The Law - Exodus 20

… The Book of Exodus, Chapter 21. Chapter 21 of Exodus. The last verses in verse... Chapter 20, verse 24. Chapter 20 of Exodus, verse 24. An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereof thy earth offerings, and thy piece of things, 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 step unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereof. Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before me. If thou find Hebrew servant, in 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 a married man, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master had married him a wife, and she had called him son or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her masters, 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 doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear through with an oar, and he shall serve him for ever. Now the New Testament, just about two verses in 1 Corinthians 11. 1 Corinthians 11, verse 23. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he drank it, and said, Take, eat, this is my body for you. For those of us who wonder the good hand of the blessed God have been able to gather together this week. We have traveled from by our pilots, I think that's the name, in Egypt, across the Red Sea, and then by way of Marlow, and Eden, to Rephidim, and then to the Raising Sermon, and across Jordan. Beloved saints of God, we have thoroughly, I trust, enjoyed this experimental journey that is set before us in the book of Exodus and Numbers. But I've passed over this chapter, this pearl, one might say this pearl of great price, this precious chapter concerning our Lord Jesus Christ, keeping this tidbit, so to speak, for our gathering together tonight. You'll look a long way, beloved saints of God, for the word of God to find anything sweeter than what is brought before us by the Spirit of God in these verses that we've read together. I began this tour with the altar. I'd like you to see, you probably have already, therefore I'd like to remind you that there are four suggestions here, or types of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. Three in the verses I've read to you, and one I didn't read. First of all, you notice is the altar of earth, then the altar of stone, and then the board here, and one I didn't read, the redemption is in verse eight. Four striking types, beloved saints of God, of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now I feel it imperative to draw your attention to verse 24 of chapter 20, and there to see that there's no if. When you come to the altar of stone, there's an if. As though it is left to the spiritual acumen of the saints of God. But when it's an altar of earth, there's no if. This is an imperative. This is the command from God himself. What God says to his people is this, an altar of earth thou shalt make, unto me. No ifs here, beloved. No ifs at all. This is God's command. Thou shalt do this. I say again, when you come down to the level, to the permanent altar of stone, which may suggest resurrection, then it seems to be left to the spiritual understanding. But here in the altar of earth, we are directed that this is something that's laid as an imperative upon all affections. Raising an altar of earth unto me. In the name of the Lord. There's nothing surprising in this, beloved saints of God. The words that are here, of course, as you know, is Adam. And it simply means this, that there is a recognition there that in no place at all up to now has there been anything satisfactorily provided for God. The altar of earth would take us back to the message man who came in and took up all the liabilities of the race, so to speak, and settled them to the satisfaction of the Lord and the blessing of the saints of God. So I just leave that first thought with you, beloved. Here is an imperative. This is a question of approach. I want you to notice this, of course. The altar suggests approach. Now the remarkable thing to notice about the end of this chapter is that the up till now, it's been an organ. You know, this is a great chapter. You see it up at the churches or what they call the altar in chapter 20 of Exodus. And yet the amazing thing, beloved, before the chapter closes, there's no longer a demand to do anything at all. But the God comes out in his marvelous grace and says give an approach to me on these terms. Does it indicate how very well our God knew exactly what would happen? Knew very well there would be none at all able, confident to keep the law that had just been given One might have thought he might say do this or that. Certainly would have expected him to say well build an altar and offer a sin offering or a trespass offering. But he doesn't. And this is striking. This is marvelous really. What he's saying to your afflictions and mine is this. Raise this altar of earth, that is the death of our Lord Jesus Christ who has gone into the whole question so to speak of the sin offering. And so I said to you and I might have thought he would say maybe the sacrifice of a sin offering and following immediately the law. He doesn't. He points out to your afflictions and mine beloved saints with God that what is in his mind all the time is this illustrious person, this impeccable Jesus, this precious Christ, the man who adorns the throne of the Father. This is always for him and always for us too. We saw last evening the lamentable condition in which the people of