Sabbath Rules

Exodus 23: 10-13

A short section with a few rules.

After six years of harvesting, leave the fields be on year seven. The poor then have access to get what they can from them- wild animals too. Same thing goes for vineyards and olive groves. Seems like this served this culture's welfare needs. No discussion of how this would make the poor dependent on the productive farmer or inclined to be lazy or any other negative deterrent to helping the needy- however, this aid did only come once every seven years- which certainly would make it hard to live off exclusively.

Not only is the seventh year special- but the seventh day is too. Work six days- but that seventh is for resting- for you, for your ox, your donkey, your slave and even the alien. That day is to refresh yourself for the week to come.

Finally- make sure you do all these things that have been spelled out. And don't be calling on other gods. Almost seems like God's setting them up for a fall. Here's a million rules- now don't mess up... well look here, looks like you can't get there yourself after all.

Which is so much of the point thus far (and of what's to come)- we can't handle righteousness- we need someone to bridge the gap.

And we need lots of seventh days. Maybe three or four a week.

Mercy Mercy Me

Exodus 23: 1-9

The next set of laws all seem to deal with treating your fellow citizen fairly and with grace.

First- don't lie about people- and don't help evil people by being a "malicious witness"- interestingly it doesn't say a false witness. So, the point may be to check your motivation. Are you acting out of justice or are you looking to bring someone down. How often is malice justified as truth? Telling it like it is doesn't seem to be enough here- check your motivation.

Next comes the birth of the "If your friends jumped off a bridge would you?" argument. God says, don't just do wrong because the crowd is. When you're giving testimony- don't let it be swayed by the crowd. And don't just assume the poor man is innocent- or in the right. This one hits home for me. It's easy to be a chameleon, especially in the presence of strong-willed people. It's easy to pretend to agree, to just go along- to fein approval simply because it's easier than making waves- or because I don't want to seem the odd man out. I don't think every battle is worth fighting- but it would be nice to not have the tendency to pretend to be something I'm not- simply because I'm not like everyone else.

It's also interesting that Moses points out the need to check yourself being swayed by a man's argument becuase he is poor. It seems like the poor guy would be more apt to get the raw end of the deal. But if you keep reading- the other side is warned about too- so perhaps it's to cover both sides of the audience. So basically, be fair. There are good people with money and good people without it (or bad on both ends depending on your perspective).

Next Moses says- look, if your enemy's donkey wanders off- or falls under a load- do what's right and help out. Take it back to him- help him up. Don't let your personal feelings get in the way of showing mercy.

Don't deny justice to the poor. Don't have anything to do with false charges- and don't put the innocent or honest to death. If you do, I won't forgive you. This is interesting. I'm not taking away the death penalty- but if you invoke it...you better be right. There's no room for doubt. I don't think I'd want the job of chief stone thrower with so much at stake either.

Don't take bribes- they'll blind you to the truth and will make the innocent seem guilty (and vice versa).

And finally don't oppress aliens- you remember what it was like when you were an alien. So, it sounds like homeland security was maybe a little different back in the day.

Basically in the profound words of Ted from Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure- "Be decent to each other." Excellent.