SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (EX.22)
PROTECTION OF PROPERTY
"If someone steals an ox or sheep and then kills or sells it, the thief must pay back five oxen for each ox stolen, and four sheep for each sheep stolen. If a thief is caught in the act of breaking into a house and is struck and killed in the process, the person who killed the thief is not guilty of murder. But if it happens in daylight, the one who killed the thief is guilty of murder".
BECAUSE THE SITUATION CAN BE PROPERLY SEEN AND ASSESSED IN THE DAYTIME, HOWEVER THE DARKNESS CAUSES CONFUSION AT NIGHT.
"A thief who is caught must pay in full for everything he stole. If he cannot pay, he must be sold as a servant to pay for his theft. If someone steals an ox or a donkey or a sheep and it is found in the thief’s possession, then the thief must pay double the value of the stolen animal. If an animal is grazing in a field or vineyard and the owner lets it stray into someone else’s field to graze, then the animal’s owner must pay compensation from the best of his own grain or grapes. If you are burning thorn-bushes and the fire gets out of control and spreads into another person’s field, destroying the sheaves or the uncut grain or the whole crop, the one who started the fire must pay for the lost crop".
A THIEF MAY RECONSIDER HIS ACTIONS IF HE KNOWS THAT HE HAS TO SPEND THE BETTER PART OF HIS LIFE PAYING EVERYONE BACK WHAT HE STOLE FROM THEM EH?
"Suppose someone leaves money or goods with a neighbor for safekeeping, and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house. If the thief is caught, the compensation is double the value of what was stolen. But if the thief is not caught, the neighbor must appear before Me and I’ll determine if he stole the property.
Suppose there is a dispute between two people who both claim to own a particular ox, donkey, sheep, article of clothing, or any lost property. Both parties must come before Me, and the person who I say is guilty must pay double compensation to the other.
Now suppose someone leaves a donkey, ox, sheep, or any other animal with a neighbor for safekeeping, but it dies or is injured or is taken away, and no one sees what happened. The neighbor must then take an oath in My presence and if I confirm that the neighbor did not steal the property, the owner must accept the verdict, and no payment will be required. But if the animal was indeed stolen, the guilty person must pay compensation to the owner. If it was torn to pieces by a wild animal, the remains of the carcass must be shown as evidence, and no compensation will be required. If someone borrows an animal from a neighbor and it is injured or dies when the owner is absent, the person who borrowed it must pay full compensation. But if the owner was present, no compensation is required. And no compensation is required if the animal was rented, for this loss is covered by the rental fee".
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
"If a man seduces a maiden (virgin) who is not engaged to anyone and has sex with her, he must pay the customary bride price and marry her. But if her father refuses to let him marry her, the man must still pay him an amount equal to the bride price of a maiden.
You must not allow a sorceress (the practice of witchcraft) to live".
SORCERY IS INVOKING THE NAMES OF PAGAN DEITIES (UNCLEAN SPIRITS/DEMONS) TO DO YOUR BIDDING. THINK OF HARRY POTTER AND ALL OF HIS SPELLS AND LOOK AT OUR CULTURE TODAY (SO FASCINATED AND OBSESSED WITH MYSTICAL MAGIC AND POWER). YAHUSHA DECLARES THAT HE ALONE IS THE ONE AND ONLY TRUE LIVING ALAHIM, SO WHAT KIND OF INSULT IS MAGIC TO HIM? IN THOSE DAYS, SORCERY WAS QUITE COMMON AND PEOPLE WERE VERY ATTRACTED TO THE PERCEIVED POWER THAT A SORCERER COULD WIELD. YISHARAL WAS ONE OF THE ONLY NATIONS FAMOUS FOR NOT PRACTICING DIVINATION OR MAGIC.
"Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal must certainly be put to death. [There is a trial, and the stoning is carried out by all the men of the city. You are not to pass judgment without witnesses]".
THIS PRACTICE WAS COMMON BEHAVIOUR AMONG THE PERVERSE CANAANITES, SO MUCH SO THAT YAHUSHA FELT HE HAD TO BRING IT UP HERE, AND IT ALSO EXPLAINS WHY HE WANTED THE CANAANITES WIPED OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH.
"Anyone who sacrifices to any deity or mighty one other than Me must be destroyed".
HEART INTENTIONS OR LAME EXCUSES DON’T FLY WITH YAHUSHA. IF WE PARTAKE IN EVEN THE SMALLEST PART OF A FESTIVAL THAT HONORS A PAGAN DEITY, WE PARTAKE IN IT ALL. OUR BEHAVIOUR SHOULD BE SET-APART !!!
