cow, man!  This isn’t some sort of blatant offense.  This is something unintentional…but notice, the owner of the animal is still  Therefore, for us, we ought to take responsibility and make right the offense we intended and the offense perceived. 
• Carelessness (an omission) is as wrong and damaging as intention and commission. It’s not just about the wrong we’ve done, it’s also about the right we haven’t done…

Exodus Chapter 22 Verses 6 – 9

• Notice the amount of restitution to be paid was predetermined by the Mosaic Law. It wasn’t left up to the judges to necessarily determine how much should be paid in terms of a penalty, their job was to hear the case and make a determination based on the facts.  Their decision was final and the penalty was already set.  Personally, I like that because that is efficient and fair. 
• Set the expectations. Be clear.  Prepare folks for what is to come and there is an air of integrity when you hold to it.  For the person that flies off the handle and varies in their degree of irritation and reaction, there is immediately an air of irresponsibility about them, and people do not trust irresponsible people.  I personally do not believe that honors the Lord at all.  This applies to all types of relationships, across the board.
• And notice two things here…it wasn’t ‘finders keepers!’ HA!  And, if the accusation ended up being false, the accuser didn’t get to go free.  They had to pay the double fine themselves if that was the case.  I like that one!

Exodus Chapter 22 Verses 10 – 15

• This is a parallel to what we recently studied in 1 Corinthians Chapter 6. Why?  Because one of these two parties is going to take a loss.  That borrowed cow was attacked and killed by coyotes.  There has been a loss.  At no fault of either party…and now either the owner is out a cow or the borrower is out the money for a cow.  No matter how you slice it, there’s a loss here.  1 Corinthians 6 says instead of taking it to worldly judges and transferring that loss to your brother…you take the loss.  Exactly what we see here. 
• This is so ultra-rare (I have found) within the Body of Christ. Brotherly love is cheap when your flesh or worldly possessions are aligned…but as soon as the flesh throws a fit, I would tragically admit that I see most Christians become just like the world or worse.    Why?  Because a Christian that knows the Word and yet has no maturity in the Spirit (no real relationship with God) and will use the Word as weapon to hurt another…you cannot be more opposed to the Spirit of God…that is worse than the world.
• We are to correct, rebuke, exhort and teach…not hurt, abuse, retort and screech!!

Exodus Chapter 22 Verses 16 – 17

• Biblically, there is no such this as casual “hook-ups,” or casual sex. If you go there outside of the confines of marriage, there are consequences.  You would either be obligated to marry and in that you had to pay the “bride-price” or dowry.  Dowry was essentially alimony before marriage.  If the marriage was to dissolve, the bride-price would be enough money for her to live off of the rest of her life.  But if the dad said no…then he’d still have to pay the dowry but he would not be permitted to take her as his wife.

Exodus Chapter 22 Verse 18

• That is literally the statement, “Burn the witch!” HA!  This verse seems almost out of place.    But in sorcery, whether it be drugs or the occult, illicit behavior is a big player.  Sorcery could either be the conjuring and communion with the demonic realm or it could be the abuse of drugs…which many would argue are the same thing.  At any rate, with this surety of penalty, drug abuse in the ancient nation of Israel is essentially a non-factor.

Exodus Chapter 22 Verse 19

• We grimace and for sure we should but in the US, you may be surprised to learn this, this practice is completely legal in 10 states! Gross and deplorable…

Exodus Chapter 22 Verses 20 – 21

• Many apply this to immigrants and at the country level and that’s fine but I think a good indication of a person’s maturity in the Lord is simply how they handle random folks they encounter at the marketplace, parking lots…drive-thru’s and so on… If you are only kind and friendly to those who you know then you’re not very kind and friendly.

Exodus Chapter 22 Verses 22 – 24

• God especially has a heart to protect the Because in truth, we have nothing that we have not been given.  Including our looks, our wealth, our talents, our pedigree…and so God says, stay humble…or I will humble you.

Exodus Chapter 22 Verses 25 – 31

• This is most certainly not suggesting human sacrifice. At that time, the first born son of every family was to serve the Lord as a priest for the family and for the nation.  Every first-born son.  The first born son was regarded as the lead, the best…and this is a picture of how we should not offer our dregs to the Lord, but bring to Him the best of us….
• It would also be a perpetual reminder of what God did for them to provide for their freedom from Egypt in that He destroyed the first-born, the best of Egypt on the night of the Passover. It would also ensure loyalty to God over generations….
• But this all changed in the end…why? Because they chose the flesh over their calling.  In Exodus Chapter 32, Moses will go up on the mountain to meet with God, and while they are gone, the people will become complacent and will make for themselves the golden calf…breaking the most sacred of commandments…and the first-borns are a part of it…all but one tribe.  The tribe of the Levites…
• And so in Numbers 8 God officially removes the mantle from the first-born sons and installs the Levites as the priestly tribe of the nation of Israel…and I see God’s mercy in this. In Exodus 22, God makes the statement, in verse 20…that all who sacrifice to any god, except the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed…affirmed by the nation in chapter 24…but then completely trampled on by the people in Exodus 32 and yet the nation is not wiped out by God…His covenant and the Ten Commandments are reestablished in chapter 34…
• Hosea 6:6 give us the heart of God in that He says, “I desire mercy,” I know you’re a wreck and yet even though it costs me greatly, I want to take care of you, provide for you…but…things change. Yes God is with you and God is for you and God’s grace is upon you but notice…all of those things are received by the nation BUT the first-born of the nation…the best as it were of the line…are made common….that to me, is a great warning in terms of consequence and at the same time a great comfort in terms of mercy.