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this week we hope to look at a few excursions into some areas of some of excursions into some areas of some of the most beautiful pieces of the the most beautiful pieces of the divine ethics we could ever perceive of divine ethics we could ever perceive of as we do so i think we'll find that as we do so i think we'll find that perhaps there is a great deal more perhaps there is a great deal more historically to the work of god amongst historically to the work of god amongst his people his people than perhaps at other times we might than perhaps at other times we might have given credit for have given credit for hopefully all of us are going to learn hopefully all of us are going to learn something of that nature but basically something of that nature but basically what we want to do this week is look at what we want to do this week is look at the area where law came in relation to the area where law came in relation to israel to the people of gods and see how israel to the people of gods and see how that law as a system of divine ethics that law as a system of divine ethics has continued down through generations has continued down through generations of time and is just as applicable to us of time and is just as applicable to us today as a system of divine ethics today as a system of divine ethics to put us back in the context of law to put us back in the context of law law is itself a restraint made by a law is itself a restraint made by a power outside man power outside man which extraneously operates on him which extraneously operates on him to control his behavior to control his behavior before himself before himself and in god's law and in god's law before god before god therefore law itself is something which therefore law itself is something which takes on the meaning of god's presence takes on the meaning of god's presence it's god's dealings with us it's god's dealings with us it's the content of the divine it's the content of the divine revelation revelation and the divine revelation is a and the divine revelation is a revelation of god that he gives to revelation of god that he gives to mankind which is over and above anything mankind which is over and above anything that we might tend that we might tend to see of gods by reasoning to see of gods by reasoning the child that brings into you the small the child that brings into you the small flower and says flower and says now here mummy is the evidence of god now here mummy is the evidence of god god made that flower that's very true god made that flower that's very true god did make that flower but you see in god did make that flower but you see in that flower that flower is the evidence of a divine being is the evidence of a divine being a being that is able to create in the a being that is able to create in the uniformity of the nature of creation uniformity of the nature of creation itself a great deal of dovetailing in itself a great deal of dovetailing in where everything is interrelated where everything is interrelated together for its existence together for its existence so if that flower doesn't appear in that so if that flower doesn't appear in that fields fields neither would mankind walk thereon neither would mankind walk thereon that's the evidence of god we might say that's the evidence of god we might say everything of which we have experienced everything of which we have experienced the whole panoply of space to the vast the whole panoply of space to the vast nebulae of society beyond the stars nebulae of society beyond the stars whatever that society is whatever that society is it is all part of the evidence of god it is all part of the evidence of god and we can reach that by reasoning by and we can reach that by reasoning by observing observing by studying and questioning we can see by studying and questioning we can see the evidence of gods the evidence of gods but you see a divine revelation is that but you see a divine revelation is that which is above which is above and over that's which is otherwise seen and over that's which is otherwise seen by reason by reason it is a divine word of god's revelation it is a divine word of god's revelation to us of what he is and what he wants to to us of what he is and what he wants to do with us and the relationship that we do with us and the relationship that we might otherwise experience with him might otherwise experience with him these things are vitally important these things are vitally important now in looking at law now in looking at law and the coming of law and the coming of law we obviously take our attention back to we obviously take our attention back to man's first dealings with gods or to put man's first dealings with gods or to put it the right way rounds god's first it the right way rounds god's first dealings with man dealings with man when god created man he created him for when god created man he created him for his pleasure his pleasure the father wanted to see a great deal of the father wanted to see a great deal of pleasure in his creation pleasure in his creation he made before him some human beings who he made before him some human beings who were described as being in his likeness were described as being in his likeness and in his image and in his image where the animals of the earth were where the animals of the earth were never so described in that language never so described in that language the likeness of god the likeness of god in genesis 1 and verse 26 in genesis 1 and verse 26 tells us that man is made in the image tells us that man is made in the image in the sense of the physical appearance in the sense of the physical appearance of god of god therefore man walks as an upright therefore man walks as an upright creature creature he has a head elevated above any other he has a head elevated above any other part of his being so his head is at the part of his being so his head is at the top top of animals that is not necessarily so of animals that is not necessarily so mankind is also made in the likeness of mankind is also made in the likeness of god god and that describes mankind as a creature and that describes mankind as a creature with a mental affinity with god he with a mental affinity with god he thinks like god can think he has a sense thinks like god can think he has a sense of a direction a mentality that refers of a direction a mentality that refers himself to his god he has a relationship himself to his god he has a relationship possibility with his god possibility with his god where no animal can relate to god but you see man's likeness before god is much greater than just thinking like is much greater than just thinking like god god after all we can refer to the serpent in after all we can refer to the serpent in eden can't we eden can't we we can refer to a dialogue that took we can refer to a dialogue that took place place where the serpent himself says well god where the serpent himself says well god knows that when thou eatest of this knows that when thou eatest of this fruit thou shall be like the elohim fruit thou shall be like the elohim you'll be like the angels you'll be like the angels that wasn't a false statement it was that wasn't a false statement it was very true very true the serpent was able to reason upon many the serpent was able to reason upon many aspects of of the laws of god that he aspects of of the laws of god that he the particular law of god he gave to the particular law of god he gave to adam and eve adam and eve but this creature was somewhat limited but this creature was somewhat limited because it was an animal because it was an animal because it was not made in the likeness because it was not made in the likeness of gods of gods this animal was totally unable to reason this animal was totally unable to reason in the sense of in the sense of divine morality divine morality and that was the and that was the difference difference so the animal had an ability to think so the animal had an ability to think a limited ability to rationalize a limited ability to rationalize and some scope to be able to make a and some scope to be able to make a discovery of its observations discovery of its observations but the animal possessed no morality but the animal possessed no morality the animal was therefore called an the animal was therefore called an amoral creature amoral creature it is a creature with whom morality has it is a creature with whom morality has no association whatsoever no association whatsoever in this serpent in this serpent we see the developments we see the developments of an animal trying to enter into god's of an animal trying to enter into god's worlds worlds and we see the disaster of course of and we see the disaster of course of mankind accepting the reasoning of this mankind accepting the reasoning of this animal animal now when we look now when we look at creation we see god's dealings with at creation we see god's dealings with mankind mankind we see that though god made mankind for we see that though god made mankind for his pleasure his pleasure and though man was supposed to be a and though man was supposed to be a manifestation of kinds of god one of his manifestation of kinds of god one of his children in a sense children in a sense made in the image and likeness of god he made in the image and likeness of god he was meant to copy gods he was meant to was meant to copy gods he was meant to be a reproduction of a limited extent of be a reproduction of a limited extent of what god is what god is so man possessed an ability so man possessed an ability that no other animal possessed that no other animal possessed he also possessed the possibilities he also possessed the possibilities that no other animal possessed that no other animal possessed that was that there was a tree in the that was that there was a tree in the midst of that garden also that was midst of that garden also that was called the tree of lives called the tree of lives and that tree could confer immortality and that tree could confer immortality upon adam and eve upon adam and eve when adam and eve had sins when adam and eve had sins in order to stop them to prevent them in order to stop them to prevent them from going forth and eating of the tree from going forth and eating of the tree of life and living forever of life and living forever therefore the elohim sent him out of the therefore the elohim sent him out of the garden garden that was a possibility that did not rest that was a possibility that did not rest there for the snake there for the snake though the snake knew i believe the though the snake knew i believe the possibility of doing so possibility of doing so god gave to adam and eve commandments god gave to adam and eve commandments but he gave none but he gave none unto the animals unto the animals again the reasons for this again the reasons for this relate precisely to the ability and the relate precisely to the ability and the morality within the creature to be able morality within the creature to be able to absorb the divine commandments to to absorb the divine commandments to understand what it meant and to become understand what it meant and to become morally related to it in judgments morally related to it in judgments well well we know what happened in genesis we know what happened in genesis of course the serpent had reasoned unto of course the serpent had reasoned unto eve particularly that she should partake eve particularly that she should partake of this tree of the knowledge of good of this tree of the knowledge of good and evil because in this sense she would and evil because in this sense she would then become like the elohim like the then become like the elohim like the gods knowing good and evil gods knowing good and evil well eve was acted upon by her own well eve was acted upon by her own desires desires these desires became inflamed to these desires became inflamed to lawlessness lawlessness and so she saw that the tree was good and so she saw that the tree was good that she would eat of this tree and it that she would eat of this tree and it would be pleasant to the eyes would be pleasant to the eyes and it would make her wise and it would make her wise and so we find the entrance of the lust and so we find the entrance of the lust of the eyes the lust of the flesh and of the eyes the lust of the flesh and the pride of life clearly the pride of life clearly into the world of eve into the world of eve when she partake of the tree when she partake of the tree of course she then defiled her of course she then defiled her conscience before her gods conscience before her gods and adam likewise with a sense of shame and adam likewise with a sense of shame upon him upon him feeling exposed as he was made naked by feeling exposed as he was made naked by the acts he seeks to cover it with the the acts he seeks to cover it with the fig leaf fig leaf the fig leaves through scripture the fig leaves through scripture yes it does represent israel in some yes it does represent israel in some ways but it also represents the covering ways but it also represents the covering up of something up of something that doesn't exist that doesn't exist the fig leaf the fig leaf was that which makes a nice display on was that which makes a nice display on the outside the outside indicating yes beyond those leaves is indicating yes beyond those leaves is fruits and you go to the fruits you go fruits and you go to the fruits you go to the tree you part the leaves and to the tree you part the leaves and there's no there's no fruits that is hypocrisy fruits that is hypocrisy that is guile that is guile that is deceit and that is sin that is deceit and that is sin so adam and eve in order to try from so adam and eve in order to try from their own fictitious creation to avoid their own fictitious creation to avoid the shame that they had exposed before the shame that they had exposed before god they sought to cover up god they sought to cover up they sought a cover-up they sought a cover-up but god was able to expose the cover-up well when adam and eve were taken of this tree this tree lord god had lord god had walked in the garden in the cool of the walked in the garden in the cool of the evening evening and said the lord says unto man who told and said the lord says unto man who told thee that was naked thee that was naked hast thou eaten of the tree where have i hast thou eaten of the tree where have i commanded thee thou shalt not commanded thee thou shalt not eat and so the man in his mentality he eat and so the man in his mentality he immediately says to to the elohim to the immediately says to to the elohim to the angels before him the woman which thou angels before him the woman which thou gave us to be with me she gave me of gave us to be with me she gave me of this tree and i ate it this tree and i ate it now we notice a change in mankind's an now we notice a change in mankind's an unfortunate change unfortunate change this change has brought about a defiled this change has brought about a defiled conscience conscience where man now uses guile to cover his where man now uses guile to cover his sin sin so man now so man now blames god blames god imply unto gods that he had something to imply unto gods that he had something to do with his own sin do with his own sin he says the woman that you gave unto me and so the father goes the through the angels now to the woman and says to the angels now to the woman and says to the woman well why have you done this and woman well why have you done this and she passed passes the back down the line she passed passes the back down the line and says well the serpent he beguiled me and says well the serpent he beguiled me he caused me to do this he caused me to do this and say the lord god goes to the serpent and say the lord god goes to the serpent in verse 14 and under the serpent he in verse 14 and under the serpent he said because thou has done this said because thou has done this cursed out thou cursed out thou etc etc now you'll notice the difference is this that whilst the lord god asked the that whilst the lord god asked the question of adam why have you done this question of adam why have you done this he asked the same question of eve why he asked the same question of eve why have you done this have you done this but he didn't ask to snake any questions but he didn't ask to snake any questions did he a snake cannot account for sin a snake is outside a snake is outside reproach of sin reproach of sin a snake is a beast of the field a snake a snake is a beast of the field a snake has no moral consciousness it has no has no moral consciousness it has no accountability before god you don't ask accountability before god you don't ask the snake any questions the snake any questions you don't go out to the backyard and ask you don't go out to the backyard and ask your dog why he took the turkey off the your dog why he took the turkey off the table table at least if you do you don't expect him at least if you do you don't expect him to explain the conditions of his sin you see animals cannot account for what they do for what they do they are amoral creatures they are amoral creatures but not so with mankind's but not so with mankind's and that's why to mankind he is given and that's why to mankind he is given laws he has given the mind of god he has laws he has given the mind of god he has given responsibilities that animals given responsibilities that animals don't have don't have and of course with those laws and and of course with those laws and responsibilities responsibilities come inestimable privileges come inestimable privileges that animals could never share that animals could never share so we do have responsibilities and we so we do have responsibilities and we have privileges have privileges that above all brothers and sisters that above all brothers and sisters we have the possibility we have the possibility of knowing our creator of knowing our creator not only knowing him not only knowing him but understanding him but understanding him and not only understanding him and not only understanding him but becoming a part of him but becoming a part of him so not only having life but having it so not only having life but having it more abundantly that's what's offered to more abundantly that's what's offered to us us and offered to know and offered to know other living species upon this earth so clearly brothers and sisters we have some very dramatic very wonderful some very dramatic very wonderful principles principles they all tell us about gods they all tell us about gods what he thinks what he thinks what he does what he does why he does it why he does it and if therefore the character of god is and if therefore the character of god is so revealed before us of his infinite so revealed before us of his infinite greatness and majesty if we look at his greatness and majesty if we look at his nature as being a god who has within nature as being a god who has within himself great mercy long suffering and himself great mercy long suffering and tender love towards his people but yet tender love towards his people but yet will not forgive iniquity he will not will not forgive iniquity he will not feel indifferent to man's sin feel indifferent to man's sin then what we are looking at is the being then what we are looking at is the being of creator the being as the creator that of creator the being as the creator that made us in his likeness and image and made us in his likeness and image and therefore tells us what we can become therefore tells us what we can become like god like god and that is a very unique being well god only asks one thing of adam and eve eve he placed him in the garden to till it he placed him in the garden to till it he placed him there not to pull out the he placed him there not to pull out the weeds and the brides they weren't there weeds and the brides they weren't there but he placed him there to organize the but he placed him there to organize the garden he placed him there to be able to garden he placed him there to be able to manage the affairs of that garden manage the affairs of that garden he was the tender he was to be he was the tender he was to be responsible for that garden he had a responsible for that garden he had a management responsibility over fauna and management responsibility over fauna and flora alike flora alike it was his domain it was his domain they all were within his grasp within they all were within his grasp within his control his control but man but man he was within god's control he was within god's control and therefore god had to demonstrate and therefore god had to demonstrate this to him this to him and so before him he says in verse 16 of and so before him he says in verse 16 of chapter 2 of genesis chapter 2 of genesis and the lord and the lord commanded the man saying commanded the man saying of every tree of the garden of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat of it thou mayest freely eat of it but of the tree of the knowledge of good but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die now this is the only commandment of which we have knowledge which we have knowledge concerning the which concerning the which god gave unto his people god gave unto his people there was only one commandment do not there was only one commandment do not eat of the tree eat of the tree now you'll notice that when the serpent now you'll notice that when the serpent comes into the woman comes into the woman the woman answers the servant in the the woman answers the servant in the light of this particular law light of this particular law and the woman said yes well we may eat and the woman said yes well we may eat of every tree of the in the garden but of every tree of the in the garden but in verse three of chapter three she says in verse three of chapter three she says that of the fruit of the tree which is that of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden of god garden in the midst of the garden of god garden god has said you shall not eat of it god has said you shall not eat of it neither shall ye touch it lest you die well i didn't read in verse 17 where god said thou shalt not touch it said thou shalt not touch it the law was thou shall not eat it the law was thou shall not eat it but eve added but eve added neither shall he touch it lest ye die neither shall he touch it lest ye die what's the addition for what's the addition for well that addition brethren says this is well that addition brethren says this is most important most important you see that shows perception of the law you see that shows perception of the law and i believe eve and i believe eve obtained that perception because of her obtained that perception because of her communication with adam communication with adam and because adam was able to say to his and because adam was able to say to his wife wife here is the threat of death before us here is the threat of death before us we must realize that that tree we must realize that that tree represents everything that we must represents everything that we must totally avoid totally avoid therefore therefore don't stroke the fruits or the leaves don't stroke the fruits or the leaves don't go near it don't go near it don't flirt with death don't flirt with death don't touch it don't touch it because if you touch it it's probable because if you touch it it's probable you will eat it that is that is good counsel isn't it it wasn't part of the law which we read in wasn't part of the law which we read in verse 17 of the second chapter but it verse 17 of the second chapter but it was good counsel and it was counsel that was good counsel and it was counsel that demonstrated that here was a joint demonstrated that here was a joint perception of the meaning of this law perception of the meaning of this law and how in fact this law itself must and how in fact this law itself must have created an atom particularly have created an atom particularly a great avoidance path before him don't a great avoidance path before him don't go near it go near it of all the other trees of all the other trees we can freely use well without going into the details of the events that surround eden the events that surround eden the tree of life and everything else the tree of life and everything else there there what we can see is this but here was god what we can see is this but here was god giving to mankind a law giving to mankind a law mankind without that law mankind without that law would have no opportunity would have no opportunity of developing his senses of developing his senses to understand his god to understand his god to manifest his god and above all to manifest his god and above all to love his god now many people raise the question well okay we all sin and die today because okay we all sin and die today because adam and eve sinned and died adam and eve sinned and died but why why when god possesses the but why why when god possesses the capacity didn't he not make creatures capacity didn't he not make creatures that could not fail that could not sin that could not fail that could not sin why didn't he make us robots why didn't he make us robots robots that can go forth and manifest robots that can go forth and manifest his will wherever it might be why did he his will wherever it might be why did he give us the propensity to sin give us the propensity to sin why give to us something that god could why give to us something that god could have avoided bringing into his own have avoided bringing into his own worlds would you like to go to young johnny or jennifer of the morning jennifer of the morning and say time to get up kids and say time to get up kids so what you do is go over to their bed so what you do is go over to their bed and you plug in a new battery and you plug in a new battery you wind in a position you wind in a position put in daily morning program put in daily morning program right clean your teeth get dressed have right clean your teeth get dressed have breakfast but above all give me a kiss breakfast but above all give me a kiss on my cheek before you leave for school on my cheek before you leave for school in the morning would you like that kind of child to do that that would we really like our children would we really like our children to simply be robot organized computers to simply be robot organized computers what would you get out of that as what would you get out of that as parents what would i get out of it parents what would i get out of it okay i'd have another toy wouldn't i okay i'd have another toy wouldn't i when the batteries were out you put when the batteries were out you put another battery in another battery in some toys today they change hands out some toys today they change hands out quick that you can't even get the quick that you can't even get the battery out you buy a new toy battery out you buy a new toy you see that is what animation is you see that is what animation is where man makes it where it cannot where man makes it where it cannot manifest him manifest him it cannot show him love it cannot show him love it cannot reflect to him his own being it cannot reflect to him his own being and look at our own children as much as and look at our own children as much as we love them we look at them and we see we love them we look at them and we see characteristics some of which we don't characteristics some of which we don't like because that's me but nevertheless like because that's me but nevertheless we see some things in them we love we see some things in them we love and we see the character of its parents and we see the character of its parents coming out coming out we see a genetic reproduction of a we see a genetic reproduction of a loving human being that we now have the loving human being that we now have the responsibility to organize to train and responsibility to organize to train and to manage until they become discretion to manage until they become discretion of adults themselves of adults themselves we wouldn't want it any other way would we wouldn't want it any other way would we parents now if you've got that if you have the value of that if you have the value of that you also have the problem of the cookie you also have the problem of the cookie jar being stolen upon when you don't jar being stolen upon when you don't want it stolen from want it stolen from so we all have to face the fact that so we all have to face the fact that there will be aberrations in the life of there will be aberrations in the life of a child in which its growth to maturity a child in which its growth to maturity will obviously illustrate also the will obviously illustrate also the potential for error potential for error and whilst it is very true our potential and whilst it is very true our potential for error and our children's potential for error and our children's potential for error is much much greater than what for error is much much greater than what adam and eve's word creation adam and eve's word creation nevertheless the principle is the same nevertheless the principle is the same we can fail we can fail but within ourselves we want our but within ourselves we want our children to love us children to love us because of what comes spontaneously from because of what comes spontaneously from within them towards us as the feeding within them towards us as the feeding back of what we have given to them back of what we have given to them to me the greatest advantage to me the greatest advantage that i have with my children that i have with my children is to see is to see that they do what i want not because that they do what i want not because they know that the stick will come out they know that the stick will come out of the cupboard if they don't of the cupboard if they don't but because more importantly but because more importantly they don't want to caught my disfavor they don't want to caught my disfavor with them with them and that's very important to me and that's very important to me very important very important that stick that i use that has a little that stick that i use that has a little probe written on it probe written on it foolishness is bound up in the heart of foolishness is bound up in the heart of the child's with the right of correction the child's with the right of correction she'll drive it far from him you see she'll drive it far from him you see and the child must go and get the stick and the child must go and get the stick and bring it and read it out foolishness and bring it and read it out foolishness is powered up in the heart of the child you see it gives us some sort of license doesn't it it gives us the ability to be doesn't it it gives us the ability to be able to explain to that child why that able to explain to that child why that stick has to be used stick has to be used but i mean i hope i wouldn't have to do but i mean i hope i wouldn't have to do that to an 18 year old that to an 18 year old in fact then forget it he'd beat me up but the point is what the stick is for is to condition the child's thinking to is to condition the child's thinking to see that by the reward and the see that by the reward and the punishment structure of law and order in punishment structure of law and order in the households the child can grow to the households the child can grow to appreciate new dimensions of being and appreciate new dimensions of being and what that is is love and responsibility what that is is love and responsibility those two things you never create in those two things you never create in robots robots and we will never create that in our and we will never create that in our children children unless we start very young unless we start very young with teaching them the same kind of with teaching them the same kind of things things that god has taught us that god has taught us so the father did not want an adam or an so the father did not want an adam or an eve eve that did not possess the capacity to that did not possess the capacity to love him love him as a father as a father so he had to give them so he had to give them the volition the free choice the volition the free choice the exercising of the mind to grow on the exercising of the mind to grow on his words or to turn the other way his words or to turn the other way and of course it was a very sad moment and of course it was a very sad moment to god when he turned the other way to god when he turned the other way but then the lords but then the lords the lord had to deal with his problem the lord had to deal with his problem what was he now to do with his erring what was he now to do with his erring children children unto whom he had given a commandment and unto whom he had given a commandment and saying that in the day thou eatest then saying that in the day thou eatest then dying thou shalt end in death dying thou shalt end in death what was he to do well we could look at three possibilities the god could have said well man kind of sinned against me sinned against me it's all gone wrong it's all gone wrong he didn't do what i asked him to do he didn't do what i asked him to do so i'll obliterate the whole species and so i'll obliterate the whole species and i'm going to start again i'm going to start again now he could have done that on the basis now he could have done that on the basis of righteousness because he told adam of righteousness because he told adam and eve you will die as a result of that and eve you will die as a result of that sin he could have brought death then and sin he could have brought death then and there and expunged the existence of that there and expunged the existence of that whole creation wiped it out brought the whole creation wiped it out brought the earth back full of water covering the earth back full of water covering the face of the deep once more and said i'll face of the deep once more and said i'll start again if he took that option there might be two problems with it two problems with it firstly firstly there was no certainty with god that had there was no certainty with god that had he started the whole thing over again he started the whole thing over again the same thing would not happen again the same thing would not happen again he had to leave that possibility open he had to leave that possibility open secondly secondly to have done so would have shown a side to have done so would have shown a side of yahweh which we do understand he is a of yahweh which we do understand he is a wrathful god yes in the sense that he wrathful god yes in the sense that he punishes sinners punishes sinners but he also has mercy but he also has mercy he also has love he also has love and he also has wisdom and he took the option to use wisdom and love and mercy to use wisdom and love and mercy but yet there was another option open but yet there was another option open that also could have been taken that also could have been taken and that was to say well and that was to say well poor adam he didn't really want to do poor adam he didn't really want to do this eve was the one who was deceived this eve was the one who was deceived and and she therefore appeal to his and and she therefore appeal to his emotions and therefore i'll have to emotions and therefore i'll have to admit that really it was a very hard admit that really it was a very hard thing and in fact if they have had a thing and in fact if they have had a different circumstance they might have different circumstance they might have been quite okay and therefore i'll just been quite okay and therefore i'll just forgive them for this once and let's forgive them for this once and let's pretend it never happens pretend it never happens but what about that option isn't that but what about that option isn't that full of love full of mercy full of full of love full of mercy full of forgiveness full of kindness well i think it might tend to show to us the sign of god that we wouldn't like god said in the day thou eatest said in the day thou eatest thou shall start to die had he not done that then what about god saying today then what about god saying today now if we serve the father today if we now if we serve the father today if we give to him the praise and the honor give to him the praise and the honor that he deserves if we seek the way of that he deserves if we seek the way of life through christ jesus and seek to life through christ jesus and seek to model and patent our lives upon his model and patent our lives upon his example today if we seek this then we example today if we seek this then we come to the judgment seat and the lord come to the judgment seat and the lord says oh sorry i've just changed my mind that would be god in falsity wouldn't it we couldn't trust him we couldn't trust him we couldn't trust him to do what he says we couldn't trust him to do what he says so likewise if he says something and he so likewise if he says something and he changes it can we trust him changes it can we trust him there must be trust there must be trust as well as love and mercy and kindness as well as love and mercy and kindness so we look at god again so we look at god again yes he can provide love mercy and yes he can provide love mercy and kindness but in such a way that he will kindness but in such a way that he will not show weakness not show weakness in consistency or falsehood in consistency or falsehood and that is very very important so he was a god that had to somehow find a way around a that had to somehow find a way around a problem problem but in which his justice his mercy and but in which his justice his mercy and his love would be all pervading his love would be all pervading so what did he do in the process of time he illustrated before adam and eve he illustrated before adam and eve that this dying face would end in death that this dying face would end in death that is very true but that death itself that is very true but that death itself does not have to be permanence and here does not