God found themselves when it says of them when they said Father we know this like her. Dreadful thing, especially in our day if a saint of God turns aside to what the world can provide whilst Christ isn't sufficient for him. Everything the beloved saints of God in our lives which in any way isn't satisfied on precious Christ and we're looking for something to stimulate the man whom God has finished with at the cross. I think we saw that clearly enough at the brazen supper. That which was unsuitable for the presence of God has been put away by the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that which is suitable that's been brought in. And I might say if I didn't say it last night the people who went across Jordan to the good land were the people who had looked and lived. That is they had a life so to speak from another and in this new kind of life they crossed Jordan to enjoy what God had for them over the water. But I suppose in the measure in which we enjoy being over Jordan in the measure at least in which our souls have been over the seas and if they fed at all they must feed on what the land produced. If you and I beloved saints of God are fed upon what this land produces if you're a faithful mind and we caught up in where the Christ of God is and you're feeding upon the old corn of the land well then you'll be in a position to appreciate what he means here when he says and I shall sacrifice it all thy birth offerings. And I could be saying you put me first not yourself first put me first. This is a wonderful exhortation and a very important one in these days when you might say in the terms of another scripture it's not to do with of course there is a going to and through to and through to and through in service of some description to satisfy I don't know what he says talk to me about this precious Christ this son of mine in whom I welcome. Talk to me about him first offer your burnt offering for my appreciation show at least that you are in some measure or another interested in what I'm interested in I'm interested in this son of mine and I want you to be interested in him he is the man who came down here to represent me and he went to the cross and walked into the father's house before the father. So the first thing then beloved although the law comes in that chapter an insistence that men should do certain things immediately God turns round and says make an altar of earth offer a burnt offering. Wonderful change round isn't it? Not a demand at all a gift so to speak because he says you notice a little law of God in all the places where I record I will come unto thee and bless thee you think of this doesn't sound much like legality does it? Doesn't sound very much like the tomes of Moses the great law giver no these are the words of the blessed gracious God I'll come he says wherever I put my name I'll come and I'll bless you wonderful promise beloved for your heart and mine to claim isn't it? I'll come he says and you'll find a blessing there. There's peace offerings of course all the day in other words of course there's thanksgiving offerings it's assumed beloved saints of God they're the hearts of the people of God treasure therein something of the preciousness of Christ so there's something within that turns them in thanksgiving to the blessing of God. I'm not aware of that the only way in which you and I approach to the blessing of God but now an if comes in if thou make me an awkward stone thou shalt not build it of hewn stone for if thy if thou lift up thy tool upon it thou hast polluted it very striking may I say beloved very strong the human mind is always ready to help arm the things of God not that God wants it God has set it aside and finished with it you remember Isaiah 50 all flesh is grass he finishes with the first man and he brings in another the second man all flesh is grass you can't lift up a tool a sharp tool of human ability upon an altar I've learned this simple lesson that the spirit of God is utterly sufficient for everything God will or may utterly and completely efficient and if you do presume to use some of your mental ability or agility or something else you will find that God here describes it as polluting his altar have you thought of this beloved now I know full well the possible motives one might say from their point of view dear men of old have done all sorts of things to try and hold the saints of God together and to keep the evil out of course they did from about the 23rd or 24th centuries at least men have tried to do this with the best intentions not that they've succeeded but they've tried here's a lesson for us beloved do you want to pollute the altar of God of course we don't want but there is something within us that will help to support or sustain the work of God the Holy Spirit either in worship or in service God doesn't want it beloved this is a lesson I believe we have to learn none of us here tonight will want to pollute the altar of God and the simple way to pollute it is to use the sharp instrument of human wit or ability well next that thy nakedness be not discovered in other words these human beings of which we have been speaking God says if you go up to my altar you just simply expose yourself expose yourself as being naked naked now shall they go up by steps unto my altar that thy nakedness be not discovered thereof this is Jehovah's judgment considered judgment upon human activities in divine things you're just exposing