Sunday: The Code of the Covenant
Daily Lesson for Sunday 24th of August 2025
At Sinai, with the giving of His law, God set the foundation for teaching His people how, through connection with Him, they could live holy lives. But the principles of the law needed to be applied in everyday life, so God gave them additional laws, the so-called “Code of the Covenant.” It was the responsibility of judges to watch over these laws and to apply them correctly.
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“The minds of the people, blinded and debased by slavery and heathenism, were not prepared to appreciate fully the far-reaching principles of God’s ten precepts. That the obligations of the Decalogue might be more fully understood and enforced, additional precepts were given, illustrating and applying the principles of the Ten Commandments. These laws were called judgments, both because they were framed in infinite wisdom and equity and because the magistrates were to give judgment according to them. Unlike the Ten Commandments, they were delivered privately to Moses, who was to communicate them to the people.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 310.
Read Exodus 21:1-32. What specific regulations were given regarding Hebrew slaves, homicide, and bodily injuries?
The Code of the Covenant is described in several chapters (Exodus 21:1-36; Exodus 22:1-31; Exodus 23:1-19). All these regulations and laws were issued to stop the avalanche of evil and to build an orderly society.
The slavery laws were special and should not be confused with the vicious and evil practice of modern or medieval slavery. Hebrew slaves were, in fact, protected and valued. In modern and medieval societies, servants and slaves were the property of their owner, who could do whatever they wished with them. In contrast, biblical laws regulated things differently. Servitude was limited to six years (Exodus 21:1-2; Jeremiah 34:8-22), and in the seventh year, all slaves had to be liberated unless they wanted to stay with their master. Masters also had to give them Sabbaths off (Exodus 20:9-10) and provide for their basic needs.
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Though, in most of the world, the evil practice of institutionalized slavery has for the most part been abolished, what are ways in which some of the principles of it still exist, and what can we do, in our own limited sphere, to fight against these principles? |
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I enjoy eating mangos but I don't grow them. They are grown in large commercial orchards in the northern parts of Australia where the temperatures regularly get above 40C and the humidity hovers around 98%. Most Australians don't want to work in these conditions so we have this smart plan. We want to help our Pacific Island neighbours who have a problem finding work on their islands and who are used to hot humid weather. So we give them special work visas to come to Australia and pick mangos. They earn a lot more money than they would at home and we get nice mangos.
The problem is that labour agents organise these folk, provide them with transport, and housing and charge them an arm and a leg for it. Furthermore, if they need medical treatment, they simply sack them and leave them to their own devices.
Not all labour agents are bad, but enough of them are greedy and avaricious enough to come to the attention of current affairs programs, revealing that worker exploitation is alive and kicking in our modern world. The really challenging thing is that this is not some overseas exploitation, it is happening right here in my own country to people who pick the fruit that I like to eat.
You do not have to look very far to see exploitation of migrant workers taking place often right under our very noses, often under the guise of helping people from less-developed countries. In many respects it is not too far different from the slave economies of ancient Egypt. (Interestingly, if you visit Egypt as a tourist nowadays you will hear the guides tell you that ancient Egypt did not have slaves; they had indentured workers from other countries.)
There is a big gap between precept and practice. The details described in today's lesson for the Hebrews should remind us that we too, should treat our lowest-paid workers with respect. What does that mean for Bible-studying Christians? I suspect the first thing is to become aware of the extent of the issue. Sometimes we are so focused on getting to heaven that we do not take time to listen to voice of God in the suffering of others. Our big sin is that often we only listen to the voice of God speaking from the mountain top.
By this shall all men know ...
“Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it aloud to the people. Again they all responded, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded. We will obey.” - Exodus 24:7, NLT
Immediately after God had delivered the 10 commandments, He provided “explanatory notes” how the law could be applied to the Israelites on daily basis. God provided a practical and detailed guidance to ensure that the moral law was appropriately applied in the context of the Israelites’ society. The Code of the Covenant (the Book of the Covenant) was temporary, covenant-specific, nation-specific and time-specific. However, its principles (mercy, justice, worship, fairness, holiness, governance and care for the vulnerable) are instructive even today because they reflect the character of God. To the Israelites, these were the terms of covenant living.
While the code of the covenant was not eternal and universal, there are some critical lessons to take note of:
1. True faith is lived in all aspects of life and not only in religious matters only. Holiness matters in all areas of life.
