Exodus 20:20

The Bible says in Exodus 20:20, “And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.” In this verse we see a couple of statements that are also found in the New Testament. Moses said to the people, “Fear not.” An angel said to Mary in Luke 1:30, “Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.” And an angel said to shepherds in Luke 2:10, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” Jesus said in Luke 8:50 concerning a little girl who had died, “Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.” Actually, Jesus used the phrase “fear not” many times. He said to the disciples in Luke 12:32, “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

After giving the Ten Commandments God said to the people in Exodus 20:20, “God is come to prove you.” God definitely “proves” us. He does not tempt us, but He does test us. The Bible says in James 1:12, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” It also says in First Peter 1:7, “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”

Moses said to the children of Israel in Exodus 20:20, “that ye sin not.” To avoid sin must always be the goal. The Apostle John wrote the same thing in the first part of First John 2:1 that says, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not...” One of the wonderful things about being a Christian is that even if we do sin, we know that the Lord will forgive us. He will never cast us off or reject us. That is why in the second part of First John 2:1 the Apostle John wrote, “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” Notice in the passage in Exodus chapter 20 that the Lord said in verse 24, “An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.” He reminds the people that they will be making sacrifices and offerings. These sacrifices and offerings have a spiritual significance in regards to the forgiveness of sins. God will provide a means by which people can be forgiven of their sins, even though they fail when they have been tested, and even though they fail to properly keep the Ten Commandments. Jesus is our sacrifice. He sacrificed Himself on the cross of Calvary, and so we can confidently come to Him for forgiveness whenever we need to each day.

The following two verses have a very important symbolism to them. The Bible says in Exodus 20:21-22, “And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.” In some ways God hides Himself from the human race. It says in verse 21, “the thick darkness where God was.” The Bible says in the first part of John 1:18, “No man hath seen God at any time...” But even though we have not seen Him, we can still know Him in a very true and spiritual way. We can know Him through His words, and we can know Him trough the Word: Jesus Christ. Even though there was a “thick darkness” where God was, God said to Moses n Exodus 20:22, “Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.” God has given to us His words, and His words reveal to us the truth about Him. Notice the rest of John 1:18, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”

The Bible says in Exodus 20:23-26, “Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold. An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.” It is interesting to notice that God told Moses and the people of Israel in verse 25 to build an alter with stones that had not been “hewn.” No tool could touch the stones to shape them in any way. Of course, this would be symbolic of the fact that no work would be done to the stones, just as no one can work to reach unto God. We need a sacrifice and we need the mercy of God, which is exactly what everyone finds in Christ Jesus., who comes to Jesus and says: “Nothing in my hand I bring, only to thy cross I cling.” These stones would have their natural shape. This would be in contrast to the idols of the nations around them that are shaped by man’s hands. The false religions of the world are based upon man’s works. True Christianity is based upon the work of Christ.

The Bible says in Exodus 21:1-6, “Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them. If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.” This passage of scripture definitely recognizes different stations in life and different positions. Every organization and every society is something like a pyramid with only a few positions at the top and many positions at the bottom. Not everyone can be at the top. It is that simple. Understand what position you are called to occupy, and go about fulfilling your responsibilities as unto the Lord. Of course, in a very real sense everyone is a servant. Find out whom you should be serving and serve them. There is a great nobility and a great spirituality to being a proper servant. Jesus said in Luke 22:24-27, “And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.”

Another important point to make about the passage in Exodus 21:1-6 is that this is definitely not a prescription for the acceptance of slavery. It is talking about someone becoming a servant for a wage for an agreed-to period of time, but never longer than 6 years. Compared to things that take place in our society, it is similar to an enlistment in the armed forces when a person gives up a certain amount of freedom for a pre-determined period of time and in effect signs a contract with the government agreeing to serve for a specific number of years. Of course, the New Testament is very precise in not allowing slavery. The New Testament is all about equality of worth and equality of acceptance. It says in Galatians 3:26-28, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”

The Bible says in Exodus 21:7-11, “And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her. And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters. If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish. And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money.” Notice how well women are taken care of. Verse seven speaks of a woman becoming a servant, and of course she would only be a servant for a maximum of 6 years based upon the previous requirement for servants. Also, it was forbidden to make a woman go out and do the same physical labor that young men would be required to do. There was an allowance for the gentler nature of women. Human nature being what it is, either the master or the master’s son might want to marry the woman who had become a servant in the household. Should she marry either the master or his son, even though she was once a servant, she would have all the rights of any other married woman. She was not to be treated as a piece of property. Once again, all of these teachings are a strong repudiation of slavery. It seems impossible to believe that anyone who called themselves “Christian” could have accepted slavery. And yet thousands upon thousands did. It is a good example of the fact that some false teachings have always been a part of “organized” Christianity since the first century. The “last days” started in the first century. False teachings are one of the predominant characteristics of the last days. Be careful whom you listen to. Be careful whom and what you accept. It is written in Romans 16:17-18, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” It is also written in Second Timothy 3:1-5, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” Jesus said in Matthew 7:15, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Speaking of the age in which we live, Jesus said in Matthew 24:9-12, “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” If you do not study the Word of God for yourself seeking understanding from God, you will fall prey to those who will interpret the Bible for you; and that is exactly how false teachings will slip into the body of doctrines and ideas that you accept. Beware, or you will accept their false ideas without even knowing what is happening.

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