yourself to God I was in a Bible reading the other night down south and the question cropped up in the sight of God and angels or something God's exact quotation before angels when I said my dear fellow they're onlookers have you realized beloved saints of God that we have heavenly onlookers they're looking down here to see the mind of God being worked out according to heavenly divine ideas what a sight they must see as they look down upon the professing church how far astray it has gone from the word of God be it there they are onlookers let's keep in mind perhaps a little more that as we walk down here treading the paths that we trust are laid out the paths that the spirit of God has laid out for us we trust that we understand that we are being we are being watched so to speak there are heavenly onlookers who are looking for the display of the features of the precious Christ of God who has been received back into glory we want to push on chapter 21 marvellous presentation here beloved saints of God I wish I could do it justice you'll have to forgive me I simply can't your affections only will lay hold of this only as spirit taught when your heart be lifted up to that fearless man in glory of holding an all instant speech you'll never see anything like it anyway beloved saints of God I want to God that you and I tonight take it to heart that he gave himself for us he came in with his body and he wouldn't go out with his body we have to look at it because it wouldn't do to miss anything that the spirit of God brings before us in these very few verses that open chapter 21 be thou by and be gruesome it says he shall serve six years and he shall go free this was the law laid down by Jehovah for the well being of course I suppose of the servants those slaves who were compelled thus to serve but there's a term put to that sentence it was to be for six years only and on the seventh year beloved he was to go free I draw your attention to a passage in Luke's gospel where the Lord Jesus Christ is presented to us in a little rehearsal of kingdom law on the mountain I mean I draw your attention to the fact that after this display it says he came down he came down beloved saints of God this purest Jesus he served six years and he could have gone could have gone free but he didn't dwell upon his beloved saints tasted the sweetest spiritual morsel you've ever had in your life this purest precious impeccable Jesus didn't go back there are two ways you're going to heaven he could have gone from the mountain top alone or he could come down into the valley and take you and I with him now what do you think of this what a marvellous display of love and grace this is beloved saints of God in this saviour of yours and mine so six years six years he was served this was God's intention for his people six years only seventh year out you go free let us see how Jesus how this is treated by the Lord Jesus Christ in practice I mean in his pathway down here if he came in by himself actually in the margin of some Bibles it says if he came in with his body that's the Hebrew way of putting it if he came in by himself he shall go out by himself he had limited to do this beloved he couldn't go on up there was nothing whatsoever to keep that purest impeccable Christ out of heaven of course there was you and I know that nothing at all he dwelt in the bosom of the Father that was his home that was the place from which he came that was the place to which he was going back but he was not going back alone he was with his children blessed be his holy name so when the moment of release comes what does he say verse 4 if his master give him a wife and she hath borne him sons or daughters the wife and her children shall be her masters and he shall go out by himself what does he say the Hebrew servant say if the servant shall plainly say I love him mark you beloved saints of God that's why I read you from Corinthians he says if he says I love him did you read the language of love in 1 Corinthians 11 maybe just look at it 1 Corinthians 11 did you hear what he says when he hath given thanks he breaketh that's the rib and said take, eat this is my body for you you can leave out the little words which is broken because they shouldn't be there but this is my body for you you see you see the language of love here he is sharing his precious blood what he is doing first of all is to draw your attention to a person who loves eternally my body he says my body it's for you, for you I'm standing for you my body for you he says when you break bread tomorrow morning will this be in your mind beloved saints of God that it's his body for you it's a person that you come not for people but beloved saints of God we need to get beyond the work to the person who effected the work the purest son of God himself that's the person and he says my body the body he came into this world with you get it in Hebrews a body hast thou prepared me he came into this world with a body prepared for him and he says to his those who are surrounding him he says this I'm not going out free blessed be his holy name I'm not going out free I'm taking you with me marvellous love isn't it beloved where do you and I stand in response to love like this if the third shall claim to save thy love what a contrast to the previous chapter where it says thou shalt, thou shalt not thou shalt not, thou shalt not my word beloved saints of God this love is excessive this is all the abundance of love