Exo 21:1-11 | KingComments | STEP | God, Who knows all things in advance, after the law in the previous chapter, gives in the following chapters, Exodus 21-23, in a number of common cases, as it were, case-law, the application of the law. This shows that certain circumstances are also taken into account, things that can happen in everyday life. The cases discussed are models for all things that can happen among God’s people. We have God’s directions for daily life in His Word. The Holy Spirit is given to us through Whom we are able to understand God’s Word and to live for God’s glory in obedience to His Word. It is not normal to be a slave while you are a member of a redeemed people. This must be the result of special circumstances. It can be the result of poverty, which has caused someone to get into debt. If someone turns to poverty, it is already a judgment in a certain respect, for in obedience to God there will be no poor among them. But because of the need, a Hebrew can offer himself as a slave to a fellow countryman in order to eliminate his guilt. God sets the duration of the commitment at six years. In the seventh year the slave is free again. If he has taken a woman with him at the beginning of his period of service, she may leave with him. The situation is different if, during his service as a slave, he received a wife from his master. Then his wife, together with any children, remains the property of his master: the slave has come alone, he must also leave on his own. Then we hear the language of love. The love of the slave does not only concern his wife and children, but also his master and him in the first place. The slave loved his master during his service to him. In his love he wishes to exchange his freedom for a life of service. There is no coercion, persuasion or manipulation. That is absolutely alien to love. As a sign that the slave remains forever connected to his master’s house, the ear – the symbol of listening, of doing what is said, of obedience – is pierced with an awl at the doorpost. It is not difficult to recognize the Lord Jesus in the picture of the Hebrew slave. He has offered Himself as a Slave to take away the curse that sin put on creation and to work the redemption of sins for all those who believe ( ; ). He has performed a perfect service as a Slave. He is the obedient Man Who as the only One has fulfilled the law perfectly. He could have returned to heaven after His perfect life, without dying. In His perfect love, however, He became a Slave of His free will forever ( ). Love is the true source of service. His love concerns in the first place “my master”, that is His Father; then “my wife”, that is the church, the bride; and finally, “my children”, those are the individual believers – we are not children of the Lord Jesus, Scripture never calls us like this, but children of God. He allowed himself to be pierced through the ear. He paid with His blood, and acquired his wife, the church, and the children of God, for His property. In Psalm 40 and Isaiah 50 we also read about opened ears. 1. Psalm 40 points at his coming into the world: “Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired; My ears You have opened; burnt offering and sin offering You have not required. Then I said, “Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me” ( ; ). 2. Isaiah 50 points at His going through the world: “He awakens [Me] morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple. The Lord GOD has opened My ear; and I was not disobedient nor did I turn back” ( ). 3. Exodus 21 connects beautifully to this, for it refers to His departure from the world: He has surrendered Himself at the end of His life for His own to be an everlasting Servant to them ( ). It is nice to note that in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the expression “ears dug out for me”, as it is literally written in Psalm 40:7 in Hebrew, is translated as “a body You have prepared for Me”. Because the latter gives the true meaning, this translation is quoted by the Holy Spirit in Hebrews 10: “Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, “Sacrifice and offering You have not desired, But a body You have prepared for Me” ( ) The open ear is the means by which people listen, the body is the means by which the will is carried out.

‏ Exodus 21:1-11

Introduction

God, Who knows all things in advance, after the law in the previous chapter, gives in the following chapters, Exodus 21-23, in a number of common cases, as it were, case-law, the application of the law. This shows that certain circumstances are also taken into account, things that can happen in everyday life. The cases discussed are models for all things that can happen among God’s people.

We have God’s directions for daily life in His Word. The Holy Spirit is given to us through Whom we are able to understand God’s Word and to live for God’s glory in obedience to His Word.

The Hebrew Slave

It is not normal to be a slave while you are a member of a redeemed people. This must be the result of special circumstances. It can be the result of poverty, which has caused someone to get into debt. If someone turns to poverty, it is already a judgment in a certain respect, for in obedience to God there will be no poor among them. But because of the need, a Hebrew can offer himself as a slave to a fellow countryman in order to eliminate his guilt.