have to be permanence and here he adds something additional to what was he adds something additional to what was given to mankind in the beginning given to mankind in the beginning he didn't say in his law to mankind's he didn't say in his law to mankind's here that in that day thou eatest here that in that day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die but you thereof thou shalt surely die but you don't have to stay dead don't have to stay dead that wasn't part of the law was it that wasn't part of the law was it the law only condemns the law does not the law only condemns the law does not give life give life and here god now exercises the and here god now exercises the possibility of saying now if you would possibility of saying now if you would appreciate adam and eve that within your appreciate adam and eve that within your life you must now organize your thinking life you must now organize your thinking to acknowledge a principle to acknowledge a principle and in your lives live by that principle and in your lives live by that principle so that now you're going to spend the so that now you're going to spend the rest of your days crucifying the source rest of your days crucifying the source of your sin of your sin then i will acknowledge then i will acknowledge in my kindness to you that if you strive in my kindness to you that if you strive to do that i will make up the difference to do that i will make up the difference between your desire and your weakness between your desire and your weakness and then and then god could change the outcome of the god could change the outcome of the situation so god enforced his law all sin is punishable by death all sin is punishable by death but before adam before he left that but before adam before he left that garden he took hold of adam and he gave garden he took hold of adam and he gave to him coats of skins and he clothed to him coats of skins and he clothed them them the skins of course the skins of course represented the slaying of the animal represented the slaying of the animal and the covering of the man represented and the covering of the man represented the blood of the slaying of that animal the blood of the slaying of that animal and if we want to know what animal it is and if we want to know what animal it is i think we need to look to a commentary i think we need to look to a commentary on this so far as the greek scriptures on this so far as the greek scriptures are concerned which comments that this are concerned which comments that this was the lamb flame from the foundation was the lamb flame from the foundation of the worlds of the worlds it was a lamb it was a lamb it was a typical lamb it was a lamb by it was a typical lamb it was a lamb by whose offering sin might be covered an whose offering sin might be covered an appearance and acceptance before god appearance and acceptance before god might become possible might become possible therefore therefore the slaying became a typical the slaying became a typical manifestation of divine salvation adam had to acknowledge that all his life life and in the hope of that and in the hope of that there was the hope of eternal life of course down the line god had to bring about the great god had to bring about the great antitypical lamb the one who would as antitypical lamb the one who would as god's own son as the beginning of a new god's own son as the beginning of a new creation who was a new son of god was creation who was a new son of god was able to change the course of history and able to change the course of history and bring into being the possibility of a bring into being the possibility of a new kind of race of people new kind of race of people a race of people that would not live a race of people that would not live after the example of adam's sin after the example of adam's sin but a race of people that would follow but a race of people that would follow after the great spiritual ambitions after the great spiritual ambitions of the other son the second adam the of the other son the second adam the lord jesus christ so from the terrible outcome of the curse in eden curse in eden mankind went out mankind went out the man the man to till the grounds to till the grounds that through the sweat of his brow that through the sweat of his brow in the rooting out of thorn and briar he in the rooting out of thorn and briar he might bring forth fruit by which he might bring forth fruit by which he would live would live and the woman and the woman the woman whose propagation would now the woman whose propagation would now become become a somewhat laborious experience a somewhat laborious experience thus started to bring children into this thus started to bring children into this world world which she had to seek a great deal of which she had to seek a great deal of preoccupation with when those children preoccupation with when those children are young are young she must nurture the home she must nurture the home feed those children feed those children organize those children organize those children and assist in the great work and assist in the great work of the domestic program in which the of the domestic program in which the husband also places his portion into now we have a world a world which is realistically related a world which is realistically related to sin a world where death is down the to sin a world where death is down the line for each one of us a world where we line for each one of us a world where we become the victims of foolishness our become the victims of foolishness our foolishness someone else's foolishness foolishness someone else's foolishness a world where we know sin by experience a world where we know sin by experience where we get to know the ups and downs where we get to know the ups and downs of life and the vicissitudes which bring of life and the vicissitudes which bring upon us great sorrow upon us great sorrow and yet interspersed with moments of and yet interspersed with moments of great joy great joy that that is real life is real life and real life is the fact that there's and real life is the fact that there's an awful lot of us here an awful lot of us here mankind through the woman giving birth mankind through the woman giving birth to the child started to propagate upon to the child started to propagate upon the face of the earth the face of the earth and thus mankind grew as a society of a and thus mankind grew as a society of a new kind of animal an animal new kind of animal an animal though in which was morality and moral though in which was morality and moral consciousness consciousness there was also the inevitability of sin there was also the inevitability of sin god didn't make us that way god didn't make us that way that was a change that was a change now with sin being so inevitable now with sin being so inevitable where we would sin against each other where we would sin against each other and sin against god and sin against god that we have a new dimension of control that we have a new dimension of control that must be carefully exercised that must be carefully exercised take for instance joseph take for instance joseph down in egypt is set upon by potiphar's down in egypt is set upon by potiphar's wife wife now is an occasion where joseph as a now is an occasion where joseph as a young man of the age of 17 years must young man of the age of 17 years must make a decision my flesh yields this way make a decision my flesh yields this way as a 17 year olds as a 17 year olds but god's but god's principles principles are more important are more important how can i do this sin against my master how can i do this sin against my master and sin against god and sin against god you see you see we sin in two directions we sin in two directions the victim of our sin as the neighbor is the victim of our sin as the neighbor is and god and god before whom all sin before whom all sin is a travesty of the relationship we is a travesty of the relationship we might otherwise have with him might otherwise have with him so here is mankind so here is mankind but mankind did not have a great deal of but mankind did not have a great deal of laws laws to start with to start with there was no law of moses until well there was no law of moses until well down the line of man's history down the line of man's history so what about before the law of moses so what about before the law of moses came came there was no law there was no law well we do have an idea that there was well we do have an idea that there was some kind of law i think if we look for some kind of law i think if we look for a moment of genesis 26 we can see that a moment of genesis 26 we can see that here there was restraint exercised upon here there was restraint exercised upon mankind look at abraham here i think mankind look at abraham here i think it's in there verse five verse 4 i will make thy seed multiply as the i will make thy seed multiply as the stars of heaven and i will give unto thy stars of heaven and i will give unto thy seed of these countries and in thy seed seed of these countries and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be shall all the nations of the earth be blessed blessed because that abraham obeyed my voice because that abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge and kept my charge my commandments my commandments my statutes my laws my statutes my laws all of them are in there all of them are in there now how can we say then that there was now how can we say then that there was no law no law let's come over for just a moment then let's come over for just a moment then to the epistle of paul to the romans wherefore verse 12 romans 5 wherefore as by one man sin entered into the worlds by one man sin entered into the worlds and death by sin and death by sin and so death passed upon all men and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned for that all have sinned now he says now he says for until the law that is until the lord for until the law that is until the lord moses came moses came sin was in the worlds sin was in the worlds but sin is not imputed but sin is not imputed where there is no law where there is no law but he says nevertheless but he says nevertheless death reigned from adam to moses death reigned from adam to moses even over them that had not sinned after even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of adam's transgression the similitude of adam's transgression who was the figure of him that was to who was the figure of him that was to come come so before the law death was in the so before the law death was in the worlds worlds and it rained from adam to moses and it rained from adam to moses which is some good few hundred years which is some good few hundred years isn't it isn't it so from adam to moses so from adam to moses we have the developments of sin and we have the developments of sin and death death but here he says where there's no law but here he says where there's no law if the sin was not if the sin was not imputed imputed now what does he mean now what does he mean surely god judged the case of the world surely god judged the case of the world of iniquity with sodom and gomorrah did of iniquity with sodom and gomorrah did he not he not he judged that world he judged that world of iniquity of iniquity he spoke out against pharaoh who would he spoke out against pharaoh who would have taken uh sarah to wife have taken uh sarah to wife he spoke against abimelech and said if he spoke against abimelech and said if you touch that woman you're a dead man you touch that woman you're a dead man were there laws of adultery then yes brothers and sisters there were laws there were laws of god there were there were laws of god there were statutes there were judgments the word statutes there were judgments the word of god was in the world but what was the of god was in the world but what was the difference difference there was no stated condemnation take for instance the sabbath the sabbath was made a very clear the sabbath was made a very clear statement in the beginning statement in the beginning mankind was to employ the principles of mankind was to employ the principles of the sabbath in his life to organize his the sabbath in his life to organize his life around the sabbath keeping life around the sabbath keeping we find the sabbath referred to we find the sabbath referred to but nevertheless it wasn't until you get but nevertheless it wasn't until you get to the law of moses that the law of the to the law of moses that the law of the sabbath sabbath became a law implying a judgment if you became a law implying a judgment if you do not obey it do not obey it in fact it was more than implying it in fact it was more than implying it gave you a judgment you pick up the gave you a judgment you pick up the sticks on the sabbath and you'll be sticks on the sabbath and you'll be stoned to death stoned to death why why because now god was bringing law into a because now god was bringing law into a whole new dimension whole new dimension previously previously mankind had some responsibility to gods mankind had some responsibility to gods but he was never shown the dimensions of but he was never shown the dimensions of its condemnation its condemnation likewise with any of the things that likewise with any of the things that happened there was no stated happened there was no stated condemnation outside what you see in condemnation outside what you see in genesis genesis in the day that thou eatest thereof thou in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die shalt surely die and paul's point is here that between and paul's point is here that between that law and moses there was no other that law and moses there was no other stated condemnation the point is this the law was there the commandment was the law was there the commandment was there the statute was there there the statute was there all as guides for mankind's all as guides for mankind's guides it was an oral law passed on from guides it was an oral law passed on from father to son to son father to son to son but without but without the associated the associated judgments if you disobeyed a legal system for mankind today is not like that like that you see lots of signs around you see lots of signs around which indicates uh certain things that which indicates uh certain things that happen you're like touch these 22 000 happen you're like touch these 22 000 volt overhead wires volt overhead wires and and in fact it can cause death in fact it can cause death and people who do this will be and people who do this will be prosecuted so you see there are many laws that imply to us by the wording of us imply to us by the wording of us but there's going to be a judge minimum but there's going to be a judge minimum penalty maximum penalty we must state penalty maximum penalty we must state the outcome and all man's legal systems the outcome and all man's legal systems must state the punishment for must state the punishment for disobedience disobedience but we don't have that till we get to but we don't have that till we get to moses moses what do we have before we get to most what do we have before we get to most yes we have an oral code we know we have yes we have an oral code we know we have that because we know abraham sought to that because we know abraham sought to obey us obey us the jets the jets abraham is nowhere in scripture abraham is nowhere in scripture criticized by god criticized by god but he's criticized by men but he's criticized by men for instance for instance abraham is called the father of the abraham is called the father of the faithful faithful but abraham but abraham went down to egypt went down to egypt and he says to sarah oh now sarah look i and he says to sarah oh now sarah look i know you're my half-sister and i know know you're my half-sister and i know you're my wife but look just emphasize you're my wife but look just emphasize the point of my heart says you're my the point of my heart says you're my sister because if i know sister because if i know that you're my wife you're so beautiful that you're my wife you're so beautiful that they're going to get rid of me and that they're going to get rid of me and my life is going to be on the stake and my life is going to be on the stake and i won't survive in egypt so just pretend i won't survive in egypt so just pretend you're my sister you're my sister was that faith he goes up to the king of the land again in a case of abimelech you know again in a case of abimelech you know again the same thing rises the same thing rises in egypt down there pharaoh took him in egypt down there pharaoh took him aside he says why have you done this to aside he says why have you done this to me me pharaoh rebuked him pharaoh rebuked him a very just rebuke a very just rebuke and he nevertheless loaded upon him and he nevertheless loaded upon him great gifts and possessions and sent him great gifts and possessions and sent him out of the land he goes up to the land out of the land he goes up to the land and he does the same thing with and he does the same thing with abimelech abimelech same problem same problem is that faith is that faith after all god said to him abraham after all god said to him abraham in thee shall all nations be blessed in thee shall all nations be blessed he promised him a seed and he promised he promised him a seed and he promised him a national outcome of his own body him a national outcome of his own body how could he believe that he would die how could he believe that he would die before he had his own national outcome before he had his own national outcome of his body we know that in scripture of his body we know that in scripture don't we don't we but what about abraham he says said in but what about abraham he says said in scripture that he obeyed all my scripture that he obeyed all my commandments laws statutes and judgments commandments laws statutes and judgments but what happened to his faith on those but what happened to his faith on those two occasions the point being brethren and sisters that abraham was a man of weakness like that abraham was a man of weakness like we we are god did not condemn him for his are god did not condemn him for his weakness weakness and he did not bring law against him to and he did not bring law against him to condemn him to death because he was not condemn him to death because he was not a perfectly sinless man a perfectly sinless man and in that model and in that model the great covenants of promise the great covenants of promise and the new covenant in the blood of the and the new covenant in the blood of the lord jesus christ confirming the lord jesus christ confirming the abrahamic faith is what we live under abrahamic faith is what we live under today today same thing same thing god does not condemn us for human god does not condemn us for human weakness he gives us a code which we weakness he gives us a code which we must suffer from if we disobey us must suffer from if we disobey us he does not condemn weakness he does not condemn weakness he condemns outright sin and all sin is he condemns outright sin and all sin is god is against god we acknowledge that god is against god we acknowledge that but hence john says there is a there is but hence john says there is a there is a sinner to death and there's not a sin a sinner to death and there's not a sin unto death unto death what's the difference what's the difference the difference is conscious rebellion the difference is conscious rebellion against god's commandments premeditated against god's commandments premeditated presumptuous sin on the one hand presumptuous sin on the one hand and sins of weakness on the other so likewise abraham's life was similar so god does not condemn us by law so god does not condemn us by law as long as we serve as long as we serve the law the law of christ for the spirits of christ for the spirits in other words we walk after the spirit in other words we walk after the spirit not after the flesh if we're walking in not after the flesh if we're walking in the right direction the lord has the right direction the lord has provided a covering for our sins if we provided a covering for our sins if we confess our sins unto him we are never confess our sins unto him we are never indifferent to sin we must never be indifferent to sin we must never be indifferent to sin indifferent to sin sin is sin sin is sin we never make place to fulfill the flesh we never make place to fulfill the flesh in any sense of weakness in any sense of weakness but we acknowledge the grace and mercy but we acknowledge the grace and mercy of god on the other hands so what we have in abraham is the basis of is the basis of justification through faith justification through faith in the presence of divine commandments in the presence of divine commandments but not living under the shadow but not living under the shadow of divine judgments because we are less of divine judgments because we are less than perfectly following the ideals of than perfectly following the ideals of god now these were two different eras abraham's era was very different to the abraham's era was very different to the era of israel under the law era of israel under the law why then was it necessary to bring a law why then was it necessary to bring a law why then could god not take the content why then could god not take the content of the abrahamic faith and wizard of the abrahamic faith and wizard straight through and bring christ straight through and bring christ instead of moses why did we need a moses why was it necessary to have a thousand why was it necessary to have a thousand years of the law before we get to christ mankind had another problem had another problem the problem was that the problem was that he was not very good at self-analysis he was not very good at self-analysis true he knew of the righteousness of god true he knew of the righteousness of god but he never thought enough but he never thought enough about his own behavior about his own behavior for instance for instance genesis chapter 37 commences the story genesis chapter 37 commences the story of joseph of joseph let's just go there for just a moment now jacob loved his son joseph and of course he gave him a great garment to course he gave him a great garment to indicate his love indicate his love loving him above all of his other sons loving him above all of his other sons but in verse 4 it says when his brethren but in verse 4 it says when his brethren saw that their father loved him more saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren they hated him and than all his brethren they hated him and could not say to him shalom yourself could not say to him shalom yourself they couldn't say peace they couldn't say peace they hated him they hated him again go down through the verse there again go down through the verse there through those verses you get the through those verses you get the brothers again verse 8 joseph gives him brothers again verse 8 joseph gives him a dream and they hated him yet the more a dream and they hated him yet the more for all his dreams which he made against for all his dreams which he made against him him joseph again is sent off on a mission to joseph again is sent off on a mission to seek his brethren's well-being he takes seek his brethren's well-being he takes some food he takes some provision and some food he takes some provision and what do they say in verse 18 what do they say in verse 18 they conspired against him to slay him they conspired against him to slay him behold this dreamer comes behold this dreamer comes and in verse 20 come now let us slay him and in verse 20 come now let us slay him and cast him into some pit down here and and cast him into some pit down here and we'll say some evil beast has devoured we'll say some evil beast has devoured him and we shall see what'll become of him and we shall see what'll become of his dreams his dreams and so this trip joseph out of his coats and so this trip joseph out of his coats and they put him in a pit and in verse and they put him in a pit and in verse 25 they sat down to eat bread 25 they sat down to eat bread and the record later on says and the record later on says that they didn't listen to the cries of that they didn't listen to the cries of joseph when they put him in that pit of joseph when they put him in that pit of death death they didn't listen to his cries they didn't listen to his cries they sat down and had a party instead after this well well he's not worth anything in the ground he's not worth anything in the ground there to us is he there to us is he so judah says in verse 26 what prophet so judah says in verse 26 what prophet is there if we if we slay our brother is there if we if we slay our brother and simply conceal his brother there's and simply conceal his brother there's no money in that for us is there no money in that for us is there so he says come now look i've got an so he says come now look i've got an idea let's sell him to the ishmaelites idea let's sell him to the ishmaelites and oh let's let him let us not touch and oh let's let him let us not touch touching with our hands so we wouldn't touching with our hands so we wouldn't really want to hurt him would we really want to hurt him would we so they sell him so they sell him to the israelites to the israelites and so send him down into egypt and so send him down into egypt and now and now all these brothers come together back to all these brothers come together back to the old man jacob on all his sons in the old man jacob on all his sons in verse 35 here and all his daughters rose verse 35 here and all his daughters rose up to comfort him to comfort dear old up to comfort him to comfort dear old jacob who'd suddenly realized that his jacob who'd suddenly realized that his dear son joseph had been slaughtered by dear son joseph had been slaughtered by some evil beast some evil beast and this is all there there now dad and this is all there there now dad don't take it so hard look you've got don't take it so hard look you've got still got 11 left it's all right was that the sort of mentality the sort of mentality that god wanted that god wanted to have as the inheritance of the to have as the inheritance of the promises to abraham promises to abraham was that the mind that he wanted to was that the mind that he wanted to create in his people chapter 38 an interlude judah goes down now to a canaanite woman goes down now to a canaanite woman down in verse two judah saw there i wore down in verse two judah saw there i wore a certain a certain daughter of a certain canaanite whose daughter of a certain canaanite whose name was sure he took her he went down name was sure he took her he went down to her she concedes and bear him a son to her she concedes and bear him a son uh uh call his name earth call his name earth she conceived again and bear another son she conceived again and bear another son call his name on him call his name on him yet another son and she called his name yet another son and she called his name sheila sheila and judah took a wife for her of his and judah took a wife for her of his firstborn whose name was tamar and ander firstborn whose name was tamar and ander judah's firstborn was wicked in the judah's firstborn was wicked in the sight of the lord and the lord or yahweh sight of the lord and the lord or yahweh slew him slew him what's going on here why this little what's going on here why this little interludes interludes well did god really want judah of course well did god really want judah of course which stands for the glory of the hope which stands for the glory of the hope of israel judah that tribe out of which of israel judah that tribe out of which the lord jesus christ came did he want the lord jesus christ came did he want him going off and marrying the daughters him going off and marrying the daughters of canaan and producing seeds as of canaan and producing seeds as profligate as it was which the profligate as it was which the wickedness was so great we're not even wickedness was so great we're not even told what the wickedness was he was so told what the wickedness was he was so bad that that yahweh just finished his bad that that yahweh just finished his life then and there life then and there look again look again judah says so honour look go into my judah says so honour look go into my brother's wife and marry her and raise brother's wife and marry her and raise up seed to her so anna knew that seed up seed to her so anna knew that seed should the seed shouldn't be his should the seed shouldn't be his no responsibility whatsoever or love for no responsibility whatsoever or love for his brother his brother and it came to pass he went to his and it came to pass he went to his brother's wife and he spilled it on the brother's wife and he spilled it on the ground list that he should give see to ground list that he should give see to his brother and the thing which he did his brother and the thing which he did displeased yahweh wherefore he slew him displeased yahweh wherefore he slew him also also what a beautiful scene this is what a beautiful scene this is here is the hope of israel here is the here is the hope of israel here is the glorious heritage proceeding out of the glorious heritage proceeding out of the bowels of abraham what a sort of detail is that what god was prepared to put up with with is this the way they interpret like is this the way they interpret like abraham did all god's commandments and abraham did all god's commandments and statutes and laws and judgments statutes and laws and judgments something wrong isn't there something wrong isn't there where would the righteousness of god be where would the righteousness of god be manifested if that there manifested if that there is the hope of israel is the hope of israel something had to happen something had to happen and in the sequence of events that and in the sequence of events that happened happened god takes all of those people god takes all of those people and though they were tried in the story and though they were tried in the story of joseph though all those brothers came of joseph though all those brothers came yet to see their sin and bow down before yet to see their sin and bow down before their brother the problem was still in their brother the problem was still in their children their children young benjamin young benjamin of course the youngest that the jenker of course the youngest that the jenker watches over like a like a hen over her watches over like a like a hen over her chickens because he doesn't want chickens because he doesn't want anything to happen to benjamin anything to happen to benjamin and the brothers and the brothers well well the brothers themselves they saw their the brothers themselves they saw their problems but uh problems but uh obviously obviously they didn't carry the excitations home they didn't carry the excitations home to their households to their households so they end up all down there in egypt so they end up all down there in egypt they multiply they multiply and in process of time they're put into and in process of time they're put into slave ship slave ship and in process of time they cry out to and in process of time they cry out to gods now we have a new scene gods now we have a new scene now we have israel not using now we have israel not using the lusts and affections of the flesh as the lusts and affections of the flesh as a means of gravitating and propagating a means of gravitating and propagating to evil within this earth to evil within this earth now now they realize they have a problem they realize they have a problem king's sin king's sin is dominating our bodies and our minds is dominating our bodies and our minds and is driving us into the grave and is driving us into the grave now they should have seen that now they should have seen that back there when they thought evil back there when they thought evil against joseph shouldn't they against joseph shouldn't they king sin was dominating their minds and king sin was dominating their minds and driving their brother and them into the driving their brother and them into the grave grave did it make a great deal of difference did it make a great deal of difference oh no let's sit down and have a party oh no let's sit down and have a party instead they had no moral consciousness of what they were doing they were doing and they were destroying themselves in and they were destroying themselves in the process the process so you see so you see there had to be something better there had to be something better we needed a law we needed a law a law that was able to teach them a law that was able to teach them something they had never learned before something they had never learned before so you see so you see we really do need the commandments we really do need the commandments and in our next session and in our next session we'll have a look

Transcript

