Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand

This quote from Exodus 21:24 is part of the legal code that was given to Moses. The legal code forms the basis of much of our justice system in the West. I am not saying our justice systems follow the Biblical codes exactly, but rather it gave a starting point to discuss civil law. Take this morning's verse for example, and it's relationship to the debate over capital punishment, a topic still hotly discussed. Without taking sides, it is noteworthy that within the code is the injunction to distinguish between what we call premeditated murder and manslaughter (21:14). In fact the code as way ahead of its time! Coming to the specifics of the subject at hand, some have called this barbaric. But as with all interpretations of document thousands of years old, we need to understand the context of the times. In particular, what was happening widely at the time (and even today) is escalation. In other words it was two eyes for one eye, and two teeth for one tooth!

I was saying last day, that the children of Israel had chosen rules over relationship, and if you are going to go with rules what is needed,  is justice. We may not like it, but eye for an eye is just. There are many things in the Old Testament that I do not like, neither do I understand. But I understand this, that God is a God of justice (Isaiah 30:18c), and I am not likely to fully understand until I see Him face to face. The children of Israel choose rules, but the Old Testament is full of invitations to come our of Law into relationship. The full text of the Isaiah reference reads “Yet the LORD longingly waits to be gracious to you; therefore He will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!”

Among other things, the cross shows two things, firstly that God is indeed a God of justice. Justice decrees that wrong doing and sin must be punished. The second thing  is that the cross show is mercy, for “The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6c). The Lord knew that there was little point in telling feuding cultures to love their enemies (Matthew 5:44). He had to tell us first that vengeance belongs to Him (Psalm 94:1), in order to get us to disengage. It was only after He had established the principle of Justice, and we had at some level grown up (see Galatians 3:23, 24), that He could reveal the above higher law to those to whom He is showing  mercy. He needed to wait so He could be gracious to us. He also waits today to be gracious. And we get to choose mercy or justice, rules or relationship. What have you, what will you, choose? 

Father justice is getting what we deserve, mercy is not getting what I deserve, and I choose mercy again this morning. Thank You Lord that You waited to be gracious to me.  Thank You that while I was still a sinner Christ died for me, the just for the unjust that I might be brought to God (Romans 5:8; 1 Peter 3:18). Thank You Lord that You are both just and merciful. I love You Lord in Jesus Name Amen