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Topic: Godliness Begets A Just Society
[DCLM Daily Manna 1 October 2019 Daily Devotional by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi]
Text: Exodus 21:26-36 (KJV)
26 And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake.
27 And if he smite out his manservant’s tooth, or his maidservant’s tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth’s sake.
28 If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit.
29 But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death.
30 If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him.
31 Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him.
32 If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
33 And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein;
34 The owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be his.
35 And if one man’s ox hurt another’s, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money of it; and the dead ox also they shall divide.
36 Or if it be known that the ox hath used to push in time past, and his owner hath not kept him in; he shall surely pay ox for ox; and the dead shall be his own.
Key Verse: “But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but he that killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death” (Exodus 21:29).
MESSAGE:
In the Christianity Today magazine of Oct 4, 1999 was a graphical illustration of the maxim that all that is needed for evil to succeed is for good people to do nothing; but when good people speak up, evil can be defeated. During the dark days of the Second World War, Bulgaria signed a pact with Germany to send some Jews to Germany’s concentration camps. It was at this point that Metropolitan Stefan, head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, stood up against this injustice. He convened a meeting of his church’s synod which unanimously condemned the order. Before a large crowd, Stefan strongly condemned the persecution of the Jews. So, because of this open denunciation, the Jews remained in Bulgaria. Lives were saved, all because people of good conscience refused to be silent in the face of evil.
Today’s passage advocates a fair and just society which is guided by the rule of law. Everyone is equal before the law and all forms of injustice receive appropriate compensation. Meanwhile, evil and oppression thrive in an unjust society where people in power or who are in control treat those who have no power unfairly and deprive them of basic rights or liberties. Our Society needs complete rebirth through repentance and faith in Christ for justice, equity and fairness to be enthroned.
Ensuring a just society begins with being just and fair ourselves. As Christians, we must treat everyone fairly, no matter who they are and their status in the society. We must also take all necessary precautions to ensure that we respect and preserve the sanctity of life, and others must not get hurt from negligence and carelessness.
Thought For The Day: A just society is a product of godly fear and true righteousness.
The Bible In One Year: Song 5–8