when israel went down into the land of egypt egypt they went into a land which was well they went into a land which was well known and described as a land of sin and known and described as a land of sin and death death it was a land in which they had to abide it was a land in which they had to abide for some considerable period of time for some considerable period of time in order that they were able to in order that they were able to appreciate the dimensions of what sin appreciate the dimensions of what sin really meant really meant in their lives as individuals and in their lives as individuals and domestic societies domestic societies and in their land as they had to relate and in their land as they had to relate to other people outside their immediate to other people outside their immediate domestic scene domestic scene what they had to discover what they had to discover was the true results of a certain kind was the true results of a certain kind of behavior of behavior all human behavior brings its results all human behavior brings its results whether they be beneficial whether they be beneficial or deleterious or deleterious we must experience that which we sow we we must experience that which we sow we must reap what we sow must reap what we sow so israel had to be taken to a land of so israel had to be taken to a land of sin and death that they might appreciate sin and death that they might appreciate that if they should so behave in such a that if they should so behave in such a manner as they did and as they were manner as they did and as they were doing before god then ultimately they doing before god then ultimately they must meet must meet the position of their just deserts the position of their just deserts so in the land of egypt so in the land of egypt there arose a pharaoh that knew not there arose a pharaoh that knew not joseph joseph and so this pharaoh could see the and so this pharaoh could see the growing potential of a real organization growing potential of a real organization of social uh opposition to his regime of social uh opposition to his regime the people of israel scented from the the people of israel scented from the land of goshen began to multiply and land of goshen began to multiply and multiply and multiply multiply and multiply so yahweh had blessed the wombs of their so yahweh had blessed the wombs of their women women they had grown as an enormous nation they had grown as an enormous nation numbering something from 75 people to numbering something from 75 people to approximately something like 2 million approximately something like 2 million people in a period of about 260 years people in a period of about 260 years and so this pharaoh said and so this pharaoh said we must put them in service else will we must put them in service else will they rule us they rule us so here was the first point about the so here was the first point about the decision that's down here in egypt decision that's down here in egypt somewhat like the point of decision that somewhat like the point of decision that had to be made between goliath and had to be made between goliath and david's the proposition was this david's the proposition was this either you will serve us or we will either you will serve us or we will serve you serve you we cannot live in an accommodation any we cannot live in an accommodation any longer longer and that was exactly how pharaoh also and that was exactly how pharaoh also saw it saw it so the people of israel were there of so the people of israel were there of course growing as a great population course growing as a great population they didn't have any military strength they didn't have any military strength but give them enough population and the but give them enough population and the force of the people alone will create a force of the people alone will create a massive wave as an army massive wave as an army pharaoh could see that unless he put pharaoh could see that unless he put them in subjection they themselves would them in subjection they themselves would be in subjection and the hebrews would be in subjection and the hebrews would reign and rule over egypt like the hixos reign and rule over egypt like the hixos did did and so they had to take the only course and so they had to take the only course of action of action slave ship for israel slave ship for israel so israel placed in slave ship they now so israel placed in slave ship they now began to feel the crisis of the age in began to feel the crisis of the age in which they were living in which now they which they were living in which now they would serve pharaoh and then after a would serve pharaoh and then after a period of time period of time pharaoh would put them out to pasture pharaoh would put them out to pasture they would die they would die and be buried in a land of sin and and be buried in a land of sin and darkness where there was no hope for the darkness where there was no hope for the people of israel so this was a state that was new to them previously they existed and lived in previously they existed and lived in hope of the promises made of god unto hope of the promises made of god unto abraham to isaac unto jacob but where abraham to isaac unto jacob but where was the hope of it now was the hope of it now as promised he had said thy seed shall as promised he had said thy seed shall be afflicted four hundred years and be afflicted four hundred years and afterwards i will bring them back into afterwards i will bring them back into this land there was a promise of hope this land there was a promise of hope which had given to to abraham himself which had given to to abraham himself telling him what happened would happen telling him what happened would happen to his seed to his seed then then when the appropriate time came when the appropriate time came moses rose up moses rose up of course moses sought to do justice by of course moses sought to do justice by his people he was well trained in the his people he was well trained in the arena of arena of the household of pharaoh himself the household of pharaoh himself he became an expert in all matters of he became an expert in all matters of the egyptian hierarchy the egyptian hierarchy he was fluent in egyptian language he he was fluent in egyptian language he was trained and skilled as a leader was trained and skilled as a leader but yet he was a man that israel wasn't but yet he was a man that israel wasn't too keen on too keen on and so when once moses as we know had and so when once moses as we know had given justice to one of his own brethren given justice to one of his own brethren over an egyptian warrior when he sought over an egyptian warrior when he sought to maybe get them to stop their arguing to maybe get them to stop their arguing and fighting amongst themselves and fighting amongst themselves they said well who made you were a ruler they said well who made you were a ruler and a judge over us and a judge over us thus they forced moses exiled for 40 thus they forced moses exiled for 40 years away from them years away from them in the period of his exile just in the period of his exile just preceding his returning against the preceding his returning against the lambs lambs his god yahweh the god of israel had his god yahweh the god of israel had revealed himself unto moses in a burning revealed himself unto moses in a burning bush bush burning bush became a symbol of burning bush became a symbol of something very important something very important where there is heat where there is heat where there is fire where there is trial where there is fire where there is trial but in which such affliction the but in which such affliction the individual is not concealed individual is not concealed the symbol of the burning bush the symbol of the burning bush and so in our lives brethren sisters we and so in our lives brethren sisters we have to go through affliction have to go through affliction tribulation tribulation heat and pressure of every kind for what heat and pressure of every kind for what purpose purpose to purify us by fire to purify us by fire that in the ultimate sense of god's that in the ultimate sense of god's acceptance of us he might find in us acceptance of us he might find in us gold well tried in the fire of the gold well tried in the fire of the cauldrons of our lives experience that cauldrons of our lives experience that we might see the glory of god and we might see the glory of god and overcome the profligate nature which overcome the profligate nature which each of us possesses each of us possesses so moses was shown a symbol of something so moses was shown a symbol of something that no other servant of god was shown that no other servant of god was shown ahead of him ahead of him there must be tribulation there must be tribulation in order to enter into an acceptable in order to enter into an acceptable position before god position before god as paul put those words through much as paul put those words through much tribulation tribulation do we enter into the kingdom of god do we enter into the kingdom of god this principle was demonstrated to moses this principle was demonstrated to moses and so from there moses takes back the and so from there moses takes back the message of hope to israel message of hope to israel and again they say well who will we say and again they say well who will we say has censor has sent has censor has sent me unto them i mean god do which god can me unto them i mean god do which god can i save do they understand thee god i save do they understand thee god god was known as el shaddai but what now god was known as el shaddai but what now do i say is the name of god do i say is the name of god and hence the point we have in exodus and hence the point we have in exodus chapter 6. chapter 6. here we find god revealing his name and here we find god revealing his name and answering the question which moses had answering the question which moses had posed verse 1 then the lord or yahweh sinner to moses to moses thou shalt thou see what i will do to thou shalt thou see what i will do to pharaoh for the strong hand he says pharaoh for the strong hand he says shall he let them go and with a strong shall he let them go and with a strong hand shall he drive them out from his of hand shall he drive them out from his of his lands and god spake unto moses and his lands and god spake unto moses and said unto him i am said unto him i am yahweh yahweh and i appear unto abraham unto isaac and and i appear unto abraham unto isaac and under jacob under jacob as will eliminate the term there the as will eliminate the term there the name of it's in italics it is not name of it's in italics it is not repeating the hebrew script i appeared repeating the hebrew script i appeared to them as to them as el shaddai el shaddai the mighty warrior the mighty god but by the mighty warrior the mighty god but by my name yahweh my name yahweh was i not was i not made known unto them made known unto them the significance here is of course the the significance here is of course the in the word known here it means to make in the word known here it means to make known in the sense of experiencing known in the sense of experiencing something something well israel obviously now had not well israel obviously now had not experienced anything to do with the name experienced anything to do with the name of god here but back in the days of of god here but back in the days of abraham when abraham himself had made an abraham when abraham himself had made an offering on mount moriah of his own son offering on mount moriah of his own son isaac isaac and when the father stepped in to say and when the father stepped in to say don't say your son abraham i will slay don't say your son abraham i will slay mine instead mine instead he called that yahweh yura as an altar he called that yahweh yura as an altar yahweh will provides yahweh will provides so abraham knew the name of god and many so abraham knew the name of god and many other passages of scripture this is other passages of scripture this is recorded also but basically here the recorded also but basically here the message is this message is this that they did not experience the meaning that they did not experience the meaning of that name of that name and hence israel and hence israel as the twelve sons of israel were as the twelve sons of israel were concerned in the manner of their rather concerned in the manner of their rather ill-reputed lives in which they acted so ill-reputed lives in which they acted so aggres aggres egregiously and aggressively against egregiously and aggressively against their own brother joseph their own brother joseph and how they saw their old father their and how they saw their old father their pining in sorrow for the death of their pining in sorrow for the death of their son and they sat down to comfort him son and they sat down to comfort him as heartless individuals as heartless individuals who had not the slightest meaning of the who had not the slightest meaning of the sentimentality of godliness sentimentality of godliness that had to change that had to change now god gives his name now god gives his name and he says in verse 6 of this chapter and he says in verse 6 of this chapter wherefore say unto the children of wherefore say unto the children of israel israel i i am am yahweh yahweh now you'll notice that those words now you'll notice that those words conclude verse 8 also the same conclude verse 8 also the same expression expression i i am am yahweh yahweh now why is this incorporated as part of now why is this incorporated as part of these verses these verses why is he telling us here but by this why is he telling us here but by this name was i not made known name was i not made known unto the fathers to abraham and to isaac unto the fathers to abraham and to isaac and to jacob and to jacob because within verses 6-8 is coming up because within verses 6-8 is coming up something very very important about the something very very important about the name of god name of god let's look at it let's look at it i am the lord or yahweh and i will one i am the lord or yahweh and i will one bring you out from under the burdens of bring you out from under the burdens of the egyptians the egyptians two i will rid you out of their bondage two i will rid you out of their bondage i will redeem you with a stretched out i will redeem you with a stretched out armor with great judgments and i will armor with great judgments and i will take you to me for a people and i will take you to me for a people and i will be to you a god and you shall know be to you a god and you shall know that i am yahweh your god which brings that i am yahweh your god which brings you out from under the burdens of the you out from under the burdens of the egyptians and i will bring you into the egyptians and i will bring you into the land land concerning the which i'd swear to give concerning the which i'd swear to give it to abraham isaac and jacob and i will it to abraham isaac and jacob and i will give it you for an inheritance give it you for an inheritance i am yahweh i am yahweh now what's the point of all that now what's the point of all that here was to be the center brethren here was to be the center brethren sisters of a kind of relationship sisters of a kind of relationship which other people did not possess which other people did not possess before this time before this time god had never so shown himself to any god had never so shown himself to any other people as he is now going to show other people as he is now going to show to these people of israel to these people of israel and as we can see in these verses he has and as we can see in these verses he has highlighted one important fact he had highlighted one important fact he had heard the groaning of the children of heard the groaning of the children of israel notice verse 5 there i've heard israel notice verse 5 there i've heard they're groaning i've heard the they're groaning i've heard the affliction in bondage they have affliction in bondage they have appreciated the implications of sin appreciated the implications of sin so it's like us so it's like us when we came to the truth and we come to when we came to the truth and we come to god and we say father god and we say father i hate this body i hate this sin that i i hate this body i hate this sin that i have have and we cry because of the oppression of and we cry because of the oppression of sin like the apostle paul could see it sin like the apostle paul could see it oh wretched man that i am he could see oh wretched man that i am he could see what he was like what he was like every person who sees this nature cries every person who sees this nature cries to god and we groan because of the to god and we groan because of the oppressiveness of sin over us oppressiveness of sin over us then then god steps in god steps in then he says yes i've heard your then he says yes i've heard your groanings groanings and i'm gonna rid you of that bondage and i'm gonna rid you of that bondage and affliction and affliction unlike the lord jesus christ who says unlike the lord jesus christ who says you know take my yoke upon you learn of you know take my yoke upon you learn of me come to me and rest from your labor me come to me and rest from your labor of sin of sin and so here the father says i will and so here the father says i will redeem you it is my work of redemption redeem you it is my work of redemption i'll redeem you with a strong arm i'll i'll redeem you with a strong arm i'll crush the power of king sin that rules crush the power of king sin that rules you i'll bring you through the waters of you i'll bring you through the waters of baptism in the red sea and i'll bring baptism in the red sea and i'll bring you out before the land of the you out before the land of the wilderness and i'll take you to my wilderness and i'll take you to my mountain and there at my mountain when mountain and there at my mountain when i'll show myself unto you i'll show myself unto you and i will take you to me for a people and i will take you to me for a people and i will be to you a god and i will be to you a god now that relationship now that relationship was never seen in any of the other was never seen in any of the other patriarchs patriarchs it is a relationship now where we look it is a relationship now where we look at the father taking them to him as his at the father taking them to him as his children children and thus he's going to put his name upon and thus he's going to put his name upon that family and as he said i placed my that family and as he said i placed my name upon the nation of israel name upon the nation of israel they were named by his name they were named by his name in the sense that they should have been in the sense that they should have been people who in their lives could people who in their lives could demonstrate the qualities of the demonstrate the qualities of the character of almighty god but how could character of almighty god but how could they do that before they knew what it they do that before they knew what it was was look at their own characters look at their own characters the lack of qualities of god in them the lack of qualities of god in them hatred malice murder iniquity all of hatred malice murder iniquity all of those things how was that the seed of those things how was that the seed of abraham's faith abraham's faith now they had to learn how it was to be now they had to learn how it was to be given to them given to them they had to learn the manner of they had to learn the manner of godliness they had to learn by god's own godliness they had to learn by god's own laws what state of righteousness was and laws what state of righteousness was and what it wasn't what it wasn't and only by this means and only by this means would they appreciate the morality that would they appreciate the morality that we must have towards our father we must have towards our father so in that background brethren sisters so in that background brethren sisters we can see the foundations of importance we can see the foundations of importance for the redemption of israel and after for the redemption of israel and after he took them out of the power of king he took them out of the power of king sin he brought them to a mount to give sin he brought them to a mount to give them a divine code of ethics and moral them a divine code of ethics and moral responsibility before god and man responsibility before god and man and not until this point in the history and not until this point in the history of abraham's seed of abraham's seed have they so had this revealed have they so had this revealed so we go over to exodus chapter 20. so we go over to exodus chapter 20. he takes him to the mountain and on the third ascent of moses he is given the law as soon as he goes forth in verse 1 god spake all these words in verse 1 god spake all these words saying saying i am the lord thy god i am the lord thy god which have brought you out from the land which have brought you out from the land of egypt and out of the house of bondage of egypt and out of the house of bondage he brought them out of bondage to sin he brought them out of bondage to sin and death and death now now ten commandments in fact ten words ten commandments in fact ten words they're known as the ten words they're known as the ten words one thou shalt have no other god before one thou shalt have no other god before me me two two thou shalt not make graven images any uh thou shalt not make graven images any uh unto the any graven images of any unto the any graven images of any likeness of anything that is in heaven likeness of anything that is in heaven above all that is in the earth beneath above all that is in the earth beneath or that's in the water under the earth or that's in the water under the earth three three thou shall not take the name thou shall not take the name of the lord thy god in vain of the lord thy god in vain for the lord will not hold him guiltless for the lord will not hold him guiltless to taketh his name in vain to taketh his name in vain 4 4 remember the sabbath day to keep it holy remember the sabbath day to keep it holy 5 5 honor thy father and thy mother and thy honor thy father and thy mother and thy days shall be long upon the land which days shall be long upon the land which yahweh thy god has given thee yahweh thy god has given thee fix fix thou shalt not kill thou shalt not kill seven seven thou shalt not commit thou shalt not commit adultery eights adultery eights thou shalt not steal thou shalt not steal nine nine thou shalt not bear false witness thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor against thy neighbor and ten in verse 17 and ten in verse 17 thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house house thy neighbor's wife his manservants his thy neighbor's wife his manservants his maidsevens his ox his ass or anything maidsevens his ox his ass or anything that is thy neighbors that is thy neighbors ten commandments ten commandments these ten commandments are part of these ten commandments are part of the law of moses the law of moses this we find quite conclusively from a this we find quite conclusively from a number of verses number of verses but anyway what we see here but anyway what we see here is the whole ethical approach of gods to is the whole ethical approach of gods to his people his people under 10 principal headings and as we find there are numbers the same number of plagues brought israel same number of plagues brought israel before god in judgment and brought the before god in judgment and brought the judgment upon the flesh judgment upon the flesh so the same number of virtues now bring so the same number of virtues now bring us towards god on the other hands us towards god on the other hands it's very easy to leave egypt it's very easy to leave egypt but as we see from history it is not but as we see from history it is not easy to enter the land of promise so when he takes his people to the holy mount he expounds to them this basis of mount he expounds to them this basis of description are describing to them what description are describing to them what the meaning of god's moral ethical code the meaning of god's moral ethical code is in ten commandments is in ten commandments well true well true these ten commandments create like what these ten commandments create like what we might say is a synthesis or a a we might say is a synthesis or a a summary summary of what all the other laws did say of what all the other laws did say and so we notice in these ten and so we notice in these ten commandments commandments are divisions of man's responsibility are divisions of man's responsibility you will notice in the first five you will notice in the first five commandments commandments they concern man's relationship to god they concern man's relationship to god that is that is that you have no other gods before him that you have no other gods before him that you do not make any graven images that you do not make any graven images that you that you do not take the name of god in vain that do not take the name of god in vain that you remember the sabbath before god and you remember the sabbath before god and in verse 12 in verse 12 it says honor thy father and thy mother it says honor thy father and thy mother now he was an important comment now he was an important comment well you might say yes but this has well you might say yes but this has relationship to man's relationship relationship to man's relationship within his own people this is not to god within his own people this is not to god true except that true except that the bridge is the bridge is to honor god to honor god is to honor your natural parents is to honor your natural parents because then you realize what the because then you realize what the relationship is relationship is as god said i will take you to me for a as god said i will take you to me for a people you will be my people he would people you will be my people he would adopt the people of israel as his own adopt the people of israel as his own precious precious treasure and therefore precious precious treasure and therefore he would come before those people in he would come before those people in such a way to show to them his character such a way to show to them his character his qualities his love that he wanted his qualities his love that he wanted seen in those people seen in those people if this could be done if this could be done then they would honor their parents then they would honor their parents because they saw their parents because they saw their parents relationship before god and therefore relationship before god and therefore they listened to what they had to do they listened to what they had to do before god before god in the second phase of the commandments in the second phase of the commandments it has to do with our relationship one it has to do with our relationship one to another for instance thou shalt not to another for instance thou shalt not kill thou shalt not commit adultery kill thou shalt not commit adultery shalt not steal shalt not be a false shalt not steal shalt not be a false witness and shall not covet your witness and shall not covet your neighbor's possessions neighbor's possessions so here we have responsibility towards so here we have responsibility towards god in the first parts god in the first parts and responsibility towards man in the and responsibility towards man in the seconds seconds a very important division a very important division let us notice for instance how in fact let us notice for instance how in fact under the law of israel in the time of under the law of israel in the time of christ this delineation was very clearly christ this delineation was very clearly observed luke chapter 10. commencement of the parable the good samaritan the good samaritan and behold a certain lawyer a prominent and behold a certain lawyer a prominent lawyer as that means stood up and lawyer as that means stood up and tempted jesus christ saying master tempted jesus christ saying master what shall i do to inherit eternal life that was the question of the day this was a point of course of discussion this was a point of course of discussion and and almost disagreement and and and almost disagreement and controversy about what was the means of controversy about what was the means of inheriting eternal life inheriting eternal life in the case of the sadducees they didn't in the case of the sadducees they didn't believe in it believe in it in the sense of resurrection of departed in the sense of resurrection of departed spirits they were getting somewhat more spirits they were getting somewhat more of a of a stoic philosophy into their of a of a stoic philosophy into their religion at this time religion at this time however here is the question from a however here is the question from a lawyer a prominent lawyer one skills lawyer a prominent lawyer one skills in discussing the law and looking at the in discussing the law and looking at the law and as basic contents so christ said law and as basic contents so christ said to him well you are the lawyer to him well you are the lawyer what is written in your law what is written in your law how do you read it how do you read it how do you interpret the answer to that how do you interpret the answer to that question question the lawyer was hoping to get christ the lawyer was hoping to get christ ensnared in some way ensnared in some way but christ knowing that he was the but christ knowing that he was the lawyer put it back on him and says well lawyer put it back on him and says well you're the lawyer you tell me and he answered and he said thou shall love the lord thy god with thou shall love the lord thy god with all thy hearts all thy hearts with all thy soul with all thy soul with all thy strength and with all thy with all thy strength and with all thy minds and thy neighbors thyself now why did the lawyer give this answer what must i do to inherit eternal life what must i do to inherit eternal life from where did the lord get this answer well he got it from two verses in scripture scripture which were quite separate one from the which were quite separate one from the other the first comment there you will other the first comment there you will notice comes from deuteronomy chapter notice comes from deuteronomy chapter six and verse five right down to as far six and verse five right down to as far as the word mind and then he says and as the word mind and then he says and thy neighbor is thyself thy neighbor is thyself and he added that from leviticus 19 and and he added that from leviticus 19 and verse 18. here was a brilliant summary by a lawyer and jesus christ says you've said and jesus christ says you've said absolutely the right thing full marks you see his reading was perfect nothing wrong with the analysis nothing wrong with the analysis and that analysis brethren and sisters and that analysis brethren and sisters is the analysis of the content of the is the analysis of the content of the ten commandments ten commandments the first group have to do with loving the first group have to do with loving the lord our god with all our hearts the lord our god with all our hearts with our soul with our soul with our strength and our minds with our strength and our minds and that is exactly what the and that is exactly what the commandments would say commandments would say the heart the heart is that moral portion of us in here is that moral portion of us in here the heart that seeks to pursue something the heart that seeks to pursue something there is then the soul the life itself there is then the soul the life itself the life within itself the life within itself there is then the strength there is then the strength the physical ability of a person to the physical ability of a person to manifest his belief and understanding manifest his belief and understanding and then there's the mind and that means and then there's the mind and that means the intention the intention the intention of a person the intention of a person what a vast change this was to be what a vast change this was to be upon the previous nation of israel upon the previous nation of israel now they were brought to a mountain and now they were brought to a mountain and unto them was expounded the principles unto them was expounded the principles of god manifestation of god manifestation not that god's interested enough to not that god's interested enough to simply save us for our own selfish simply save us for our own selfish viewpoints viewpoints but that god wants a family but that god wants a family he wanted to manifest that family not as he wanted to manifest that family not as the the robots but as loving sons and daughters robots but as loving sons and daughters who understanding the father wanted to who understanding the father wanted to be like the father and wanted to please be like the father and wanted to please the father because they loved the father the father because they loved the father adopted sons and that's what we all are adopted sons and that's what we all are adopted children into the household and adopted children into the household and the family name the family name of the god of israel of the god of israel this is a heritage brethren and sisters this is a heritage brethren and sisters that we all have israel were offered the that we all have israel were offered the same heritage same heritage and they were offered it by promise and they were offered it by promise if they followed god if they followed god but they would not but they would not and again the lawyer accurately added and again the lawyer accurately added the words from leviticus the words from leviticus and love thy neighbor as and love thy neighbor as thyself thyself that's a new dimension too isn't it that's a new dimension too isn't it because every man loves himself more because every man loves himself more than anybody else than anybody else here was a comment he was a an occasion here was a comment he was a an occasion for a provocation of his own mind for a provocation of his own mind see if you can actually love someone as see if you can actually love someone as much as you love yourself much as you love yourself if you do if you do you'll respect them in every respect you'll respect them in every respect that you have your own self-respect in that you have your own self-respect in your own minds and so this synthesis of the law having been very clearly related the having been very clearly related the lord jesus christ himself had said then lord jesus christ himself had said then well he said this do well he said this do and thou shall live and thou shall live you see to know what the commandment you see to know what the commandment said was insufficient said was insufficient it's like saying yes i love god with all it's like saying yes i love god with all my hearts with all my minds i love him my hearts with all my minds i love him with all my intentions but i'm with all my intentions but i'm unprepared to love him with my strength unprepared to love him with my strength and so we don't do the things that we and so we don't do the things that we say we believe say we believe and this is of course brethren and and this is of course brethren and sisters a very adequate exhortation for sisters a very adequate exhortation for us isn't it we're very good at quoting us isn't it we're very good at quoting scripture we're excellent at telling scripture we're excellent at telling other people what they should do other people what they should do but do we do it ourselves as we should but do we do it ourselves as we should here is the moral force here is the moral force of god's word revealed to his people in of god's word revealed to his people in such a structured code that by that code such a structured code that by that code they might appreciate god's they might appreciate god's righteousness righteousness and therefore and therefore their own failure before god their own failure before god well let's move back then just a little well let's move back then just a little further into the book of exodus here further into the book of exodus here just to chapter 21. just to chapter 21. at the end of chapter 20 we have at the end of chapter 20 we have introduced here what is called the the introduced here what is called the the book of the covenants book of the covenants here was the codification now all the here was the codification now all the principles that might be embodied in principles that might be embodied in what is seen in the ten commandments or what is seen in the ten commandments or the ten words so in verses 22 to 23 god states his position concerning the book of the position concerning the book of the covenant and says covenant and says and the lord said unto moses thou shalt and the lord said unto moses thou shalt thou say unto the children of israel ye thou say unto the children of israel ye have seen that i have talked with you have seen that i have talked with you from heaven from heaven ye shall not make ye shall not make with me gods of silver neither shalt with me gods of silver neither shalt thou make unto you gods of golds thou make unto you gods of golds there must be no deification of anything there must be no deification of anything and then he brings up the point of the and then he brings up the point of the yahweh altar in verse 24 and says an yahweh altar in verse 24 and says an altar of earth i shall make unto me and altar of earth i shall make unto me and shall sacrifice there on my burnt shall sacrifice there on my burnt offerings with my peace offerings thy offerings with my peace offerings thy sheep and thine oxen in all places where sheep and thine oxen in all places where i record my name i record my name i will come unto thee i will come unto thee and i will bless thee and i will bless thee it was jerusalem the place where he it was jerusalem the place where he recorded ultimately his name recorded ultimately his name and having placed his name upon that and having placed his name upon that city and upon that people that is where city and upon that people that is where solomon had come to rest the permanent solomon had come to rest the permanent altar before gods altar before gods and so in solomon's speech in 1st kings and so in solomon's speech in 1st kings 8 all the way through he is making the 8 all the way through he is making the point the place where thou has chosen to point the place where thou has chosen to put thy name put thy name this will be the place where a person this will be the place where a person had to bring his offering before gods to had to bring his offering before gods to acknowledge the name of god acknowledge the name of god that in acknowledging the name of god he that in acknowledging the name of god he was acknowledging that he was coming to was acknowledging that he was coming to be part of that name but he should have be part of that name but he should have joined that name that that name was part joined that name that that name was part of him of him and so as he comes to the altar he and so as he comes to the altar he brings of himself and sacrifices himself brings of himself and sacrifices himself before the name of god before the name of god that the name of gods that the name of gods might continue upon him might continue upon him well in what follows then in chapter 21 well in what follows then in chapter 21 we have various laws given we have various laws given laws which had to do with god's laws which had to do with god's relationship to his people and the relationship to his people and the people's relationship one between people's relationship one between another chapter 21 and in verses 1 to 11 another chapter 21 and in verses 1 to 11 we have the laws here concerning masters we have the laws here concerning masters and slaves and slaves in which in which even when israel having ma slaves in even when israel having ma slaves in their own community we're still given their own community we're still given laws as how to they they should treat laws as how to they they should treat those slaves they were not able to take those slaves they were not able to take those slaves and treat them like a dog those slaves and treat them like a dog in the backyard in the backyard to beat them into submission to beat them into submission until they were dead and then throw them until they were dead and then throw them over the back fence over the back fence they were not to do that they were not to do that with their slaves with their slaves so god was to control so god was to control their attitude to the people who were their attitude to the people who were most servile in their communities most servile in their communities and so he gives them what the and so he gives them what the requirements were requirements were you will notice that if it came time for you will notice that if it came time for instance under this first section here instance under this first section here if a hebrew servant for instance in if a hebrew servant for instance in verse 2 be six years he shall serve and verse 2 be six years he shall serve and then on the seventh he shall go out free then on the seventh he shall go out free for nothing that's if you buy hebrew for nothing that's if you buy hebrew sevens of their own brethren sevens of their own brethren this may be possible because in a great this may be possible because in a great deal of uh deal of uh of uh difficulties of finances of uh difficulties of finances the family may be caused to sell the family may be caused to sell themselves in order to gain life during themselves in order to gain life during difficult periods difficult periods that's why whenever he fought at seven that's why whenever he fought at seven times seven the 49-year cycle it would times seven the 49-year cycle it would be a year of jubilee the releasing of be a year of jubilee the releasing of all the slaves because every man got his all the slaves because every man got his land back again now he could till it now land back again now he could till it now he could go into agriculture he could go into agriculture but he may need to sell himself or his but he may need to sell himself or his family family in order to give bart a system for the in order to give bart a system for the help that he needed help that he needed well after seven years he could go out well after seven years he could go out free free well he says well he says if he came in by himself he should go if he came in by himself he should go out by himself if we were married to his out by himself if we were married to his wife he shall go out with him but if his wife he shall go out with him but if his master has given him a wife and she have master has given him a wife and she have borne him sons and daughters the wife borne him sons and daughters the wife and her children shall be her masters and her children