Exodus and God's "Laws"

[atwhatcost]

Well, it says in Exodus in that same chapter that a slave is the master's property. That sounds the same as the 1700/1800 version of slavery. The bible says there is no punishment for a non-lethal beating of a slave, for he or she is your property.

Yes, and in the beginning of of any textbook you have at school you quickly realize you're not learning everything there is about that subject in the one chapter. How about using the same understanding you have of every other book you've ever read and assuming the same about this book -- if it could all be said in a sentence, it wouldn't be a book.

If you've continued to read since you posted this question, there's a decent chance you learned something about who the slaves were back then. (Stuff like only slaves for 7 years unless the slave wanted to stay longer, got paid 10% of the profit for what they contributed to the household, was a good way to deal with debt you couldn't afford, good way of taking care of the disabled, good way to deal with common criminals and POWs. Really, really. It's covered.)

 

[woopydalan]

Read my post #40, where I show in Leviticus that what you said is bogus.

 

[MarcR]

Hello,

I have read these chapters regarding the laws God gives to Moses. Some of these laws seem reasonable, but other laws are completely vicious and vile.

With regard to the Hebrew Servants, in Exodus 21:20,



So I guess slaveholders in the 1800s could biblically justify beating their slaves.

Another Sabbath law given by God,

So working on Sunday is punishable by death in the Bible.

You ignore the fact that these laws were written in a time and place where slavery was a fact of life.

These laws were NOT about condoning the practice of slavery; they are about mitigating its brutality.

 

[woopydalan]

God doesn't write laws in accordance with the practices of a civilization at a certain time. His laws are timeless. He didn't write the law to conform to the times.

 

[just-me]

God doesn't write laws in accordance with the practices of a civilization at a certain time. His laws are timeless. He didn't write the law to conform to the times.

This might help you understand MarcR's post.

"Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions," Galatinas 3:19a

 

[JimmieD]

God doesn't write laws in accordance with the practices of a civilization at a certain time.

How do you know this?

His laws are timeless. He didn't write the law to conform to the times.

How do you know he didn't?

 

[MarcR]

God doesn't write laws in accordance with the practices of a civilization at a certain time. His laws are timeless. He didn't write the law to conform to the times.

Read my post #40, where I show in Leviticus that what you said is bogus.

Your OP reflects such complete lack of understanding of God, and of your unfitness to critique Him; that nothing else you have to offer is worth the time it takes to read it, IMO.

 

[Jruiz]

I'm studying Exodus too...some of these scriptures can sound pretty harsh and hard to understand. Your gonna have to ask God to help you. Just wait tell you read Leviticus..lol

 

[woopydalan]

I finished Leviticus today

Lev. 25:44-46
Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. You can will them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly

Of course some posters in this thread don't want to be confronted with these verses. They just like to stick their head in the sand and say "you don't understand God!''. Of course I do, just look at His words!

@JimmieD
If God wrote laws in accordance with norms of civilizations, then He would not have destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

 

[MarcR]

BASIC ASSUMPTIONS:

1) It is fine to question how and why God does things: He may even see fit to answer your questions!

2) Unless or until you create a better universe; you lack the standing to critique God's work!

 

[woopydalan]

So then what purpose does the forum serve if I need to wait for God to answer my questions? If you don't want to confront the questions, that is fine, but responding with rubbish is a waste of time. Just leave the thread and let someone else answer.

 

[JimmieD]

@JimmieD
If God wrote laws in accordance with norms of civilizations, then He would not have destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

Maybe....maybe not. Maybe it's a bit presumptuous to say what God would have or wouldn't have done? Unless he has somehow spoken or revealed something directly to you, I don't think you have access to the necessary information to say what God would/should have or wouldn't/shouldn't have done.

 

[just-me]

I finished Leviticus today

Lev. 25:44-46
Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. You can will them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly

Of course some posters in this thread don't want to be confronted with these verses. They just like to stick their head in the sand and say "you don't understand God!''. Of course I do, just look at His words!

@JimmieD
If God wrote laws in accordance with norms of civilizations, then He would not have destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed long before Moses received the law at Mount Sinai. Concerning the law of servants and slaves, put it into context in today's society, and relate it to employees who are holding down a job. Then put that relationship together with man made laws of today concerning employment, and you will see that God's law, in the long run, has much better consequences than man's laws, economy wise and beneficial to society in general.

 

[Jruiz]

So then what purpose does the forum serve if I need to wait for God to answer my questions? If you don't want to confront the questions, that is fine, but responding with rubbish is a waste of time. Just leave the thread and let someone else answer.

A lot of Christians will over look some of these scriptures,because their hard to understand and yes seems harsh...Atheists love to use a scripture in Leviticus that's says you cannot shave or trim the sides of your hair...saying that Christians are going to hell if they cut the sides of their hair. They were actually trying to condone homosexual behavior. Anyway,the verse does sound silly and I didn't get it...why??? Right then the Lord answered me. He said, he wanted to set the Jews apart from pagan cultures....that made so much sense! Now there's some Christians that probably already knew this but I didn't...You need to ask God to help you understand the scriptures. Also sometimes if you look up the hebrew translations,it can really take on a whole differant meaning.

 

[MarcR]

So then what purpose does the forum serve if I need to wait for God to answer my questions? If you don't want to confront the questions, that is fine, but responding with rubbish is a waste of time. Just leave the thread and let someone else answer.

I have no authority to tell you what you may or may not do!

I can truthfully tell you that as long as you think you have the standing to critique God; you will never know anything about Him; and anyone foolish enough to answer you is wasting his/her time!

 

[atwhatcost]

Read my post #40, where I show in Leviticus that what you said is bogus.

Well, okay then. Now that you are a few pages further in the book, you now know everything the book says? Reread what I gave as my answer.

Nah. Never mind. This really is the typical "I hate God" playtime.

Keep pretending you understand everything because you've read 2.75 books in a 66 book book.

Children!

 

[woopydalan]

Okay, I will continue reading. I think this topic has run its course, no one wants to be intellectually honest (except maybe Jruiz) about Leviticus. I'll see what else I run into as I keep reading and keep you all posted

 

[just-me]

A lot of Christians will over look some of these scriptures,because their hard to understand and yes seems harsh...Atheists love to use a scripture in Leviticus that's says you cannot shave or trim the sides of your hair...saying that Christians are going to hell if they cut the sides of their hair. They were actually trying to condone homosexual behavior. Anyway,the verse does sound silly and I didn't get it...why??? Right then the Lord answered me. He said, he wanted to set the Jews apart from pagan cultures....that made so much sense! Now there's some Christians that probably already knew this but I didn't...You need to ask God to help you understand the scriptures. Also sometimes if you look up the hebrew translations,it can really take on a whole differant meaning.

Agreed.