The Compassion, Authority & Holiness Of God

SERMON OUTLINE

• I. The Compassion
• II. The Authority
• III. The Holiness

TRANSCRIPT

In history, when we want to understand an ancient civilisation, one of the things we can do is study their laws. Because those laws will reveal to us whether it is a godly or ungodly civilisation. Likewise, in modern times, when we study the laws of a particular nation, we will know whether it is a conservative or liberal society. The same goes with the study of God's laws. It will reveal to us what was expected of the people who were called God's people. What kind of lives they were living morally and spiritually. Was it a high or low standard? And more importantly, it will reveal to us the character of God, who is the Lawgiver.

Oftentimes, people only focus on the physical aspect of the law. Why it is so rigid, so strict, so serious, so burdensome? Why is it only one way and no other way? But they fail to understand the spiritual aspect. The law reveals the character of God. It represents who God is. This is who God is, and therefore He has to give such laws to reflect His character, and He wants His people to be governed by such laws. This is what we want to learn from this passage in Exodus 22:25-31. The title of our message is ‘The Compassion, Authority, and Holiness of God.’

I. The Compassion

Firstly, let us consider the compassion of God. Let us begin with Exodus 22:25, "If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury." The word ‘usurer’ means a money lender, and the word ‘usury’ means the interest charged for the money loaned out.

There were situations in which the people were allowed to charge interest, like in the case of the foreigners and people who use the money for investment purposes. However, the law forbids taking advantage of someone's misfortune, someone's poverty. God never allowed His people to make money off the poor, especially within the covenant community, the believers. In other words, it was alright to lend money and charge interest for it, but you must not do that to a believer who was already poor. Here, the idea was to give interest-free loans.

In those days, it was customary for the lender to receive collateral, like the way today we use our houses and cars as collateral to take a bank loan. The obvious reason why the lender needed collateral was to make sure that the borrower would pay back the money when he had the ability to do so. Secondly, it was also to prevent the borrower from taking out a second loan from someone else, like someone who goes around using the same item as collateral to borrow as much money as possible.

Verse 26: "If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down" A poor person would have nothing to offer as collateral except his raiment or cloak, which was essentially a heavy outer garment used for sleeping on the ground. That was the only thing he had. Verse 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." This tells us how poor the person was. He had only the outer coat for him to wear at night to keep himself warm. Without the outer coat, he would probably freeze to death. God had compassion on the poor, so He commanded the creditor to make sure that he returned the raiment at nightfall. This was to ensure that even the poorest men in Israel would still be able to have a good night’s rest.

Using the coat may seem irrelevant to our modern times. No government or bank would ever accept it as collateral. But the spiritual principle we can learn from this law is that when a person falls on hard times and is in need, and we are able to help, even if we require something as a guarantee for future repayment, you and I must never deprive the person of basic sustenance such as food and clothing.

God, the Lawgiver, has a special concern for the poor, especially in the church, and He wants His people to be compassionate, to show care for those who are in need as well. Our Lord Jesus took this law one step further by teaching His disciples to show grace to the poor and needy. The Gospel of Luke, chapter 6, verse 34. Maybe you can turn with me to this passage: Luke 6:34, Jesus said, "And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again." Which means, when you lend to those from whom you expect to be repaid in full plus interest, which is the meaning of ‘to receive as much again,’ what grace are you showing? It is not grace at all; all the sinners and unbelievers are doing that.

Verse 35: "But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil." In other words, Jesus was saying it is good to lend to people who are in need, but it is even better to give to them without expecting anything in return, not only to friends but also to enemies. Having said that, it does not mean we just simply give away our money without careful consideration.

Sometimes it is more merciful not to give anything at all. What do we mean? Like in the case of someone who uses the money for self-destructive addiction like alcohol, drugs, and gambling, or someone who is plain lazy and refuses to work and just relies on the generosity of others. But here, it is about genuine need. When the person has done everything he can, but he is still hungry, he is still in need, then we ought to give not just interest-free loans, but if possible, we give without expecting anything in return.

Perhaps some people may be thinking, ‘Well, this is not a good way to operate in a business or in our lives, especially in this secular world.’ But we are not operating according to the mindset of the world, but according to the principles of God's love and mercy. Jesus said, "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful." (Luke 6:36)

Dear friend, consider the mercies you and I have received from God. We were once strangers in the world because of our sins. We were like widows and orphans, so to speak, because we were outside of God's family. We were debtors. The debt of sin was a price none of us could ever repay. But by the mercies of God, today we are no longer strangers but children of God. We are no longer widows as we belong to the Church, which is the bride of Christ. We are no longer orphans as we are adopted as sons and daughters of God. We are no longer debtors as Jesus Christ has paid the price of sin through His death and the shedding of His precious blood on the Cross of Calvary.

