God bless! :)

-Love, GinniePark

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Memory of the Week:

"You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name." - Exodus 20:7

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Good Laws vs. Bad Laws - Exodus 21:12-27

Fairness in the Law

12: "Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death."

13: "However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place I will designate."

14: "But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately, that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death."

15: "Anyone who attacks their father or mother is to be put to death."

16: "Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death, whether the victim has been sold or is still in the kidnapper's position."

17: "Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death."

18: "If people quarrel and one person hits another with a stone or with their fist and the victim does not die but is confined to bed,"

19: "the one who struck the blow will not be held liable if the other can get up and walk around outside with a staff; however, the guilty party must pay the injured person for any loss of time and see that the victim is completely healed."

 

Affirming Human Life

20: "Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result,"

21: "but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property."

22: "If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no severe injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman's husband demands and the court allows."

23: "But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life,"

24: "eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,"

25: "burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise."

26: "An owner who hits a male or female slave in the eye and destroys it must let the slave go free to compensate for the eye."

27: "And an owner who knocks out the tooth of a male or female slave must let the slave go free to compensate for the tooth."

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Reflection

Fairness in the Law (21:12-19)

God's law is unique and superior to the laws of heathen nations for many reasons. Not only does God recognize the rights of slaves, women, and foreigners, He also differentiates between murder and manslaughter and considers the intent behind people's actions. This was not the case with many other penal codes.

In verses 12-13, God foreshadows his future action of establishing cities of refuge for those accused of manslaughter. If a death is accidental, the crime is not punishable by death penalty, although the victim's relatives may still seek revenge out of anger. However, it is noteworthy to see that every instance of attacking one's parents or kidnapping is considered worthy of death, for there is no intent or motivation that could justify such a heinous act. Verses 18-19 show another example of a fair law, which gives a punishment in proportion to the immensity of the crime.

 

Affirming Human Life (21:20-27)

Laws that affirm and protect human life are good laws. Laws that do not acknowledge the sanctity of life and do not seek to protect human lives are bad laws. The laws in this passage are good laws because they affirm the rights of both slaves and unborn infants. Without these laws in place, the Israelites would have been able to do whatever they wanted with slaves and unborn children, without any repercussions or fear of punishment.

These verses give strong evidence that the Bible consiers unborn children to be fully human with all the inherent rights that humans have. That is why the death of an unborn child is taken so seriously (vv.22-25). It is a shame that the laws of many nations today have actually regressed and no longer recognize the human rights of unborn infants. Instead of progress, some societies have backtracked and have fallen short of God's moral standards.

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Application

-Whenever we are wronged, we would do well to consider the intent and motivations of those who wronged us. That will help us to gauge the proper response. But no matter what, we should always forgive in our hearts.

-If we always remember that every human being is made in the image of God as our guiding principle, we will never stray too far from doing what is right. Every person deserves dignity and fair treatment.

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A Letter to God

Father, give me wisdom, and teach me to discern between right and wrong, good and evil.

May I live my life in accordance with Your Law, and may I uphold the lives of all people, especially the oppressed, the poor, the weak, and the vulnerable. In Jesus' name. Amen.