shall be her masters and he shall go out by himself and he shall go out by himself and if the servant shall plainly say i and if the servant shall plainly say i love my master my wife and my children i love my master my wife and my children i will not go out free that his masters will not go out free that his masters will bring him unto will bring him unto the elohim the elohim that's what it is in the hebrew there that's what it is in the hebrew there the elohim the elohim and it has to do with those judges of and it has to do with those judges of israel who should have been acting as israel who should have been acting as elohim before god in other words god was elohim before god in other words god was there seen in the judges of his people there seen in the judges of his people they were manifesting god's judgments they were manifesting god's judgments and therefore where two or three of and therefore where two or three of those judges were together there was god those judges were together there was god in the midst of them what a wonderful way to go where in fact the judges of israel had where in fact the judges of israel had the responsibility of taking the the responsibility of taking the reference of almighty god's mind and reference of almighty god's mind and morality into the straits of israel's morality into the straits of israel's individual judgments individual judgments this was a whole new cause this was a whole new cause the twelve sons of jacob never acted the twelve sons of jacob never acted like this like this well as time goes on we see that if they well as time goes on we see that if they bring him to the judges then what bring him to the judges then what happens is that happens is that he shall bring him to the door under the he shall bring him to the door under the doorpost of his house and the master doorpost of his house and the master shall bore his ear through with it all shall bore his ear through with it all and he shall serve him forever that and he shall serve him forever that means he shall serve him unto the means he shall serve him unto the unconcealed future unconcealed future or the concealed future or the concealed future here it has to do with the work of a here it has to do with the work of a slave a slave who wants to lovingly slave a slave who wants to lovingly serve his master serve his master then he shall serve him then he shall serve him for all time well this was a very kind requirements because it meant that if he served the because it meant that if he served the master and loved him the master would master and loved him the master would obviously be of the kind that would love obviously be of the kind that would love him i mean the master would love the him i mean the master would love the servants the servant would therefore be servants the servant would therefore be someone that he would care for that he someone that he would care for that he would be treating with kindness would be treating with kindness that he would be considered unto what a wonderful message it is brethren as this is for us to see the morality of as this is for us to see the morality of that servant there you know that is that servant there you know that is exactly our relationship to christ exactly our relationship to christ even though he is our lord though he is even though he is our lord though he is our husband our husband though he is our bridegroom we are still though he is our bridegroom we are still the slaves the slaves we are born slaves to the lord jesus we are born slaves to the lord jesus christ christ not just eight hours a day 24 hours a not just eight hours a day 24 hours a day we are born slaves to christ and we day we are born slaves to christ and we serve him because we love him and we serve him because we love him and we bore our ear through we make our ear bore our ear through we make our ear part of his part of his mouth mouth so that our ear is ever open unto his so that our ear is ever open unto his words words and that's what it meant in the sense of and that's what it meant in the sense of boring his ear through boring his ear through to the doorpost of the house of his to the doorpost of the house of his master master thus his ear would constantly be owned thus his ear would constantly be owned by the master that he always listened by the master that he always listened and heeded and thought about what he and heeded and thought about what he heard and served his master well heard and served his master well there was a moral responsibility there was a moral responsibility responsibility of a master responsibility of a master responsibility also of a slave responsibility also of a slave the law incorporated that as part of the law incorporated that as part of human behavior whereby masters and human behavior whereby masters and slaves could live and work happily slaves could live and work happily together together instead of the liberation of the instead of the liberation of the individual who says individual who says i shall not serve anybody else but i shall not serve anybody else but myself myself isn't that the problem with this world isn't that the problem with this world people do not want moral responsibility people do not want moral responsibility for other people for other people they want to be liberated individuals they want to be liberated individuals full of their own liberty fraternity and full of their own liberty fraternity and whatever equality they want to choose to whatever equality they want to choose to place upon themselves place upon themselves mankind's world today mankind's world today serves self-first serves self-first because because i'm all right jack i'm all right jack that philosophy is what is bringing our that philosophy is what is bringing our world to its knees world to its knees man has ceased to see his part that he man has ceased to see his part that he must play must play to someone else's requirements in to someone else's requirements in society of which he is an interdependent society of which he is an interdependent parts parts let's notice the next of the section of let's notice the next of the section of laws here verses 12 to 36 concern the laws here verses 12 to 36 concern the circumstances of physical injury circumstances of physical injury notice these words notice these words he that smites a man so that he die he he that smites a man so that he die he shall be surely put to death shall be surely put to death if a man lie not in wage but god if a man lie not in wage but god delivers him into his hand then i will delivers him into his hand then i will appoint thee a place where the he shall appoint thee a place where the he shall flee to this would be the places of flee to this would be the places of refuge or there would be the horns of refuge or there would be the horns of the altar the altar but he says if a man come presumptuously but he says if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbor and slay him with upon his neighbor and slay him with guile he determined death upon him he guile he determined death upon him he says thou shalt take him from my altar says thou shalt take him from my altar he cannot hold the horns for sanctuary he cannot hold the horns for sanctuary there you'll take him from my altar and there you'll take him from my altar and you will slay him you will slay him this is what happened to job of course this is what happened to job of course as we read in 1st kings 2 verse 34. as we read in 1st kings 2 verse 34. now he says in verse 15 and he that now he says in verse 15 and he that smites his father or his mother he shall smites his father or his mother he shall surely be put to death surely be put to death no question about that you will notice no question about that you will notice that there's no accidents about slaying that there's no accidents about slaying your father or your mother your father or your mother in the first instance if a man smites in the first instance if a man smites another man another man he might have some refuge he might have some refuge because he may not have determined death because he may not have determined death upon him but if you touch your parents upon him but if you touch your parents you're a dead person you're a dead person and that was to be laid out further and that was to be laid out further in the laws of god in the laws of god notice the interesting point of verse 16 notice the interesting point of verse 16 here here and he that steals a man and sells him and he that steals a man and sells him or if he be found in his hand he shall or if he be found in his hand he shall surely be put to death well it's just as well joseph's brothers weren't under that law at that time weren't under that law at that time wasn't it wasn't it there was nobody to put them to death but you see he was the principal the way mankind without moral the way mankind without moral responsibility could act as he wished responsibility could act as he wished towards his neighbor or towards his towards his neighbor or towards his brother brother now under the divine code of ethics now under the divine code of ethics mankind is deliberately constrained of mankind is deliberately constrained of gods gods but he might appreciate that he cannot but he might appreciate that he cannot do what he might otherwise like to do to do what he might otherwise like to do to his neighbor his neighbor he will be judged of god he will be judged of god and therefore to steal a man to sell him and therefore to steal a man to sell him is to caught death yourself well in the next section of these commandments commandments he talks here about a number of points he talks here about a number of points bringing us down then in this uh this bringing us down then in this uh this division concerning physical injury division concerning physical injury talking now as he does in verse 22 he talking now as he does in verse 22 he says if men strive and hurt a woman with says if men strive and hurt a woman with child so that her fruits apart from her child so that her fruits apart from her and yet no mr follow he shall be surely and yet no mr follow he shall be surely punished according as the woman's punished according as the woman's husband will lay upon him and he shall husband will lay upon him and he shall pay as the judge's determined pay as the judge's determined and in verse 23 and in verse 23 if any missed you follow then he shall if any missed you follow then he shall give life for life give life for life well here is an interesting point a well here is an interesting point a point that perhaps our society could point that perhaps our society could learn much from today learn much from today the woman who has a child the woman who has a child the child is in a gestational phase the child is in a gestational phase it commences as a very small fetus it commences as a very small fetus and commences growth until the time of and commences growth until the time of its birth its birth and then it goes forth and then it goes forth and when the umbilical is cut the child and when the umbilical is cut the child stands forth in its own independence stands forth in its own independence from the mother from the mother however the questions have been asked a however the questions have been asked a great deal as to what is the option of great deal as to what is the option of abortion what is the morality of abortion what is the morality of terminating the life of a child in the terminating the life of a child in the womb of its mother womb of its mother point of great discussion isn't it point of great discussion isn't it probably in this country as an probably in this country as an australian elsewhere australian elsewhere what guides our minds to understand when what guides our minds to understand when a life is a life before god a life is a life before god well the law of god provides it for us well the law of god provides it for us look at it there look at it there you see if the child die in the womb as you see if the child die in the womb as he says if mr follows he says if mr follows then that child has died then that child has died and therefore there is a case for and therefore there is a case for retribution retribution upon an unborn child upon an unborn child so god obviously considers so god obviously considers that the unborn child is a life in its that the unborn child is a life in its own integrity own integrity that perhaps should be put into the that perhaps should be put into the question of abortion and when is a lie question of abortion and when is a lie for life for life there is another interesting point that there is another interesting point that emerges too emerges too uh let's start for a moment just in uh let's start for a moment just in judges 13 verse 4 upon this issue judges 13 verse 4 upon this issue this concerns the the birth of samson this concerns the the birth of samson and samson who was of course to be a and samson who was of course to be a nazarite before gods so we have the angel's visitation to manoa's wife manoa's wife and says to her in verse 3 and says to her in verse 3 behold behold now thou art barren and bearest not but now thou art barren and bearest not but thou shalt conceive and bear a son now thou shalt conceive and bear a son now therefore beware i pray thee and drink therefore beware i pray thee and drink not wine nor strong drink and eat not not wine nor strong drink and eat not any unclean thing any unclean thing for low thou shall conceive and bear a for low thou shall conceive and bear a son and no razor shall come on his head son and no razor shall come on his head for the child shall be a nazarite under for the child shall be a nazarite under god from the womb and he shall begin to god from the womb and he shall begin to deliver israel out of the hand of the deliver israel out of the hand of the philistines philistines there is an interesting comment also there is an interesting comment also samson was to be a nazarite from the samson was to be a nazarite from the womb womb so his mother was not to have of any so his mother was not to have of any drink or a fruit of the vine because drink or a fruit of the vine because that was part of the nazarite vow that was part of the nazarite vow in other words the nazirite had three in other words the nazirite had three things upon him he was not to cut his things upon him he was not to cut his hair he was not to partake of the fruit hair he was not to partake of the fruit of the vine of the vine and he was not to touch any dead body and he was not to touch any dead body so in these three instances so in these three instances samson was to be a nazarite from the samson was to be a nazarite from the womb and because the woman womb and because the woman by virtue of the placenta and the by virtue of the placenta and the umbilical cord by which she passes the umbilical cord by which she passes the content of her own blood through to the content of her own blood through to the child she was not to take child she was not to take of any wine of any wine nor eat of any unclean thing nor eat of any unclean thing which shows us that again the child in which shows us that again the child in the womb has its own integrity before the womb has its own integrity before god god two important references brethren that two important references brethren that show us a moral responsibility to an show us a moral responsibility to an unborn infants now the world is in a great dilemma what to do about abortions to do about abortions termination of life termination of life is it moral is it not moral who chooses is it moral is it not moral who chooses to do it is it the woman who makes the to do it is it the woman who makes the choice of the father who makes the choice of the father who makes the choice choice is it both of them and does the child is it both of them and does the child have any consideration in the picture have any consideration in the picture look at the chagrin that the world has look at the chagrin that the world has placed with about that problem look how placed with about that problem look how clear it is under the law clear it is under the law that child's that child's has the integrity of its own life form has the integrity of its own life form to god to god and if you bring upon a woman a cause and if you bring upon a woman a cause whereby through violence be whatever whereby through violence be whatever means it has reached a woman that child means it has reached a woman that child dies that person is held responsible for dies that person is held responsible for the death the death and so the law went on to say and so the law went on to say back in exodus 21 back in exodus 21 eye for eye eye for eye tooth for tooth tooth for tooth burning for burning wounds for wound and burning for burning wounds for wound and stripe for stripe stripe for stripe hence the law is not saying here hence the law is not saying here that there was an absolute demand that that there was an absolute demand that you must take the eye for the eye or you you must take the eye for the eye or you must take the tooth for the tooth must take the tooth for the tooth but it said if you are going to take it but it said if you are going to take it that's all you can take that's all you can take and that has its own justice and that has its own justice so you see here the lord jesus christ so you see here the lord jesus christ expands upon this of course does he not expands upon this of course does he not over in matthew chapter 5 talking about over in matthew chapter 5 talking about he talks about the eyes of the eye and he talks about the eyes of the eye and the tooth of the truth the law of moses the tooth of the truth the law of moses was here regulating human practices of was here regulating human practices of justice that the crime would be matched justice that the crime would be matched by a punishment suitable to it by a punishment suitable to it but christ re-looks at the law but christ re-looks at the law and he gives to those who will come into and he gives to those who will come into his commission a much greater his commission a much greater responsibility than what those under the responsibility than what those under the law of moses even had law of moses even had they have greater privileges why should they have greater privileges why should they not also have greater they not also have greater responsibilities so we notice again going through this chapter chapter verse 28. verse 28. if an ox score a man or a woman that if an ox score a man or a woman that they die they die then the ark shall be surely stoned and then the ark shall be surely stoned and his flesh shall not be eaten his flesh shall not be eaten but the owner of the ark shall be but the owner of the ark shall be quipped quipped but if the ox will want to push with his but if the ox will want to push with his horns if you knew that this ox was a horns if you knew that this ox was a violent creature violent creature and is testified to by the owner and you and is testified to by the owner and you haven't kept him in haven't kept him in but that he's killed a man or a woman but that he's killed a man or a woman the ox shall be stoned and his owners the ox shall be stoned and his owners shall also be put to death certain justice and that isn't there again what's it reminding us about again what's it reminding us about brethren it's reminding us about how brethren it's reminding us about how extensive must be extensive must be our consideration for the neighbor and our consideration for the neighbor and as the lawyer rightly interpreted to as the lawyer rightly interpreted to love a mother man like he loves himself love a mother man like he loves himself would we expect to walk out in the would we expect to walk out in the backyard backyard and see out there and see out there an ox an ox which was as violent as they come which was as violent as they come with a raging torrent of strength in him with a raging torrent of strength in him as he paused the ground and charges for as he paused the ground and charges for your back door as you walk out would you your back door as you walk out would you walk out through that back door well do you expect your neighbor to walk out through his back door and sit and out through his back door and sit and confront the same confront the same neighborly companion that you've sent neighborly companion that you've sent over to him you see we have a need to consider the outcome of what a need to consider the outcome of what we do isn't it so brethren that we can argue the point and say look i have a right to the point and say look i have a right to own a violent ox well maybe you do own a violent ox well maybe you do but keeping hedged in but keeping hedged in don't let him affect anybody else don't let him affect anybody else because if he does then you're a dead because if he does then you're a dead man man what does it mean to talk about rights what does it mean to talk about rights and responsibilities together and responsibilities together it's the old question isn't it about the it's the old question isn't it about the the person living at number 52 graham the person living at number 52 graham street that says street that says i have the right to i have the right to to wash my clothes on a monday and hang to wash my clothes on a monday and hang them on the line outside to drive them on the line outside to drive man number 54 says man number 54 says i have the right to burn all the rubbish i have the right to burn all the rubbish from the beer cartons and everything from the beer cartons and everything from my previous weekend's experience from my previous weekend's experience do they both have rights do they both have rights i don't think they both share the same i don't think they both share the same privileges at least not at the same time privileges at least not at the same time now what should decide that now what should decide that where does the statue of liberty starts where does the statue of liberty starts and where does it ends you see it should start at the point where we think now what is my behavior where we think now what is my behavior going to be in terms of its affliction going to be in terms of its affliction or effect upon someone else or effect upon someone else isn't that the basic teaching of christ isn't that the basic teaching of christ do unto others do unto others as you would have them do unto you as you would have them do unto you well of course joseph's brethren had no well of course joseph's brethren had no thought like that did they thought like that did they not the slightest thoughts about the not the slightest thoughts about the implications of the crime they were implications of the crime they were creating not the slight of thought even creating not the slight of thought even for their love for their own father for their love for their own father who at this time was pining himself away who at this time was pining himself away to death he said i shall go to my son in to death he said i shall go to my son in the grave the grave and they pat him on the shoulder and say and they pat him on the shoulder and say they're their dad it's not so bad but they're their dad it's not so bad but any one of those boys could have hopped any one of those boys could have hopped on his camel or his ass or whatever and on his camel or his ass or whatever and gone down and brought joseph back and gone down and brought joseph back and said we did a terrible thing boys we got said we did a terrible thing boys we got to bring him back dad we did the wrong to bring him back dad we did the wrong thing here's joseph thing here's joseph they could have done that couldn't they they could have done that couldn't they they could have even told their father they could have even told their father well dad i'm sorry we've sold him at least it was honest and at least it would have given their and at least it would have given their father some hope that maybe one day when father some hope that maybe one day when this glorious zaphnath panera emerged this glorious zaphnath panera emerged from the land of egypt and looks at from the land of egypt and looks at jacob jacob that jacob that jacob would not have had the pain that he did would not have had the pain that he did through those many years where is the moral sense of responsibility the law of god was simply to show them that that so if you've got an uncontrollable ox in so if you've got an uncontrollable ox in your backyard make sure you hubble him your backyard make sure you hubble him well well because because the effects of our own dangerous weapons the effects of our own dangerous weapons can affect other people and that must be can affect other people and that must be looked into looked into so as you go down here you'll see in so as you go down here you'll see in verse 30 again now he he talks again verse 30 again now he he talks again about this ox and he says and if they've about this ox and he says and if they've been laid on him a sum of money then he been laid on him a sum of money then he shall give for the ransom of his life shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him whether he whatsoever is laid upon him whether he have god a son or of god or daughter have god a son or of god or daughter according to his judgment shall it be according to his judgment shall it be done unto him and if the ark shall push done unto him and if the ark shall push a man's servant or a maidservant a man's servant or a maidservant he shall give unto their master 30 he shall give unto their master 30 shackles of silver and the ark shall be shackles of silver and the ark shall be stones he was a law that had importance to it someone else's master someone else's master might become affected by an ox might become affected by an ox that would gore them that would gore them and so a payment of 30 pieces of silver and so a payment of 30 pieces of silver had to be made had to be made it's not very surprising is it brethren it's not very surprising is it brethren and sisters when you come down along the and sisters when you come down along the line of israel's history that you get to line of israel's history that you get to the point where the point where the pharisees and sadducees unto the the pharisees and sadducees unto the priests together had conspired against priests together had conspired against the lord jesus christ as the the lord jesus christ as the the subject the subject that they that they as oxen would go as oxen would go that now comes forth judas that now comes forth judas and for 30 pieces of silver negotiates and for 30 pieces of silver negotiates payment to him to enable them to go by payment to him to enable them to go by as the ox the son of gods as the ox the son of gods who was also the servant of gods who was also the servant of gods the suffering servant of god isn't it a strange part of the mysticism of man's iniquity of man's iniquity that he can pay 30 pieces of silver to that he can pay 30 pieces of silver to give himself an opportunity of goring give himself an opportunity of goring the son of god the bulls of bation and campused him around look at the strange situation that emerges in god's people emerges in god's people where they know what the love of the law where they know what the love of the law says we're here before the lord jesus says we're here before the lord jesus christ a very eminent lawyer says yes i christ a very eminent lawyer says yes i know what the law says thou shall love know what the law says thou shall love god and love your neighbor as yourself god and love your neighbor as yourself and that the eminent lawyers the ones and that the eminent lawyers the ones who went through the law the priests who who went through the law the priests who themselves had studied law from from a themselves had studied law from from a child's age child's age they are the ones who now place the they are the ones who now place the whole law in the scrap heap while they whole law in the scrap heap while they proceed with their murderous plot proceed with their murderous plot against the lord jesus christ against the lord jesus christ what a terrible part of human nature we what a terrible part of human nature we have have that that can that that can happen but yet their brethren and happen but yet their brethren and sisters sisters in the justice of the moral code of in the justice of the moral code of god's ethics from sinai to israel god's ethics from sinai to israel he taught them everything he taught them everything but the love of christ might also teach but the love of christ might also teach they had a moral responsibility they had a moral responsibility not only to god not only to god but to their fellow man but to their fellow man and hence of course the parable of the and hence of course the parable of the good samaritan who was the neighbor who good samaritan who was the neighbor who is my neighbor who has this is my neighbor who has this responsibility to me or to whom do i responsibility to me or to whom do i have the responsibility to do a navally have the responsibility to do a navally thing thing they debated over who the neighbor was they debated over who the neighbor was and you know who the neighbor was christ and you know who the neighbor was christ told them told them the one who is near you the one who is near you that's a definition of the neighbor that's a definition of the neighbor the one who is near you the one who is near you and it so happens that in most of our and it so happens that in most of our life's experience and our lifestyle our life's experience and our lifestyle our brothers and sisters are the nearest brothers and sisters are the nearest ones to us but ones to us but that's not always the case that's not always the case we often meet someone in the streets who we often meet someone in the streets who has a need has a need we're driving along in the car and we we're driving along in the car and we see someone in difficulties with maybe a see someone in difficulties with maybe a burden of some kind they cannot lift or burden of some kind they cannot lift or someone who is suffering from some kind someone who is suffering from some kind of problem of problem oh we drive on by don't we oh we drive on by don't we in case there might be some risk in case there might be some risk of getting out and help them well the neighbor is the person that we see in trouble see in trouble that is a definition of the neighbor and that is a definition of the neighbor and christ's example gives us that picture christ's example gives us that picture remember the words of the apostle 2 do remember the words of the apostle 2 do good unto all men but especially they good unto all men but especially they are the households are the households there is a primary responsibility to our there is a primary responsibility to our closest neighbor to our family closest neighbor to our family in the truth in the truth and in the home and in the home but thereafter as we have opportunity but thereafter as we have opportunity and as we see need we do it and as we see need we do it if we have the right attitude of mind of if we have the right attitude of mind of course course that will not be a problem love becomes that will not be a problem love becomes something spontaneous not something something spontaneous not something about which we look through a series of about which we look through a series of commandments say oh yes clause 23 commandments say oh yes clause 23 section b number six yes i can do this section b number six yes i can do this for him love has to drive us to our actions of love love not conscription not conscription and therefore brethren sisters the high and therefore brethren sisters the high morals of moses law morals of moses law is something that reminds us all of one is something that reminds us all of one great message great message you cannot love the lord your gods with you cannot love the lord your gods with your hearts with your minds with your your hearts with your minds with your soul or with your strength if you cannot soul or with your strength if you cannot show it so the brothers and sisters of which family of which family we form the part of god's name we form the part of god's name if we do that if we do that god shall bless us god shall bless us if we don't do it if we don't do it with there's no way with there's no way that god can know we have the slightest that god can know we have the slightest love for him love for him or that he has love for us

Transcript