We have not only been blessed with all these spiritual blessings, but God has also provided for all our needs, more than sufficient. Today, by the mercy of God, many of us have more than enough to spare. In a sense, we have become lenders instead of borrowers. Having experienced the mercy of God, how can we not treat others the way God has treated us? May the Lord remind us we ought to be merciful as our Heavenly Father is merciful, and He has shown great mercy to us.

A word of encouragement to all those believers who have given cheerfully and sacrificially to our missions, to people who are less advantaged and poor. You could have kept the money in the bank and earned interest, but you did not do that. You gave that money expecting nothing in return. Nobody knows that you are the one who has given, but there is One who knows all things, and that is our Almighty God. Jesus said, "your reward shall be great." (Luke 6:35)

Dear friend, from this law we can see how compassionate our God is. He is even concerned whether His children would have sufficient clothes to wear at night, whether His children would be able to have a good night’s rest. Some of us may be experiencing certain afflictions, trials, pain, and challenges. You may be thinking, ‘Does God know?’ Most certainly, He knows. He knows every one of us better than we know ourselves, and He cares. Just as He cares for the poor, and He expected the creditors to return the raiment before nightfall. That is our compassionate God.

II. The Authority

The second thing we want to learn about God is His authority. Exodus 22:28, "Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people." The Hebrew word for ‘gods’ is ‘Elohim,’ which is in the plural form. That is why the King James Bible translated it as ‘gods.’ The context itself will determine whether it was referring to the pagan gods or the one Living and True God. Since the children of Israel were commanded to reject and treat the pagan gods with contempt, here it was a reference to the one Living and True God: the Triune God, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

To ‘revile’ is to blaspheme; it is to take God lightly. It is to dishonour His name by failing to acknowledge His majesty. It is to treat Him with disrespect. It is a sin against the third commandment (Exodus 20:7). To ‘curse the ruler of thy people’ is to speak evil against the earthly representatives of God—people like Moses, Aaron, and all the kings and priests. Every leader is God's representative and therefore demands our respect. As Romans 13:1-2 says: "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation."

Today, it is not uncommon for people who profess to be Christians to speak disrespectfully of their leaders and pastors. If those leaders are appointed by God and are placed in those positions, then to curse them, to insult them, to speak evil of them is to take offense against God's divine authority. We are to show our leaders respect and honour not because they are always right—obviously, they are not perfect; sometimes they are wrong—but because they have been given to us by God. They have been ordained by God and placed in the position of authority.

Allow me to quote an example of the Apostle Paul applying this principle: not to curse the ruler of thy people. It is found in Acts, chapter 23. The background of that passage was that Paul was summoned to appear before the Sanhedrin Council. The Sanhedrin was the highest religious ruling body of the Jewish people in Israel. Any decision and authority involving the Jewish law rested upon the Sanhedrin.

Let me read for you Acts 23:1, "And Paul, earnestly beholding the council,”—that is the Sanhedrin—”said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day." Every man has a conscience, and the difference between the believer and the unbeliever is that the believer has the Word of God and the indwelling Holy Spirit guiding his conscience. Paul knew he had obeyed the commandments of God. He was led by the Spirit to do what he did. That was why he appealed to his good conscience before God.

Verse 2: "And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth." This Ananias should not be mistaken with the Ananias in Acts chapter 9; this was a different Ananias. Josephus, the Jewish historian, said this Ananias was the most cruel, evil, and corrupt high priest that ever held office. In fact, he stole from the common priests the tithes and offerings that should be given to them, and he would beat anyone who resisted him. (Antiquities of the Jews, Book 20, Chapter 9) So, being consistent with his violent character, he ordered those people standing beside Paul to smite him on the mouth. Now, the original word for ‘smite’ is more than a slap in the face; it speaks of a beating.

Verse 3: "Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?" Some people may be wondering why Paul did not follow the example of Jesus. When He was reviled, He reviled not; when He suffered, He threatened not. (1 Peter 2:23) When our Lord Jesus was struck in the face, He merely said: "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?" You can read about that in John 18:23. The best answer to that is, of course, Paul was not Jesus. Jesus was the perfect, sinless Son of God. No doubt Paul was one of the most godly men who ever lived, but he was still a sinner. Most certainly, the bystanders were shocked by Paul's rebuke of the high priest.

