https://esv.literalword.com/?q=exodus+23
Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Thursday, 23 January 2025:
Exodus 23:2-3 – “You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice, nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit.”
Emotions and biases can threaten to pervert justice and promote unrighteousness. Don’t let your emotions lead you astray from what is right. Also, be very careful who you choose to befriend and partner. “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.’” (1 Corinthians 15:33).
How much does the crowd, popular opinion, influence your thinking and behavior, causing you to become complacent to sin or even to promote it? Just consider how much society tends to pervert justice in favor of the apparent victim, letting people commit terrible crimes because “there actions were understandable based on what they experienced.”
– Romans 1:24-32 — Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason, God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
– Proverbs 6:30-31 — People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry, but if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold; he will give all the goods of his house.
Exodus 23:4 – 5 –“If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.”
God commands you to demonstrate Christlike love to everyone, including your enemies, but when it comes to loving your enemies, God intends for you to move this command from a requirement to a ‘desire-ment,’ that it will no longer be something that it difficult for you to do but it becomes what you naturally do out of love for God and for them.
– Matthew 5:43-48 — “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
– 1 John 5:3 — For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
Exodus 23:4-9 – “You shall not pervert the justice….”
God expects His people to impart justice impartially, being extra careful to protect the rights of the weak.
Exodus 23:10-12 – “For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield, but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the beasts of the field may eat. You shall do likewise with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard. Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest.”
God has purposes for His Sabbath that we cannot understand. Resting or reducing productivity temporarily is counterintuitive, going against common sense. However, a careful scientific study of Sabbath rest will reveal that it produces far more productivity over time. More important than the practical value of obeying the Sabbath is the value of simply obeying God out of faith (trusting God now), hope (trusting God with the future), and love (making God your reason for everything). God’s word challenges common sense and takes faith to obey. It took great faith to take one out of seven days off from work when the Israelites were living in sparce conditions. It also took great faith for them to give ten percent of their best resources as a sacrifice to the Lord when they had so little. Similarly, it takes great faith to give abundantly to those who don’t deserve it, to forgive those who don’t deserve it, and to love your enemies in order to demonstrate God’s grace. Faith in God will never disappoint in the end.
Exodus 23:13 — “Pay attention to all that I have said to you, and make no mention of the names of other gods, nor let it be heard on your lips.”
People promote all sorts of “saviors,” false ideas, and false gospels, and everyone of them have a name, intended to promote these things, people, institutions, and ideas. The Bible tells us not to even use the language of these false narratives, don’t name the lies. Don’t adopt the language our culture attempts to create to validate falsehood. Simply proclaim the Truth.
Exodus 23:24 – “…you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces.”
God does not respect other religions. We can respect another person’s right to believe what they want, but we cannot respect false religion.
Exodus 23:29 – “I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you.”
God uses your enemies and your challenges for His purposes that are also for your greater good.
Exodus 23:32 – “You shall make no covenant with them and their gods.”
God does not compromise with other religions, nor does He expect His people to partner (such as in marriage) with people of other faiths.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 23 January 2025: Today, Don’t compromise your behavior or your message to accommodate the sinful ideas, attitudes, and behaviors of the world around you. Focus on obeying God, particularly when you don’t feel like it, and proclaiming His truth to others, while praying to God that your feelings, words, and deeds will increasingly align to His will as your character increasingly conforms to His.
– Romans 12:2 — Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 