"And you must not be cruel, oppress or take advantage of foreigners and strangers in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt, so consider their situation".
REMEMBER SODOM & AMORAH WAS DESTROYED FOR THEIR CRUELTY TO FOREIGNERS (AMONG OTHER THINGS). HOSPITALITY AND KINDNESS IS A BIG DEAL TO YAHUSHA, CONSIDERING ALL THE NATIONS ARE WELCOME TO GRAFT IN AND JOIN THE COVENANT IF THEY FOLLOW HIS INSTRUCTIONS FOR LIFE.
"And you must not exploit a widow or an orphan. If you exploit them in any way and they cry out to Me, then I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will blaze against you, and I will kill you with the sword. Then your wives will be widows and your children orphans".
IT’S THE WIDOWS AND ORPHANS WHO ARE THE MOST POWERLESS IN SOCIETY AND YAHUSHA MAKES IT CLEAR THAT THERE WILL BE ‘HELL TO PAY’ IF WE ABUSE OR TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE HELPLESS WOMEN AND CHILDREN WHO ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE TO EXPLOIT.
"If you lend money to any of my people who are in need, do not charge interest as a money lender would. If you take your neighbor’s cloak as security for a loan, you must return it before sunset. This coat may be the only blanket your neighbor has. How can a person sleep without it? If you do not return it and your neighbor cries out to Me for help, then I will hear, for I am merciful".
WHILE A PERON SHOULD BE COMPASSIONATE AND HELPFUL TO A FOREIGNER IN NEED, YOUR `NEIGHBOUR’ IS ONLY SOMEONE FROM THE NATION OF YISHARAL. MERCY AND COMPASSION ARE AT THE VERY HEART OF YAHUSHA’S INSTRUCTIONS.
"You must not dishonor Me or tarnish My reputation by having bad behaviour, and don’t curse or attempt to cast an evil spell on any of your leaders. And don’t hold anything back when you give Me offerings from your crops and your wine. You must give me your firstborn sons, also the firstborn of your cattle, sheep, and goats".
YAHUSHA WASN’T PROMOTING CHILD-SACRIFICE AS THE PAGAN NATIONS DID. UNTIL HE MADE THE TRIBE OF LEVI THE OFFICIAL PRIESTHOOD THAT SERVICED THE SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS, IT WAS ALL THE FIRSTBORNS WHO WERE DEDICATED TO THIS TASK.
"But leave the newborn animal with its mother for seven days, then give it to me on the eighth day. And you must be set apart to Me. Therefore, do not eat any animal that has been torn up and killed by wild animals. Throw it to the dogs".
THEIR DIET WAS ANOTHER WAY YAHUSHA SET HIS PEOPLE APART FROM THE NATIONS. WE ARE NOT TO BEHAVE LIKE THE WORLD AROUND US, EVEN WITHOUT SAYING A WORD WE MUST BE SET-APART.
A CALL FOR JUSTICE
"Don’t be involved in cruel gossip or slandering of another and don’t cooperate with those who speak and behave this way EVEN IN OUR EVERYDAY WORDS AND BEHAVIOUR WE CAN HURT AND DO HARM TO OTHERS. Don’t follow the crowd to do the wrong thing. When you are called to speak about a dispute, do not be swayed by the crowd to twist the truth of what is right. And don’t treat a person’s strife lightly just because that person is poor. If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey that has run away, take it back to its owner right away. If you see that the donkey of someone who hates you has collapsed under its load, do not walk by, Instead stop and help.
Don’t deny justice to the poor and be sure that you never charge anyone falsely with evil. Never sentence an innocent or blameless person to death, for I don’t let anyone off the hook, declaring a guilty person to be innocent. And don’t take bribes, for a bribe makes you ignore the truth that’s right in front of you and forces an obedient person to live a lie. You mustn’t oppress or be harsh with foreigners either for you know only too well what it’s like to be a foreigner, for you yourselves were once strangers in the land of Egypt and treated horribly.
Plant and harvest your crops for six years, but let the land rest and lie uncultivated during the seventh year, then let the poor among you harvest whatever grows on its own. Leave the rest for wild animals to eat. The same applies to your vineyards and olive groves.
You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but on the seventh day you must stop working. This gives your ox and your donkey a chance to rest. It also allows your servants and the foreigners living among you to be refreshed. Pay close attention to all of My Instructions. Do not call on the names of any other deities or mighty ones, infact don’t even speak their names.