Acts 23:4, "And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest?" In other words, ‘Why have you cursed, reproached, and insulted God's high priest? Do you not know he is God's high priest?’ Although Ananias was the most cruel, evil, and corrupt high priest, yet he was not to be reviled but to be respected because of his God-ordained position of authority. The high priest stood before God, and to abuse him in his office, whether he did the right thing or whether he did the wrong thing, was unacceptable.

How can we apply this in the church? Today we have pastors, elders, and deacons serving in the different offices. These offices were ordained by God for the church. The office bearers are not perfect; no man is. They do make mistakes; they do say the wrong things; they do make the wrong decisions. You may agree or disagree with them, but as long as they are in the office, you must not insult, abuse, or speak evil against them. God will hold your words accountable. They are not to be reviled but to be respected. Why? Because of their God-given position of authority.

When Paul knew that Ananias was the high priest, what did he do? He immediately said in verse 5: "Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren,”—or I did not realise—”that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people." Notice Paul quoted the same verse in Exodus 22:28, "Thou shalt not curse the ruler of thy people." Paul's reaction showed his understanding of the Holy Scriptures and his submission to it. Even though he was smitten, yet he knew that the Word of God had convicted his heart. He should not sin against God by cursing the high priest, no matter how evil that person was.

Some people find it hard to believe that Paul could not recognise the high priest. Well, it could be because of his poor eyesight, or because Paul had not visited Jerusalem for many years already, or because this event had taken place outside the temple and Ananias was not wearing his high priestly garments. All these explanations could be possible, but the point was that Paul did not give any excuses for failing to recognise the high priest. He simply admitted his mistake and accepted responsibility for his words: He was wrong, he was wrong.

What can we learn from here? One day we may find ourselves in an adverse situation, or we may face very difficult people which lead us to do or say something wrong. If the Word of God convicts our hearts that it is a sin, it doesn't matter how bad the situation is or how wicked the people are. If it is a sin, it is a sin. We do not give excuses for our sins; we just have to confess our sins and repent. If we need to apologise, we apologise. Paul knew that he had cursed the high priest. Although he was a wicked person, it doesn't matter. It was a sin, it was a sin.

If God is sovereign and everything we have belongs to Him, then He has a right to claim everything from us, right? But God does not demand everything from us. In fact, He has blessed us with everything for our sustenance and enjoyment. God has commanded us nonetheless to give of our tithes and offerings.

Look at Exodus 22:29-30, "Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors:”—or the grape juice from the vine—”the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me. Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam;”—or mother—”on the eighth day thou shalt give it me." According to the law, the children of Israel had to bring to God the first and best of the fruits, vines, and animals. Every firstborn son in Israel was to be consecrated to God with an animal sacrifice. This was to show that the whole family, the whole nation, and everything they had belonged to God.

Dear friend, consider this. Our parents have brought us up, sent us to school, took care of us, and provided for all our needs. Now we have grown up and are gainfully employed. We want to show our gratitude by giving to our parents for the much we have received from them, right? But let's say we do not give or support our parents in any way, and we are most unwilling to give to them. What do you call that? Ungratefulness. How much more when we do that to God, who has blessed us with parents and everything else we have on the face of this earth?

We must not be like the church member whose pastor said to him, ‘Everything we have comes from God. We must give unto Him faithfully.’ The church member was so angry and he replied, ‘Who says everything we have comes from God? It is my hands that have brought in all the things I have. If I do not work hard, where can I find the money to pay for my house, my car, my children's education, and so forth?’ But the wise pastor replied and said, ‘You have forgotten. Even the good health and strength you have, even the jobs and opportunities you have, even the breath of life you have come from God. If not for God, you will be lying on your sick bed or even dead by now. You will not be able to do anything at all.’ How true!

The proper way for you and I to acknowledge our thankfulness and gratitude is to give our first and best to God. By our giving, we are acknowledging that our almighty God alone is the sole authority of our lives and that everything we have belongs to Him. It's very interesting that at this point in time, the children of Israel were in the wilderness, and this command was given to them. Because later on, when they entered into the promised land, a land filled with milk and honey, would they still give? If they would not begin now, how would they give later on? If you and I do not begin giving now, do you think we will be able to give later on? Most certainly not.

III. The Holiness

Our final point is the holiness of God. Look at verse 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." The children of Israel were not allowed to eat animals that were killed and torn apart by the wild animals in the field. This was not just for the purpose of public health or personal hygiene. Remember, although the law was to be observed physically, there is always a spiritual element attached to it. And how do we know? Look at the first part of this verse: "And ye shall be holy men unto me."

