Mar 15, 2026

OBEDIENCE AS A MATTER OF WORSHIP

Passage: Exodus 20:22-21:11

Key verse: 20:23

NIV

chapter 20

22. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites this: ’You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven:

23. Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.

24. "’Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you.

25. If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it.

26. And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts may be exposed.’

chapter 21

1. "These are the laws you are to set before them:

2. "If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything.

3. If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him.

4. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.

5. "But if the servant declares, ’I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’

6. then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.

7. "If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as male servants do.

8. If she does not please the master who has selected her for himself, he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, because he has broken faith with her.

9. If he selects her for his son, he must grant her the rights of a daughter.

10. If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights.

11. If he does not provide her with these three things, she is to go free, without any payment of money.

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
After the Lord spoke to all the people, he then spoke directly to Moses. He first reinforced the prohibition of any kind of idol worship. The Israelites would worship the Lord only. They must worship in the way prescribed by God. Then they could live in God’s presence and receive his blessing. God is holy. Before God set forth his law to Moses and the people, he called them to worship the Lord only. Obedience to the law is actively worshipping God. Only those who worship God can obey his law acceptably.
The first laws that the Lord spoke to Moses dealt with the rights of slaves and women. Hebrew servants were to be set free after seven years unless they chose to remain. Women servants were similarly protected from the abuses common at that time. God gave rights to all people. Israel had been a slave nation; the God of Israel first revealed himself and his glory in his deep care for the least among them.

Prayer: Lord, teach me to practically obey and worship you. Thank you for revealing your unique glory in your word and your laws.

One Word: Obey God’s word and worship him

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