if the servant shall plainly say I love, love all I love my master well we understand that of course he ever dwelt in the bosom of the father he came down here as a humble obedient servant as you know and being a servant we were seeing last night I think it was he was driven by the spirit into the wilderness according to Mark's gospel yes he loved his master I love him love, obedience, dependence these features are seen in his precious pathway I love my master does it finish there no he says my wife my children I love my master I love my wife I love my children my wife my children the children that God has given to me I love them well we might say blessing God what's the result then what happens now you love the father you love the master of saints you love thy wife thy children what next I love God I love myself I wonder beloved saints of God if you and I had been and been in these circumstances and we had seen a Hebrew servant at the end of his time of service saying I love my master I love my wife I love my children that have been given to me I won't go out free well where's the token he goes to the door beloved saints of God if you and I could see had been there and could possibly have seen that pierced ear what a moment it would have made in your heart you would have said look at this my husband my father his ear is pierced can you see the wound in his ear a perpetual reminder of his words which were not mere words but what he put into practice and action his love I love he said I love, you think of this a divine person is saying to your affections and mine tonight I love, you get this tomorrow morning at break bread I wouldn't go out free instead I went into death I had an ear bored you see there altar of course speaks of death as you know two kinds of altar we've looked at there's another figure of the death of this precious Jesus he died in order that he shouldn't go back alone you see there we saw that at Rephidim he died in order to give us the spirit but we see here beloved he died in order that he should not go back alone that's enough for you think of that heavenly all the enticements of the place from which he came before him but no he turns his back on the door he said I'll have my ear bored they take him to the door and they pierce his ear with an awl and he is a servant forever do you see this beloved he is a servant forever perpetually never, never wonderful expression of love beloved which I can't explain to you one only decides the spirit of God would impress upon your affection something of the unique preciousness of this Christ to come then his master shall bring him under the judges there were witnesses to all this you see he shall also bring him to the door and under the door post and his master shall walk you notice in the 15th of Exodus how we saw Christ rejoicing in the effect of the great work that he had done worked out with God it's Moses I know said but it's Moses typically it's Christ typically singing a song of this redemption song a song of utter and complete victory and here not only has done all this but it says and he shall serve him forever why does the master pierce his ear beloved because he accepts the decision this is a wonderful thing God has accepted Christ's decision to stay here for you and for me so that not going out alone he comes back with his people you see that he appears God has given his approval of this servant of his you know in Isaiah 42 is it Jehovah says behold my servant can you wonder at this is it any marvel that he should draw attention to this fearless man and call him my servant but he does in Isaiah 42 says behold let us take account that he who sits here shall serve forever because he is here as a people any young brothers or sisters here or any students Bible students dear beloved late George Davidson said to me on many occasions in recent years he said you know Sidney there are no Bible students today and I said George I don't believe in the word of God and I'm guided by it that's the point that's the acid test not merely read it but I'm guided by it you think the word of God can't guide I wish you could listen to some of the stories I've heard of sinful people who have taken the word of God and read it together and they have discovered the Bible says this and we're not doing this do you read it as being God's authoritative word to your conscience do you read it as God's demand so to speak not that we speak of demands in the days of grace but God's request that here is his word and he's just asking you to do this or that or the other or do you say I could have my own way there's no harm in this or the frequent expression we find on the lips we are concerned at the moment with of course the only unique Lord Jesus Christ and we're talking about him in the capacity of eternal service or service past, present, future in the past he died on the cross in the past he served God down here as you know full well in the past you may remember the Lord he goes in the midst of his own and he says to them behold my hands behold my hands and my feet did you ever notice tender wonderful hands the hands of Jesus have you ever looked at the hands of Jesus see what they've done behold my hands and feet in John he says look at my hands inside the hands what do they mean what he's done the activity of Jehovah's servants think of those hands touching the needy restoring the evil and the dead bringing the bread to the thousands those hands beloved