Exodus 23a- Treatment of enemies and Equality Under the Law



Exodus 23:4 If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his donkey wandering around, thou will surely bring it back to him again. 

5 If thou see the donkey of him that hates thee fallen down under his burden, don't just walk by. Thou shall surely stop and help.


It doesn’t matter how you feel about the person, if you see them having trouble, help him.

Paul worded it in Philippians 2:3 "Don't do anything because of selfish ambition or vanity, but in humbleness of mind let each consider others as more important than themselves. 

4 Do look out just for yourselves, but also look out for others."

And Jesus said "Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets." Matthew 7:12 NLT

Proverbs 24:17 Do not celebrate when your enemy falls, and don't let your heart be glad when he stumbles,

Romans 12:19 Beloved, never take revenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 


This is because we don't really know what justice is. God does.

Romans 12:20-21 If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 

"Heap coals on his head" is not a bad thing. If your fire went out you would go to your neighbor and ask for coals to restart it, since they didn't have matches. These coals were carried home in special baskets carried on their heads. So, if you "heap coals on his head," you are warming his house.

Luke 6:27-28 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.

Matthew 5:38-39 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 

Luke 10:30-37 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 

31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 

32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 

33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.

34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.

35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’

36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”

37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”


Samaritans were enemies of the Jews. This one saw a human being in need and took care of him, knowing the victim would spit on him if he could.

Luke 6:27-28 But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.

Exodus 23:6 Thou shall not deny justice to the poor.

Deuteronomy 10:17 For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which does not favor people, nor takes a bribe.

18 He executes judgment for the fatherless and widow, and loves the pilgrims and immigrants, by giving them food and clothes.


Don’t testify in the benefit of the rich just because they are rich. Make sure the poor who can’t reward you get equal justice.

Proverbs 22:2 Rich and poor have this in common: The I AM made them all.

Romans 2:11 For God does not show favoritism.

Malachi 2:10 Don't we all have the same Father? Didn't the same God create us? Why do we 
act deceitfully and betray each other, destroying the bond of our ancestors by being unfaithful to one another? 

James 2:8-9 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor like you love yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

Acts 10:34-35 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism

35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears Him and does what is right.

Colossians 3:10-11 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all that matters, and He lives in all of us
.

James 2:1-4 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.

2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in.

3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,”

4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?


This is what our Declaration Of Independence was based on:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all (hu)men(s) are created equal."

Every human being is to be treated the same under the law no matter their social status, wealth, beauty, race, or religion.

This means that according to the Bible and the founding document of our country, congress and the welfare recipient are to be held to the same exact laws everyone else is held to. There should never be any law that favors one group over another for any reason.