Exodus 22

Exodus 22 continues God’s instructions to the children of Israel on how to live in community with each other. The first 15 verses deal with the right to have personal property, especially when that property was used in making a living. The children of Israel would live in an agricultural society and so it would be important to protect the animals. Restitution plus penalty was required for any who would still livestock. I personally think that our present day punishment would be better served by more of an emphasis on making thieves make restitution.

The second part of the passage is on the treatment of the vulnerable of society; in that day it was the widows, children and the poor. Verses 22 through 24 are powerful, “Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.” God warns that the mistreatment of widows and children will cause Him to punish them probably by causing wars where more husbands and fathers would be lost.

The poor were not to be charged interest on loans. Also, if their coat was put up for collateral it was to only be kept during the day and not at night so that the poor person would not be cold. God is concerned that the poor be treated with respect and cared for.

This passage reminds me that we are to protect the vulnerable of our society. Though our society is different than Moses’ day it is important for us to find the most vulnerable in our culture and make sure they are protected. It appears to me that the most vulnerable in our society is the unborn. I believe God is going to judge our nation and maybe already has started to judge us for how we as a nation so easily discard and devalue our unborn. That is where our nation ought to start. We also have a lot of work to do with the mentally ill who often end up homeless and our poor. All of us can do more.

“Lord, forgive us for not caring about the vulnerable and the needy in our society. Change our hearts I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.”