Exodus Chapter 23 More Laws on Social Justice, loving an enemy, Sabbath laws, Three Festivals and Conquest of Canaan

Exodus 23:1-33 – More Laws on Social Justice, loving an enemy, Sabbath laws, Three Festivals and Conquest of Canaan

A. More Laws on Social Justice (23:1-3, 6-8)

1. Prohibition of false report, malicious witness, pervert justice, partial to the poor man
2. Practical help for an enemy whose animal goes astray or donkey with burden is fallen

Underlying reason – Israelites were oppressed slaves in Egypt and sojourners in in the wilderness so they know the heart of a sojourner (23:9)

B. Laws about Sabbath and Festivals (23:10-17)

1. 7^th year rest of the land and orchard, unharvested fruit and grain for the poor and the beasts.
2. 7^th day rest and refreshing each Israelite, ox and donkey, servant and the alien.
3. Prohibition of worship of other gods
4. Three annual feasts for all male Jews (age 13 and above)
   • Feast of the Unleavened Bread (Passover, Firstfruits)
   • Feast of Harvest (Pentecost/Weeks)
   • Feast of Ingathering (Tabernacles/Booths)
5. Prohibition of offering blood with anything leavened and overnight fat offering
6. Offering of the best of the firstfruits of the ground to the LORD God.
7. Prohibition on boiling a kid in his mother’s milk (Exod 23:19; 34:26; Deut 14:21 cf Lev 22:27-28; Deut 22:6-7)

Significance: (1) The Passover Feast was fulfilled when Jesus became the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). (2) Jesus rose on the 3rd day, He is the firstborn of all creation and the firstfruits from the dead (Col 1:15-18; 1Cor 15:20). (3) At Pentecost (Acts 2:1), Jewish men from different parts of the Roman empire gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Harvest (Pentecost/Weeks).  3000 souls were added to the Church. This is the fulfilment of the Feast of Harvest.

C. Conquest of Canaan led by the LORD’s angel (23:20-32)

1. The LORD sends an angel with His authority to lead Israel to Canaan
2. Prohibition and warning of the worship of gods of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites
3. The LORD’s actions
   • I will send an angel to guard you on the way and bring you to Canaan
   • I will be an enemy to your enemies
   • I will take sicknesses from among you
   • I will fulfil the number of your days
   • I will send terror before you and overthrow them
   • I will make all your enemies flee
   • I will send hornets and drive out the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites
   • I will drive them out little by little
   • I will set your border from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, from the wilderness to to Euphrates
   • I will give the inhabitants of the land into your hands

Warnings

• Carefully obey the voice of My angel (v22)
• Make no covenant with the inhabitants of Canaan and their gods

 Reflections

1. What can you learn about the character of God who sets out these laws for a new nation of Israel?
2. Who the angel who has the Name of YHWH on him: (Exod 14:19; 17:6; 23:21 cf Num 20:11; 1 Cor 10:4)
3. The LORD commanded the Israelites to obey the voice of His angel who will lead them into Canann (vs 21, 22). At the mount of transfiguration, when the LORD says, “listen to Jesus” what does that mean to you today? (Matt 17:5; Lk 9:35)
4. How confident are you that Jesus has delivered you from bondage to sin and Satan, and will lead you to His Father’s house? (John 14:2).

Further reading

Three Annual Feasts of Israel Jeremiah Study Bible :: Israel’s Three Great Feasts

Seven Jewish Festivals https://www.gotquestions.org/Jewish-festivals.html

Boiling a kid in mother’s milk “You Shall Not Boil a Kid in Its Mother’s Milk” – The BAS Library (biblicalarchaeology.org)

Significance of Exodus What is the meaning and importance of the exodus from Egypt? | GotQuestions.org

Jesus is the Way to Heaven How can I know for sure that I will go to heaven when I die? | GotQuestions.org