Exodus chapter 23 begins with a reminder that even when we are part of a group, we are responsible for our individual actions. The chapter begins, “Do not spread false reports…Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong… Do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd… Do not show favoritism to a poor man in a lawsuit“. We need to be very careful about what groups we associate with. Notice the first three commands are passive in nature, if we don’t actively work to stop the injustice, our silence signifies our agreement. It is difficult to oppose the crowd, 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Evil company corrupts good habits“. It is interesting, even what we would consider the noble thing of favoring the poor man, is wrong because it corrupts justice. Mob mentality is powerful, but one voice speaking truth gives courage to others to take a stand. The next two verses read, “If you come across your enemy’s ox wandering off…take it back to him” and, “If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under a load…be sure you help him with it“. One of the distinctives of our faith is to love our enemies. In the story of the ‘good Samaritan’, first two religious men come by the man that had been robbed and did not stop to help. In order to “Love your neighbor as yourself“, you have to stop being religious and start helping.
The next section of Exodus 23, deals with the Sabbath laws, “For six years you should sow your fields and harvest your crops, but during the seventh year let the land be unplowed“. Even the ground is allowed to ‘rest’, but also notice the poor are provided for, “Then the poor among you may get food from it“. The able-bodied were expected to provide for themselves rather than being given a pittance from charity; they could even work hard to accumulate an abundance. The text continues explaining the Sabbath allows “your ox… slave and alien among you may be refreshed“. The goal of the Sabbath is not to rest from work, but to be refreshed.
The chapter reminds the Jewish believers of the three festivals they are to celebrate annually, The Feast of Unleavened bread, The Feast of the Harvest of first fruits and The Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year. “Three time a year men are to appear before the Sovereign Lord… bring the best of the first fruits“. As Christians, giving of our offering to God should be a time of worship, a time when we signify our thanks for His provision for us and a time of submission to Him. If you are giving only out of obligation and without joy, keep the money. God looks at our attitude in giving, not the dollar amount.
Finally the chapter closes with a promise that God will go before His people. “I will be an enemy to your enemies and oppose those that oppose you… I will send my terror ahead of you… but I will not drive them out in a single year…little by little I will drive them out from before you until you have increased enough to take possession of the land… I will establish your borders“. But it also includes a warning, “Do not make a covenant with them or their gods. Do not let them live in your land, or they will cause you to sin against Me“. This is how God works in our lives as well, little by little transforming us “from glory to glory“. Christian maturity takes time. Experiencing the great liberty we have in Christ without offending our weaker brother requires us to become others’ centered first. The less we want for ourselves, the more He gives us!