well what we're doing brother and sisters is surveying some elements of sisters is surveying some elements of the law of moses the law of moses uh looking at the moral content of the uh looking at the moral content of the law and therefore looking at the high law and therefore looking at the high ethical structure ethical structure of god's commandments to us as his of god's commandments to us as his people were able to see in our last people were able to see in our last class how that god had shown to israel class how that god had shown to israel his own people a time when they must and his own people a time when they must and are forced by the law to follow a way of are forced by the law to follow a way of godliness which previously they had been godliness which previously they had been uninformed of i mean they should have uninformed of i mean they should have known it known it they should have known it by looking they should have known it by looking purely at the character of god purely at the character of god but because they were too concerned but because they were too concerned about what they wanted and what they about what they wanted and what they wanted their own wanted their own avaricious flesh to achieve what they avaricious flesh to achieve what they wanted to covet in another man's wanted to covet in another man's possession the the anger the jealousy possession the the anger the jealousy the envy that they showed all of this the envy that they showed all of this they put first and then simply believed they put first and then simply believed in god as a second option almost as if in god as a second option almost as if religion had become to them what it is religion had become to them what it is to most people today to most people today a social crutch or maybe a cultural a social crutch or maybe a cultural family background family background and in all of this israel had to know and in all of this israel had to know and had to learn the nature of their god and had to learn the nature of their god so far as his character was concerned so far as his character was concerned that they might be able to see the that they might be able to see the purpose of god manifestation in this purpose of god manifestation in this world world so we saw in the demonstration of the so we saw in the demonstration of the ten commandments the way in which ten commandments the way in which by ten divisional sections we could see by ten divisional sections we could see the structure of man's responsibility the structure of man's responsibility towards god and his neighbor towards god and his neighbor to love god with everything he possesses to love god with everything he possesses and to love his neighbor in every and to love his neighbor in every respect that he places upon himself as respect that he places upon himself as an individual an individual in that sense we can see the power of in that sense we can see the power of the morals of moses law making the the morals of moses law making the impact upon a people who otherwise would impact upon a people who otherwise would not tend to think about their behavior not tend to think about their behavior as a contrast to god as a contrast to god but instead would think about their but instead would think about their behavior as a contrast to the nations behavior as a contrast to the nations about them about them remember when habakkuk raised this remember when habakkuk raised this question himself question himself when he had said lord what is the when he had said lord what is the justice in effect justice in effect what is the justice when you bring a what is the justice when you bring a nation nation less righteous than we are against us less righteous than we are against us was this just you see the difficulty was was this just you see the difficulty was that israel had to understand that as that israel had to understand that as far as god is concerned there is not far as god is concerned there is not less righteous and more righteous before less righteous and more righteous before him him righteousness is only what god possesses righteousness is only what god possesses and only what was manifested in the lord and only what was manifested in the lord jesus christ jesus christ if we compare ourselves with ourselves if we compare ourselves with ourselves then we simply lower the standards of then we simply lower the standards of righteousness for two reasons righteousness for two reasons firstly firstly because we're comparing ourselves because we're comparing ourselves against something which is much less against something which is much less righteous than god or someone that is righteous than god or someone that is much less righteous than god much less righteous than god and secondly because we are comparing and secondly because we are comparing ourselves by the things we want to ourselves by the things we want to remember remember that is we say well yes i don't do those that is we say well yes i don't do those sort of things sort of things the sins of commission we are all very the sins of commission we are all very ready to think about that we don't do ready to think about that we don't do but what about the sins of omission but what about the sins of omission the things we should have done that we the things we should have done that we didn't do didn't do what about all those thousands of what about all those thousands of mistakes that we happen to forget quite mistakes that we happen to forget quite easily but try to remember the virtues easily but try to remember the virtues instead instead it was by this rather ridiculous it was by this rather ridiculous approach to righteousness that paul said approach to righteousness that paul said concerning the law he was righteous how concerning the law he was righteous how is he righteous concerning the law is he righteous concerning the law when he gives an exposition in scripture when he gives an exposition in scripture showing that the law made no man showing that the law made no man righteous righteous well he meant that he was righteous by well he meant that he was righteous by the way in which the judaizers looked at the way in which the judaizers looked at righteousness righteousness the leaders in israel are the priests the leaders in israel are the priests and the jewish echelon class they were and the jewish echelon class they were the ones who thought well they must be the ones who thought well they must be more righteous but if we run stringently more righteous but if we run stringently by the law of course no man is righteous by the law of course no man is righteous so they forgot about that principle and so they forgot about that principle and said now we will redefine righteousness said now we will redefine righteousness if my good works if my good works are more weightier than my evil works are more weightier than my evil works then i am righteous then i am righteous and on that basis they established their and on that basis they established their righteousness righteousness and of course as we said we are very and of course as we said we are very ready to remember good works but to ready to remember good works but to forget evil works forget evil works the sins of omission brethren and the sins of omission brethren and sisters are sins that we may never be sisters are sins that we may never be aware of aware of but they are still sins but they are still sins and as we grow in our knowledge of the and as we grow in our knowledge of the truth as we appreciate the personal truth as we appreciate the personal failures that we may have one towards failures that we may have one towards another as we realize the limits of our another as we realize the limits of our dedication to god which should be dedication to god which should be improved upon improved upon in all these things we constantly from in all these things we constantly from the word of god grow we grow in our the word of god grow we grow in our consciousness of his righteousness in consciousness of his righteousness in our knowledge of his power and his of our knowledge of his power and his of his righteous acts that he has done in his righteous acts that he has done in scripture all these things improve by scripture all these things improve by our knowledge and absorption of this our knowledge and absorption of this word according to the exposure we give word according to the exposure we give to this word in our lives to this word in our lives this is growth this is growth these are real patterns of development these are real patterns of development this is the maturity unto which we must this is the maturity unto which we must grow and become those who are integral grow and become those who are integral parts of the unity of the faith parts of the unity of the faith so as we get older in the truth we so as we get older in the truth we become more aware of sins of omission become more aware of sins of omission that we did earlier in the truth that we did earlier in the truth but can any of us ever stand up and say but can any of us ever stand up and say yes yes i have reached the righteous proportion i have reached the righteous proportion before god just to ensure brethren and sisters that we we never did reach that stage never did reach that stage god sent the law god sent the law that by that law that by that law should no man stand before god justified should no man stand before god justified because man had great difficulty in because man had great difficulty in understanding the only true understanding the only true yardstick to measure righteousness and yardstick to measure righteousness and that is god that is god and his son and his son in that sense only brethren sisters do in that sense only brethren sisters do we see the power of god's righteousness we see the power of god's righteousness in this world compared of course to our in this world compared of course to our failure failure now to what extent does failure manifest now to what extent does failure manifest itself what do we consider sin and what itself what do we consider sin and what do we not consider sin again we must be do we not consider sin again we must be guided by scripture guided by scripture so in what we want to look at this so in what we want to look at this morning in just a few verses that we morning in just a few verses that we have in exodus 22. have in exodus 22. yesterday we looked at a few of the yesterday we looked at a few of the lessons that emerged in exodus 21 lessons that emerged in exodus 21 concerning the uh the laws there of concerning the uh the laws there of masters and slaves of of instances of masters and slaves of of instances of physical injury now in chapter 22 we come to look at a section here concerning property rights section here concerning property rights concerning the laws of theft concerning the laws of theft laws concerning plunder laws concerning plunder the laws of deposits and then we look at verses 16 through to the 23rd chapter here which we'll the 23rd chapter here which we'll consider some of these tomorrow which consider some of these tomorrow which looks at laws concerning various moral looks at laws concerning various moral attributes attributes moral demands that god makes upon us moral demands that god makes upon us he made them to israel very truly he he made them to israel very truly he made to israel but we have to be very made to israel but we have to be very careful brethren sisters that we do not careful brethren sisters that we do not see that these are the laws that jesus see that these are the laws that jesus christ took out of the way at his cross christ took out of the way at his cross he didn't take the laws of god away he didn't take the laws of god away he took the condemnation away he took the condemnation away this must be defined however to say well this must be defined however to say well are we obliged to obey the law of moses are we obliged to obey the law of moses today no we are not obliged to obey the today no we are not obliged to obey the law of moses today we are obliged to law of moses today we are obliged to obey the law of christ obey the law of christ but what he did not take away but what he did not take away were the ethics of this law were the ethics of this law the high moral contents the high moral contents the consideration that one must have for the consideration that one must have for one's neighbor in every respect these one's neighbor in every respect these things were not eradicated they were things were not eradicated they were redefined and given more power by christ redefined and given more power by christ what christ removed what christ removed was the basis of potential of was the basis of potential of righteousness by obedience to law that righteousness by obedience to law that system he removed system he removed so therefore he took away nailing it to so therefore he took away nailing it to the stake the principle by which man the stake the principle by which man might feasibly try and find life by law might feasibly try and find life by law but law could give no life to a man but but law could give no life to a man but condemned him for breaking it condemned him for breaking it and that was the principle of law that and that was the principle of law that we see in paul's we see in paul's expositions but the ethics remain expositions but the ethics remain and to demonstrate that that is why in and to demonstrate that that is why in our bible today we have all these our bible today we have all these details there are perhaps many other details there are perhaps many other aspects of the details of the law of aspects of the details of the law of moses which we do not contain which we moses which we do not contain which we don't have don't have they are related to a society in a given they are related to a society in a given period of time and cannot be be period of time and cannot be be reproduced in any other society reproduced in any other society but so far as what we see here is what but so far as what we see here is what god has left on record specifically for god has left on record specifically for our benefits there are lessons there our benefits there are lessons there there are morals there there are there are morals there there are principles of god's righteousness there principles of god's righteousness there and when we think about it and when we think about it we can often perhaps improve our own we can often perhaps improve our own performance performance before god's before god's and before our brethren and sisters and before our brethren and sisters we'll notice just in this first section we'll notice just in this first section here he talks in verses one to four here he talks in verses one to four about the laws concerning theft about the laws concerning theft verse two for instance he says in verse two for instance he says in chapter 22 of exodus there if a thief be chapter 22 of exodus there if a thief be found breaking in breaking up means found breaking in breaking up means breaking in literally in the hebrew it's breaking in literally in the hebrew it's digging in of course in those days they digging in of course in those days they had stone walls and you had to dig your had stone walls and you had to dig your way through the walls to get in and he way through the walls to get in and he says if he'd be smitten that he die says if he'd be smitten that he die there shall no blood be shed for him there shall no blood be shed for him if the sun be risen upon him there shall if the sun be risen upon him there shall be bloodshed for him be bloodshed for him and then it says and he shall make full and then it says and he shall make full restitution if he have nothing then he restitution if he have nothing then he says he shall be sold for his theft says he shall be sold for his theft just a small law there again it says just a small law there again it says verse 4 if the theft be certainly verse 4 if the theft be certainly found in his hand that is if he's caught found in his hand that is if he's caught red-handed red-handed alive whether it be ox or ass or sheep alive whether it be ox or ass or sheep then he shall restore double what he has then he shall restore double what he has taken taken of course the illustrations of those of course the illustrations of those things which would be stolen in these things which would be stolen in these days have to do with a pastoral small days have to do with a pastoral small domestic society they don't talk about domestic society they don't talk about whipping out television sets and other whipping out television sets and other things there of course but in this world things there of course but in this world today thieves are everywhere we know today thieves are everywhere we know that and thieves have to be controlled that and thieves have to be controlled by society by society look at just the ethics of this look at just the ethics of this if the thief comes in at night if the thief comes in at night and the thief be smitten that he die and the thief be smitten that he die then shall know blood be shed for him then shall know blood be shed for him why because the principles are that if why because the principles are that if the thief broke in to a house the thief broke in to a house digging through the rocks at night when digging through the rocks at night when the man was in there with all his the man was in there with all his children children all at stake in this darkness all at stake in this darkness then if in a struggle the thief was then if in a struggle the thief was smitten the man was seen as simply smitten the man was seen as simply struggling for the survival of his struggling for the survival of his children his home life and he could not children his home life and he could not in fact see what he was doing in fact see what he was doing so it wasn't going to be a case of so it wasn't going to be a case of premeditated murder premeditated murder if it is daylight however if it is daylight however and the thief be smitten then there may and the thief be smitten then there may be a case for the avenger of blood to be a case for the avenger of blood to come forth and demand some retribution come forth and demand some retribution for the life that has been lost after for the life that has been lost after all the man was there to steal lots of all the man was there to steal lots of murder murder there is some sense of justice in that there is some sense of justice in that isn't there isn't there after all after all otherwise men might see a thief there otherwise men might see a thief there and say oh terrific we've got a chance and say oh terrific we've got a chance of gaining another mascot of gaining another mascot take his head off and hang it on the take his head off and hang it on the village center you see that would be aggression far beyond any crime that was committed beyond any crime that was committed and therefore there would be retribution and therefore there would be retribution for that notice how delicately god for that notice how delicately god showed to man even against his showed to man even against his aggressors and the thieves around him aggressors and the thieves around him that he had a moral responsibility to that he had a moral responsibility to that man that man he was not allowed to do anything he was not allowed to do anything that might not match the measure of the that might not match the measure of the crime crime well concerning the laws of plunder then well concerning the laws of plunder then we have in verses five to six some very we have in verses five to six some very interesting little relate interesting little relate related laws here concerning what man related laws here concerning what man would do in the case of plunder would do in the case of plunder now if a man shall cause a field or now if a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten vineyard to be eaten and she'll put his beast and shall feed and she'll put his beast and shall feed in another man's field in another man's field then he says at the best of his own then he says at the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard field and the best of his own vineyard shall he make restitution shall he make restitution well here is an illustration of a law well here is an illustration of a law which of course was important in those which of course was important in those days days there being a pastoral community very there being a pastoral community very largely which they were largely which they were if a man was if a man was happening to get his his own sheep out happening to get his his own sheep out of the fold or of the fold or it so happened that he did not repair it so happened that he did not repair his fences or his gates or whatever it his fences or his gates or whatever it was was then as a result of his neglect then as a result of his neglect his neighbor his neighbor could be deprived could be deprived of his own requirements of food for his of his own requirements of food for his own flock which from which of course he own flock which from which of course he gained his welfare and his liver gained his welfare and his liver so again the law came in there and says so again the law came in there and says if a man if a man shall cause a field or a vineyard to be shall cause a field or a vineyard to be grazed over grazed over or he shall put his feast until she'll or he shall put his feast until she'll feed in an arm in another man's field feed in an arm in another man's field then let me read what these sets two then let me read what these sets two injured in search of this points injured in search of this points it says he shall surely make restitution it says he shall surely make restitution out of his own fields according to the out of his own fields according to the yield thereof and if the whole field be yield thereof and if the whole field be eaten eaten now we come back in in the text then it now we come back in in the text then it says says of the best of his own fields and the of the best of his own fields and the best of his own vineyard shall he make best of his own vineyard shall he make restitution restitution so you see here was a point where man so you see here was a point where man was not allowed through his sheer was not allowed through his sheer neglect neglect to bring deprivation upon others to bring deprivation upon others and therefore it reminds us of a and therefore it reminds us of a principle principle that we must seek to control that which that we must seek to control that which is ours to be responsible for its is ours to be responsible for its potential to affect someone else in some potential to affect someone else in some deleterious manner deleterious manner that would of course deprive that would of course deprive your neighbor in some way your neighbor in some way well the apostle paul reminds us of a well the apostle paul reminds us of a little principle like this let's go back little principle like this let's go back for a moment just to romans chapter 13. romans 13 the apostle brings many beautiful lessons of personal beautiful lessons of personal responsibility that we have responsibility that we have before christ before christ in the 13th chapter in the 13th chapter he highlights the expression now just he highlights the expression now just read verse 10 read verse 10 love love worketh no ill worketh no ill to his neighbor to his neighbor therefore love is the fulfilling of the therefore love is the fulfilling of the law law so if love does not work any ill to his so if love does not work any ill to his neighbor neighbor it means that there will be consequent it means that there will be consequent upon us an obligation to to ensure that upon us an obligation to to ensure that anything within our positional control anything within our positional control cannot create ill to our neighbors and that is a point that we often overlook overlook but you have the law of moses but you have the law of moses therefore by that therefore by that operation is the law of god fulfillments operation is the law of god fulfillments it shows to us brethren sisters that it shows to us brethren sisters that between our own communities and those between our own communities and those with whom we have frequent contact we with whom we have frequent contact we have an have an inexorable obligation inexorable obligation to ensure the safety of other people to ensure the safety of other people from what we do from what we do and if in fact we play that down to even and if in fact we play that down to even the words we speak we shall see a great the words we speak we shall see a great demand of responsibility that we have demand of responsibility that we have before god notice the next verse we have before god notice the next verse we have back here in verse 6 of exodus 22 if back here in verse 6 of exodus 22 if fire break out and catching thorns so fire break out and catching thorns so that the stocks or the shocks of corn that the stocks or the shocks of corn the heaps of sheaves or the standing the heaps of sheaves or the standing corn or the field he says be consumed corn or the field he says be consumed therewith therewith he that kindles the fire shall surely he that kindles the fire shall surely make restitution make restitution frequently over there in the middle east frequently over there in the middle east as they still do today they have to burn as they still do today they have to burn off the stubble in order to make way for off the stubble in order to make way for the future growing harvest period in the future growing harvest period in this country probably it's the same this country probably it's the same practices and also in my country but if practices and also in my country but if those fights get out of control those fights get out of control it is our responsibility ensure that it is our responsibility ensure that they don't they don't but if they do they can ruin not only but if they do they can ruin not only the next door neighbors property but of the next door neighbors property but of course course vast thousands of acres vast thousands of acres and last year and last year in australia we experienced enormous in australia we experienced enormous bushfires bushfires there was a law made that any person who there was a law made that any person who lights a fire when a fire danger season lights a fire when a fire danger season is on for a fire danger day is on then is on for a fire danger day is on then there is a fine of a thousand dollars or there is a fine of a thousand dollars or six months jail six months jail although although the reason for that would have been seen the reason for that would have been seen as very just because as very just because you see what happened when those fires you see what happened when those fires got out of control in south australia got out of control in south australia and victoria they burned thousands and and victoria they burned thousands and thousands of acres thousands of acres killing stock to the value of billions killing stock to the value of billions of dollars of dollars destroying some 60 people's lives destroying some 60 people's lives and something like 1 and something like 1 500 homes were birds 500 homes were birds or because somebody or because somebody two people two people so irresponsibly so irresponsibly lit matches where they shouldn't get that shows us how great a matter a little fire can look little fire can look which of course brings us to that verse which of course brings us to that verse in james in james james chapter three in the third chapter here james is of course giving us some very important course giving us some very important lessons here about the destructive power lessons here about the destructive power of the tongue of the tongue but you'll notice how he says here in but you'll notice how he says here in verse 5 even so the tongue is a little verse 5 even so the tongue is a little member and it boasts great things member and it boasts great things behold how great a mata a little fire behold how great a mata a little fire kindleth kindleth and the tongue and the tongue the tongue is a fire the tongue is a fire a world of iniquity a world of iniquity so is the tongue among our members it so is the tongue among our members it defiles the whole body it sets on fire defiles the whole body it sets on fire the course of nature and it's set on the course of nature and it's set on fire of gehenna as if we have a fire of gehenna as if we have a perpetual burning incinerator by what we perpetual burning incinerator by what we starts those messages brothers and starts those messages brothers and sisters show us the importance sisters show us the importance of looking after fire and how if we play of looking after fire and how if we play with fire with fire of course our fingers can be burnt a fire to us brothers and sisters is that which can create a very damaging that which can create a very damaging results results by the things we say by the things we say by the little things we might say by the little things we might say flippantly about someone else where we flippantly about someone else where we shouldn't say it to someone else shouldn't say it to someone else take the issues for instance where well take the issues for instance where well we could see a failure of a particular we could see a failure of a particular brother in regards to ourselves so we go brother in regards to ourselves so we go and tell everybody else about it except and tell everybody else about it except him him it was really a misunderstanding it was really a misunderstanding perhaps your misunderstanding perhaps your misunderstanding and then you go and spread something we and then you go and spread something we spread something amongst our community spread something amongst our community which then defaces and and brings which then defaces and and brings distribute upon that brother's distribute upon that brother's personality personality and then once that rumor goes out and then once that rumor goes out it finds its way all around the worlds that's how easily we can disregard the principles of god's we can disregard the principles of god's law here if we start a fire law here if we start a fire make sure that we counsel ourselves to make sure that we counsel ourselves to contain that fire within the constraints contain that fire within the constraints that it should be that it should be it's too easy brethren and sisters to it's too easy brethren and sisters to say things flippantly to talk out of say things flippantly to talk out of turn to use the word out of season turn to use the word out of season against those who become the victims of against those who become the victims of our ill-gotten words our ill-gotten words and thus a whole world of iniquity can and thus a whole world of iniquity can start from a very simple striking of a start from a very simple striking of a match like the tongue starts to work match like the tongue starts to work perhaps james had in mind this principle perhaps james had in mind this principle of the law when he wrote one who was a of the law when he wrote one who was a member of christ's community thought member of christ's community thought much upon the principles of the law and much upon the principles of the law and the and the the and the and the law itself and its moral ethics and the law itself and its moral ethics he frequently alluded to he frequently alluded to and here is an example and here is an example example brethren sisters example brethren sisters of moral responsibility that we have of moral responsibility that we have towards our neighbor towards our neighbor if only we would think of those things if only we would think of those things when we should when we should perhaps our community could be a lot perhaps our community could be a lot happier than it otherwise is happier than it otherwise is when we destroy a brother or a sister's when we destroy a brother or a sister's self-respecting reputation we may as self-respecting reputation we may as well destroy them well destroy them and as we shall see in our and as we shall see in our study tomorrow study tomorrow the great responsibility we have towards the great responsibility we have towards other brethren sisters in the truth other brethren sisters in the truth is very large is very large and we must never forget how extensive and we must never forget how extensive it is it is so in our practical dealings with our so in our practical dealings with our brethren sisters or those within the brethren sisters or those within the world let us ensure that we see the world let us ensure that we see the moral responsibilities we are under in moral responsibilities we are under in all our dealings with them all our dealings with them surely we want them to look upon us as a surely we want them to look upon us as a community and say well look true he did community and say well look true he did the wrong thing but he made full the wrong thing but he made full recompense for that recompense for that or else he might say well i very much or else he might say well i very much appreciated the way in which he pointed appreciated the way in which he pointed out that he was remaining solely out that he was remaining solely responsible for what he was doing responsible for what he was doing it's in ethics like this it's in ethics like this that it causes others to see that it causes others to see our good works our good works and glorify our god in heaven in the day and glorify our god in heaven in the day of the situation of the situation if our community if our community instead tends to be self-seeking instead tends to be self-seeking self-centered and selfish in the nth self-centered and selfish in the nth degree degree then we're going to find ourselves being then we're going to find ourselves being most unpopular with the people around us most unpopular with the people around us uh having very little to redeem us uh having very little to redeem us at the time of the judgment seat of our at the time of the judgment seat of our lord jesus christ lord jesus christ well let's look at a couple of other well let's look at a couple of other features of this 22nd chapter here features of this 22nd chapter here you'll notice for instance that uh in you'll notice for instance that uh in verse 8 here we had the judgment of the verse 8 here we had the judgment of the elohim elohim and it was there to determine of course and it was there to determine of course the matters of trusteeship the matters of trusteeship but look down in just in verse but look down in just in verse 7 he says if the man shall deliver unto 7 he says if the man shall deliver unto his neighbor money or vessels his neighbor money or vessels stuff could be rented vessels to keep stuff could be rented vessels to keep and it'd be stolen out of the man's and it'd be stolen out of the man's house and if the thief be found let him house and if the thief be found let him pay double pay double but he says but he says if the thief be not found then the if the thief be not found then the master of the house shall be brought master of the house shall be brought unto the judges that's the word elohim unto the judges that's the word elohim again the those who should have again the those who should have represented god in judgments to see represented god in judgments to see whether he have put forth his hand unto whether he have put forth his hand unto his neighbor's goods his neighbor's goods well this was open for possibility and well this was open for possibility and therefore it was to be examined as if therefore it was to be examined as if this did happen so if a neighbor has this did happen so if a neighbor has left his goods with you you have a left his goods with you you have a responsibility to ensure responsibility to ensure that those goods are looked after and that those goods are looked after and that those goods return well if a man delivers verse 10 says unto his neighbor an ass or an ox or a unto his neighbor an ass or an ox or a sheep or any beast to her to to keep and sheep or any beast to her to to keep and it die or it'd be heard or driven away it die or it'd be heard or driven away and no man sees it if there's no and no man sees it if there's no witnesses there he says witnesses there he says then shall an oath of yahweh be between then shall an oath of yahweh be between them both them both that he has not put his hand unto his that he has not put his hand unto his neighbor's goods and the owner of it neighbor's goods and the owner of it shall accept thereof and he shall not shall accept thereof and he shall not make it good so therefore if there is no make it good so therefore if there is no witness he should accept that what he witness he should accept that what he has learned to his neighbor is in fact has learned to his neighbor is in fact happened by accident to have become lost happened by accident to have become lost well in verse 12 he says and if it be well in verse 12 he says and if it be stolen from him he shall make stolen from him he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof that restitution unto the owner thereof that is the is the theft may have been prevented by theft may have been prevented by adequate care adequate care and that is important again adequate and that is important again adequate care of somebody else's possession care of somebody else's possession verse 13 points out as an expansion of verse 13 points out as an expansion of verse 10 verse 10 that in fact if there is a witness for that in fact if there is a witness for the event then something else should the event then something else should happen if it be torn in pieces then let happen if it be torn in pieces then let him bring it for witness him bring it for witness and he shall not make good that which and he shall not make good that which was torn if he demonstrates that he was torn if he demonstrates that he hasn't put his hand to us hasn't put his hand to us again moral responsibility for the owner again moral responsibility for the owner verse 15 says but if the owner thereof verse 15 says but if the owner thereof be with us be with us he shall not make it good or if it be a he shall not make it good or if it be a hired thing it came for his hire now hired thing it came for his hire now let's just uh amplify those verses a let's just uh amplify those verses a little so far as the meaning is little so far as the meaning is concerned if the owner thereof be with concerned if the owner thereof be with it that is if the owner happens to be it that is if the owner happens to be associated with the goods at some time associated with the goods at some time which were in somebody else's which were in somebody else's responsibility then for the time he is responsibility then for the time he is with those goods he takes over with those goods he takes over responsibility for it responsibility for it and then he says inverse in that same and then he says inverse in that same verse he says but if it being hired verse he says but if it being hired thing it came for his hire thing it came for his hire now what he's saying there if you have now what he's saying there if you have not loaned this outs but you have leased not loaned this outs but you have leased it out or rented it out and therefore it out or rented it out and therefore you're charging money for that rent you're charging money for that rent then he says the damage to that must be then he says the damage to that must be included in the price of attire included in the price of attire so all these issues you see become very so all these issues you see become very plain common sense issues much of our plain common sense issues much of our society is structured in a similar way society is structured in a similar way today today but again we have to look at how well we but again we have to look at how well we treat other people's things that we treat other people's things that we might get by circumstances over the years i have accumulated a library of books some have accumulated a library of books some four thousand in number four thousand in number which is a collection very much of the which is a collection very much of the historian the history of the christopher historian the history of the christopher nelson community and of many other nelson community and of many other expository and reference words expository and reference words of course we do become conscious of the of course we do become conscious of the materials that are resources for the materials that are resources for the truth because they're all very valuable truth because they're all very valuable but frequently when i have learned books but frequently when i have learned books outs outs they have come back with they have come back with coffee stains coffee stains and and peanut butter in between the pages peanut butter in between the pages and uh and even raspberry jam and uh and even raspberry jam and i've wondered where on earth they do and i've wondered where on earth they do their study of these books it's nice to their study of these books it's nice to see that the breakfast table is a source see that the breakfast table is a source of communication in the word of god but of communication in the word of god but wonder whether that should be the place wonder whether that should be the place where we put possessions where we put possessions i think often too we might borrow books i think often too we might borrow books and i know that we we're a very studious and i know that we we're a very studious group of people and we borrow books from group of people and we borrow books from our brothers and sisters but our brothers and sisters but sometimes we don't give them back sometimes we don't give them back uh uh i often find the brother comes to my i often find the brother comes to my house and he goes through my bookshelf house and he goes through my bookshelf looking for his books to wonder if i looking for his books to wonder if i might have somehow got his books on my might have somehow got his books on my show show i think in areas like this we just need i think in areas like this we just need to exercise obviously a lot of caution to exercise obviously a lot of caution as far as i'm concerned if i lend a book as far as i'm concerned if i lend a book out out i'll make it my responsibility to get i'll make it my responsibility to get that book back that book back i write the record that has been loaned i write the record that has been loaned out and therefore it's up to me to chase out and therefore it's up to me to chase it okay the brother who has borrowed it it okay the brother who has borrowed it he obviously needs a book for some he obviously needs a book for some purpose in the truth and we're willing purpose in the truth and we're willing to lend all of our resources for that to lend all of our resources for that purpose purpose but but again again we can sometimes be very forgetful we can sometimes be very forgetful because we are busy in the truth the because we are busy in the truth the book is put down on the shelf it's book is put down on the shelf it's forgotten about the one who loaned it to forgotten about the one