those tender hands those precious hands of Jesus ever once outstretched by wicked men and fixed to a cross those hands he draws attention to he draws attention to them tonight beloved to your affections and mine to the precious sight of or perhaps seen once more deeply than ever before something of the significance of the hands of the servant of Jehovah and then the feet did ever feet tread a path so unweariedly as his feet was there ever such an obedient dependent man you know the two carbon features of a perfect man are dependence and obedience he takes him through the gospels all those blessed feet where did they go beloved they went to Calvary for you and for me let's never forget this but they've gone further than that bless his holy name he's gone up he's gone up to the glory I draw your attention not to a man on the cross so much tonight I draw your attention to a man who is sitting so he served us in the past I restore and now the risen man he knows he was a risen man he'd been into death and he says handle me and see oh beloved saints have you ever handled this fearless Jesus handle me he says am I telling the truth he says handle me and see well then we have what he's doing now it's only just occurred to me the advocacy of Jesus you see this fearless Jesus this living Christ up there he's acting on your account and mine this very moment you understand this this man has said I will always serve you eternally I will be your servant that's what he's doing now he's serving us this very moment don't let us dwell always exclusively on what he did in the past don't get your mind involved in that we're prone to think a great deal of ourselves let's forget ourselves and think of him what he means to God what rights he has you know he has rights to go back and sing a song of triumph when he realizes what's been done but he's a servant and this first thing that comes before us is he's up there as an advocate and that means to say you are recognized as being in the family a son to the father not to God he's not advocating with God he's advocating with the father that's one of his precious services at this very moment there he is up there in glory his love for us is streaming down into your faces at this very moment and then he's concerned with the father he lives for us this is the father what do you and I know about this do we deserve it in any way there he is tonight on the throne of the father living for you as you sit there living for me as I stand here living in order to be our advocate because we need him there's only one of the many features that fills his time as we might say at the moment you can think of many others for instance John 13 what does it say there it says he took an anchor and he girded himself what would you say of a man who put an anchor around his waist and tied it up why you say he's not going to do something exactly, he girded himself and why did he gird himself love it is almost but don't want me to tell you but he girded himself because he wanted you you see then you couldn't enjoy his company which is another thing it is true but he wanted you to enjoy his company let's put it that way and he knows very well you can't enjoy his company while there's a little tiny bit of dirt on you somewhere and so he washes it off you see then you can't go into the holy of holies you can't go into the presence of the father carrying any of the filth of this world it has to be got rid of who does it and he kneels at thy feet do you think of that have you ever had your feet in the hands of the wounded hands of the precious Jesus the Christ of God what an experience beloved handle me and see you remember here's the exhortation handle me and see well so we might go on if you turn to Hebrews of course it's very easy you all know the order in which they come there's succor there, there's salvation there there's sympathy there there's salvation of the living Christ who is eternally the servant but is acting now now we've seen his service in the past touched a trifle on his service in the present but that's not all he comes forth it says in Matthew I think or is it still in Luke perhaps Luke 12 is it he comes forth and he says that he will serve them forever I don't like big kingdom truths but the principal thing beloved is the words of the Christ is he likely to break his word far be the thought of course he'll keep his word and you and I ordinary folk perhaps sitting and standing here tonight it's a marvel to your soul that this peerless impeccable Christ this son of God himself has decided eternally to serve people like you isn't that marvelous did you think so did your heart go out to this man as he sits there in the glory tonight he hasn't served you in the past but he's serving you in the present and he'll serve you forever he says so himself let's go a little step further beyond his being savior I don't know what to say about this he is a savior a precious savior a marvelous, wonderful savior one has no doubts at all about this but beloved you must begin to climb the ladder a little bit you can't stay all your life going round and round the brazen altar you know you've got to make some spiritual progress and you've got to go past the labor of course because you've got to have the guilt or the filth washed off but there's the only doorway so to speak the presence the august presence of divine presence and you welcome there are you a welcome guest to the house of the father my