Chapter 19
1 ¶ In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.
2 For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.
3 And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;
Moses will eventually go up and down seven times.
4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.
Being borne on eagles’ wings is figurative in relation to supernatural deliverance and the people who examine this verse need to understand that;
Revelation 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
5 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:
This is called the Mosaic Covenant, the Law given to Moses for the nation. A covenant is an agreement. The shedding of blood is involved.
With regard to the peculiar treasure which Israel is;
Matthew 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
The church is a peculiar people;
Titus 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.
1Peter 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:
6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
Israel was to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. The church is to be a royal priesthood and a holy nation. There job was to intercede with God for the Gentiles and to not be like other nations. The Jews were to be an oddball nation. In Leviticus 19:26 it is shown that they were to have collar length hair and a beard which Jesus Christ most certainly had unlike some teachers’ claims.
But for the Christian this is not the same rule. The Roman custom of short hair is being approved of here. But, don’t mess with the book to prove your convictions. Jesus Christ had what we would consider long hair. Americans in the 20th century adopted the military hair style because of the widespread military service in World War One. Don’t mistake Christian separation and Bible ordained obedience to the laws of your country for fascism and state worship.
1Corinthians 11:14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
It really doesn’t matter if your hair is close cropped or shoulder length although, in my opinion, a man with a pony tail, particularly an older man, is pretty funny looking.
7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him.
8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.
9 ¶ 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.
Here God appears in a thick cloud, God revealing Himself to His people. Our walk is in light since Jesus Christ came to us in the flesh. This represents the heaviness and darkness of the Law as opposed to the light of God’s grace through Christ.
10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,
11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
The third day, prophetically, is a reference to Christ’s resurrection on the third day.
12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:
This is a holy mountain. Holiness, being separated unto God, starts under the Law.
13 There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.
“Shot through” indicates a javelin dart, or spear. After you’re saved, after you’re baptized, you still have more battles and victories to attain to. It’s hard enough to fight the flesh. But, the things your soul does, in its humanistic desires, is the greater battle. The desire to worship self, to elevate one’s self, dignity, and self-esteem is strong. It is uplifted by society and culture. Preachers, particularly those in a church where pastoral authority is the standard, always will have a problem keeping their ministry from being about themselves rather than Christ. Jack Hyles is one famous preacher who eventually made his ministry about him, not Christ, by all accounts I’ve read, even by his supporters.
14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.
This is where the idea that “cleanliness is next to Godliness” was a Bible principle, which has been much abused.
15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.
Here, along with Paul’s recommendation not to get married (1 Corinthians 7:7-9), is the excuse for monastic celibacy which was honored more in the breach than in reality. Remember, Paul also calls commandments refusing marriage, doctrines of devils (1 Timothy 4:1).
16 ¶ And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
Here is another example of the Second Advent in type.
Revelation19:6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
1Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Revelation 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
Nether is the farthest reaches, say, at the bottom of the mountain.
18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
Notice the advent references with smoke, an earthquake, and fire.
Smoke;
Revelation 8:4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.
Revelation 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
Revelation 9:3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
Revelation 9:17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
Revelation 9:18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
Revelation 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Revelation 15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
Revelation 18:9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
Revelation 18:18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
Revelation 19:3 And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.
Earthquake;
Revelation 6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
Revelation 8:5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
Revelation 11:13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
Revelation 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
Revelation 16:18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
Fire;
Revelation 1:14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
Revelation 2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
Revelation 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Revelation 4:5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
Revelation 8:5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
Revelation 8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Revelation 8:8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
Revelation 9:17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
Revelation 9:18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
Revelation 10:1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
Revelation 11:5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
Revelation 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
Revelation 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Revelation14:18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
Revelation 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
Revelation 16:8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
Revelation17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
Revelation 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
Revelation 19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Revelation 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Revelation 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
20 And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.
21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.
Moses was getting his legs run off.
22 And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.
The Levites hadn’t been set up as priests yet. All of those pagan tribes had their own priests and priests would have been among the Hebrews.
23 And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.
24 And the LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest he break forth upon them.
Only Aaron and Moses get to go up. We are getting ready to have the greatest code of laws given in the history of mankind.
25 So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them.
Chapter 20
1 ¶ And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Egypt, as a type of the world, has other terms applied to it than “the house of bondage”;
Deuteronomy 4:20 But the LORD hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day.
Jeremiah 11:4 Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God:
1Kings 8:51 For they be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron:
For the Christian, the world is a the house of bondage in which we are captured, just as our flesh is a house of bondage from which we are waiting for God to release us. It is also an iron furnace where we are imprisoned and burned. There is a furnace of affliction. We are purified in adversity if we stay close to God or our worthlessness is proven if we let adversity drive us away.
