“Helpful Covenant Laws” (Exodus 21-23)
Published 16 September 2025
Scroll down for “Lessons Learned…”
Designed for Personal Bible Study or for Bible Teaching
⚠️ The 5 Greatest Mistakes
- 1️⃣ Backing away from God’s nearness—choosing distance at Sinai (20:19–21).
- 2️⃣ Treating “social laws” as mere rules instead of a holy lifestyle (21:1; 22:1; 23:1).
- 3️⃣ Forgetting the image of God when judging life‑and‑death matters (21:12–17).
- 4️⃣ Letting the crowd set the standard—peer pressure over principle (23:2).
- 5️⃣ Neglecting rhythms of rest that God commands for our good (23:12).
💥 The 5 Greatest Failures
- 1️⃣ Societal apathy toward widows and orphans—leaving the vulnerable unprotected (22:22).
- 2️⃣ Normalizing exploitation—slavery without limits or paths to freedom (21:2).
- 3️⃣ Devaluing life—punishments that ignore sacredness and justice (21:12–17).
- 4️⃣ Inhospitality to the stranger—forgetting you were foreigners (23:9).
- 5️⃣ Hollow worship—festivals without obedience or unity (23:14–17).
🚫 The 5 Greatest Sins
- 1️⃣ Violence against persons made in God’s image (21:12–16).
- 2️⃣ Dishonoring parents and authority structures (21:17).
- 3️⃣ Legal corruption—false reports, bribes, partiality (23:1–3, 8).
- 4️⃣ Oppression of the weak—widow, orphan, foreigner (22:22; 23:9).
- 5️⃣ Covenant with other gods or their practices (23:32–33).
🌱 Great Spiritual Growth Applied
- 1️⃣ Practice consecrated nearness—draw near with reverence, not retreat (20:20–21).
- 2️⃣ Honor release and restoration—build pathways to freedom and dignity (21:2).
- 3️⃣ Guard the sacredness of life—judge fairly; protect the innocent (21:12–17).
- 4️⃣ Love the vulnerable as family—widow, orphan, and stranger (22:22; 23:9).
- 5️⃣ Keep Sabbath and seasons—recalibrate rhythm, identity, and unity (23:12; 23:14–17).
🧭 Great Leadership Principles Gleaned
- 1️⃣ Lead people closer—model drawing near to God (20:20–21).
- 2️⃣ Codify compassion—laws that dignify servants and families (21:2–6).
- 3️⃣ Center courts on truth—reject false reports and bribes (23:1–3, 8).
- 4️⃣ Institutionalize mercy—hospitality to foreigners, care for the weak (22:22; 23:9).
- 5️⃣ Mark time with worship—annual festivals that unify identity (23:14–17) and trust God’s promised borders (23:31).