In order to teach the people how important it was to separate themselves from sin, God distinguished between the clean and unclean animals (Leviticus 11; Deuteronomy 14:3-21). An animal lying dead in the open field, torn apart by wild animals, was ceremonially uncleaned, whose blood had not been properly drained from it (Leviticus 17:10-14). Such an animal was unfit for them to eat; it was only fit to be thrown to the dogs, which were considered unclean and would eat anything.

This law was a symbol of God's plan for Israel, that she should be set apart unto Him, separated unto Him, to be different from the rest of the world, to be holy as God is holy, and to be a kingdom of priests as Exodus 19:6 tells us. Today, you and I may not apply these dietary laws into our lives, but the spiritual principle still stands. God has given to us His Word to teach us to be separated from sin (Psalm 119:11), to teach us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice unto Him (Romans 12:1-2), to be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16), to be a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that you and I should show forth the praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvellous light (1 Peter 2:9).

Dear friend, this is what we can learn from the laws of God. It reflects His character, His compassion, His authority, and His holiness. He wants you and me to follow His example, to be compassionate, to be merciful especially to those who are in need. He wants us to honour and respect His authority as well as the authority of those leaders whom He has ordained. And He wants us to be holy as He is holy.

So let us learn to apply these laws into our lives, that we will be such a people who will be known as being compassionate, who know how to respect authority, and also a people who are separated and holy as our God is holy. All to the glory of God. Let us pray.

Our Father in heaven, we thank Thee for enabling us to consider this portion of Scriptures. Even as we learn of Thy laws, indeed, Thy laws reveal to us Thy character and also teach us how we ought to live our lives to follow Thy example.

Tonight, Thou hast taught us what a compassionate God Thou art, and of Thy authority and the authority that Thou hast set and ordained to lead Thy people on the face of this Earth, and how we ought to be holy as Thou art holy. Help us that we will apply this truth into our lives, that all of us will live our days on this Earth following and observing Thy laws.

Oh Lord, forgive us if there are times we have sinned against Thee. May our hearts be turned unto Thee, and help each and every one of us, through the wonder-working of Thy Spirit, to live out this truth to the glory of Thy precious name. We pray all this in Jesus' name. Amen.

THE BOOK OF EXODUS

God’s Prophecy and Promise Had Come To Pass

God’s Prophecy and Promise Had Come To Pass

Exodus 1:1-7

From Prosperity to Persecution

From Prosperity to Persecution

Exodus 1:8-14

God’s Protection in the Midst of Adversities

God’s Protection in the Midst of Adversities

Exodus 1:15-21

The Faith of Jochebed

The Faith of Jochebed

Exodus 1:22-2:10

Moses in Egypt

Moses in Egypt

Exodus 2:11-15

Moses in the Desert of Midian

Moses in the Desert of Midian

Exodus 2:16-25

Moses and the Burning Bush

Moses and the Burning Bush

Exodus 3:1-9

Who Are You?

Who Are You?

Exodus 3:10-15

Who Am I?

Who Am I?

Exodus 3:10-15

God’s Message to Israel and Egypt

God’s Message to Israel and Egypt

Exodus 3:16-22

What If They Still Don’t Believe?

What If They Still Don’t Believe?

Exodus 4:1-9

Send Someone Else

Send Someone Else

Exodus 4:10-17

Moses’ Return to Egypt

Moses’ Return to Egypt

Exodus 4:18-20

When Things Seemed to Get Better, They Got Worse

When Things Seemed to Get Better, They Got Worse

Exodus 5:10-21

When We Have Done Everything Right, and Yet Trouble Comes

When We Have Done Everything Right, and Yet Trouble Comes

Exodus 5:22-6:5

Having to Learn the Same Lesson Twice

Having to Learn the Same Lesson Twice

Exodus 6:6-12

Faithful or Unfaithful

Faithful or Unfaithful

Exodus 6:13-27

What God Wants Is Our Faithfulness and Obedience

What God Wants Is Our Faithfulness and Obedience

Exodus 6:28-7:7

The First Plague - The River of Blood

The First Plague - The River of Blood

Exodus 7:14-25

The Second Plague - The Frogs

The Second Plague - The Frogs

Exodus 8:1-15

The Third Plague

The Third Plague

Exodus 8:16-19

The Fourth Plague

The Fourth Plague

Exodus 8:20-32

The Fifth Plague

The Fifth Plague

Exodus 9:1-7

The Sixth Plague

The Sixth Plague

Exodus 9:8-12

The Seventh Plague

The Seventh Plague

Exodus 9:13-35

The Eighth Plague

The Eighth Plague

Exodus 10:1-20

The Tenth Plague

The Tenth Plague

Exodus 11:1-10

The First Passover

The First Passover

Exodus 12:1-13

The Feast of the Unleavened Bread

The Feast of the Unleavened Bread

Exodus 12:14-28

Departure From Egypt

Departure From Egypt

Exodus 12:29-42

This Do In Remembrance of Me

This Do In Remembrance of Me

Exodus 12:43-51; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32

Message 2: What is Church to you? My Covenantal Family!

