The first set of laws that God gives to His people, once the preliminary matters of worship and the Mediator have been addressed, are laws about slaves. We have here two sets of five judgments regarding slaves — the first five addressing the male slave and the second five addressing the female slave. This is not a complete code of law addressing every aspect of Israel's life; as we posited last week, law codes are framed in the third person, while this and almost all the rest of the Book of the Covenant are firmly in the second person, telling you personally how you ought to serve God. How does slavery work in the covenant community? Well, these ten judgments tell us that God regulates slavery because He cares for and frees slaves. The Code of Hammurabi, famous because of its similarities to these OT laws, differs in this: In Hammurabi's code, laws about slaves come last. Here in the Book of the Covenant, laws about slaves come first. Slaves are one of God's top priorities. Don't let the significance of that escape you. He brought His people out of the land of Egypt, out of slavery; now, He continues to speak to and care for slaves. God frees slaves and protects slaves. That's what these laws mean. Let's dive in.
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Caleb Nelson grew up in Ft. Collins, CO. Born into a Christian home, where he eventually became the eldest of 11 children, he has been a lifelong Presbyterian. He professed faith at the age of six, and was homeschooled through high school. He then attended Patrick Henry College...
