IX. STRANGERS, WIDOWS, ORPHANS,
AND THE POOR SIGNIFYING FALLEN MAN
BECOMING A STRANGER TO GOD’S BLESSING,
A WIDOW WITHOUT CHRIST AS THE HUSBAND,
AN ORPHAN WITHOUT GOD AS THE FATHER,
AND THE POOR DEPRIVED OF THE RICHES OF GOD

The ordinance concerning strangers, widows, orphans, and the poor signify that fallen man has become a stranger to God’s blessing, a widow without Christ as the husband, an orphan without God as the Father, and the poor deprived of the riches of God (22:21-27; 23:9). Ephesians 2:12 and 19 indicate that once we were strangers and foreigners. Were you not a stranger to God before you were saved? Were you not a widow and an orphan, and were you not also among the poor? This is the situation of the unsaved today. But God is a God who cares for strangers, widows, orphans, and the poor.

X. SUBMISSION TO GOD AND HIS AUTHORITY
SIGNIFYING THE SUBDUING OF THE REBELLIOUS
NATURE OF SATAN WITHIN MAN

The ordinance which requires submission to God and His authority signifies the subduing of the rebellious nature of Satan within man (22:28). Because we are rebellious, we need to be subdued, and we need to submit to God’s deputy authority. Rebellion is an activity of Satan’s rebellious nature. This rebellious element within us must be subdued.

XI. BRINGING THE LOST CATTLE TO THE ENEMY
AND HELPING ONE WHO HATES US
WITH HIS BURDENED ANIMAL SIGNIFYING
CHRIST BRINGING THE LOST THINGS
OF LIFE (LIVESTOCK) TO FALLEN MAN
AND HELPING HIM IN RELEASING HIS BURDEN

The ordinances in 23:4 and 5 signify Christ bringing the lost things of life to fallen man and helping him in releasing his burden. These ordinances also signify that we should reconcile ourselves, by such a life of Christ, with our enemies and those who hate us. As sinners, we lost everything related to life. But Christ has come to restore to us all the lost things of life. He has also come to release us from our burden. Has Christ not done these things for you? Has He not restored to you the matters of life and released you from your heavy burden? Praise Him that He has done this for us!

These ordinances also signify that, by the life of Christ, we should be reconciled with our enemies and those who hate us. If an Israelite saw that an animal which belonged to a person who hated him was lying under its burden, he had to stop what he was doing and work with the enemy to release the animal from its burden. Suppose today you saw an enemy of yours having car trouble. Would you be willing to stop your car and help him? In principle, Christ has done this for us. Now we should do the same for others by His life.