God sets the duration of the commitment at six years. In the seventh year the slave is free again. If he has taken a woman with him at the beginning of his period of service, she may leave with him. The situation is different if, during his service as a slave, he received a wife from his master. Then his wife, together with any children, remains the property of his master: the slave has come alone, he must also leave on his own.

Then we hear the language of love. The love of the slave does not only concern his wife and children, but also his master and him in the first place. The slave loved his master during his service to him. In his love he wishes to exchange his freedom for a life of service. There is no coercion, persuasion or manipulation. That is absolutely alien to love. As a sign that the slave remains forever connected to his master’s house, the ear – the symbol of listening, of doing what is said, of obedience – is pierced with an awl at the doorpost.

It is not difficult to recognize the Lord Jesus in the picture of the Hebrew slave. He has offered Himself as a Slave to take away the curse that sin put on creation and to work the redemption of sins for all those who believe (Phil 2:6-7; Zec 13:5). He has performed a perfect service as a Slave. He is the obedient Man Who as the only One has fulfilled the law perfectly. He could have returned to heaven after His perfect life, without dying.

In His perfect love, however, He became a Slave of His free will forever (Lk 12:37). Love is the true source of service. His love concerns in the first place “my master”, that is His Father; then “my wife”, that is the church, the bride; and finally, “my children”, those are the individual believers – we are not children of the Lord Jesus, Scripture never calls us like this, but children of God. He allowed himself to be pierced through the ear. He paid with His blood, and acquired his wife, the church, and the children of God, for His property.

In Psalm 40 and Isaiah 50 we also read about opened ears.

1. Psalm 40 points at his coming into the world: “Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired; My ears You have opened; burnt offering and sin offering You have not required. Then I said, “Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me” (Psa 40:6-7; Heb 10:5).

2. Isaiah 50 points at His going through the world: “He awakens [Me] morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple. The Lord GOD has opened My ear; and I was not disobedient nor did I turn back” (Isa 50:4b-5).

3. Exodus 21 connects beautifully to this, for it refers to His departure from the world: He has surrendered Himself at the end of His life for His own to be an everlasting Servant to them (Exo 21:6).

It is nice to note that in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the expression “ears dug out for me”, as it is literally written in Psalm 40:7 in Hebrew, is translated as “a body You have prepared for Me”. Because the latter gives the true meaning, this translation is quoted by the Holy Spirit in Hebrews 10: “Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, “Sacrifice and offering You have not desired, But a body You have prepared for Me” (Heb 10:5) The open ear is the means by which people listen, the body is the means by which the will is carried out.

The Hebrew Female Slave

The Hebrew male slave may be released in the seventh year after six years of service. This arrangement is not for a Hebrew female slave. She has been bought to please her master. If she disappoints him, he has to let her go. The condition is that he will not sell her to a foreign people. The purpose of this regulation is to protect her against arbitrariness.

He may also have destined the female slave for his son. Then he has to treat her like his daughter. If he takes another wife and does not sell her, but keeps her, he cannot evade his marital obligations. If he does, she is free to leave, without any purchase price involved.

In this female slave we can see a picture of Israel. Israel cannot go out freely, as the Lord Jesus was allowed to. The people are bought by God so that they may please Him. But the people did not please God.

Unlike the master in this section, God has sold His people in the hands of foreign peoples (Jdg 2:14; Psa 44:12; Isa 50:1). This is not faithless action on His part. On the contrary, it is because of the faithlessness of the people. His goal here is to teach the people the difference between service of Him and service of the nations (2Chr 12:8).

The female slave, Israel, will eventually become free. She will become the wife of the Son (Hos 2:19). Then God will deal with her according to that position. In anticipation of that time, the Son has taken “another woman”, the church. There is no relationship with Israel at the time the church is formed (Hos 3:3-5). Israel is now “Lo-ruhamah”, which means “not having compassion”, and “Lo-ammi”, which means “not My people” (Hos 1:6 ; 9). God does not acknowledge Israel in this time as His people. It has gone away, away from Him.