Message 2: What is Church to you? My Covenantal Family!

Exodus 12:48-49, Colossians 2:11-12

Redemption and Consecration

Redemption and Consecration

Exodus 13:1-2, 11-16

Precious Lord, Take My Hand

Precious Lord, Take My Hand

Exodus 13:17-22

Between the Desert and the Red Sea

Between the Desert and the Red Sea

Exodus 14:1-14

Crossing the Red Sea

Crossing the Red Sea

Exodus 14:15-31

The Song of Praise

The Song of Praise

Exodus 15:1-21

Will You Obey Or Not?

Will You Obey Or Not?

Exodus 15:22-27

The Danger of a Complaining Spirit

The Danger of a Complaining Spirit

Exodus 16:1-3

God’s Response to Israel’s Complaints

God’s Response to Israel’s Complaints

Exodus 16:1-10

The Test of Faith

The Test of Faith

Exodus 16:11-20

Lessons About the Sabbath

Lessons About the Sabbath

Exodus 16:21-36

Do Not Test God

Do Not Test God

Exodus 17:1-17

Lift Up Your Hands

Lift Up Your Hands

Exodus 17:8-16

The Blessedness of Reunion

The Blessedness of Reunion

Exodus 18:1-12

Why Do We Have Leaders?

Why Do We Have Leaders?

Exodus 18:13-27

I Will Carry You On Eagles’ Wings

I Will Carry You On Eagles’ Wings

Exodus 19:1-6

Approach God Fearlessly or Fearfully

Approach God Fearlessly or Fearfully

Exodus 19:7-15

God Reached Out And Spoke

God Reached Out And Spoke

Exodus 19:16-25

Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods

Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods

Exodus 20:1-3

Thou Shalt Not Make Graven Images

Thou Shalt Not Make Graven Images

Exodus 20:4-6

Thou Shalt Not Dishonour God’s Name

Thou Shalt Not Dishonour God’s Name

Exodus 20:7

Thou Shalt Keep The Sabbath Day

Thou Shalt Keep The Sabbath Day

Exodus 20:8-11

Honour Thy Father And Thy Mother

Honour Thy Father And Thy Mother

Exodus 20:12

Thou Shalt Not Kill

Thou Shalt Not Kill

Exodus 20:13

Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery

Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery

Exodus 20:14

Thou Shalt Not Steal

Thou Shalt Not Steal

Exodus 20:15

Thou Shalt Not Lie

Thou Shalt Not Lie

Exodus 20:16

Thou Shalt Not Covet

Thou Shalt Not Covet

Exodus 20:17

The Response To The Ten Commandments

The Response To The Ten Commandments

Exodus 20:18-21

How God Wants Us To Worship Him

How God Wants Us To Worship Him

Exodus 20:22-26

Why Would God Allow Slavery?

Why Would God Allow Slavery?

Exodus 21:1-11

The Punishment Fits The Crime — a life for a life

The Punishment Fits The Crime — a life for a life

Exodus 21:12-17

The Punishment Fits The Crime — an eye for an eye

The Punishment Fits The Crime — an eye for an eye

Exodus 21:18-36

The Punishment Deters The Crime — property laws

The Punishment Deters The Crime — property laws

Exodus 22:1-15

The Character Of God

The Character Of God

Exodus 22:16-20

Reaching Out To The Down-And-Out

Reaching Out To The Down-And-Out

Exodus 22:21-24

The Compassion, Authority & Holiness Of God

The Compassion, Authority & Holiness Of God

Exodus 22:25-31

Truth Cannot Be Subjected To Anything But Truth

Truth Cannot Be Subjected To Anything But Truth

Exodus 23:1-9

Remember Who God Is

Remember Who God Is

Exodus 23:10-19

What Must We Do To Have Victory

What Must We Do To Have Victory

Exodus 23:20-33

How We Ought To Worship God

How We Ought To Worship God

Exodus 24:1-4, 7

On What Basis Can We Approach His Majesty?

On What Basis Can We Approach His Majesty?

Exodus 24:4-8

If Thy Presence Go Not with Me, Carry Us Not Up Hence

If Thy Presence Go Not with Me, Carry Us Not Up Hence

Exodus 33:12-23