Daily Lesson for Monday 25th of August 2025

In God’s mercy, He taught the judges how to deal with people in various situations regarding property rights. Several case studies are enumerated, indicating what to do if a bull attacked a neighbor’s bull, if people stole a domestic animal and sold it, if animals grazed in the field or vineyard of another owner, if an item a person borrowed was stolen from him, or if a hired animal was injured or died (Exodus 21:33-36; Exodus 22:1-15).

Image © Robert McKain at Goodsalt.com

God’s laws included different issues. There were specific regulations against putting down or humiliating people. He did not want any kind of exploitation. In His mercy, God corrects the sinful tendencies of the human heart and restrains people’s natural inclinations. Society was to be kept safe, evil eliminated, and good interpersonal relationships cultivated. Justice and love must rule all actions.

The Sabbath and the festivals were about worship and were re­minders of crucial events in salvation history. Worship was carefully regu­lated because this was the theological basis for all other activities. The Sabbath was established at Creation (Genesis 2:2-3; Exodus 20:8-11), was connected to Israel’s deliverance and redemption (Deuteronomy 5:12-15), and, in a powerful way, points to worshiping God as our Creator, Redeemer, and Lord (Mark 2:27-28).

Meanwhile, there were three crucial festivals that Israel was required to celebrate each year: (1) the Passover or the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the spring (usually about mid-March to mid-April); (2) Pentecost or the Feast of Harvest (or the Feast of Weeks) seven weeks after the previous festival, thus beginning 50 days later; and (3) the Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths) or the Feast of Ingathering in the fall (usually about mid-September to mid-October; see also Exodus 34:18-26, Leviticus 23:4-44, Numbers 28:16-31; Numbers 29:1-40, Deuteronomy 16:1-16).

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