word, beloved saints of God you're as welcome there as I welcome you there be servants and now once the scripture I'd like to turn you to Ezra I don't think I read it just one verse in Ezra comes before me it's to do with the activities of the people of God if I can find it I'm not very good at finding this I may have to pass it by just draw your attention to it it's in Ezra 1 that I was looking for a verse in which it says they brought 5600 golden vegetables out of Babylon and you might say well what's that to do with this one it has less to do with it probably he is not only served in the way which we've already suggested serving us in the past we are under his hand he is the chief servant the supreme servant and he has the servants down here and in Ezra it tells us all they have been in Babylon so many years when the time come for them to get out and go back to the place where Jehovah had put his name they took 5600 vessels of gold and silver do you see that in spite of their being the opportunity come these vessels were taken back to sew in the temple I think indeed I needn't emphasise this but one can readily see that 5600 is a fixed number everyone taking account of it and may I suggest beloved saints of God I know it's a typical number but may I suggest that you and I are among the 5600 vessels expected to be back in Jerusalem and there serve this holy and blessed God do you see how important it is vessels of gold vessels of silver not just common any sort of vessels but vessels suitable for the service of God you remember Paul writing to Timothy he said that he desires that he might be a vessel under water meet, suitable for the master's use there's 5600 of them suitable for the master's use way over there in Jerusalem where did they come from well they certainly originated there Solomon perhaps had made them but they'd gone into idolatry but they were recovering Milder stayed beloved when recovery comes in and 5600 vessels go from this idolatrous region go back as suitable vessels to serve in the house of Jesus Christ so when we talk very feelingly of the service of our Lord Jesus Christ who came in with his body and would not go out with his body whose ear was pierced I was going to say I don't think I went on to finish it I was going to say to those who are students of the word of God here's a little thing for you if you like, look up in the dancers book as I call it the lexicon how it is related to our Lord Jesus Christ you don't see it, you will notice it in Psalm 40 and in Isaiah 50 and in Exodus 21 you find his ear mentioned in one case he says he opens my ear every morning what a kind of life is this why bloody this is a life of a golden or silver vessel made for the master's use this is a life of an obedient dependent man he opens my ear every morning and he sees us by the well site in Samaria because the father opened his ear that morning and told him and there he goes the obedient dependent man and what's the result a soul is secured as a worship to the father why had blessed men came to secure men for God we say men need God but beloved saints of God is equally true God must have men opened his ear early in the morning and sent him on his journey to secure a soul who would be a worshiper to the father isn't this wonderful and in his life in Isaiah you find the same thing in his life his death is mentioned that will be Psalm 40 linked with Hebrews his ear was pierced I think Hebrews changes the reading to Psalm 40 my memory is right but in Hebrews the Holy Spirit takes the theme up and talks about his body the same thing if you haven't got a body beloved you can't have an ear an ear to be pierced and so it means the same thing so I'm saying to the students of the world if you're looking for something to do you will find look up this term here and before you know where you are you'll fill your heart so that you'll bow in adoration and deep thanksgiving at his blessed feet and so under his eye under his guidance under his ministry because he's the ministry of the sanctuary you remember his service is not always your ward us ward there is a service of our ward his ministry of the sanctuary and there beloved you and I come into he is the chief a spirit born a note of praise raised saying here tomorrow morning at the supper it will be under the guidance and direction of the one who is the minister of the sanctuary the holy place it will be the moment of God the Holy Spirit God the Lord our Lord Jesus Christ not only serves us as we've seen I trust very vividly and beautifully in supreme control one might say over the exercises the affectionate exercises the spiritual exercises of the saints of God and we were trying to see only last evening how vital this is because if the exercises of the saints are not to be found in the assembly well then there's no vote for the Levites and there's no vote which perhaps I ought to have done it says there I think I'll quote it before I come down 1 Corinthians 11 again where it says he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh shall national judgment to himself this is the body not deserving the Lord's body not deserving the Lord's body see how imperative it is beloved saints of God this is my body for you and if we come together tomorrow morning to break bread in remembrance of this fearless Christ and we don't discern the body you see we won't know what really breaking bread means I just leave that with us I see the time is running …