Isaiah 48:10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
Remember what I’ve said about each individual Christian being a type of the entire nation of Israel in the Old Testament.
Ezekiel 22:18 Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver.
Ezekiel 22:22 As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I the LORD have poured out my fury upon you.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Anything placed in front of God; your family, your job, your lusts, is a sin and idolatry. I say again, anything that is more important to you than God is an idol. Do you prefer to do something other than pray, reading or listening to the Bible, or worship? Would you prefer something over the Lord Jesus Christ? That is an idol. God can take that thing from you if you persist.
These “gods” are mentioned in over 215 verses. Some are devils, some are merely pieces of wood and stone. Ultimately, man’s god is himself. Man prefers self worship over the worship of God. Our sports, entertainments, and vocations all revolve around self-worship and humanism or worship of mankind in general. We glory in our flesh and spend our lives running errands for a corpse. Most Christians do not live and die as if they are anything but practicing atheists.
The minister of God substitutes his work for God, the Christian substitutes his material possessions for God. We all confuse the two because what we really want in our wicked hearts is our own self justification.
You are to have NO OTHER GODS BEFORE THE TRUE GOD, even your own self and particularly that dollar bill.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Is this found in the Roman Catholic version of the second commandment? Images have been a source of disputation in the Greek Orthodox Church in the late first millennium.
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
These people who serve graven images and false gods such as the Hindu Elephant god, hate God, as far as God is concerned. Do Roman Catholics ever worship a statue? This is a sin that is inherited and can account for the condition of countries that have engaged in idolatry for centuries.
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
He promises mercy unto those faithful to Him.
7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
When you say, “God damn”, “Gosh”, “Golly”, (for God), or “Jesus Christ!”, or even “Gee Whiz” for Jesus Christ you are taking God’s name in vain, frivolously. We shorten it to “damn”. Four letter words come under the heading of filthy communications (Colossians 3:8) but using God or Jesus Christ as a curse word is what’s mentioned here, to call upon that for no reason. I hear people say “God!” and “Jesus!” every day as a expression of amazement. The woman who wouldn’t dream of saying of saying “GD!” would say “God!” in every other sentence.
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exodus 31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.
Ezekiel 20:12 Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.
Ezekiel 20:20 And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
The Sabbath was sundown Friday to sundown Saturday IN PALESTINE. This is the only place on earth where the Sabbath was given. If you are going to think of yourself as a Jew you probably aren’t honoring the Sabbath at the right time.
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Sunday is not the Sabbath, the first day of the week, not the seventh. It is not the Jewish Sabbath. It is the Lord’s Day and we celebrate Christ’s resurrection each Sunday. God has ordained one day of rest out of seven. Romans 14:5,6 makes it clear you have to be convinced of the day you honor. Logically, for a Christian, Sunday is the right day. But, Sunday is not the Sabbath. In American history those reformed churches that call Sunday the Sabbath have no problem with eating out at a restaurant or buying gas on a Sunday.
In Romans 13:9 when Paul restates the commandments for us he excludes the Sabbath observation because it is not for Christians. Beware of the Christian Pharisee who tries to put you back under the Jewish law.
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
There is no question about this.
12 ¶ Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Eph 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
This is given in the New Testament by Paul for us under the doctrines of grace so it is not to be disregarded as something of the Law under which we no longer must yield.
13 Thou shalt not kill.
Jesus Christ defines the intention of this commandment as murder.
Matthew 19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
This is not killing in self-defense, manslaughter, or accidental death.
Numbers 35:18 Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 19 The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him. 20 But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die; 21 Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.
There is only a need to argue and quibble over “Thou shalt not kill” when you don’t know the Bible. The Bible defines the Bible. Endless theorizing shows the stupidity of educated men. We are not to gloat or glory in the killing of a murderer, just kill them.
Numbers 35:31 Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.
We are not now under the Hebrew theocracy. We are living in the times of the Gentiles and there can be no Christian governments until Christ returns. Therefore we are obeying universal laws under heathen government, not theocracies, against murder. The setting is different. God was setting up a Jewish theocracy where God’s laws were to rule. We are under pagan authorities but notice we are to obey them as he or she is God’s minister whether he acknowledges it or not.
Romans 13:4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Adultery, what is it? Let’s see who you commit adultery with, first.
Leviticus 20:10 And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
Fornication is the sexual sin of having sex with someone to whom you are not married. Adultery is a type of fornication committed by married people with someone to whom you are not married. In other words, its cheating on your spouse. It and fornication are used to describe a redeemed person or persons worshipping something other than God.
