Exodus: From Bondage to Liberty
Sunday, June 25 th 2023

Exodus 20:22-23:19
Introduction
The Book of Covenant Gives Us Guidelines to Glorify God and Love Others
I. Book of Covenant Guidelines
The Ten Commandments are immediately followed by an expansive law section known
as the book of the covenant. Whereas the Decalogue has a universal moral character
that is still relevant and fully applicable to Christians today, the Book of the Covenant is more culture specific and case specific, relating to a particular social and historical
context in the ancient Near East.
“The Decalogue represents universal moral truths relevant in any time and place; the
book of the covenant represents the conditional application of these moral truths in a
particular time and place.” TJ White, Exodus

II. Glorify God and Love Others
God cares about all human relationships, and he wants righteousness and justice
to be modeled and enacted in these relationships. Whether we are dealing with a
superior, a subordinate, a peer, a foreigner or migrant or minority, or a friend or
family member or loved one, we are to act justly and righteously. God calls his
people to live with integrity and to embody goodness and justice in community
with others.
1) Principles of Worship (20:22-26)
2) Concerning slaves (21:1-11)
3) Concerning behavior (21:12-32)
4) Concerning Restitution (21:33-22:15)
5) Concerning Holiness (22:6-10)
6) Concerning Social Justice 22:21-23:9)
7) Concerning Sabbath and Festivals (23:10-19)

III. Conclusion

The Bible and Slavery
“The Book of Exodus narrates how God compassionately rescues the Israelites from the harsh slavery in Egypt. Against such a background it is, therefore, somewhat surprising that the Book of the Covenant should contain regulations governing slavery. To understand why this is so, an important factor needs to be appreciated, It is widely
accepted that this passage refer to debt slavery that occurs due to economic hardship.
In such circumstance an individual might choose to become an indentured servant to
secure food, clothing, and accommodation. In return, the indentured servant is expected to work for a period of time, normally a maximum of seven years, according to the regulations in this passage.
This kind of slavery needs to be carefully distinguished from other forms that force
people into permanent servitude against their will, often involving considerable hardship and suffering. In marked contrast, properly regulated, indentured slavery offers security to those who find themselves destitute for whatever reason. As the present passage underlines, such an arrangement is normally meant to be temporary in nature. However, if an indentured servant loves his master, he may voluntarily ask to continue this arrangement beyond seven years. This suggests that such debt slavery need not necessarily involve the cruel exploitation of an individual. Rather, in the absence of alternative welfare options, indentured service may have provided a welcome relief for people in exceptional poverty.” T. Desmond Alexander