Bible Study - Ministering (1) - Ready When Injustice Prevails - Exodus 23:1-9 - January 18, 2015

Bible Study – Ministering (1) – Ready When Injustice Prevails – January 18, 2015

This is lesson one (1) in our series entitled “Ready: Ministering Life to Those in Crisis.”

GOD calls us to defend those who can’t defend themselves. GOD has given civilization HIS standard and basis for laws governing mankind. Absent GOD’S requirements, where would mankind get its guidelines? Would laws be based upon the whims of the ruling mass or class? Without GOD’S basis for governance, I think the world would be in chaos. 

Our focus scripture is Exodus 23:1-3, 6-9.

When the Israelites were in bondage in Egypt, they were under the dictates of Egypt. When GOD led them out of bondage, HE knew that HE had to guide them to establish a set of governing rules to exist as HIS chosen and to represent HIM to the world.

Before Pharaoh agreed to let the Israelites go, GOD demonstrated HIS power to Pharaoh, the Egyptians and the Israelites. After GOD led them out of Egypt and across the Red Sea, HE led them to Mount Sinai. On their journey from Egypt to Mount Sinai HE revealed Himself to them in many different ways.  

When they got to Mount Sinai Moses was GOD’S advocate to the people. GOD told the Israelites that HE chose them as HIS people provided they agreed. The Israelites agreed. GOD’S desire was to speak to them directly as HE had spoken to Moses. The Israelites agreed at first but they backed down and wanted Moses to continue to be their emissary. GOD established a covenant relationship with the Israelites.

Notice that GOD offered the Israelites a choice. HE chose them but they had the opportunity to choose HIM. That is true even since the passion of CHRIST. GOD gives all humans that same opportunity to choose salvation by placing their faith in CHRIST and experience the miracle of rebirth.

GOD gave the Ten Commandments to Moses to present to the Israelites. With the Ten Commandments in place, GOD built the governing principles for an orderly society which reflect HIS values, expectations and guidelines for living as HIS chosen people.

The King James translation uses “Thou shalt not” or “Thou shalt” in our focus verses. Doing so reflects their tie back to the Ten Commandments. The specific commandment which reflects the basis for our focus scripture is Exodus 20:16:

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. (KJV)

“Thou shalt not” reflects a particular form of law referred to as “apodictic law.” Apodictic law is a statement in the second person that presents a specific behavioral principle without setting conditions or citing consequences.  Thus “thou shalt not or shalt” in our focus scripture reveals that this scripture is an application of the Ten Commandments.

GOD’S intent for HIS chosen was for them to speak the truth and be depended upon to speak the truth regardless of what speaking would do to the outcome of a situation. Truth honors GOD and GOD honors truth. Truth was to be an integral part and characteristic of GOD’S chosen.

It is not different today but I am afraid twisting the facts has become the hallmark of some who think that misspeaking is fine as long as it justifies the end result. It is sad that not speaking the truth or distorting the truth for political gain has become a way of life for many political leaders. This, in turn, spreads through much of all society. When foundational principles are compromised: so goes the nation.

We can see what Sharia law and many other laws, not founded upon the principles of the One True GOD and CHRIST, have upon humanity and in particularly women. 

GOD’S desire was for Israel to be a nation of people who could be counted upon to speak the truth and represent truth because they were GOD’S chosen. Christians are GOD’S chosen and the same standards of conduct apply to us as well.

Christians are the light of the world and the salt of the earth. Light dispels darkness and salt makes one thirsty. The world is in Spiritual darkness and Christians are Spiritual light. Christians should so live that others thirst for the Spiritual water that quenches Spiritual thirst, which is placing one’s faith in CHRIST and walking as the Holy Spirit leads.

This should establish a background for us to explore our focus scripture.

Let’s read Exodus 23:1-3:

Laws about Honesty and Justice

1 “You must not spread a false report. Do not join the wicked to be a malicious witness. 2 “You must not follow a crowd in wrongdoing. Do not testify in a lawsuit and go along with a crowd to pervert justice. 3 Do not show favoritism to a poor person in his lawsuit.

This scripture focuses on five principles of justice:

-         Do not spread a false report.

-         Do not join the wicked to be a malicious witness. The word join carries the idea of not extending your hand to the wicked to shake their hand to seal a deal with someone hostile to GOD and the ways of GOD to prevent justice. Here is where “political correctness” can raise its head when a GOD fearing person shades the truth so a certain person will avoid the justice that he or she should face.

-         Do not follow a crowd in wrongdoing. A mob mentality must not to be confused with truth and justice.

-         Do not testify in a lawsuit and go along with a crowd to pervert justice.

-         Do not show favoritism to a poor person (materially poor) in his lawsuit. Justice is to be applied equally to the poor, the wealthy or those with authority.

This scripture reflects GOD’S guidance to Israel for establishing a solid foundation of governance, which is based upon the ninth of the Ten Commandments. The intent of the ninth commandment is concerned with a person’s participation as a witness in court.

This scripture is focused upon not spreading false information and giving false or compromised testimony. I think this extends outside of the court and includes gossip. There are groups who relish in ruining a person’s repetition by spreading false information.

Bullying fits this category – do not join wicked groups to be a malicious witness – do not follow a crowd in wrong doing – do not pervert justice. Do not show favoritism to the rich or the poor. There is a tendency to either take advantage of the poor or to twist the truth to give the poor a break. This same instruction applies to testimony given in a court where a wealthy person or a person of influence and power is on trial. Don’t twist the truth in either case whether the person is poor, wealthy or politically connected but be truthful so justice can prevail. Be a person who can be trusted to tell the truth regardless of the stature of the person before the court.