15 Thou shalt not steal.
We steal time from our employer. He steals money promised to us from us and gives it to the IRS but still claims he’s paid it to us. The merchant steals from you when you buy coffee and it’s got stems and leaves in it to a small percentage. The government steals from you when it takes your money to give to someone else without your consent.
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
False witness would be in the case of Naboth and in the case of Christ’s accusers. Lying in a trial to accuse someone falsely is the main point here but it applies to all lying. You are bearing false witness to the truth.
17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
We are not to want something that is someone else’s. Get it yourself. Work for it. Our culture is covetous in that our government’s main function is to forcibly take money from one person and give it to another in order to obtain the latter’s voting loyalty and support. Covetousness leads to stealing, rape, and adultery with divorce. The television set has one purpose, to sell products interspersed with programming to keep you watching, to create a covetous attitude.
18 ¶ And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
This is like at God’s throne.
Revelation 4:5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
God is speaking. There are no tables of stone as yet. This is a perfect picture of the terror you will have at the White Throne judgment if you are not saved.
20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.
God has come to terrify you but don’t be afraid because if you are afraid you have nothing to worry about.
To prove means to test, by the way. You can prove someone to test them for your benefit or for theirs, to show THEM what they are.
Fear of God, contrary to modern liberal thinking, is a very healthy thing.
Job 28:28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
Psalms 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
Psalms 34:11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
Psalms 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
Proverbs 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
Proverbs 10:27 The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
Proverbs 14:26 In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.
Proverbs 14:27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
Proverbs 15:16 Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.
Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.
Proverbs 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
Proverbs 19:23 The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
Proverbs 22:4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.
Proverbs 23:17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
Isaiah 2:10 Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty.
Isaiah 2:19 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
Isaiah 2:21 To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
Isaiah 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
Isaiah 11:3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
Isaiah 33:6 And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.
Acts 9:31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
2Corinthians 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Ephesians 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
22 ¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.
23 Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.
After the Ten Commandments have been given He underscores the first two.
24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
In all places where I record my name, the Bible, there will I come unto thee. God will meet you in this Bible and deal with you.
25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
He doesn’t want them to worship Him on an altar that they altered. This is pretty remarkable.
Daniel 2:34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.
The robes and skirts that men wore would permit people to see under that skirt.
Chapter 21
1 ¶ Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.
These are judgments in addition to the Ten Commandments.
2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.
In the seventh year the Hebrew slave is free.
3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him.
4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself.
5 And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:
6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.
This pierced ear lobe is a picture of servanthood for ever, a woman, for instance, in submission to her husband. No unmarried girl, particularly a young one, should have pierced ears until they are married, due to what it implies.
7 And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do.
8 If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.
This clearly shows that the servant could be married to her master. If he kicks her out he has dealt deceitfully with her and has no power to sell her to foreigners.
9 And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.
10 If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.
11 And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money.
He must care for her if he takes another women to be his wife without lessening his caring for her or she shall go free.
12 ¶ He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
See Genesis 9:6 about this before the Law. A murderer must be put to death.
13 And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.
An accidental death is mentioned here with the promise of the cities of refuge hinted at.
14 But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
For some reason Joab will think that grabbing onto the altar will save him but as we will see it doesn’t.
15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
Capital punishment for murdering your parents.
16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
Stealing someone else’s servant to sell him, if he is found in the thief’s hand, results in capital punishment. This would seemingly apply also to the slave traders of years past.
17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
To even curse your parents was to result in death.
18 And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed:
19 If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed.
If two men fight and one seriously injures the other he must pay an indemnity for his sick time.
20 And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished.
21 Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money.
This acknowledges the possession as private property of a servant.
22 ¶ If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
This is unintentional abortion and, unlike in many states in America today, it is not regarded as murder but as more of a misdemeanor.
23 And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,
If the mother dies, it is murder. This is troubling for “prolifers” because the fetus is not regarded as life in this. The death of an unborn child is not regarded as murder under the Hebrew law. Genesis 2 states that man became a living soul when God breathed life into him. When is that?
24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
This presents the boundary. You can’t over react. A person who loses an eye may not demand a life in return. In some ancient cultures if a commoners shadow crossed a nobleman’s the commoner could be killed on the spot. This is a limiting law.
25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
26 And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake.
Maiming of a slave requires his freedom.
27 And if he smite out his manservant’s tooth, or his maidservant’s tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth’s sake.
Even if you knock out your slave’s tooth, he or she should go free. The master who hits his slave in the mouth loses a slave. God places an importance on the eyes and the teeth.
