Exo 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.
Exo 22:2 If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.

A thief is responsible for his own life if he is caught and is killed in the process. No one is to be put to death for a thief. If he steals he is to repay five for the one thing he took.

Exo 22:3 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.

The law was tough, very tough. He showed us the very high standard of holiness that God has.

Exo 22:4 If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.
Exo 22:5 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.
Exo 22:6 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.
Exo 22:7 If a man shall deliver unto his neighbor money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.
Exo 22:8 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 neighbor's goods.
Exo 22:9 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 neighbor.
Exo 22:10 If a man deliver unto his neighbor 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:
Exo 22:11 Then shall an oath of the LORD be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbor's goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good.
Exo 22:12 And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof.
Exo 22:13 If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn.
Exo 22:14 And if a man borrow aught of his neighbor, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good.
Exo 22:15 But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be a hired thing, it came for his hire.

We can see clearly how our laws of today is based on the laws in the bible. God is a just God and He made laws that are just and fair to all so that we can live in peace. We can't allow lawlessness. We must have just laws to keep society from destroying each other.

Exo 22:16 And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.
Exo 22:17 If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

Back then, when a woman has lain with a man, she is ruined for anyone else unless she is a widow that lost a husband. Standards where much higher than they are in modern times. Women who slept around were considered harlots.

God's laws had not changed. He still is the same God and has the same standard of holiness. Yet He saw that we could not keep the law perfectly and we needed a savior to save us from sin and also to empower us with the Holy Spirit so that we can live a changed life. We can allow the Holy Spirit to live through us to have God's laws in the depth of our heart and soul. We still have the will power to sin but the Holy Spirit takes the "want to sin" out of us and gives us power to overcome those temptations that come and make us think we want to return to sin.

We must keep in mind that we in the flesh can do nothing. It is the power of Christ within us and working through us that gives us power to overcome sin and live holy. Holiness is something God does through us. It is not something we try to do to please God. It is not something we do to try to earn salvation.

Exo 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

We must remember that this is the law of God given by Moses for Israel. God has not given the church the power to put anyone to death for any reason. The church was commanded to go into all the world and teach all nations. We are to preach the gospel and teach God's word. We are not to use force or put any dissenters to death. That was the Old Law of Moses which was fulfilled in Jesus. Jesus substituted the law of the spirit in place of the law of condemnation.

In our world we still have to have law and order against stealing, murder and other laws that threaten society. Although witchcraft threatens society in a spiritual way, we are very human and much abuse of this law concerning witches has occurred with people being put to death for merely being a little different. This is why God had to separate church and state. The church abused its power and lost it. God had to break it up. We were found unworthy to rule the government so He had to remove it from the church. We did this ourselves. I know many people have taken this too far and have removed God out of our schools. As a result our society is getting worse as time passes. Yet we reap what we sow. The church after the death of the apostles and during the time of Constantine allowed the joining of church and state. After much abuse, God removed that power from the church. Because of that abuse, the secular world has rejected God and point fingers at the past church history to justify its removal of God out of our system. We can't complain because we have reaped what what the church sowed during the Middle Ages. Yet in saying that, I say also that the nations today that have overreacted to the threat of church and state will also reap what they sow if they leave God out of the picture entirely. God may allow a ruler that is the worst dictator that has ever existed. This could be the future anti-christ. He will be a charmer, a pretended peace maker, know how to solve problems and the world will love him.

Exo 22:19 Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.
Exo 22:20 He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.

We see that the law condemns almost all the sins we have ever committed. Yet we must remember that Through Christ, all who have sinned can receive forgiveness and start a new life.

Its true that God has not changed. He is still the same God. This sins will still be held against us but the judgment now must come from God. The church cannot put people to death for breaking God's law. The church must preach the gospel. The law shows us that we have sinned. The gospel shows us that we can get victory over sin and receive life eternal. Jesus takes away all guilt and causes us to be free.

Jesus fulfilled the ritual sacrifices of the law by becoming a sacrifice to fulfill all requirements to free one from the guilt of breaking the law. He died for our sins. He puts the moral law of God in our hearts.

No one who loves Jesus Christ and is living in obedience to Him will practice witchcraft, commit adultery and other things. If we do, we must repent at once before it grows so big we get beyond repentance and our heart hardens.

Those who reject Jesus as the way out of the judgment of sin will die in their sins and pay for breaking God's laws. All of us are condemned already of breaking God's law unless we are under the age of accountability. Through Christ we can be free from that condemnation.

Exo 22:21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

This can apply to the church. We are to win souls to Christ; not have a club that is exclusive and does not compel sinners to come and hear the gospel.

Exo 22:22 Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.
Exo 22:23 If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;

If we oppress the poor in any way, we will answer to God. I remember reading about debtor's prisons in England. The poor were not respected and were considered scum. Charles Dickens based his novels upon many of these social ills. While we as Christians need to be careful not to get into the social gospel and replace that with the real gospel that saves the soul, we need to use compassion and help the poor along with the preaching of the gospel.

Exo 22:24 And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

Orphans and widows are our responsibility. We are to care for them and not oppress them in their situation.

Exo 22:25 If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as a usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.

God's law forbade anyone to charge interest to the poor when they needed a loan.

Exo 22:26 If thou at all take thy neighbor's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down:
Exo 22:27 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.
Exo 22:28 Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.

We are to respect judges, magistrates, rulers, kings and those in authority in the government.

Exo 22:29 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.
Exo 22:30 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.

Dedicating the first born is to remember how the firstborn of Israel was spared during the Passover. Also this may refer to the time God gave His only Son as a sacrifice for our sins.

Exo 22:31 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.

Jewish dietary laws are the best ever to exist. God made these laws for their good and for their health.

All God's laws are good. We couldn't keep them so He made a way for His only Son to keep them for us and on our behalf. We believe this and we are saved from sin and the Holy Spirit is given to those that obey Him.

Exodus 23