Day 1227: If they cry to Me - Exodus 22 vs 21 - 24

21 You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. 22 You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child.

23-24 If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless. Exodus 22:21-24 English Standard Version

The Israelites were called out of Egypt specifically to worship and serve the true God in ways that He would teach them. He had already shown them His absolute power over the false God's of Egypt through the plagues He had sent on the land, and now He gave them laws that would make them different from the nations around them. How would this apply to their treatment of sojourners, widows, and orphans. (vs 21-22)

A sojourner speaks of someone who is a temporary resident. He or she is a stranger to the natural inhabitants of a country and, as such, could easily be treated with suspicion and hostility. But God reminds them that they were to remember how they had been sojourners themselves, and had experienced His kindness. So in Deuteronomy 10:19 he says that He is a God who “loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.” And for this reason, they were now to love the sojourner too.

A 'sojourner' was not the same thing as the hordes of people currently flooding Europe and the the UK. These have no intention of remaining as ‘strangers’ in the land. They show no humility, and no gratitude for any kindness. This is unlike the spirit of Ruth who when going as a sojourner to Israel with Naomi, said: “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” She was willing to assimilate the culture of Naomi. But even if she did not convert, her spirit was far different to those now entering nations illegally.

Compassion was also to be shown to widows, and to children who had lost their father, (vs 22) Like the sojourner, they may have felt themselves to be vulnerable. Remember, this was a society where there were no pension schemes or Government benefits to be claimed, and no welfare societies dedicated to looking after them. Life could be very hard. Prophets like Isaiah would later challenge Israel on this matter and speak out against those who “deprived the poor of their rights and withheld justice from the oppressed of my people. They made widows their prey and robbed the fatherless.” (Isaiah 10:3) How serious was God about this matter? (vs 23-24)

Israel needed to keep in mind God's words in Deuteronomy 10:17 which said: “The Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow.” To forget that they were called to be merciful to widows and the fatherless child would lead to serious consequences for them, for God would surely hear their cry. These laws were given to Israel as a nation, and were meant to set them apart as light to the world. But how do they apply now to Christians?

It's interesting to read James’ words as he wrote to the early Church. He says “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1:27) Clearly, widows and orphans are still important to the Lord. The apostle Paul wrote: “If a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God. She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day. But she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.” (1 Timothy 5:4-6)

May God help us to be compassionate when it comes to sojourners, widows and the fatherless. Yet may He also give us discernment to recognise those who are truly in need, and not simply being self indulgent!