A number of the cases in Exodus 21-23 make for challenging reading because of the wide gulf separating 21st-century Western culture and Ancient Near Eastern culture. But the time we invest in studying them is worthwhile because this is precious revelation from God, showing God's thinking on moral and ethical issues.
The uniqueness and value of God's revelation are emphasized in Isaiah 48. There God calls upon his people to "hear" him---that is, to pay attention to what he is saying and give a faithful response. One reason that they should listen is that God is the Creator of the whole universe (vv 12-13). He knows things that are not available from any other source.
In particular, since God created the universe, he rules the universe. He knows in advance what will happen. Through the prophets, he revealed that he would send the Babylonians to punish the kingdom of Judah. Later he would bring down the Babylonians (Isaiah 47; 48:`14) through the Persians and their emperor Cyrus (Isa 44:28; 45:1).
In addition, God wants the best for his people. "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go," he states in Isaiah 48:17. That teaching includes the Decalogue of Exodus 20 and the "covenant code" of Exodus 21-23 .
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