Day 34

V From the Exodus to the Crossing into Canaan - 1462-1422 B.C. ~ cont.

(1462 - 982 480 years of 1 Kings 6:1)

B. Time spent at Sinai (sometimes called Horeb)

(5th Dispensation - Law)

1. Giving of the Law (Trip 1)

a. Covenant reviewed and preliminary instructions - Exodus 19:3-8

b. Moses to prepare Israel for meeting with God (Trip 2) - Exodus 19:9-15

c. Moses refrains Israel from Mount (Trip 3) - Exodus 19:16-25

d. Ten commandments given - Exodus 20:1-20

e. Instructions for altar (Trip 4) - Exodus 20-21-26

f. Various laws given

(1) Master and servants - Exodus 21:1-11

(2) Injuries to persons - Exodus 21:12-32

(3) Rights of property and possessions - Exodus 21:33-36; 22:1-15

{pages 146-151}

And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever.  And Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord.  (Exodus 19:9)

I always marvel when I read this portion of Scripture...the people heard what God said to Moses (and them, Exodus 20).  His written Word is for us to 'hear' and 'listen,' yet how often do we read, reflect and then walk away and do contrary to what is pleasing to Him?

James 1:23-24  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

Oh Lord, help us to NOT look into the perfectness of Your Word, and then forget, or act like we have forgotten, what manner of people we ought to be.

Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. (Exodus 19:5)

peculiar treasure - H5459 - Feminine passive participle of an unused root meaning to shut up; wealth (as closely shut up).

people - H5971 - From H6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively a flock.

I was pondering upon the word peculiar, after having read it in the passage above...the word (in KJV) as peculiar is used 7 times in 7 verses (OT and NT). I was thinking of the NT verses which state:

1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

and

Tit 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

However, as I browsed the search list, thought it interesting that the Israelites were encouraged several times with the fact that they were to be a set apart people.

Deu 14:2  For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.

Psa 135:4  For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.

Injuries to persons - I was reflecting upon this portion of Scripture and the prevalence of people to sue for injuries and to want an award above and beyond that which they have endured, or will endure.  It would appear that most who sue want a free ride for life.  It is understandable if someone has been incapacitated to the point that they can no longer function and provide for themselves to have an amount that adequately compensates them.  However, millions of dollars would seem to be extreme.  By allowing above and beyond what Father dictated as just recourse we are setting ourselves up for disaster.  Insurances, premiums, etc. all converge to make our society ill functioning.

If those who caused harm or distress to someone had to endure Father's standard of redress, people might think more prudently about how their actions impact others.