Exodus 23:10-13 – Showing mercy in life

The fourth commandment given by God is a call to guard the Sabbath and to keep it holy. The Book of the Covenant in Exodus 23:10-12 expanded on this commandment. More than just about rest and worship, it is a call to show mercy. In verses 10-11, God began by describing the Sabbath year. The Lord stipulated it, saying, “You shall sow your land for six years and gather in its yield, but on the seventh year, you shall let it rest and lie fallow so that the needy of your people may eat, and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.” It meant that when they entered the promised land, every seventh year the ground should be left untilled and unharvested. This practice allowed the land to rest and rejuvenate itself. More than that, this regulation gave an opportunity for the people and animals who depended on the land for food to freely feed on what the land produced that year. This was God’s way of providing for the poor, to collect whatever they needed from the field.  

Exodus 23:12, like the Sabbath year, had the intention to bless the poor and hungry. This regulation allowed an owner’s animals and slaves who were made to toil for six days to be given a day of rest. Both animals and workers must be given Sabbath rest to be refreshed. What can we do practically? On the Sabbath day, we should learn to live in a less elaborate way. Here is one example. On that day, after returning from worship service in the church, we may deliberately allow the people who prepare our meals to cook a simple meal. This will give them the opportunity to cease from needless labour which will deprive them of their needed rest.  

The Book of the Covenant deals with many issues. It was given to regulate their lifestyle. Almost all aspects of life would be regulated whether it be work, slaves, money, land, property, poverty, injury, compensation, justice and even sex and pure living. To top it all, God gave this instruction that they should be obeyed. His people were asked to be careful to do everything they were told to do. God here was demanding our total obedience. Anything less than a hundred percent commitment to what He had stipulated would not do. Being the Sovereign Lord, He would not share His control with any other gods. And His people must not rely and call upon any and every false god. We only have one life to live, and we must live it to glorify that One true and Sovereign God. We must resolve to obey God perfectly. No one has the right to choose to obey some and not to obey others. Let us depend on the Holy Spirit, whom God had sent alongside us, to guide us to act and live simply for Him. In so doing, God not only instructs us on how we must live, but He also enables us to live what He had instructed. So, we do it joyfully for His glory, so as to live for the praise of His glory forever!