2. Those who abide by God’s law should champion justice, equity, fairness and accountability.
3. God is calling all those who live is laws to defend the vulnerable and the marginalized.
4. True worship must be God-centered and not man or material centered.
5. Sin has got communal consequences. Sin has got negative impacts on relationships and society.
6. God’s people must value rest, restoration and reconciliation.
7. Sin requires atonement which is only found in the blood of Jesus Christ.
“He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?” – Micah 6:8, NKJV
The covenant code, given by God to Israel in texts like Exodus 20–23, reveals not only a legal system but a divine blueprint for justice, mercy, and holiness. The code bound the entire life of the people under God’s authority “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2). This elevated the law from mere civic order to a covenantal relationship, where sin was not just a violation of society, but a breach of divine will(Deuteronomy 31:10–13). The principle of lex talionis (“eye for an eye,” Exodus 21:24) was not about vengeance, but about justice with restraint, curbing excessive punishment and affirming the dignity of human life. Through such statutes, God revealed His character just, compassionate, and holy—setting Israel apart for His redemptive purposes.
Yet the covenant code ultimately pointed forward to something greater. The law could reveal sin, but not remove it. As Paul says, “The law was our guardian until Christ came” (Galatians 3:24). Jesus fulfilled the law perfectly and then bore its penalty on the cross, extending God’s mercy to Jew and Gentile alike. In Him, the covenant reaches its fullest expression—no longer written on stone tablets but on hearts (Jeremiah 31:33). When we hear the gospel call “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15) we are confronted with the same holy God, now reconciling the world to Himself through Christ.
Though slavery as an institution is gone, its shadows remain in exploitative labor, human trafficking, debt bondage, and systems that strip people of dignity. The Code of the Covenant reminds us that God values justice, rest, and human worth. In our own spheres, we fight these lingering principles by refusing to exploit others, advocating fair treatment, supporting ethical labor, and defending the vulnerable—showing that true freedom is found in living out God’s justice and compassion.
To Josiah; "Debt Bondage" is a term I had not heard or considered. It is true that in our modern society many people/couples hold multiple credit cards. They are enticed to open a card with 0% interest; then the interest is added after 6 months. If a payment is late by one day the interest then skyrockets to 25-30%..!! Add to that college debt, mortgage debt, auto loans, taxes on all goods and services including death taxes, mandated car and health insurances and we truly have a nation of modern slaves in bondage.
Quite a sensitive and emotive topic to discuss in the 21st century! I am talking about slavery. The "better master" thought is truly hard to fathom, especially for those whose history has slavery in origin. A scarring topic that only gets scarier and eerier as history is spelled out.
As the Guardian Magazine article in 2019 estimated, one out of every 200 people is a slave. This statistic gives us a glimpse into why this topic remains sensitive. As we reflect on Exodus 21:1-11, 20-21, 26-27, and 32, we must remember that the Israelites were just days or years away from liberation from Egypt - freedom from injustice and slavery.
At this moment, as these "codes" were being laid down, nobody owned anybody. However, the text states, "When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing" (Exodus 21:2). The term is significant, as it refers to slaves from their own kinsmen, not from Egyptian origins or captives from conquered lands.
It's essential to note that at this juncture, there were no slaves, but free Hebrews. What does this mean? God had seen through the hearts of the children of Israel and knew their tendencies. The culture of oppression under Egypt, like every bad habit, was already in their thoughts and would eventually manifest. God understood the human mind, as it is written, (Genesis 6:5; 8:21).
These "codes" were more about addressing the issues that would arise. What do these texts tell us about how God works?
1. God already understands that we are likely to sink to dangerous lows, but He begins to manage situations as He addresses the matters at hand.
2. God knows we are not perfect and works towards solving our "wicked desires," recognizing that we remain a work-in-progress as He rehabilitates us into fair and perfect beings.
3. Even when we have been redeemed, God never takes away our "free choice," and He will not dictate His ways into our choices.
4. Since the tendency of man to turn against man is high and prevalent, God sets laws or codes to ensure order and justice.
5. God partners with man to work towards building coexistence with one another.
These texts, though scary, depict what humanity really is and highlight why we need salvation so much today - why we need the Lord, and why we are not safe when there is no "heavenly King," and everyone does what is right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25).
