SUNDAY, JUNE 27

Scripture: Exodus 21:1-11

Exodus 21:1-11 moves from the first phase of the law, the commandments, to the second phase, which is the judgments.  The judgments governed their social lives as they related to each other.  The commandments structured their relationship to God.  A violation of a commandment moved them into harm’s way and jeopardized their relationship with God.  The judgments revealed how a righteous people were to deal with each other – in honesty, integrity and charity.  When Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, and when the issue of “turn-the-other-cheek” arises in the New Testament, it specifically addresses the issue of the judgments as it pertains to our dealing with each other in covenant community.  Exodus 22:22-24 shows the strength of the judgments as people were to deal with each other.  These verses say, “’You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry; and My wrath will become hot, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.’”  Now apply that standard to the banks, and governments, and even to the church.  Did God’s covenant consist of judicial action, not only concerning what an enemy was to do to a covenant person, but what one supposed covenant individual was to do to another?  The answer was absolutely!