Exodus
21 – 24
Here we go verse 21:2 condones slavery:
If you purchase a
male Hebrew slave, he will be your servant for six years only. When the
seventh year arrives, he will go free without having to pay a price for his
freedom.
There
you have it; the Bible condones slavery so the south was Biblically correct. Or
was it? Having just watched 12 Years A Slave the horrors of the south were
shown. How could the Bible condone that? It doesn’t! You could do a very long
study on the culture and the use of the word, but to simplify things a few
critical points. First the never condone harsh or sub human treatment. Second,
it’s very short term. Third, it’s not by force but rather economic reasons.
Forth, it would be considered more “indentured servitude” or “interns” as they
are called today. No slavery in the Bible is nothing close to what the south
had going in the 1800’s.
Verse
21:22 are laws about killing the unborn:
If two men
are fighting with each other and happen to hit a pregnant woman during
the quarrel causing her to give birth prematurely (but no other harm is
done), then the one who hit her must pay whatever fine the judges determine
based upon the amount demanded by the woman’s husband.
I find this very interesting since the
punishment is not death. The standard argument against abortion is a pregnancy
is a life. If you were to strike another and kill them, you would be put to
death. Why is this not the case for an unborn baby that dies. This only
condones accidental strikes. Verse 23 clears this up a bit since an abortion is
not an accidental occurrence it could be considered a “life or a life”
punishment.
Verse 22:29 is the foundation of the tithe:
You must not hold
back or delay your offering from the bounty of your harvest or the
juice of your vineyard. Dedicate every one of your firstborn sons to Me.
This is critical to understand. God has
always asked for your first, not because he needs them but rather to show your
allegiance to God. Think about Cain’s offering and why it was not pleasing to
God. It was not pleasing because it was done over time, where Abel’s was the
first. The tithe is not an out dated Hebraic Law, but rather a foundational
Biblical truth. It was from the beginning and God himself gave His first born
as a sacrifice for you!! So when the plate passes, before paying bills, pay
that first 10%, it’s not a Law it’s a must to show one’s trust in God.