who loaned it to you didn't make a record to whom it was you didn't make a record to whom it was loans and therefore there's no loans and therefore there's no outstanding advice as to where that book outstanding advice as to where that book has has gone small point isn't it brethren gone small point isn't it brethren very small by lending books but look at very small by lending books but look at the principle behind it if we borrow the principle behind it if we borrow something look after us something look after us put a plastic cover on it put a plastic cover on it and make sure you write the brother's and make sure you write the brother's name in it name in it from whom you borrowed the book from whom you borrowed the book so that you'll remember where it came so that you'll remember where it came from from because hang on to that book for long because hang on to that book for long enough enough and you'll end up writing your own name and you'll end up writing your own name minutes minutes because you'll forget where you got it because you'll forget where you got it from from you see these are small principles of of you see these are small principles of of developing moral responsibility to one developing moral responsibility to one another concerning those matters which another concerning those matters which we help each other in we help each other in but nevertheless this was indelibly but nevertheless this was indelibly impressed as part of the law of moses impressed as part of the law of moses so when we see these small things which so when we see these small things which are done which can often cause are done which can often cause unnecessary offence between brethren unnecessary offence between brethren sisters we should rebuke ourselves and sisters we should rebuke ourselves and say those principles were clearly laid say those principles were clearly laid down in the law of moses why should i down in the law of moses why should i ignore them now simply because i'm under ignore them now simply because i'm under the law of christ the law of christ but you see the law of christ said but you see the law of christ said anyway anyway do unto others do unto others as you would have them do unto you as you would have them do unto you and that law in fact brethren sisters and that law in fact brethren sisters incorporates every detail we are looking incorporates every detail we are looking at doesn't it at doesn't it but how dull we are at times to perceive but how dull we are at times to perceive what that law is saying to us in its what that law is saying to us in its practical outworkings yes we think about practical outworkings yes we think about the large issues of interpersonal the large issues of interpersonal problems we think about the big issues problems we think about the big issues of human communication but the small of human communication but the small moments those moments which cause the moments those moments which cause the biggest problems biggest problems we end up completely forgetting about we end up completely forgetting about because we say they're not important because we say they're not important the fact that we cause offense in a the fact that we cause offense in a small way doesn't matter it's only the small way doesn't matter it's only the the big ways that we're concerned about the big ways that we're concerned about and this is why this law of moses and this is why this law of moses in its highest ethics in its highest ethics was developed to show israel as a people was developed to show israel as a people and to us as a people of spiritual and to us as a people of spiritual israel today that it's in the tiniest israel today that it's in the tiniest matters of our behavior patterns by matters of our behavior patterns by which we make the truth stand or fall which we make the truth stand or fall and hence the moral issues that appear and hence the moral issues that appear before us here before us here well let's look for a moment then at a well let's look for a moment then at a couple of other points which now brings couple of other points which now brings us into laws concerning moral laws us into laws concerning moral laws well verse 18 there's a very small well verse 18 there's a very small comment made there which says thou shall not suffer a which to live a comment appears right in the middle of sundry laws concerning god now what do sundry laws concerning god now what do we mean by by this law coming in here we mean by by this law coming in here suddenly and how do we understand this suddenly and how do we understand this moving suddenly into such a position moving suddenly into such a position like this that should not suffer a which like this that should not suffer a which to live doesn't this sound as if you to live doesn't this sound as if you know here is a thief breaking into your know here is a thief breaking into your home home and if that thief breaks in in daytime and if that thief breaks in in daytime what he has to do is replenish double what he has to do is replenish double what he's about to take or there might be a man who has maybe grazed over your place and you maybe grazed over your place and you think well this is terrible look what think well this is terrible look what he's done and then uh nevertheless it's he's done and then uh nevertheless it's something that he must make something that he must make repayment for he must give you the best repayment for he must give you the best of his own a produce to replace what of his own a produce to replace what he's done he's done but here is a witch now what's a witch i but here is a witch now what's a witch i mean to ask a witch is somebody who might have put hands on a gretel in an oven oven or maybe she's a person who or maybe she's a person who wears a funny hat and has a funny nose wears a funny hat and has a funny nose uh which in these days brethren and uh which in these days brethren and sisters was with somebody of particular sisters was with somebody of particular kinds kinds of profession of profession and it sounds and it sounds very aggressive doesn't that shall not very aggressive doesn't that shall not suffer a witch to live but it was very suffer a witch to live but it was very important important you see the witch had great power you see the witch had great power let's notice also what the law said let's notice also what the law said concerning witches let's go to concerning witches let's go to deuteronomy chapter 18 for just a moment deuteronomy chapter 18 here is a section in verses 9 let me see 9 through in verses 9 let me see 9 through 9 10-11 where he says there 9 10-11 where he says there moses of course moses of course when thou had come into the land which when thou had come into the land which the lord thy god giveth thee the lord thy god giveth thee thou shalt not learn to do after the thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations abominations of those nations they shall not be found among you anyone they shall not be found among you anyone that makes his son or his daughter to that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire or that uses pass through the fire or that uses divination divination or an observer of times or an enchanter or an observer of times or an enchanter of a witch or a charmer or a consultant of a witch or a charmer or a consultant with familiar spirits or a wizard or a with familiar spirits or a wizard or a necromancer necromancer a person who talks with the deads a person who talks with the deads now you will notice that all these now you will notice that all these things today we would consider them just things today we would consider them just the mild arts of sophistry that only the mild arts of sophistry that only very superstitious people would ever very superstitious people would ever become involved in become involved in but the law there but the law there said alongside witches said alongside witches were people who put their children into were people who put their children into the fires of moloch doesn't seem reasonable as a comparison does it does it until we realize what the witch is until we realize what the witch is you see the witch was one who sought to you see the witch was one who sought to deceive the people of gods deceive the people of gods by telling them about things which by telling them about things which supposedly she had seen in the heavens supposedly she had seen in the heavens heard of whispering spirits over their heard of whispering spirits over their back at some time had received visions back at some time had received visions concerning people's destiny was reading concerning people's destiny was reading in their palms concerning things that in their palms concerning things that were going to happen to their children were going to happen to their children and it's telling by the stars simply and it's telling by the stars simply what would happen whether it's virgo or what would happen whether it's virgo or ares or somebody else and they base ares or somebody else and they base their advice on those ill-gotten sources their advice on those ill-gotten sources of of information information and thereby proceeds and thereby proceeds to deceive people to deceive people so that they destroy their lives before so that they destroy their lives before god and that is importance god and that is importance you see god made it very clear that so you see god made it very clear that so far as his gospel was concerned and so far as his gospel was concerned and so far as the law was concerned there was far as the law was concerned there was only one source only one source one source of divine revelation and that one source of divine revelation and that is the word of god is the word of god but today brethren and sisters but today brethren and sisters our community faces and other threats our community faces and other threats yes i treat it like witchcraft i treat yes i treat it like witchcraft i treat it like necromancers i treat it like it like necromancers i treat it like those who look to the stars those who look to the stars the thought that in fact the thought that in fact an experience that a person might have an experience that a person might have having been associated with some having been associated with some pentecostal or pentecostal or or advanced uh fundamental sect that is or advanced uh fundamental sect that is involved in the areas of um involved in the areas of um of maybe holy spirit power as they of maybe holy spirit power as they believe believe who can then come and tell me who can then come and tell me i have seen a vision i know it's right i have seen a vision i know it's right and if you pray about it you will know and if you pray about it you will know it's right too it's right too another form of witchcraft another form of witchcraft that which is right brethren sisters is that which is right brethren sisters is only that which we can demonstrate only that which we can demonstrate according to the law and the testimony according to the law and the testimony of almighty god of almighty god if it is not demonstrable in that source if it is not demonstrable in that source it is not tenable as divine revelation it is not tenable as divine revelation and worse still and worse still what can happen is that some of our what can happen is that some of our members can be deluded to think that members can be deluded to think that well if there are other people who well if there are other people who experience these uh kind of feelings experience these uh kind of feelings from above a wonderful ecstasy a feeling from above a wonderful ecstasy a feeling of warmness with jesus an uttering of of warmness with jesus an uttering of of of the sounds from their mouth which of of the sounds from their mouth which is actually unintelligible gibberish is actually unintelligible gibberish but nevertheless said to be the sounds but nevertheless said to be the sounds of talking to god in spirits of talking to god in spirits here is the evidence of another source here is the evidence of another source of divine approval of divine approval and if we were then to say the next and if we were then to say the next stage on well if these people out here stage on well if these people out here who believe in the trinity and the devil who believe in the trinity and the devil and we go to heaven when we die and and we go to heaven when we die and everything else is a deviance of everything else is a deviance of christian theology today but yet they christian theology today but yet they have an acceptance before god then have an acceptance before god then why is doctrine so important and so witchcraft breaks down rational understanding of breaks down rational understanding of the word of god the word of god it's that area brethren and sisters that it's that area brethren and sisters that in the law of moses god considered in the law of moses god considered vibrantly important because if there was vibrantly important because if there was another source of divine revelation like another source of divine revelation like a witch claims to have a witch claims to have then now you have denuded the power of then now you have denuded the power of almighty god's word and if you do that almighty god's word and if you do that you will eventually destroy your you will eventually destroy your children and you may as well pick them children and you may as well pick them up and throw them into the mouth of up and throw them into the mouth of molok and incinerate them molok and incinerate them and that's what we would do brethren and that's what we would do brethren sisters sisters if we broke down the standards of if we broke down the standards of doctrinal understanding and belief in doctrinal understanding and belief in the word that we have today that is the word that we have today that is ascertainable by a rational process ascertainable by a rational process of understanding of understanding and keeping the words of god and keeping the words of god if we remove that if we remove that we have no peg for our faith we have no we have no peg for our faith we have no viable source for belief we have no viable source for belief we have no communicable record to spread to the communicable record to spread to the world with the gospel world with the gospel and that is why that is why you can't and that is why that is why you can't suffer a which to live suffer a which to live no that's not a law for us to take away no that's not a law for us to take away the lives of witches it was a law to the lives of witches it was a law to israel that within their community they israel that within their community they should promote not permit a witch to do should promote not permit a witch to do her work and to ensure that she did not her work and to ensure that she did not do her work they had to destroy her do her work they had to destroy her but the ecclesia today brothers and but the ecclesia today brothers and sisters is such sisters is such that we should ensure that we should ensure that in our communities anything else that in our communities anything else but the clear word of gods but the clear word of gods does not take on any sense does not take on any sense of divine revelation of divine revelation or any gesture of divine approval or any gesture of divine approval and that's what that law was getting and that's what that law was getting there is only one source of divine there is only one source of divine revelation revelation and everything must be established upon and everything must be established upon that that and if god says and if god says if they speak not according to this if they speak not according to this light and to this lawn of this testimony light and to this lawn of this testimony it is because there is no light in them it is because there is no light in them whatever they say whatever they say they whatever they say whatever they say they experience whatever they claim to experience whatever they claim to believe it has no essence of efficacy believe it has no essence of efficacy for us if it is not according to this for us if it is not according to this word word so thou shalt not suffer a which to live so thou shalt not suffer a which to live and god did not want to see his people and god did not want to see his people destroyed by this destroyed by this ultimately ultimately hundreds and thousands of jewish people hundreds and thousands of jewish people lost their lives lost their lives in the invasions of assyrians and of in the invasions of assyrians and of babylonians and of romans that came babylonians and of romans that came against their lands against their lands they because israel they because israel refused refused to acknowledge the power of this world to acknowledge the power of this world and therefore and therefore witchcraft took them over witchcraft took them over at the time of christ what was he at the time of christ what was he battling with what was he talking about battling with what was he talking about when he had to talk about the the when he had to talk about the the problem of healing a person they talked problem of healing a person they talked about christ and says oh well he does about christ and says oh well he does this by the power of the elizabeth the this by the power of the elizabeth the elizabeth elizabeth the god of the cron the god of the cron as if the god of ecrum was a reality was as if the god of ecrum was a reality was israel preaching the god of echoing was israel preaching the god of echoing was a reality yes they were preaching that a reality yes they were preaching that where did they get that from where did they get that from they got it from the canaanites they got they got it from the canaanites they got it from the babylonians and they also it from the babylonians and they also got the immortal soul from the got the immortal soul from the babylonians look in the jewish writings babylonians look in the jewish writings look in the jewish scripture the hebrew look in the jewish scripture the hebrew bible there is no mention of immortal bible there is no mention of immortal souls why did then did they believe it souls why did then did they believe it in the days of christ because then they in the days of christ because then they had taken the greek philosophies and the had taken the greek philosophies and the babylonian philosophies and they came to babylonian philosophies and they came to believe in the hades and the believe in the hades and the netherworlds as well netherworlds as well how did they get in that state how did they get in that state by using sources other than by using sources other than the word of truth the word of truth as the knowledge of god as the knowledge of god and that shows us the danger brethren and that shows us the danger brethren and sisters that we have to look at and sisters that we have to look at today today well he then goes on to tell us in well he then goes on to tell us in exodus 22 exodus 22 about the beasts and he says whosoever about the beasts and he says whosoever lies with the beast shall surely be put lies with the beast shall surely be put to death to death of course this would be about the most of course this would be about the most immoral of the immoral of the illegitimate sexual practices of the illegitimate sexual practices of the people of israel but this was bred people of israel but this was bred amongst the societies in which they amongst the societies in which they lived and moved lived and moved in sodom and gomorrah in sodom and gomorrah in the terrible ritual rites of the in the terrible ritual rites of the canaanites and of those others who came canaanites and of those others who came into the land beasts were involved into the land beasts were involved bestiality other other incredible forms bestiality other other incredible forms of that which god hates his abomination of that which god hates his abomination thus he says anybody who does this thus he says anybody who does this must also be utterly destroyed must also be utterly destroyed this would bring in this would bring in the very basis characteristics of that the very basis characteristics of that which would deprive israel from their which would deprive israel from their basic morality before god and destroy basic morality before god and destroy their heart and soul in the midst of their heart and soul in the midst of that community that community and hence god would judge it in this way well from here brethren sisters we see now another points of a law that god now another points of a law that god made to them in verse 21 notice this as made to them in verse 21 notice this as a sense of an empathy a sense of an empathy verse 21 that thou shalt neither vex a verse 21 that thou shalt neither vex a stranger nor oppress him for you were stranger nor oppress him for you were strangers in the land of egypt strangers in the land of egypt once you were slaves in the land of once you were slaves in the land of egypt egypt you of course were given much oppression you of course were given much oppression much vexation of spirit should you much vexation of spirit should you therefore retaliate as if you feel you therefore retaliate as if you feel you must be uh somehow revenge because of must be uh somehow revenge because of this period that you went through this period that you went through not according to god's law not according to god's law that experience should not have given that experience should not have given you aggression that experience should you aggression that experience should have given you sympathy and have given you sympathy and understanding and yet it was christ who said render not evil for evil not evil for evil it was christ who said if thou be it was christ who said if thou be smitten on one cheek turn to him the smitten on one cheek turn to him the other also look what the law is saying if you were constantly put in a slave if you were constantly put in a slave ship let that be come to you a reason ship let that be come to you a reason for feeling the position of someone else for feeling the position of someone else that they were in that they were in not a reason for you to seek opportunity not a reason for you to seek opportunity for for revenge on what position you had for for revenge on what position you had before empathy brethren sisters means to stand in the shoes of someone else to stand in the shoes of someone else sympathy means sympathy means that you stand in your shoes and take that you stand in your shoes and take pity on the person who's in the other pity on the person who's in the other shoes shoes it can be condescending it can be condescending it can be distant sympathy is feeling it can be distant sympathy is feeling for that person over there but empathy for that person over there but empathy is getting in issues with it is getting in issues with it and feeling what he's feeling and feeling what he's feeling there it is in the law of moses there it is in the law of moses there was the moral contact there of there was the moral contact there of loving your neighbor as yourself loving your neighbor as yourself did christ really give anything new did christ really give anything new or did he rather bring a new or did he rather bring a new concentration upon old ethics that were concentration upon old ethics that were there for many hundreds of years there for many hundreds of years here is an ethic brethren sisters we here is an ethic brethren sisters we need to consider in our own communities need to consider in our own communities often because we feel deprived in some often because we feel deprived in some way even as a young person we later on way even as a young person we later on might seek to to lash out against that might seek to to lash out against that and maybe deprive other young people of and maybe deprive other young people of situations situations many things in our lives we have to many things in our lives we have to question question but god's ethical principle remains but god's ethical principle remains strong strong now notice in verse 22 here he says ye now notice in verse 22 here he says ye shall not afflict any widow or shall not afflict any widow or fatherless childs fatherless childs if thou think them at any wise and they if thou think them at any wise and they cry at all unto me i will surely hear cry at all unto me i will surely hear their cry and my wrath shall wax hot and their cry and my wrath shall wax hot and i will kill you with the sword and your i will kill you with the sword and your wives and your widows and your children wives and your widows and your children shall be left fatherless shall be left fatherless why was god so concerned about why was god so concerned about widows widows and fatherless children because brothers and sisters god saw himself god saw himself as a father as a father and as a husband and as a husband he said to israel i am your husband he said to israel i am your husband but you have played the harlots but you have played the harlots he calls israel his father as he says in he calls israel his father as he says in jeremiah he says he has been a father jeremiah he says he has been a father unto us says jeremiah unto us says jeremiah god is a father and he's a husband god is a father and he's a husband in other words he is the male to secure in other words he is the male to secure the interests of the wife and the the interests of the wife and the children children so god appreciates how great that so god appreciates how great that responsibility is responsibility is well well we as we as people of a society where we also people of a society where we also understand as males the responsibility understand as males the responsibility as a husband to provide for the wife or as a husband to provide for the wife or with the children to provide a source of with the children to provide a source of of constant welfare keeping and of constant welfare keeping and education for them education for them if you take the mail out of their lives if you take the mail out of their lives then there is some depravation then there is some depravation well says the women's liberation well says the women's liberation community no there's no deprivation at community no there's no deprivation at all we go out and do exactly the same all we go out and do exactly the same thing that we want to do you see they thing that we want to do you see they have changed the role structure and in have changed the role structure and in fact they earn the deserts of that too fact they earn the deserts of that too but look at the principle but look at the principle of god's life working with us christ of god's life working with us christ jesus himself i think it was in matthew jesus himself i think it was in matthew 23 that he speaks to the scribes and the 23 that he speaks to the scribes and the pharisees and he says well under you pharisees and he says well under you scribes and pharisees for you oppressed scribes and pharisees for you oppressed widows houses widows houses what were they doing playing upon the what were they doing playing upon the widow the widow didn't have a male to widow the widow didn't have a male to defend her to defend her in court to defend her to defend her in court to defend her with any uh form of defend her with any uh form of self-defense self-defense and so they played upon the widow's and so they played upon the widow's houses why so that they might uh drip houses why so that they might uh drip them dry of all their material resources the same also as christ had repudiated the practices of the scribes and the the practices of the scribes and the pharisees there who they would uh come pharisees there who they would uh come upon a young man who would say well upon a young man who would say well i don't want to support my parents i don't want to support my parents and uh so they would say well why not and uh so they would say well why not because because well uh perhaps i can put this money well uh perhaps i can put this money into the treasury and say oh well in into the treasury and say oh well in that case it's all right you don't have that case it's all right you don't have to support your parents to support your parents and so this law of corba came in you see and so this law of corba came in you see the substitutes the substitutes give the money to the church give the give the money to the church give the money to the system of money to the system of israel's temple offerings israel's temple offerings and of course it liquidates any moral and of course it liquidates any moral responsibility you have towards your uh responsibility you have towards your uh your your father and your mother your your father and your mother of course this was directly against the of course this was directly against the commandment number five of the ten commandment number five of the ten commandments commandments and we can see how they rationalize the and we can see how they rationalize the choice of doing this choice of doing this and now instead of seeing the widows and now instead of seeing the widows were people who particularly need a a were people who particularly need a a form of help and survival form of help and survival here we find that the jewish leaders in here we find that the jewish leaders in israel were instead israel were instead plaguing the widow's house plaguing the widow's house to get all they could in the treasury to to get all they could in the treasury to build up their own power and prestige build up their own power and prestige before the people before the people but what did james say about this but what did james say about this look over in james chapter one james definition of what pure religion really is before god's really is before god's he says in verse 20 26 if any man among you seems to be religious and bridleth not his tongue religious and bridleth not his tongue but to see with his own heart this man's but to see with his own heart this man's religion is faith religion is faith pure religion pure religion and undefiled before god and the father and undefiled before god and the father is this is this to visit the fatherless to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction and and the widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world to keep himself unspotted from the world again the two groups the fatherless again the two groups the fatherless and the widows and this was called pure and the widows and this was called pure religion religion this had the sense of a man seeking the this had the sense of a man seeking the good of his neighbor in devotion to his good of his neighbor in devotion to his god in its most pure state is to put god in its most pure state is to put himself in the position of a child himself in the position of a child without a father without a father and a wife without a breadwinner and a wife without a breadwinner what was the good of any religion unless what was the good of any religion unless it could be seen in practical sacrifice it could be seen in practical sacrifice were its leaders were its leaders as james also says earlier on in the as james also says earlier on in the chapter well here's the occasion rather chapter well here's the occasion rather chapter two he says here's a case where chapter two he says here's a case where one comes to you at the door he one comes to you at the door he desperately needs food he's hungry he's desperately needs food he's hungry he's starving his colds starving his colds and you say well brother nice to see you and you say well brother nice to see you biggie warm and filled with the spirit biggie warm and filled with the spirit of the truth of the truth oh i've got an appointment for the meal oh i've got an appointment for the meal now see you later and you slam the door now see you later and you slam the door instead you see this is why god had faced under the law of moses the law of moses such an important dimension of personal such an important dimension of personal responsibility what's the good of responsibility what's the good of worshiping god says james even the worshiping god says james even the madmen the maniacs say i believe in god madmen the maniacs say i believe in god so what's that make you if we believe that the truth means something something let's put it into application let's put it into application let's strive to see that that word of let's strive to see that that word of truth is going to mean something to god truth is going to mean something to god not just to us not just to us it's not a delightful philosophy it's it's not a delightful philosophy it's not just a nice ideology that you can not just a nice ideology that you can demonstrate as true demonstrate as true it's not just the truth that you go to it's not just the truth that you go to the platforms and debate the errors with the platforms and debate the errors with it is something that transposes itself it is something that transposes itself into our bodies through our hearts into our bodies through our hearts because we feel for people because we because we feel for people because we make their concerns our concerns make their concerns our concerns and then for those who might be bereft and then for those who might be bereft of some particular need of some particular need some kindness some love some affection some kindness some love some affection some security we can give it to them some security we can give it to them but remember but remember keep yourselves unspotted in the worlds keep yourselves unspotted in the worlds in the process whereby we can give in the process whereby we can give ourselves to the needs of others there ourselves to the needs of others there can also be hidden traps in it we can become involved emotionally with those people which can be hazardous those people which can be hazardous we must be careful and prudent in what we must be careful and prudent in what and how we do it and how we do it we can become involved in their lives to we can become involved in their lives to an extent that the uniqueness of our an extent that the uniqueness of our life and the truth can be detracted and life and the truth can be detracted and instead we might as well put on the instead we might as well put on the uniform of the salvation army than dress uniform of the salvation army than dress for the meeting of a sunday morning you see all these things brethren are part of living the truth part of living the truth where the moral integrity of the truth where the moral integrity of the truth becomes a way of life that shows that becomes a way of life that shows that god is in us god is in us and that's why god had said to the and that's why god had said to the hebrews when he took them out of that hebrews when he took them out of that land of egypt he says i will take you to land of egypt he says i will take you to me for a people and i will be to you a me for a people and i will be to you a guards guards that relationship can only work that relationship can only work when we put our hearts and our minds and when we put our hearts and our minds and our actions at one with god and with his our actions at one with god and with his character and the beautiful qualities of character and the beautiful qualities of a loving father all of these things a loving father all of these things should come to us as his children and should come to us as his children and therefore we should do the things that therefore we should do the things that our father does that's the family our father does that's the family characteristic characteristic but if we forget that brethren what is but if we forget that brethren what is the good of religion the good of religion we can become tinkling symbols we can become tinkling symbols sounding shells when we listen to our sounding shells when we listen to our own lovely voices we simply go and make own lovely voices we simply go and make euphemism and lovely comments about how euphemism and lovely comments about how great god is and how great we are great god is and how great we are instead of talking about how great the instead of talking about how great the needs are of others needs are of others this is the power of the law of moses this is the power of the law of moses and it's these great morals that christ and it's these great morals that christ never took away never took away and it's these lessons and it's these lessons that we most often forget that we most often forget because we too like israel because we too like israel have bad memories have bad memories and we lose sight of the struggle and we lose sight of the struggle against the old man of the flesh in here against the old man of the flesh in here let's watch him let's watch him he's ready to destroy us he's ready to destroy us as he destroyed israel

Transcript

