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Christian Talk 24.08.27

•• Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another.

~ Malachi 3:16 ••

I reach out to those who believe Biblical wisdom should once again greatly influence our society.

Perspective by Terry Haines

Plundering the Egyptians

The Egyptians were urgent with the people to send them out of the land [of slavery] in haste. For they said, “We shall all be dead.” So the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading bowls being bound up in their cloaks on their shoulders. The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked.

Thus they plundered the Egyptians.

~ Exodus 12:33-36


This story began in Exodus chapter three. Moses was told by God that when the conflict was finished between Israel and Egypt that the Egyptians would be willingly send them away from their slavery, giving them clothing and silver and gold. It would come along with a message, something like, "Please, please, please go away. We do not want the wrath of God to visit us again. We do not want another plague on our country." So as a small payment for the 400 years of slavery, God arranged for the Israelites to take with them some of the treasures of Egypt.


I personally use this concept almost every day. How I use it is to "plunder" the best character attributes of everyone I meet, even the people I consider my enemies. When I meet or interact with a person, I look for their most admirable personality traits, or even their skills. Then I attempt to copy those characteristics onto my own life.


Justice & Mercy, Joy & Terror

When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.

~ Proverbs 21:15


There are various groups around the country that protest with the words,

"No Justice, No Peace.

Know Justice, Know Peace."

I'll bet they don't really want what they're asking. The chant is a threat of violence. If we don't give them what they want, then we will not have peace. If they commit violence or vandalism then they should be prosecuted. That would be justice.


Mercy is making allowances for the conditions of the offense, or taking a chance on the future behavior of the person based on past behavior.


Look at the verse again. There are a type of people who should be terrorized all the time. That is the people who would steal and destroy our health and create destruction and disorder. I don't want terrorism in our country, but those who bring destruction to our society should be terrorized. They can choose to be terrorized or not by their chosen behavior.


Steal, Kill, and Destroy

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

~ John 10:10 [Jesus speaking about the devil]


Jesus speaks about abundant life that it available to anyone under any circumstances. It is spiritually given and intrinsic. But the message is also deeply personal and practical and instructive.


Here's what we can unravel from this single verse:

~ We are not to steal. But if we are able, as we try to prosper ourselves and we can try to prosper others. The economy is not a Zero-Sum situation, where for someone to win, another has to lose.

~ We are not to kill. But, to the extent that are able, we should bring health and life to ourselves and to others if they are willing. Some people are self-destructive, and from time to time, all of us are self-destructive. But we should try.

~ We are not to destroy or bring chaos. We are to bring decency and order.

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