08/01/13

Put to death for an ox!

Exodus 21:29 - 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.


We point to the Sharia Law of the Muslims for being barbaric, but we need to understand the Arabs during the time of Mohammad were of that nature; in fact Mohammad reined them by bringing some improvement to their lives. The world of Mohammad being the Arabic region and its lifestyle, the law is suo motu inapplicable to any other region or era. Prima facie every Islamic country tampers with the Sharia law and still claims to be implementing the Sharia.

Coming to the Bible what do we have to say about the Mosaic laws? Like in today's scripture a man who is warned about the behaviour of his ox and does not take precaution should be put to death alone with the ox if the ox has killed someone. I do not think this law is applicable even with the Jews today. So is the Mosaic Law also like the Sharia applicable only to those people at that time and era? Most Christians and theologians believe that it is, therefore ignore these scriptures today.

Understand the Law was given to Moses by the Lord and the Law of God never changes. That also does not mean a person should be put to death if his animal kills someone.

Jesus and the Disciples always pointed out that the Jews never worshipped God or understood what Moses spoke. It was only during my fourth stage of Bible study I realized Jesus did not change anything what the Lord gave through Moses but only added grace to it. But you would say there a sky and earth difference between what Moses spoke and what Jesus did. That is what we see when we go by the letter but when we really understand it we realize Jesus only brought out the true understanding of what the Lord spoke through Moses.

This same condition was a given by Jesus but in a different way (Matthew 18:6) - 'But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea'.

One would say what is the relation between the two? It is only in Bible Word study and Image study that one would understand the relationship between this two. That is why John wrote (John 1:17) 'for the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ'.

In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus gives us the true understanding of the Law of God given through Moses. What Jesus added was only grace to the consequence of the Law, to all those who believe in Him.

The Lord is telling us today there are many reasons for which we would have been put to dire punishment, thing we do not take as serious but because we believe in the grace that comes through Jesus Christ, we are saved from the consequence of them. But the time we reject His Word we are indirectly rejecting Christ and hence would be liable to the consequence.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord Jesus, You alone were Christ and in whole the Spirit of God dwelled in whole. When you left earth You gave all us a token of the Spirit of Truth so that we start to understand your Word as You did and by becoming your disciple we grow in your Spirit and thus in understanding. Holy Spirit, we pray You open the minds of your people and remove the blindfolds the teachings of world have put on their eyes...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
Luke 2:23 - (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)

Luke 24:44 - And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

John 7:19 - Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?

John 7:21-24
21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.
22 Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.
23 If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?
24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

John 8:5-7
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

Matthew 5:17, 21-22
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)