the law of moses was of course known only to israel only to israel it was only intended for israel it was only intended for israel the law of moses was something that was the law of moses was something that was not moses law as such it was not there not moses law as such it was not there because moses brought it moses was because moses brought it moses was simply the simply the vehicle through which that law was vehicle through which that law was created and brought to bear upon the created and brought to bear upon the people people so israel was the community unto which so israel was the community unto which god had addressed himself god had addressed himself more so than any other nation around him more so than any other nation around him because this community was one community because this community was one community that he said i will take you to me for a that he said i will take you to me for a people and i will be to you a gods and people and i will be to you a gods and thus shall you become part of my family thus shall you become part of my family and part of my name as we shall see in and part of my name as we shall see in this chapter we look at this morning in this chapter we look at this morning in chapter chapter 23. here he was giving to israel now a 23. here he was giving to israel now a series of laws that involved moral series of laws that involved moral responsibility in judgments responsibility in judgments this was an area where frequently of this was an area where frequently of course mankind course mankind does create travesties of justice where does create travesties of justice where because he does not give a totally because he does not give a totally impartial approach to judgments he impartial approach to judgments he therefore has his minds diverted away therefore has his minds diverted away from the power from the power of justice before the people of justice before the people so in the 23rd chapter he gives to us so in the 23rd chapter he gives to us here now these laws concerning the the here now these laws concerning the the falsehood and the injustice that can falsehood and the injustice that can emerge and look how important these laws emerge and look how important these laws are in terms of making society operate are in terms of making society operate as basically the fabric that keeps those as basically the fabric that keeps those people together people together verse one we read in chapter 23 of verse one we read in chapter 23 of exodus thou shalt not raise a false report put not thy hand with the wicked to be put not thy hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous an unrighteous witness witness here the expression says here the expression says that you shall not spread a false that you shall not spread a false reports reports the word false there means a report that the word false there means a report that is incorrect that is vain that has is incorrect that is vain that has nothing behind it it has no substance nothing behind it it has no substance you shall not spread abroad a report you shall not spread abroad a report that has no substance that has no substance and put not thine hand to the wicked to and put not thine hand to the wicked to be an unrighteous witness or literally a be an unrighteous witness or literally a witness of violence witness of violence now this is very important for israel as now this is very important for israel as a nation a nation and also brethren and sisters it's very and also brethren and sisters it's very important for us as people spreading spreading a vain senseless and spreading a vain senseless and substance-less reports i only wish we could read those words more carefully when we hear some of the more carefully when we hear some of the things go around that we do christodolphians of course are a very close community close community because we are close we take a very because we are close we take a very great interest in each other and that is great interest in each other and that is of course very important also of course very important also it's important that we consider each it's important that we consider each other's welfare other's welfare the circumstances of life that might the circumstances of life that might affect us whether it be god or whether affect us whether it be god or whether it be bad are usually points of interest it be bad are usually points of interest between our community this is good between our community this is good but let's notice one of the problems but let's notice one of the problems that emerged with it that emerged with it often because our christadelphian often because our christadelphian communication communication is so intense is so intense we become we become more intense than perhaps we should more intense than perhaps we should about talking about what is affecting about talking about what is affecting our community our community or did you hear about sister sanchez did or did you hear about sister sanchez did you hear that brother such and such did you hear that brother such and such did this this and it becomes that sometimes which i and it becomes that sometimes which i fearfully observe is that we tend to be fearfully observe is that we tend to be wanting to see as if we are going to be wanting to see as if we are going to be the ones that are keeping up with the the ones that are keeping up with the latest information about latest information about the gossip of our community the gossip of our community sometimes i hear things said about sometimes i hear things said about brethren and or sisters which brethren and or sisters which rather rather strikes me as thinking well i wonder if strikes me as thinking well i wonder if that report is true that report is true i wonder if that report has been checked i wonder if that report has been checked out out after all there's a sister's name at after all there's a sister's name at stake behind this report stake behind this report the thing is the the more juicier some the thing is the the more juicier some kinds of pieces of information seem to kinds of pieces of information seem to be the more they are likely to be be the more they are likely to be propagated through our community we've propagated through our community we've got a very efficient community got a very efficient community as it might well be said if you want to as it might well be said if you want to get something to somebody really fast get something to somebody really fast you send a telegram you send a telegram faster still you use the telephone faster still you use the telephone but the fastest method is to but the fastest method is to telecrystallthin telecrystallthin and it gets there quicker and it gets there quicker we have a very good grapevine system we have a very good grapevine system don't we and this is because we are don't we and this is because we are interested in one another and this is interested in one another and this is good good but brethren don't use that but brethren don't use that communication system to spread reports communication system to spread reports that have no substance and no value for that have no substance and no value for the person about whom that report is the person about whom that report is referring to this was a law in israel it was a very important law in israel it was a very important law in israel and god said don't spread it if you and god said don't spread it if you spread it i will see that this is spread it i will see that this is creating a witness of injury against my creating a witness of injury against my people people and so god was very sure that he put and so god was very sure that he put that down in here as part of his law do that down in here as part of his law do not spread it if a person did not spread it if a person did there would obviously be some judgment there would obviously be some judgment upon them by the judges of israel the upon them by the judges of israel the elohim that he administered the affairs elohim that he administered the affairs of judgment before the people of judgment before the people but in our community but in our community it's not judged is it it's not judged is it there's no control upon gossip there's no control upon gossip upon words of injury that might be upon words of injury that might be spread spread upon unkind words that affect brethren upon unkind words that affect brethren and sisters personality and and their and sisters personality and and their respectability respectability and the point is to bring a false report and the point is to bring a false report against someone is almost to bring a against someone is almost to bring a sword against someone because destroy a sword against someone because destroy a man's reputation and you destroy his man's reputation and you destroy his life who will trust him life who will trust him who will give him any honor who will give him any honor who will give him some trust that yes who will give him some trust that yes what he says might be true what he says might be true to vilify a man to vilify a man is to crucify his personality and his is to crucify his personality and his respectability before others respectability before others and it's a shame to do that it's like and it's a shame to do that it's like killing somebody killing somebody and so the law also said there and so the law also said there put not your hand to be a witness of put not your hand to be a witness of violence violence someone who will witness against another someone who will witness against another person to bring violence upon them for person to bring violence upon them for what purpose what purpose maybe for political maybe for political expediency expediency maybe for envy maybe for hatred maybe for envy maybe for hatred maybe because we just can't be bothered maybe because we just can't be bothered thinking about thinking about what we sought to do in justice and what we sought to do in justice and truth and goodness to some person truth and goodness to some person instead we think only of how we can instead we think only of how we can create injury and show our power in what create injury and show our power in what we do we do some terribly injurious things have been some terribly injurious things have been said in the past shamefully so said in the past shamefully so against the brethren against the brethren and once of course that fire is starts and once of course that fire is starts and we light the match and it starts and we light the match and it starts moving out it grows in power it grows in moving out it grows in power it grows in energy it grows in furiousness of heat energy it grows in furiousness of heat and that little tongue was started at and that little tongue was started at all all has created a mammoth problem for has created a mammoth problem for individuals in the occlusion of god individuals in the occlusion of god and that is a very great shame so he moves in in verse two now to talk about the multitudes and he says now about the multitudes and he says now verse 2 of exodus 23 verse 2 of exodus 23 thou shalt not follow a multitude to do thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil neither shalt thou speak in a cause evil neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to rest judgment to decline after many to rest judgment now let's just give a bit of a now let's just give a bit of a paraphrase there paraphrase there following a multitude he says don't following a multitude he says don't follow the multitudes follow the multitudes to do evil to do evil and neither he says nor shall you bear and neither he says nor shall you bear witness at a trial witness at a trial so as to side with a multitude and so as to side with a multitude and therefore pervert justice therefore pervert justice the multitude the multitude it's a very powerful pressure group upon it's a very powerful pressure group upon people isn't it people isn't it numbers numbers the numbers game the numbers issue the numbers game the numbers issue very powerful very powerful i guess we can see this also at our own i guess we can see this also at our own ecclesiastes we have within our society ecclesiastes we have within our society a democratic process a democratic process of the governing of our autonomous of the governing of our autonomous communities called ecclesias communities called ecclesias brother roberts in his very wise book brother roberts in his very wise book called the guide for the establishment called the guide for the establishment and the performance of ecclesias and the performance of ecclesias the ecclesial guide as it's the ecclesial guide as it's called then in this little book he called then in this little book he outlines for us a sequence whereby we outlines for us a sequence whereby we can act towards others to preserve the can act towards others to preserve the majority rule in a collegial life but majority rule in a collegial life but also to preserve love in such a also to preserve love in such a community community we can nevertheless within our we can nevertheless within our communities see that because the communities see that because the majority is thinking this way that we'll majority is thinking this way that we'll go with the majority go with the majority but in fact as the wise proverb has said but in fact as the wise proverb has said if 20 million people believe a foolish if 20 million people believe a foolish thing it's still a foolish thing thing it's still a foolish thing and if we've got 800 million catholics and if we've got 800 million catholics who believe that that mary is up in who believe that that mary is up in heaven now and to be worshiped then heaven now and to be worshiped then does that mean it should be believed does that mean it should be believed you see you see the majority does not indicate truth the majority does not indicate truth it indicates only one thing it indicates only one thing that's that with what what the majority that's that with what what the majority think think that's all it tells us that's all it tells us now here we have an occasion to make a now here we have an occasion to make a decision decision a decision may be on a brother's welfare a decision may be on a brother's welfare maybe a brother is called in question in maybe a brother is called in question in regard to his status in fellowship regard to his status in fellowship we have to make a decision about him we have to make a decision about him the majority of the ecclesia says oh the majority of the ecclesia says oh well i think we should withdraw well i think we should withdraw fellowship from it well what's your decision should we make a decision if we don't should we make a decision if we don't know the facts know the facts should we simply go with the majority should we simply go with the majority and say well if i stand up i'm going to and say well if i stand up i'm going to the odd man out so i won't say anything the odd man out so i won't say anything in defense of that brother in defense of that brother it's a big pressure isn't it it's a big pressure isn't it a pressure upon individuals who might a pressure upon individuals who might not want to be associated with somebody not want to be associated with somebody who appears to be out of favor lest we who appears to be out of favor lest we end up out of favor also end up out of favor also the kind of decisions we might make at the kind of decisions we might make at occasional business meetings when we occasional business meetings when we don't vote anything do we see what don't vote anything do we see what everybody else is voting first or we're everybody else is voting first or we're seeing how rather such and such votes seeing how rather such and such votes and i'll follow him and i'll follow him or if we see how the rest of the family or if we see how the rest of the family in the meeting votes and we follow the in the meeting votes and we follow the party line party line it's a shame when that happens it is it's a shame when that happens it is really a perversion of justice really a perversion of justice but because we are human beings living but because we are human beings living in a human society of which we have all in a human society of which we have all the consequent affections and the consequent affections and and allegiances that exist within and allegiances that exist within societies and pressure groups societies and pressure groups we tend to follow it we tend to follow it the law said don't the law said don't don't follow a multitude for evil don't follow a multitude for evil and he says do not cause and he says do not cause to arise a case of a perversion of to arise a case of a perversion of justice justice simply because you're following the simply because you're following the leader leader remember also the scripture said remember also the scripture said broad is the way that leads to broad is the way that leads to destruction and many there are that go destruction and many there are that go therein therein the many there is clearly condemnable the many there is clearly condemnable what about our lives what about our what about our lives what about our experiences in the truth experiences in the truth many of those things can also be many of those things can also be condemnable if we simply follow a condemnable if we simply follow a multitude to do something multitude to do something but after all the reason why some of us but after all the reason why some of us may choose to adopt a certain decision may choose to adopt a certain decision is because it represents less work on is because it represents less work on our part to adopt that decision our part to adopt that decision remember this remember this the law also said to israel if you hear the law also said to israel if you hear a false report then go and diligently a false report then go and diligently make inquiry make inquiry ask questions to see if it's so question ask questions to see if it's so question all people involved in it all people involved in it if you have found the matter to be true if you have found the matter to be true and the accusation to be sure then go to and the accusation to be sure then go to action action that was what the law said that was what the law said sometimes brethren we go into action at sometimes brethren we go into action at the smallest of the pieces of evidence the smallest of the pieces of evidence and say so and say so and justice is thereby perverted and justice is thereby perverted now he mentions another dimension in now he mentions another dimension in verse 3. verse 3. neither here says shalt thou countenance neither here says shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause that is neither a poor man in his cause that is neither shall you be partial to a poor man in shall you be partial to a poor man in his trial just because he is poor his trial just because he is poor again the tendency to support the again the tendency to support the underdog isn't it underdog isn't it we have legal we have legal hassles over hassles over the the poor man who takes his case to the the poor man who takes his case to court and the and the rich organizations court and the and the rich organizations that uh that might be oppressing him that uh that might be oppressing him the power of oppression is very great the power of oppression is very great with some of our corporate authorities with some of our corporate authorities in this world today in this world today corporations with corporations with millions of dollars behind them that are millions of dollars behind them that are able to uh to create a a great legal able to uh to create a a great legal witness a legal punch when it gets to witness a legal punch when it gets to the courtroom the courtroom so that the poor man in fact has no so that the poor man in fact has no chance chance because he can't afford the best of the because he can't afford the best of the lawyers solicitors lawyers solicitors those who will go and argue his case and those who will go and argue his case and bring out legal precedence bring out legal precedence in this case he says there is a tendency in this case he says there is a tendency also also for others to support the the man who's for others to support the the man who's the small man the small man you know like supporting the david in you know like supporting the david in the david and goliath battle the david and goliath battle there might be a tendency for us also there might be a tendency for us also to say well here is this brother in the to say well here is this brother in the ecclesia he this brother is very well ecclesia he this brother is very well off you know financially he's quite off you know financially he's quite comfortable but he still contributes a comfortable but he still contributes a great measure of support to the truth great measure of support to the truth and there's another brother over here and there's another brother over here who has a dispute with him and he who has a dispute with him and he doesn't have any money doesn't have any money and we tend to say well and we tend to say well let's let's get the rich guy instead let's let's get the rich guy instead and so and so we tend to think that we can support the we tend to think that we can support the poor man poor man because he's poor just because he's poor because he's poor just because he's poor irrespective of the issues that are at irrespective of the issues that are at stake for judgments stake for judgments that of course is another privacy of that of course is another privacy of justice justice of course in our brotherhood brethren of course in our brotherhood brethren and sisters we have to make decisions and sisters we have to make decisions frequently when we must use justice as frequently when we must use justice as the basis of decision incorrectly the basis of decision incorrectly inquiring into the matter in seeing what inquiring into the matter in seeing what the problem is in digesting the problem the problem is in digesting the problem in investigating potential solutions to in investigating potential solutions to that problem that problem instead of setting up the party line instead of setting up the party line very unfortunately ecclesias do this very unfortunately ecclesias do this they have groups of brethren and sisters they have groups of brethren and sisters that think in particular ways that think in particular ways some who will yield more to this kind of some who will yield more to this kind of you and others who will go over to the you and others who will go over to the other side to to another kind of view other side to to another kind of view and therefore we end up with this this and therefore we end up with this this canning of the results in the equation canning of the results in the equation almost along party lines almost along party lines the political side of the occlusion work the political side of the occlusion work very unfortunate isn't it that it very unfortunate isn't it that it happens happens that we cannot that we cannot resist the tendency resist the tendency to be clear in our own thinking logical to be clear in our own thinking logical in what we see in what we see not just to follow what others see not just to follow what others see and how important that is to make our and how important that is to make our equations operate properly equations operate properly so he says now in verse 4 he brings the so he says now in verse 4 he brings the dimension now again to the individual dimension now again to the individual responsibility and says if thou meet responsibility and says if thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray and thou shalt thou shalt surely bring and thou shalt thou shalt surely bring it back to him again returning thou it back to him again returning thou shalt return it that's what the hebrew shalt return it that's what the hebrew says says well you're walking up the street there well you're walking up the street there and you see uh and you see uh jim carter's cow going down the other jim carter's cow going down the other way way and you say ah that's jim carter's cow and you say ah that's jim carter's cow oh but he's my enemy oh but he's my enemy he's my oh i'm glad he's lost that cow he's my oh i'm glad he's lost that cow that'll get him back for the time when that'll get him back for the time when he said something to my cow and so we look for moments of retaliation of retaliation so we sit back and we gloat when we see so we sit back and we gloat when we see it happen it happen but the law said you can't do that but the law said you can't do that you can't do that for your brother he you can't do that for your brother he says but he says what about your enemy says but he says what about your enemy your enemy if your enemies cow gets out your enemy if your enemies cow gets out go and get it go and get it and take it back returning you shall and take it back returning you shall return it and if you see the ass of him return it and if you see the ass of him that hates you lying or under his burden that hates you lying or under his burden and what is for bear to help him he says and what is for bear to help him he says thou shalt surely help him as he says thou shalt surely help him as he says thou thou shalt not leave it to him thou thou shalt not leave it to him alone but you'll surely get out there alone but you'll surely get out there and you'll help him release that that and you'll help him release that that ass from his burden ass from his burden imagine the scene imagine the scene here is the ass here is the ass it's over burdens it's over burdens the load is falling off the load is falling off and as the the ass goes down the street and as the the ass goes down the street here coming up towards you you're going here coming up towards you you're going the other way of course on your own the other way of course on your own business this asses is falling under the business this asses is falling under the loads and it's owner who has spoken loads and it's owner who has spoken words against you words against you you see you see he hates you he hates you he's spoken against you he's spoken against you and you see him like that what's your and you see him like that what's your reaction reaction well i hope it all falls off on the well i hope it all falls off on the grounds grounds hope it costs him a couple of hours in hope it costs him a couple of hours in time to get it back on again this is so easy it's like seeing your neighbor next door with whom seeing your neighbor next door with whom you've had frequent quarrels because he you've had frequent quarrels because he won't turn down his television set at won't turn down his television set at nights nights how's it going till two and three in the how's it going till two and three in the morning watching these crazy midnight morning watching these crazy midnight movies movies and because he disturbs you and because he disturbs you you pass him out on the street there you pass him out on the street there and he's got a flat tire you see and his and he's got a flat tire you see and his jacks broken on his car and you say hmm serves him right you won't turn that television down you won't turn that television down that's god's judgment on it easy to say isn't it because we can sometimes justify because we can sometimes justify things in the name of god things in the name of god can't we can't we oh it's not me doing anything wrong oh it's not me doing anything wrong just that god's eventually he says just that god's eventually he says vengeance is mine i'll repay there it is vengeance is mine i'll repay there it is vengeance vengeance it's getting him back it's getting him back well that'll teach you well that'll teach you now he'll turn his television set down well let's look at it logically would he turn let's look at it logically would he turn his television set down if you walk by his television set down if you walk by grinning like a cheshire cat say hi grinning like a cheshire cat say hi there there and he is in trouble with his if his and he is in trouble with his if his jack is broken and he can't fix his jack is broken and he can't fix his car's broken tire car's broken tire i would suggest that your next night i would suggest that your next night might see the television left on all might see the television left on all night and he goes to bed you see how do we deal with the enemy how do we deal with the enemy this is an issue which is most important this is an issue which is most important you know the law of god told us how to you know the law of god told us how to deal with the enemy how to use moral deal with the enemy how to use moral responsibility to those people who responsibility to those people who otherwise otherwise would try and destroy us if they could would try and destroy us if they could what what should we do to them how ought what what should we do to them how ought we to treat them we to treat them i just want to take you over for a i just want to take you over for a moment to uh moment to uh proverbs 25 where here we have an proverbs 25 where here we have an illustration of what to do the best way illustration of what to do the best way to deal with the enemy of course these words are all belonging remember to the law of moses we are not remember to the law of moses we are not talking about the law of christ well known as verse 21 here in proverbs 25 it says here concerning your enemy if 25 it says here concerning your enemy if thine enemy be hungry give him bread to thine enemy be hungry give him bread to eat eat and if he be thirsty you give him water and if he be thirsty you give him water to drink to drink for thou shall heap coals of fire upon for thou shall heap coals of fire upon his head his head and yahweh shall reward thee and yahweh shall reward thee now what's this point about now what's this point about getting a bucket of coals and pouring it getting a bucket of coals and pouring it over his head over his head you see what this is here brethren is a you see what this is here brethren is a piece of the most adept psychology that piece of the most adept psychology that you can use against your enemy you can use against your enemy if your enemy hates you and if he has if your enemy hates you and if he has done evil against you and you do done evil against you and you do something evil to him something evil to him the psychology is very simple the psychology is very simple he simply says well i feel quite he simply says well i feel quite justified in doing that evil to him justified in doing that evil to him because look what he's now doing to me because look what he's now doing to me you reinforce you reinforce his feeling of animosity towards you his feeling of animosity towards you because you've done something evil to because you've done something evil to him him so therefore he feels more justified in so therefore he feels more justified in doing something evil in the first place doing something evil in the first place now if you do something kind to him now if you do something kind to him what happens what happens says the proverb you heap coals of fire says the proverb you heap coals of fire upon his head what it's saying in the upon his head what it's saying in the hebrew is literally this you produce the hebrew is literally this you produce the penetrating pain penetrating pain [Music] [Music] of a burning shame and guilt in him of a burning shame and guilt in him so on his head he feels so terribly pain so on his head he feels so terribly pain that he has given you evil that he has given you evil and you have given him goods and you have given him goods and that's a big difference and that's a big difference now he doesn't feel justified for having now he doesn't feel justified for having done something evil to you now he feels done something evil to you now he feels the heel that that shouldn't have done the heel that that shouldn't have done something evil to you you have consumed something evil to you you have consumed him with guilt and shame because he's an him with guilt and shame because he's an ordinary human being in most ordinary human being in most circumstances and he will understand his circumstances and he will understand his feelings and he will respond by saying feelings and he will respond by saying oh what have i done that for look what oh what have i done that for look what he's done to me he could have really he's done to me he could have really taken me to the cleaners but he didn't and what do you do well if you really want to hurt your well if you really want to hurt your enemy that's how you hurt him enemy that's how you hurt him don't make him feel happy make him feel don't make him feel happy make him feel sad sad but in the process of making him feel but in the process of making him feel sad you destroy your enemy and turn him sad you destroy your enemy and turn him into your friend and that's a better into your friend and that's a better proposition of relationship isn't it so you see the law of moses was just not moral ethics only it had to do vitally moral ethics only it had to do vitally with what concerned the relationships of with what concerned the relationships of individuals and how to keep the fabric individuals and how to keep the fabric of the jewish society together of the jewish society together to make them the ecclesia of god after to make them the ecclesia of god after all if god says i take you to me for a all if god says i take you to me for a people and you become my sons and people and you become my sons and daughters he wants the sons and daughters he wants the sons and daughters to treat each other like he daughters to treat each other like he would treat them would treat them and therefore in this relationship if in and therefore in this relationship if in fact you do good for these people fact you do good for these people if you help them if you help them it turns enemies into friends it turns enemies into friends and that's vitally important now he goes in again now to talk a little about justice back in little about justice back in exodus 23 and in verse 6 where he says exodus 23 and in verse 6 where he says thou shalt not rest the judgment of thy thou shalt not rest the judgment of thy poor in his cause that is thou shalt not poor in his cause that is thou shalt not pervert the justice due to the poor in pervert the justice due to the poor in his cause his cause now you you can't get lost in two now you you can't get lost in two extremes here you don't support the poor extremes here you don't support the poor because he's poor and you don't uh simply go against the poor because he happens to be a person poor because he happens to be a person that is less acceptable to the majority that is less acceptable to the majority of your people in this society which you of your people in this society which you were parts were parts what he says here is you look clearly what he says here is you look clearly and do not pervert justice and do not and do not pervert justice and do not become unbalanced be in one direction or become unbalanced be in one direction or the other be just in your decisions be the other be just in your decisions be conclusive in your analysis and above conclusive in your analysis and above all make sure that you serve the cause all make sure that you serve the cause of god in what is done not the cause of god in what is done not the cause that you want out of the decision you that you want out of the decision you make make whether it's going to please you down whether it's going to please you down the river or not doesn't matter it's the river or not doesn't matter it's whether what happens to this brother and whether what happens to this brother and sister now that's what's important sister now that's what's important justice must not be perverted keep thee justice must not be perverted keep thee far from a false matter he says in verse far from a false matter he says in verse seven that the innocent and he says in seven that the innocent and he says in the innocent and the righteous slay thou the innocent and the righteous slay thou not for i will not justify the wickeds not for i will not justify the wickeds keep well away from matters of falsehood keep well away from matters of falsehood and god addresses accuses witness and and god addresses accuses witness and judges in this way make sure that you judges in this way make sure that you consider carefully consider carefully that you do not have anything to do that you do not have anything to do with something that is not true with something that is not true and sometimes that brethren says that and sometimes that brethren says that means we must do a little more analysis means we must do a little more analysis too too sometimes we say well if brother such sometimes we say well if brother such and such says that it must be true and such says that it must be true after all he's a very respectable after all he's a very respectable brother recording brother he's got the brother recording brother he's got the wrong information at his fingertips well wrong information at his fingertips well i'll just take what he says to be true i'll just take what he says to be true and i won't bother reading any of the and i won't bother reading any of the occlusal correspondence myself i'll i'll occlusal correspondence myself i'll i'll leave it to him to to tell me what's in leave it to him to to tell me what's in there and he can make his judgments on there and he can make his judgments on it it well that is giving to one brother well that is giving to one brother an enormous responsibility an enormous responsibility and a collegial business meeting and a collegial business meeting is one of the greatest factors is one of the greatest factors that have preserved the autonomy of that have preserved the autonomy of aeroclesial organizations aeroclesial organizations because an ecclesial business meeting is because an ecclesial business meeting is where every brother and sister has the where every brother and sister has the right to question anything in that right to question anything in that ecclesia ecclesia and there is no totalitarian powers and there is no totalitarian powers and no member of the arranging brethren and no member of the arranging brethren can stand up and say well look you're can stand up and say well look you're not an ab so you can't decide this not an ab so you can't decide this matter the business meeting is where matter the business meeting is where everything is level and open and you can everything is level and open and you can question anything you wish about that question anything you wish about that ecclesia of course using wisdom and care ecclesia of course using wisdom and care to do so to do so that is a great system that is a great system and it must not be abused and it must not be abused and that privilege must be preserved and that privilege must be preserved above all above all but we ensure that all the decisions but we ensure