28 If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit.
The animal is killed when it kills a man or a woman.
29 But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death.
If you knew your animal was prone to be violent to people and you did nothing about it, you will be killed, as well.
30 If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him.
As an alternative to capital punishment you can exact an indemnity.
31 Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him.
32 If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
Here is a prescription for the amount of the fine in these specific cases.
33 And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein;
34 The owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be his.
You have to make it good if you are irresponsible. These are the foundations of our property laws and laws of civil liability.
35 And if one man’s ox hurt another’s, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money of it; and the dead ox also they shall divide.
36 Or if it be known that the ox hath used to push in time past, and his owner hath not kept him in; he shall surely pay ox for ox; and the dead shall be his own.
These judgments continue to define owner responsibility, as God sees it. And what other standard really matters? None.
Chapter 22
1 ¶ If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.
When Nathan comes to David about his sin with Bathsheba he quotes this rule. David pays four sheep for Bathsheba; the infant of Bathsheba, Amnon, Absalom, and his close relative slain by Joab, which was Amasa.
2 If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.
If a thief is killed, caught in the act, then fine. If he is caught he must pay restitution.
3 If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.
A criminal can be sold into slavery.
4 If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.
Restitution is double for what he has stolen.
5 If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man’s field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution.
6 If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.
7 ¶ If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man’s house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.
8 If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods.
These are common sense rules for handling theft and loss.
9 For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour.
10 If a man deliver unto his neighbour an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it:
11 Then shall an oath of the LORD be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good.
12 And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof.
13 If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn.
14 And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good.
15 But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire.
There are commentators who claim that these rules have an application to what Christ has entrusted us as Christians but it seems like a stretch although I’m willing to admit it may be something I’m too dim to see.
Notice how in Genesis 31:38 and beyond Jacob and Laban’s dealings underscore responsibility.
16 ¶ And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.
A girl who is not engaged and is deceived into having sex with him he must be willing to make her his wife.
17 If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.
The father can fine the ne’er do well for messing with his daughter.
18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Here’s where the amillennialist, Calvinist Puritans messed up by assuming they had taken over from the Hebrew theocracy. Paul didn’t handle a witch by killing her. We have no call as Christians to kill anyone for their sins as they did in the God established Hebrew theocracy.
19 Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.
Once again, we are not called to do these things. The letters of Paul don’t permit us to follow this as an example. The difference between dispensations is that Paul reinforces certain moral laws but these are for believers who have placed themselves under Christ’s authority through a local church, even if it is only a house church. The politically minded Christian has messed up by trying to claim the laws for the Hebrew theocracy for his own nation today.
Look to chapters like Romans 13 to see which laws still apply to us in a literal sense today in this dispensation. Murder and injustice are the only result of trying to enforce the Law of Moses on a nation today without Christ physically present, which He soon will be.
20 He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.
Once again, if you believed this was for you in the church age there would be a blood bath. By reading Romans through Philemon you can see that doctrinally this isn’t applicable to us except by application to our own personal lives in refraining from idolatry and banning those from our church who practice it.
21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
The word “stranger” applies to a foreigner in virtually every application throughout the Bible.
22 Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.
We are told today to go even beyond this. We not only don’t afflict but we must comfort.
James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
23 If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;
24 And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.
God promises to avenge the widow and orphan under this economy.
25 ¶ If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.
Usurer is someone who charges interest, especially at a high rate, much like a credit card company today or the mortgage on your house.
26 If thou at all take thy neighbour’s raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down:
If you take a man’s only coat for collateral he must be given it back each night. Their sole clothing and bedding was often what they wore on their body.
27 For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.
God doesn’t like this kind of business.
28 Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.
This is grounds for telling these preachers that verbally attack Satan to think again of the danger in which they are placing their congregation. We should not even mention the pagan gods in conversation, much less revile them. Let God do that.
Zechariah 3:2 And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
Jude 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. 10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
Psalm 16:4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.
Isaiah 26:13 O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name. 14 They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.
Exodus 12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.
29 Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.
God gets the first of what He has given you.
30 Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.
Our words, dame and damsel, are said by some to come from “dam”, but others disagree.
31 And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.
In other words, a principle derived from this might be that you are not to eat roadkill. There are some very good health reasons for following this rule.
Chapter 23
1 ¶ Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
Do not lie against someone, joining with the wicked to be a false witness.
2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:
Don’t follow the crowd. Just because “everyone is doing it” doesn’t mean it’s good for you to do. Large masses of people are rarely right by God’s standards. Don’t be a politician.
Job 31:34 Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?
3 Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.
