Stand Up For the Weak and Helpless

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

 

 After the Lord gave Moses and the Israelites the Ten Commandments while on top of Mt. Sinai, the Lord then gave them rules, regulations, and procedures about other things, including laws about slaves, restitution, and laws about social justice.

 

Because the Israelites were strangers in the land of Egypt, the Lord wanted them to be reminded of how they were treated in that land. Thus, the Israelites were to treat foreigners better than how they were treated in Egypt. Therefore, the Israelites were not to make slaves of foreigners or seek to do evil against them on the basis of their race. The Israelites were also not to take advantage of widows or orphans. These people were not only to be treated with respect, but also to be cared for.

The Lord gives a strict warning, in verses 23-24, to those who abuse foreigners, widows, and orphans. When those who have been mistreated cry out to the Lord, as the Israelites had done in Egypt, the Lord will respond to their prayers with destructive punishment.

 

God is always on the side of those who are weak, helpless, and downtrodden. He sent His own Son into the world to save those who were weak and helpless in their own sinful condition. We should use this example to stand up for those who cannot defend themselves and have no voice in society. We should not mistreat someone on the basis of their race, but should strive to show the love of Christ to this person, who most likely has come from an idolatrous culture. We should not look down on the elderly, but should strive to minister to them and to help them in their everyday activities. We should not mock or frown upon those who have been born with mental or physical disabilities, but should strive to help them live functional, God-pleasing lives. We should strive to care for those children whose parents cannot, and should stand up for those unborn babies who are systematically murdered by abortion every day. If we do not stand up for the weak and helpless in our society, the wrath of God is upon us, and that is something that no one should desire.

Refusal to Obey the Lord Leads to Hideous Sin

 "If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”

Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?”

After Cain had offered an unpleasing sacrifice to the Lord, the Lord had warned Cain to bridle his anger. Like a lion stalks its prey, sin was waiting for the proper moment to ambush and pounce on Cain. The Lord had warned him to be vigilant and ready to reign over his emotions. 

Instead, Cain foolishly did not heed the Lord’s advice. He acted on his emotions and plotted a plan to get back at Abel (and the Lord). Cain lured his brother into the field where he knew that they would be alone. Then, he killed Abel. This pre-meditated murder was the first homicide in the history of mankind.

The Lord, being an omniscient and omnipresent God, knew exactly what Cain had done. He not only knew that Cain would commit this horrible crime against humanity, but in His sovereignty, He seemed to plan for this evil to occur. Therefore, His question to Cain was strictly rhetorical, and Cain responds in a spirit of sarcasm, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

The rest of the story is that the Lord cursed Cain and his descendants for these hideous sins. The Lord banished Cain from the land of his parents, making him wander the earth. He also made farming, something that came easy to Cain, difficult for him and his generations. From then on, Cain’s formerly successful farming methods would have no effect.

When we are confronted with our sin, let us not act in a spirit of sarcastic cynicism as Cain had done. Instead, let us come to the Lord with a heart full of repentance. If we confess our sins, the Lord has promised to forgive us (I John 1:9). Furthermore, let us prevent even more sin by taking the Lord’s advice and practicing self-control over our emotions.