that all the decisions that are made are as just as possible that are made are as just as possible and always in the interests of the and always in the interests of the majority of that equation majority of that equation sometimes we're going to be in the sometimes we're going to be in the majority sometimes we'll be in the majority sometimes we'll be in the minority but either way we must accept minority but either way we must accept that justice must first be done that justice must first be done do not let self-interest affect the do not let self-interest affect the outcome of a decision outcome of a decision we all do that we all do that when we shouldn't when we shouldn't and it hurts and harms our brethren and and it hurts and harms our brethren and sisters sisters and it works towards the destruction of and it works towards the destruction of the system by which our ecclesiastes are the system by which our ecclesiastes are preserved preserved by mutual love respect by mutual love respect justice mercy and truth so do not justice mercy and truth so do not support anything that is false support anything that is false well in verse 8 he says well in verse 8 he says talks now about the bribe talks now about the bribe and he says and thou shalt take no gift and he says and thou shalt take no gift a bribe that means a bribe that means because he says the bribe because he says the bribe binds the wise it blinds the wise and binds the wise it blinds the wise and perverts the words of the righteous perverts the words of the righteous people people so the bribe here translated actually as so the bribe here translated actually as such on number of occasions becomes a such on number of occasions becomes a fact that a person now because he's fact that a person now because he's influenced like this he has become blind it's been unfortunate at times in the past when i have past when i have heard discussions concerning collegial heard discussions concerning collegial business meetings business meetings and one brother says look if you'll and one brother says look if you'll support me in this i'll support you in support me in this i'll support you in that it's nothing short of a bribe it's saying well you scratch my back and it's saying well you scratch my back and i'll scratch yours i'll scratch yours it means if you will help me here i will it means if you will help me here i will help you there because i want to get help you there because i want to get this i'm not too interested in the this i'm not too interested in the outcome of yours i'll support you there outcome of yours i'll support you there because it doesn't affect me because it doesn't affect me but i want you to support me over here but i want you to support me over here in my area and therefore you get the in my area and therefore you get the context of a bribe set up in which your context of a bribe set up in which your clear mind for justice mercy and truth clear mind for justice mercy and truth has been put aside has been put aside and i feel that's a shame when that and i feel that's a shame when that happens happens every issue in decision brethren made in every issue in decision brethren made in the judgments of our community the the judgments of our community the spiritual israel today are to follow the spiritual israel today are to follow the morals and at least the ethics of the morals and at least the ethics of the truth true christ didn't say this did he truth true christ didn't say this did he christ did not say to us christ did not say to us don't go to a business meeting and if a don't go to a business meeting and if a brother says to you will you support me brother says to you will you support me in this and i'll support you in that in this and i'll support you in that don't agree to it he doesn't say that don't agree to it he doesn't say that does he does he christ in many ways extends the power of christ in many ways extends the power of the law into the in inner part of a man the law into the in inner part of a man so he can appreciate dimensions of law so he can appreciate dimensions of law which are far higher and stronger than which are far higher and stronger than anything the law of moses said but in anything the law of moses said but in some areas it does not and that's why some areas it does not and that's why here this law is left as part of our here this law is left as part of our bible today because we need that we need bible today because we need that we need that to pick up areas where we might that to pick up areas where we might forget the power of christ's words forget the power of christ's words christ's words are very clear do unto christ's words are very clear do unto others as you have them do unto you others as you have them do unto you that's very clear but we don't know that's very clear but we don't know sometimes how to interpret it sometimes how to interpret it and that's why these sort of little and that's why these sort of little helpful hints helpful hints do give us some assistance don't they do give us some assistance don't they never follow the tit for tat proposition never follow the tit for tat proposition you scratch my back i'll scratch yours you scratch my back i'll scratch yours do not rest judgment with that kinds of do not rest judgment with that kinds of wheeling and dealing wheeling and dealing it is not rights it is not rights but it happens but it happens and we become blind in our judgments and we become blind in our judgments israel were told they must not do israel were told they must not do it well in verse 9 he says it well in verse 9 he says verse 9 now through in a few verses he verse 9 now through in a few verses he talks now about the the stranger and he talks now about the the stranger and he says thou shalt not oppress a stranger says thou shalt not oppress a stranger for you know the heart of a stranger you for you know the heart of a stranger you understand the mind the feelings the understand the mind the feelings the expressions expressions of a slave in a strange country you were of a slave in a strange country you were slaves yourselves once you understand slaves yourselves once you understand that again the point emerges from that again the point emerges from yesterday the empathy of the slave yesterday the empathy of the slave knowing what it's like to be a slave knowing what it's like to be a slave must surely teach us must surely teach us to understand the mind of those who to understand the mind of those who might be our slaves might be our slaves it doesn't give us license it doesn't give us license to injure to injure and to abuse slaves because we might and to abuse slaves because we might once have been abused it gives us a once have been abused it gives us a responsibility not to do so responsibility not to do so and therefore says the law and therefore says the law don't you do it to your slaves don't you do it to your slaves well now he introduces here a remarkably well now he introduces here a remarkably well intense law that has to do with well intense law that has to do with with the mercy of god seen in its most with the mercy of god seen in its most extensive direction look at these verses extensive direction look at these verses here verse 10 onwards and six years so here verse 10 onwards and six years so thou sow thy land and shall gather in thou sow thy land and shall gather in the fruits thereof the fruits thereof but the seventh year thou shalt let it but the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still rest and lie still now what's he mean here now what's he mean here literally from the hebrew he says let it literally from the hebrew he says let it drop and abandon it drop and abandon it that's the land he says and that the that's the land he says and that the poor of thy people may eat poor of thy people may eat and what they leave the beasts of the and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat in like manner thou field shall eat in like manner thou shall deal with the vineyard and the shall deal with the vineyard and the olive yard also olive yard also what an amazing law this was today we try and tax our grounds all we can all we can keep feeding back in all the minerals keep feeding back in all the minerals we're taking out super phosphate we're taking out super phosphate everything else we pour it back in the everything else we pour it back in the land to make that land work hard for us land to make that land work hard for us here says the lord his judgments here says the lord his judgments work the land for six years then leave work the land for six years then leave it it leave it grow leave it grow not only is the land going to not only is the land going to recuperates but what the land does grow recuperates but what the land does grow of its own accord is going to help to of its own accord is going to help to feed the poor in your community and once feed the poor in your community and once the poor have taken off what they need the poor have taken off what they need put your beasts into it also look how god even thinks of the beasts the beasts of burden those creatures the beasts of burden those creatures which are under the control of mankind which are under the control of mankind and again the law said thou shalt not and again the law said thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treateth out the cord what a beautiful merciful consideration god is concerned about animals so that the ox is able to eat while it works and get is able to eat while it works and get its energy its energy we are not allowed to abuse animals or we are not allowed to abuse animals or people sometimes we need an rspca to tell us that well society for the prevention of cruelty to animals such a society like that has sometimes to to bring to mind the fact that you don't bring to mind the fact that you don't treat animals with cruelty treat animals with cruelty true animals are under our under our true animals are under our under our control we know that but god didn't do control we know that but god didn't do it it he told man to administer the animals he told man to administer the animals but the thing is but the thing is if you beat the dog up in the backyards if you beat the dog up in the backyards probably you'll beat your wife up probably you'll beat your wife up tomorrow tomorrow because you see because you see if you cannot think sensitively about an if you cannot think sensitively about an animal a defenseless animal then how can you think sensitively about people also people also if we are our violence if we are our violence towards animals do we imagine that towards animals do we imagine that violence will only be towards animals violence will only be towards animals perhaps the violence upon the animals is perhaps the violence upon the animals is is there the poor animal gets it because is there the poor animal gets it because we're not to we're not prepared to be we're not to we're not prepared to be violent to a human being because that's violent to a human being because that's got more ramifications to it got more ramifications to it and so we can end up and so we can end up getting stuck into animals because we getting stuck into animals because we want to get rid of our frustrations and want to get rid of our frustrations and our furies our furies god didn't think that way god didn't think that way god even thought that the land needed god even thought that the land needed its rest its rest and a land is totally an inanimate thing and a land is totally an inanimate thing it is simply mineral it is simply it is simply mineral it is simply vegetable it has no life it has no pain vegetable it has no life it has no pain it has no being of suffering it has no being of suffering but you see if we understand from our but you see if we understand from our minds point of view what god considers minds point of view what god considers to be just and good and kinds to be just and good and kinds then that will be seen in every respect then that will be seen in every respect of our lives that is the point brethren of our lives that is the point brethren we cannot expect to treat with violence we cannot expect to treat with violence that community and turn around and smile that community and turn around and smile nicely at the next community nicely at the next community well that's hypocrisy well that's hypocrisy and it certainly isn't gross in the mind and it certainly isn't gross in the mind of god of god he goes on and talks about other things he goes on and talks about other things he talks about the stranger again of he talks about the stranger again of course talking as he does in verse 13 course talking as he does in verse 13 and all these things he says that you and all these things he says that you should be circumspect you should be should be circumspect you should be cautious he says you should be careful cautious he says you should be careful and make no mention of the names of and make no mention of the names of other gods neither let them be heard out other gods neither let them be heard out of thy mouth of thy mouth will you see other strangers that were will you see other strangers that were in the lands were those who had brought in the lands were those who had brought in most commonly the the names of other in most commonly the the names of other gods gods so he says you do not treat those so he says you do not treat those strangers with violence but you shall strangers with violence but you shall not mention the names of their gods not mention the names of their gods either either you shall not flow towards you shall not flow towards their their godly way which they think is godly godly way which they think is godly you must not mention them they're not to you must not mention them they're not to be heard out of your mouth you are not be heard out of your mouth you are not to bless nor are you to curse with these to bless nor are you to curse with these gods gods and therefore he says you will preserve and therefore he says you will preserve my position in caution and my position in caution and circumspection notice how that word is circumspection notice how that word is introduced there be cautious be careful introduced there be cautious be careful be circumspect why because in the saints be circumspect why because in the saints of god unto israel at this time they had of god unto israel at this time they had to use to use caution in other words they had to use caution in other words they had to use discretion discretion they had to be people that could use they had to be people that could use intelligence and analyze things without intelligence and analyze things without necessarily going to the law and saying necessarily going to the law and saying well i can do this or i can't do that well i can do this or i can't do that look at it carefully way the matter up look at it carefully way the matter up and see what the demand is on you and see what the demand is on you this becomes god's remain god's remedy this becomes god's remain god's remedy to us to us of how we can treat better the people of of how we can treat better the people of our community and work more lovingly our community and work more lovingly towards relationships which foster god towards relationships which foster god is our father and we as his children is our father and we as his children well well he talks now about the festivals in he talks now about the festivals in verse 14. verse 14. part of this very important book of the part of this very important book of the covenants covenants and says three times shall you assemble and says three times shall you assemble all the males before me he says you all the males before me he says you shall have a feast there shall be a shall have a feast there shall be a great pilgrimage feast down to the great pilgrimage feast down to the appointed place of my alterings and appointed place of my alterings and offerings rather from the altars in offerings rather from the altars in verse 15 and thou shalt keep the feast verse 15 and thou shalt keep the feast of the unleavened bread the of the unleavened bread the hamazots the unleavened bread hamazots the unleavened bread he says because i wanted you commanded he says because i wanted you commanded thee that at the time appointed in the thee that at the time appointed in the month of abim for in it he says thou month of abim for in it he says thou camest out of egypt camest out of egypt and none shall appear before me empty and none shall appear before me empty you'll come you'll bring forth the you'll come you'll bring forth the unleavened bread he says then there will unleavened bread he says then there will be the feast of the harvest the feast of be the feast of the harvest the feast of first fruits the pentecost or the feast first fruits the pentecost or the feast of weeks of weeks and thirdly there would be the feast of and thirdly there would be the feast of the inn gathering the feast of the inn gathering the feast of tabernacles tabernacles hell at the end of the year hell at the end of the year three occasions should all these males three occasions should all these males come before god on three occasions with come before god on three occasions with this this great feast be celebrated that this this great feast be celebrated that you might bring before me these fear the you might bring before me these fear the feasts which acknowledge my work amongst feasts which acknowledge my work amongst you you well the feast of unleavened bread well the feast of unleavened bread a feast recognizing that god is the one a feast recognizing that god is the one who saves us who saves us he saves us out of egypt and egyptian he saves us out of egypt and egyptian oppression he brings us before his altar oppression he brings us before his altar and he accepts us and he accepts us then the feast are the first fruits then the feast are the first fruits the first fruits belong to gods the first fruits belong to gods the first fruits of everything belong to the first fruits of everything belong to god the first out of the womb the god the first out of the womb the firstborn all of these firsts belong to firstborn all of these firsts belong to god and we must give them and dedicate god and we must give them and dedicate them to gods them to gods under the law israel were taught that under the law israel were taught that principle the very best of our produce principle the very best of our produce comes before god and god wants the very comes before god and god wants the very best from us also best from us also he wants the best of our time the best he wants the best of our time the best of our energies the best of our labors of our energies the best of our labors and very often brethren assist as we and very often brethren assist as we rise in the day and we get involved in rise in the day and we get involved in everything in that day that we have to everything in that day that we have to do but we remember god's just before we go to bed just before we go to bed we remember god we remember god and we give to him our tiredest and we give to him our tiredest exhausted hours of the day exhausted hours of the day and we often start a prayer and we often start a prayer of when our heads on the pillow of when our heads on the pillow because we haven't really found time to because we haven't really found time to pray before that pray before that and there are very few our men said to and there are very few our men said to prayers started on the pillow and yet we can give god the very worst of our time or the very best of our time of our time or the very best of our time the first fruits belong to god and he the first fruits belong to god and he also says in the feast of the gathering also says in the feast of the gathering here the feast of tabernacles that once here the feast of tabernacles that once we have harvested the good works that we have harvested the good works that god has given to us the good substance god has given to us the good substance of his fruitful growth in this earth let of his fruitful growth in this earth let us come to god with thanks and praise us come to god with thanks and praise for all the blessings we have received for all the blessings we have received that's what he asks of us that's what he asks of us again again our moral responsibility before god our moral responsibility before god by showing to him by showing to him that everything of which we have is that everything of which we have is derived from him and we should give our derived from him and we should give our thanks to him for every detail of its thanks to him for every detail of its that's what builds love between families that's what builds love between families isn't it isn't it the parents and the children the the parents and the children the children have to learn to say thank you children have to learn to say thank you and as you're training the child you say and as you're training the child you say to the child or say thank you to the child or say thank you and the child shakes their head or says and the child shakes their head or says nothing you say you don't get this nothing you say you don't get this unless you do say thank you unless you do say thank you and the child learns to say thank you and the child learns to say thank you human beings are a bit the same aren't human beings are a bit the same aren't they this is what's going to happen in they this is what's going to happen in the kingdom age you see the kingdom age you see the nation that doesn't come up to the nation that doesn't come up to worship the lord in zion they'll get no worship the lord in zion they'll get no rain rain and so this becomes the force now saying and so this becomes the force now saying well if there's no rain well if there's no rain i don't eat i don't eat i didn't say thank you i didn't say thank you well i better get up there and say thank well i better get up there and say thank you or i won't have anything to eat next you or i won't have anything to eat next year year you see the nations have to be trained you see the nations have to be trained the same way israel was trained the same the same way israel was trained the same way we have to be trained the same way way we have to be trained the same way our children have to be trained we have our children have to be trained we have to show them what thank you means saying to show them what thank you means saying thank you by the feasts of god before thank you by the feasts of god before israel at this time this is what saying israel at this time this is what saying thank you meant thank you meant and if israel didn't learn that they'd and if israel didn't learn that they'd of course never learn of course never learn that god expected from them that god expected from them a response for his goodness that he gave a response for his goodness that he gave unto those people unto those people come over now to um to verse 19 he says here the first of the first fruits fruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the lord thy gods the first of the first fruits you will bring unto the house of the lord thy god bring unto the house of the lord thy god that means that we would must we must that means that we would must we must bring to god to his house the very best bring to god to his house the very best that we can and hence highlighting the that we can and hence highlighting the point already mentions point already mentions god's house is his ecclesia is it not god's house is his ecclesia is it not and we have to bring to his ecclesia the and we have to bring to his ecclesia the very best that we can the best of our very best that we can the best of our education that we have the best of the education that we have the best of the resources god has blessed us with the resources god has blessed us with the best of our waking hours the moments best of our waking hours the moments when we believe that we are best suited when we believe that we are best suited for a collegial work for a collegial work we've got to bring to god's holy temple we've got to bring to god's holy temple within that ecclesia the best of our within that ecclesia the best of our kindness our sympathy our thankfulness kindness our sympathy our thankfulness our love our responsiveness all of those our love our responsiveness all of those things belong in god's house instead of feeding ourselves at home on everything good that we can get and then everything good that we can get and then throw along the scraps to the equation throw along the scraps to the equation of a sunday morning of a sunday morning to take no care nor thought for the to take no care nor thought for the needs of that meeting needs of that meeting or the financial requirements that the or the financial requirements that the truth has in order to continue the work truth has in order to continue the work of a light stand in this area or that of a light stand in this area or that area area all this is vitally important all this is vitally important but let us look finally but let us look finally at another point here which he drops in at another point here which he drops in almost as if to say well what on earth almost as if to say well what on earth does this mean thou shalt not see the does this mean thou shalt not see the kid in his mother's milk why say that kid in his mother's milk why say that thou shalt not boil up a kid thou shalt not boil up a kid in his mother's milk in his mother's milk very interesting law isn't it very interesting law isn't it why would this be so why would this why would this be so why would this slide in here as having any sense of slide in here as having any sense of moral responsibility or any restraint moral responsibility or any restraint upon israeli in any way why this upon israeli in any way why this peculiar law peculiar law well to analyze it a little bit more is well to analyze it a little bit more is of course to find what become the keys of course to find what become the keys of understanding of understanding look at what is happening look at what is happening the mother the mother the mother gives birth to a kid the mother gives birth to a kid that kid that kid grows off the mother's milk grows off the mother's milk and then you take that kid and then you take that kid and the mother's milk and you boil the and the mother's milk and you boil the kid to death in his mother's mouth well it's sort of reversing things a bit isn't it it's telling us here do not isn't it it's telling us here do not destroy the young destroy the young by that which is intended to nurture by that which is intended to nurture them in life an illustration the wicked sons of eli the wicked sons of eli we read about them in samuel we read about them in samuel they would see the offerings that the they would see the offerings that the israelites would bring unto them israelites would bring unto them and the offerings of meats and the offerings of meats the wicked sons would plunge in the the wicked sons would plunge in the three prong flesh hook and take out the three prong flesh hook and take out the meat what they pulled out from that from meat what they pulled out from that from that meat became theirs that meat became theirs and instead of burning the fat at the and instead of burning the fat at the altar when they would bring the fat up altar when they would bring the fat up they would say give us of the fat or they would say give us of the fat or we'll we'll take it by force from you we'll we'll take it by force from you instead of burning it at the altar of instead of burning it at the altar of yahweh so what had happened was the yahweh so what had happened was the altars of yahweh which should have altars of yahweh which should have become the means of life and the first become the means of life and the first principles of life to israel had now principles of life to israel had now assumed the dimensions of death assumed the dimensions of death the first principles of the law of moses the first principles of the law of moses were being overthrown were being overthrown because here these people were not being because here these people were not being nurtured in life by the lawful offerings nurtured in life by the lawful offerings they were being destroyed by so the they were being destroyed by so the people hated the altars of god people hated the altars of god that's a shame that happens they were destroying the people with that which should have given them life that which should have given them life another example over in the days of another example over in the days of christ let's go to matthew 23 for a christ let's go to matthew 23 for a moment here of course the lord jesus christ is making his tirades is making his tirades against the profligate rulers of israel verse 13 he says to the jewish leaders but woe unto you scribes and pharisees but woe unto you scribes and pharisees hypocrites for you shut up the kingdom hypocrites for you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men for ye neither go of heaven against men for ye neither go in yourselves neither suffer ye them in yourselves neither suffer ye them that are entering to go therein that are entering to go therein notice verse 15 notice verse 15 where to use scribes and pharisees where to use scribes and pharisees hypocrites for you compass sea and land hypocrites for you compass sea and land to make one proselyte and when he is to make one proselyte and when he is made you make him too far more the child made you make him too far more the child of hell than he than yourselves of hell than he than yourselves what's the points what's the points again notice now in verse 23 he says woe unto you scribes and pharisees hypocrites for you pay tithe pharisees hypocrites for you pay tithe of mint and aniston coming and you've of mint and aniston coming and you've omitted the weightier matters of the law omitted the weightier matters of the law judgment mercy and faith these your not judgment mercy and faith these your not to these to these ought ye to have done and not to leave ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone ye blind guides which the other undone ye blind guides which strain it and that and swallow a camel strain it and that and swallow a camel well unto you scribes and pharisees well unto you scribes and pharisees hypocrites because you may clean the hypocrites because you may clean the outside of the cup and of the planter he outside of the cup and of the planter he says but within you full of extortion says but within you full of extortion and excess these things were what israel and excess these things were what israel was doing was doing what were they doing what were they doing using the first principles of the law using the first principles of the law by which they should have been given by which they should have been given life life and instead it gave them death and instead it gave them death as blind guide to the blind and both as blind guide to the blind and both fall into the pit and destroy themselves this is so easy to do to take up the first principles of the to take up the first principles of the truth which we are told by the apostle truth which we are told by the apostle when he writes to the hebrews is the when he writes to the hebrews is the milk of the word of god milk of the word of god he tells them that he tells them that in hebrews chapter 5 he laments the fact in hebrews chapter 5 he laments the fact that they should have been having strong that they should have been having strong meat but now they had needed the milk of meat but now they had needed the milk of the word of god and he says these be the the word of god and he says these be the first principles of the law of god first principles of the law of god and they were destroying them those and they were destroying them those first principles which should have given first principles which should have given israel their love and holiness in the israel their love and holiness in the truth was being destroyed instead of truth was being destroyed instead of giving them life it was destroying the giving them life it was destroying the jewish people themselves so thou shalt not see the kid in his mother's milk in his mother's milk to do that you see to do that you see to see the kid in its mother's milk to see the kid in its mother's milk means that one becomes insensitive to means that one becomes insensitive to the principle the principle and so the law was made brethren that and so the law was made brethren that the principle might stick the principle might stick like we teach our children many like we teach our children many different little acts to perform in different little acts to perform in order that they can understand order that they can understand principles concepts in their minds principles concepts in their minds yes you must share those yes you must share those those candies with your brother and those candies with your brother and sister sister why because you must learn why because you must learn to give them candles to give them candles but mommy they had candies yesterday yes but mommy they had candies yesterday yes i know they had candies yesterday but i know they had candies yesterday but you give them one today because you have you give them one today because you have to learn to give to learn to give so we treat our children in such a way so we treat our children in such a way that we want to give them an experience that we want to give them an experience in their lives that is going to help in their lives that is going to help their little minds to gel to what the their little minds to gel to what the meaning of these principles really are and so we teach your child accounts by putting various blocks and pieces of by putting various blocks and pieces of fruit together they get the idea of of fruit together they get the idea of of the notion the the the idea of an the notion the the the idea of an abstract figure in their minds it grows abstract figure in their minds it grows by doing things with your hands by doing things with your hands and so by motor mechanism of education and so by motor mechanism of education by teaching people to do things they by teaching people to do things they learn things the whole of the law of learn things the whole of the law of moses was that to israel it was a school moses was that to israel it was a school master unto them to bring them to grace master unto them to bring them to grace they were children and the law was the they were children and the law was the school master school master but the law became that which was a but the law became that which was a cause of death and hatred and animosity cause of death and hatred and animosity in the in the kingdom of god at this in the in the kingdom of god at this time it was moving against their time it was moving against their wholeness of life it was destroying them wholeness of life it was destroying them as christ says as christ says those very things that he had intended those very things that he had intended to give life were now giving death and seething the kid in his mother's milk milk is an example is an example of using that of using that to destroy the young which god had to destroy the young which god had intended to give life with and how easily we can do the same thing if we brethren if we brethren so distort the principles of the first so distort the principles of the first fundamentals of the milk of god's word fundamentals of the milk of god's word and if ever they're broken down and if ever they're broken down they sometimes come under fire quite they sometimes come under fire quite heavily heavily if ever we break down the defenses of if ever we break down the defenses of the walls of our faith if ever we throw the walls of our faith if ever we throw away a statement of faith we have broken away a statement of faith we have broken down down the walls of the defense of the truth by the walls of the defense of the truth by which first principles are retained in which first principles are retained in our community as a minimum requirement our community as a minimum requirement of truth not the maximum and if we throw that away we destroy the substance of the truth the substance of the truth by which otherwise by which otherwise some will come to life and life immortal some will come to life and life immortal in the kingdom of god in the kingdom of god so just a little law like seething a kid so just a little law like seething a kid in his mother's milk has got such a big in his mother's milk has got such a big lesson for us lesson for us a lesson for us a lesson for us a lesson for israel a lesson to apply in a lesson for israel a lesson to apply in our lives our lives this is what the law means the highest this is what the law means the highest ideals of god's morality ideals of god's morality were to find their way through were to find their way through to the smallest customs to the smallest customs of an agrarian-based society of an agrarian-based society and that's important and that's important and god left it on records that you and and god left it on records that you and that me might come to understand that me might come to understand the way whereby god deals with us the way whereby god deals with us that in the weightier matters of mercy that in the weightier matters of mercy justice and truth justice and truth we might see the application of god's we might see the application of god's divine code of ethics divine code of ethics and apply it in the smallest places of and apply it in the smallest places of our lives our lives that we might please our gods that we might please our gods that he might look upon us as his that he might look upon us as his children children and that he might take us to him as our and that he might take us to him as our father father it's all brethren it's all brethren based on principles as simple based on principles as simple as these