Why didn't God simply tell them to not have slaves? Similarly with polygamy?
Probably because they were so far from God's ideal that they would have ignored Him. God had to meet them where they were and if they learned His principles they would eventually reject both. Sadly, they did not.
Sherry, God simply told the Hebrews they were to have no other gods and about 6 weeks later, they were dancing around a golden calf! The problem is that the Hebrews are slow learners. We are slow learners too and we kid ourselves if we think otherwise.
Just thinking why would God allow the practice of slavery? They had just come out of 430yrs of slavery in Egypt. Why would there even be Hebrew slaves?
What I gathered from comments here and some other comments is that It is implied in the 10 commandments that they should not do this (do not commit adultery and all other commands on loving your neighbor, so you should not have slaves) but that God saw that they would not be obedient (as with the worshipping the calf example) possibly because of having lived so long in Egypt and having been heavily influenced by that culture--- that the Israelites would have slaves and so he gave them rules so that they would still respect and love others who are disadvantaged.
So God met them where they were...
Also, how careful we must be to not see God allowing something as a rule that it is acceptable but that we must pray for daily renewing and for God's guidance to accept when God is telling us that what we think is right could very well be wrong.
Sherry so true. God met them where they were.
We don't have institutionalized slavery today as we did in the past, what we do have is exploitation of workers to include human trafficking and servitude.
As Christians we should endeavor to do our part to rid this world of these ills and be a voice for the voiceless wherever we see these injustices being committed!!!!!
I understand from my study of the lesson this morning that Hebrew slaves were more like indentured laborers. They could not be held as permanent slaves (unless they willingly chose to remain with their masters), but were to be set free in the seventh year. Non-Hebrew slaves, however, could be treated as permanent property and even passed down to children as inheritance. Still, I see that God’s law included provisions to protect them from cruelty. Even so, it is unsettling that God would permit slavery of this kind. Since God’s law reflects His character, what does this reveal about Him? I would love to hear your thoughts, as I anticipate this may be raised in my Sabbath School this week.
I agree and have/had the same question, Courtney..."why would God permit slavery at all?" After some reading and contemplation and prayer, here is where I am at with my partial human reasoning/understanding right now....
Letting Scripture explain Scripture, my first clue is in Ex. 23:29-30. God explains that He is not going to drive out the Canaanites all at once, but that "little by little", as the Israelites increase, the pagan worship will be forced out. I think God does that for us personally, and also when it comes to socio-political institutions. I see God even provides a reason in verse 29....if the evil-doers in the land were to leave all at once, the economy would suffer, the crops and land would lie barren, and wild animals would take over the habitations that God's people were to inherit.
God builds up His ways in our hearts and in His guidelines for our dealing with one another, and as He increases, the wrong decreases. That was the order John the Baptist prayed it too, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). First, God increases in our vision and ways of imagining and being, and then, our old sinful patterns decrease. As the goodness of God takes over our hearts and minds, the warped, polluted ways of thinking and being evaporate. Jesus explains something similar in Luke 11:24-26. Jesus reveals the danger of delivering a person from demonic possession without filling their life with Jesus: they can end up worse than before. Jesus is not merely trying to empty our hearts and our social systems of evil, He is trying to fill us up with Himself.
Ok, now if I apply this to the institution of slavery, as abhorrent as slavery clearly is to God...being that He created ALL persons in His image...and that He is not willing that ANY should perish...I think He in His wisdom foresaw that at that time He could not ban slavery all at once. Instead, God began whittling away at the practice by redefining how a master/slave relationship would work. First of all, slave masters were not allowed carte blanche authority to do whatever they wanted to their slaves...instead they were to recognize that they were under a higher authority themselves, i.e. God. For example, punishment for the slave owner who kills a slave might include the death penalty for murder. And actually, backing up to how one would even come to have a slave in the first place, kidnapping for the purpose of slavery was condemned and the death penalty enjoined: “Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death, whether the victim has been sold or is still in the kidnapper’s possession” (Exodus 21:16). Another example brought out in the lesson is that every 6 years Hebrew slaves were given their freedom. So potentially, after 6 years of receiving this law, slavery would be abolished among God's people....while those still under the slavery of Satan (those not choosing to join with God's people) would possibly also be in physical slavery to other humans. Again we see that slavery would be leaving the hearts and minds first, and lastly the actual physical manifestations of it.