Recently, we have seen mobs gathering and calling for justice. These crowds influence and incite others to act violently such as looting, arson, and injuring or taking the lives of others. Such acts are designed for those in authority to ignore the facts and give favor to certain groups of people. Justice must prevail or there is anarchy.

Muslims are defending the Prophet Mohammed by killing others. It seems to me that thinking Muslims would question why Mohammed and his writings cannot defend himself. Truth prevails but lies die. Radical Muslims are using their religion to justify their cause of murdering innocent people, raping women and children. They are blinded by Satan, just as any religious people who ignore the truth and follow the dictates of their flesh.

We must keep in mind that religion is manmade. Some people make Christianity a religion but true Christianity is CHRIST in you. Joining a religious institution does not make you a Christian. Asking CHRIST to forgive you for your sins, believing that HE gave HIS life to pay for your sins and asking HIM by faith to come into your life transforms your earth life into eternal life through the miracle of rebirth in your spirit. The process of rebirth happens in a flash and your spirit is transformed from spirit to Spirit. You become GOD’S Son or Daughter, a citizen of Heaven and have eternal life.

Keep in mind that Christians worship a risen Savior and at last check Mohammed, Buda and other religions people are following are still dead and buried. CHRIST conquered death. 

Christians are GOD’S chosen and they are to honor GOD by being truthful and seek justice. Do not let others form your opinion. We live in times where political correctness is being defined which can be both good and bad. Court decisions based upon “political” or “politically correctness” sets a dangerous precedent. Let your words and actions work for justice and not against it. Two wrongs do not make it right, such as killing COPS or other fellow humans to satisfy your own definition of justice or your testimony setting free a person who needs to be punished for his or her crime.

When we testify in a court of law, we place our hand upon the Bible and “swear or affirm that we will tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me GOD.” When we don’t tell the truth, we are accountable to 

GOD and in some cases to the system: perjury.

If we take GOD out of our world, what becomes the basis for being accountable? The basis for human decency comes from GOD and not just any god but the One True GOD and Father of The LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Let’s read Exodus 23:4-5:

4 “If you come across your enemy’s stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him. 5 “If you see the donkey of someone who hates you lying helpless under its load, and you want to refrain from helping it, you must help with it.

HIS chosen are to treat the property of his or her enemy as they would any other fellow human. If an enemy’s animal has strayed and you see it, return the animal to him or her. It is all about a person’s attitude toward others, which, in turn, reflects his or her heart and honors GOD. Doing the right thing often builds bridges and an enemy may become a friend. But if not, the person doing the right thing brings honor to GOD and often is a positive influence on others.

The same is true for those who hate you. You are to help the helpless animal by helping the person who hates you. Help the person who hates you take the burden off the animal. Often, we gloat when something happens to those who hate us. That is the wrong attitude.

GOD’S desire is for HIS chosen to be in right relationship with HIM and when they are, they have the right attitude toward others and reflect HIM to others.

JESUS said in Matthew 5:43-48:

43 “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your • brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Let’s read Exodus 23:6-7:

6 “You must not deny justice to a poor person among you in his lawsuit. 7 Stay far away from a false accusation. Do not kill the innocent and the just, because I will not justify the • guilty.

This is about accountability of those with authority. The word used for “poor” here carries the meaning of a person who is both materially and socially poor. This poor person has no social or political clout, whereas the poor person in verse three was materially poor.

GOD’S chosen in certain positions of authority, such as a judge or lawyer, are accountable to HIM. The person of authority must not deny justice to those who have a legitimate lawsuit.

They are to stay away from prosecuting a person based upon false charges. Some wealthy or influential people can get the courts to falsely charge innocent people with a crime. False charges will kill an innocent or just person. If you falsely accuse an innocent person, you will be accountable to GOD. GOD is the final judge and HE knows those who are guilty. HE knows the intents of the hearts of the poor person and the one who denies the poor person’s justice.

Today there are organizations, law offices or law schools that take on efforts to review the cases of those who may have been wrongly convicted and put into prison. Most everyone in prison say they are innocent and some are. It is a blessing to live in a society that searches for truth and justice.

Let’s read Exodus 23:8-9:

8 You must not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and corrupts the words of the righteous. 9 You must not oppress a foreign resident; you yourselves know how it feels to be a foreigner because you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

GOD makes it clear that HIS children are not to accept a bribe, gift, money or certain favor for testifying in a court because in doing so puts pressure on the person testifying to possibly twist the truth and corrupt the righteous person’s testimony for GOD.  

You are not to oppress a foreign resident. Oppress means to squeeze tightly. A foreign resident means a person who has the right to be in that community.

GOD admonishes HIS children to recall when they were foreigners in Egypt. They started out in Egypt as welcomed guests but as time went on and the pharaohs, who knew Joseph, died off. The Israelites grew in numbers and the Egyptians feared them. The Egyptians enslaved them to control them but GOD heard their cry and delivered them.

All people are enslaved by the bondage of sin and GOD hears the cry of those who desire to be rescued from certain eternal death. GOD gives each person an opportunity to be freed from the bondage of sin by giving them the opportunity to accept JESUS CHRIST as his or her Savior. If you have not made that decision, now is your opportunity. Blessings!!!