"Now these are the ordinances (Laws) you shall set before them:" (v.1)
Back in chapter 20 we looked at The Ten Commandments, the "Moral" portion of the Laws of Moses. Today here in chapter 21 we will see the "Civil" portion of the Laws of Moses, and the regulations that involve the just punishment and procedure to follow for crimes committed. These civil laws were instituted and directly communicated by the Lord to Moses, and reveal to us the fairness, goodness, and justice of God.
Psalm 19 tells us about the quality of God’s law, “The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb” (vv.7-10)
I find it interesting that the first of the Civil Laws of Moses recorded here in chapter 21 deals with slavery and seeing that slaves are treated fairly. Slavery has been around from the beginning and was common among warring nations, but it is also one of the most horrendous institutions in the history of mankind. Certainly the period in the history of our country that allowed slavery was one of our darkest. Our nation once battled amongst ourselves over the cause of slavery.
The Bible, though acknowledged the slave’s status as the property of the master (Exod. 21:32; Lev. 25:46), it restricted the master’s power over the slave. The master was punished for excessive use of authorized force leading to the immediate death or permanent maiming of the slave (Exod. 21:20, 25-26). The slave was part of the master’s household (Lev. 22:11) and was required to rest on the Sabbath (Exod. 20:10; Deut. 5:14) and to participate in religious observances (Gen. 17:13; Exod. 12:44; Lev. 22:11; Deut. 12:12, 18; 16:11, 14).
In contrast to ancient Near Eastern treaties providing for the mutual extradition of fugitive slaves, biblical law prohibited such extradition and granted them asylum (Deut. 23:16-17; but cf. 1 Kings 2:39-40). The servitude of a Hebrew debt-slave was limited to six years (Exod. 21:2; Deut. 15:12; Jer. 34:14). Upon manumission, slaves were to receive gifts (Deut. 15:14) to enable them economically to maintain their new freedom. Voluntary servitude ended with the onset of the Jubilee Year and their return to their property/inheritance (Lev. 25:13, 40).
The "Civil" Law of Moses stated the a slave was to be set free after serving six years, and if he had a wife she would be freed with him at the same time. But, if at the end of six years of service when a slave could be set free, he instead honored his master, he could choose to become a slave for life to his master. The ceremony then to enact this was for the slave to have his master pierce his ear with an awl to make a permanent mark upon his showing his mater’s ownership.
The Christian life is to be the life of a “bond-slave” of God, for the Christian has chosen of his own free will to submit himself to serve the Lord as His Master for his entire life. The Lord is the benevolent master who deserves our love and service for life. The apostle Paul wrote of himself as being the Lord’s “bond-slave” (Rom. 1:1), and for him he bore the marks of being a bond-slave in his body, for he had received those as a result of following Christ.
Our Lord Jesus Christ was such a servant. In His incarnation he willingly submitted Himself to be the Lord’s “bond-servant” and performed everything that was commanded Him from His father, and He forever bears in His body the marks from His master, for he was a “bond-servant” as well: Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” (John 20:27)
May we all be in servitude to our Master, our LORD, our Savior!
The Truth: "I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked." (Psalm 84:10)