It would be a long study here to go through all the examples of how God was eroding the practice of slavery by creating guidelines granting slaves rights, but as I read each one I can see how over time as these rules were followed it would change a person's thinking about slavery and through the working of God's Spirit, create a distaste for it. This was brought out by Paul in his letter to Philemon where he encouraged him to view his runaway slave, Onesimus, as “a brother in the Lord” (Philemon 1:16). Slaves were to be treated "justly and fairly" (Col. 4:1; Eph. 6:9) and so of course the most just and fair thing is to not be a slave at all.
Lastly, I'm thinking of Joseph when he said to his brothers "you meant it for evil but God meant it for good" (Gen. 50:20)...his brothers had sold him into slavery....God used that situation for good, though naming it accurately that it had been meant for evil. God tells us even today, within the enslaved situations people find themselves, "ALL THINGS work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28). Slavery is not good in any context or age, but God is able to use even that evil human-made institution to show His love and the gospel story.
I am assuming that the lesson chose not to address slavery of those from other nations because it is not mentioned in Exodus but later in Leviticus. It is still troubling, however, and one of the parts of the Torah that are used by non-believers to cast aspersions on God. It probably shouldn't be ignored.
My perspective is that slavery was so ingrained in the world of that time that it was not realistic for God to eliminate it fully. He could have forbidden it, but that would likely be ignored. So He started by regulating it with Hebrew slaves. If Israel had followed God fully, I think a time would have come when they would have realized that slavery of anyone wasn't God's will. I really do feel that if the Sabbath was kept properly (I suspect it wasn't more often than not), there would be a gradual rejection of slavery and other oppression. After all, everyone was to rest on the Sabbath including slaves and foreigners. And when you rest together, you're all equal. It's a little like seeing the pictures of the pilgrims going to Mecca - they all are dressed the same and you have no idea who is rich or poor. The Sabbath is like that. And when you're equal one day a week, it's not long before you're equal every day of the week.
God has an ultimate standard. God also knows that we can’t instantly reach that standard because of our sinful nature. It’s like the ultimate diet is the Edenic diet, yet God allows the eating of clean meats. God knows our current level of compliance with his will. But he also has a defined path that if followed will bring us into alignment with his ultimate will. The rub is that the further we are from Gods ultimate will the slippery the ground upon which we stand. By adding additional boundaries to slavery which the children of Israel were intimately familiar with God was creating a path for them back to his perfect will which would not have included slavery.
I won't add much to the comments already given, but will give another instance of how God works with us. In Matthew 19:8 when the Pharisees confronted Jesus with the fact that Moses had allowed men to divorce their wives for any reason, Jesus replied that it was not so from the beginning, but because of the hardness of their hearts God allowed men to do so. It seems that God basically said "I know that you are going to do this, so let's set some standards to make it a little less evil." God seems to be doing this with slavery. Perhaps some things that humans naturally do can be "made a little less evil" (divorce and slavery) while others cannot (idolatry, adultery, lying, murder).
Courtney - when considering the 'life-condition' of a slave - ‘living a life entirely based on the owner’s will - slavery’ -, one could extend the state of a ‘slave’ to anyone who does not have the freedom to pursue life on his own free will.
Scripture speaks to all ‘being slaves to sin’, and Jesus Christ having the means to set us free from our master - 'sin', Rom.6:20; John 8:34-36.
‘Slavery’, in an acceptable, objective sense, could be seen as part of the cultural setting of the interrelationship of tribes and peoples at that time. Even today, the sinful/evil practice of ‘slavery’ continues throughout the world. But God offers a new form of 'slavery' for those believing in Jesus Christ - being 'slaves' to "obedience leading to righteousness" – Rom.6:16; Gal.4:3.
When engaging in ‘slavery’, man's sin is to objectify the person, making him or her the property of the 'owner'. But our Creator tells us that we have only one Master, Himself. He gave us Jesus Christ to inform us that all who believe in Him are set free from true slavery – the slavery to sin, having been adopted as sons and daughters – Gal.5:1; 1 Cor.6:12; .
It is interesting to note that, besides the Ten Commandments, God gave Israel many other instructions on community living. From the basics, God also cares about different details in our lives. This daily reflection, for example, can be a good practical "perspective mind exercise".
Leviticus 19:33-34'And if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him.
The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.