Just because a man is poor doesn’t mean his cause is right. His cause may be wrong. We have the egalitarian idea in America that there is grace in poverty and that all wealthy people are evil. This is not always true, in spite of our experience. Unfortunately, many rich Christians are selfish pigs. But, the social status of a person has nothing to do with whether he is right or not according to God.
Just because a person is poor does not mean that he merits more respect than a person with money. Poverty sometimes is caused by laziness, a poor work ethic, and a lack of willingness to delay gratification. A poor person or a rich person has no virtue by means of their social class.
However, it is more likely, as persons, that we will have contempt for the poor over those with money so we have this warning in James.
James 2:1 ¶ My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: 4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? 6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
4 If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
This would seem obvious but I know some people who would find this to be unfair. “Finders keepers, losers weepers.”
5 If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.
Even your enemy’s animal deserves some help. Help your enemy change a flat tire.
6 Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.
You are not to deny the poor justice. This is why things have gone so far the other way in this country, because of the unfair treatment of the poor and helpless. See Howard Zinn’s history book.
7 Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
This underscores the fact that this is a reference to a theocracy with God as the head. It will be the case again in the Millennial kingdom of Christ, but for now we can make spiritual application to ourselves even though doctrinally we are in the Church Age and this doesn’t apply to us. These are God’s standards and we should remember this when making a decision.
8 And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
Someone needs to slap the fools in our government upside the head with this one. They can’t accept all of these gifts of trips and money and assume it’s not going to affect their judgment.
9 Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
You are not to mistreat foreigners. It doesn’t say to give them your country but you are not to abuse them.
10 ¶ And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof:
11 But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.
In God’s economy you work the land for six years and let it rest the seventh.
12 Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.
God entitles us to have at least one day per week off. We’ve been operating 24/7 since WWII and America is burned out. Our production values before WWII, as I understand it, were much higher than they are now. One reason, of course, is that we have to hire people who won’t work but another reason is that we work too much. I have also read that, even with computers, we have an average of ten hours less free time now per week than we did in 1969. These principles would do us well to remember. So, our evil corporate entities go overseas or south of the border to get people who will work for nothing and who aren’t burnt out yet and can be worked to death. The monster has used up this culture and is now threshing other cultures.
13 And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.
Don’t talk about false gods. Don’t put them in your mind. False gods will slowly overwhelm you. False gods today like wealth, sex, and power will demand your worship.
14 Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.
15 Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)
16 And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.
17 Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD.
Three times shall the redeemed appear before God. Three feasts, three raptures. The Old Testament saints, the Rapture of the Church, and the Rapture of the Tribulation saints.
Matthew 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
With;
Proverbs 25:7 For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.
Then;
1 Corinthians 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
The first part of this verse goes with the Matthew and Proverbs reference and the second part with this;
Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Then;
Revelation 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
The rapture of the Jewish saints in the time of Jacob’s Trouble is spoken of in Luke 17. The two Jewish prophets who have come alive in the book of Revelation, Moses and Elijah, represent those Jewish saints in this verse.
There are many more verses that easily link up with these that open up the Bible for us. Some came up with Jesus, some will come up when Jesus calls them before the Great Tribulation, and some will come up at the end of the Great Tribulation.
These things make the Bible very simple to understand. The Bible is written in dispensational order, number one. There are three raptures which all three are part of the first resurrection in Revelation 20:5, number two. Examine the Old Testament for signs of Christ, in His first advent and His second. Look for verses that link with one of the Raptures. Three, three, three.
18 Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until the morning.
Leavened bread is a picture of false doctrine.
Matthew 16:11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? 12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
Luke 12:1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
19 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother’s milk.
Proverbs 3:9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
Why is it mentioned not to seethe a kid in his mother’s milk? The principle is that something about this is perverting. That which nourishes me, destroys me is the meaning of a Latin phrase that is popular among teens today. This is a perversion to God.
Proverbs 12:10 A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
Animals are very important to God and, in spite of all the things permitted, such as sacrifice, that we would consider cruel, there are some basic ways of treating them that God demands.
20 ¶ Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
This is a beautiful verse for the Christian. The Angel of the Lord is Jesus Christ as I have explained in the Revelation commentary, quite thoroughly. Before He lived as a man on earth He appeared from Genesis to Malachi in the form of an Angel, which is an appearance of someone and, for all practical purposes is that person. Imagine a hologram that can act, someone being projected somewhere else. Read the explanation in the Revelation commentary on Angels.
Track 10, Thirteen Minutes
21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.
22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.
23 For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.
24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.
25 And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.
26 There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.
27 I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee.
28 And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee.
29 I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.
30 By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.
31 And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee.
32 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
33 They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.
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