January 25
Exodus 22–24
Scripture Text: Exodus 22:1–24:18
Series: Read the Bible in a Year
More details about the law continue. These include specifics on how a person is to pay for breaking the commandments in specific ways. Note that all these specific statutes are decisions relating to the basic law: Ten Commandments. Many sound as if they are written to children who do not want to pay for what they know they did. For example, Well, what if I didn't have sex with someone who wasn't married? As if this lets a person off the Sixth Commandment hook. Pay the price and marry her. If you have sexual intercourse with someone, you are essentially married but have yet to have the religious or civil ceremony.
22:20 begins a repeated injunction. Anyone who does such a thing "shall be devoted to destruction." In this first case, anyone who makes a sacrifice to another god "shall be devoted to destruction." In other words, he will be sacrificed to the one, true God. Note also, that this statute, as all are, is related to a commandment — in this case, the First Commandment.
22:21–23:9 deal with the poor and the wayfarer who may not know the law. The latter is of special importance. You know what it is like to be a stranger in another country, so you know about navigating foreign ways. Give the consideration you once desired to those traveling in your country (Exodus 23:9). Note how God gives this instruction even before they are given their own land.
23:10–19 deal with holy days, again connecting back to a specific commandment. Which commandment would that be?
23:20 begins God's strategy for takiing the promised land. His strategic key is, Obey the First Commandment and you shall overthrow the people in the land I am giving you (Exodus 23:23–24). This is a promise in the form of an if-then statement. "If" you will do this, "then" this will happen. The books of Moses are filled with these if-then statements.
In chapter 24, God confirms his covenant with the people through his servant Moses. This is done through the giving of the tablets, the terms of the covenant. Note how Moses' servant Joshua goes all the way up Mt. Sinai with Moses, while Aaron and the 70 elders remain just part of the way up the mountain. This too, begins a theme of Joshua wanting to be in God's presence, a foundation for his eventual leadership of Israel.
15–18 describes an awesome scene. Read it a few times and try to picture it in your mind.
Today's Word Search Puzzle — Print and solve
Today's Jigsaw Puzzle — Solve it online
Bible Reading Plan brochure — print it two-sided, trifold, and use as bookmark
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Rev. Dr. Mark E. Ryman has served as Pastor for St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Salisbury, NC, since 2021. Previously, Pastor Ryman served congregations in North Carolina and Ohio, as well as a call to specialized ministry with Sola Publishing.
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