January 28th, 26: Exodus 21-22, Psalm 12; Acts 4: Daily Bible in a Year

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! In today’s episode, Hunter guides us through a thoughtful reading of Exodus 21-22, Psalm 12, and Acts 4. As we journey through some of the most challenging laws in Exodus, Hunter encourages us to see these ancient rules in their historical context and, even more importantly, in the context of our fallen humanity. We’re reminded that the Bible is not just about rules, but about the transforming love and freedom found in Jesus Christ.

We’ll witness the bold faith of Peter and John as they proclaim the life-changing power of Jesus, and explore how the early church began to embody a new kind of community—one marked by generosity, unity, and sharing. Hunter calls us to wake up to this new reality in Christ, turning from the lies that bind us and stepping fully into our identity as dearly loved children of God.

Alongside our time in Scripture, today’s episode offers heartfelt prayers, a spirit of gratitude, and a gentle reminder: you are loved. Join us as we establish life-giving rhythms in God’s Word and begin this day together with hope and purpose.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

It's hard to make sense of these laws in Exodus. They're hard on the ears. They're hard on our souls. These rules we hear dictating the treatment of slaves and women seem so cruel and barbaric. They're hard to hear.

In understanding them, it's important that we try to see them in their historical and cultural context. But maybe even more important is that we see them in the context of the fallen human heart. These hard and confusing laws that are being described here are a result of a fallen human heart living in a fallen world. And God in many respects is conceding to this state of affairs through giving us these laws, but only for a while. He will not tolerate this forever.

And we should not, as some Christians have in the past, interpret these scriptures in such a way that we say God is okay with slavery. To say that is to misread what the whole Bible is about. To say that is to misunderstand who Jesus himself is. He has come to set humanity free, to break the bonds of our slavery. God is not okay with slavery. Period. He's done something about this. He has given us himself, the promised Messiah that Peter so boldly proclaims in this chapter in Acts. Peter is living out of a new heart.

He's a part of a growing community—at this point, 5,000—who are waking up to a new reality in Christ. This new community we see in Acts is so different than the one that's being formed in Exodus. In this new community, God is no longer conceding to hard hearts. Instead, he has drawn them into his own heart, into his own life. And out of this place of wholeness and life in God, they are learning to walk in this new reality as the new people of God. Not living out of a place of dominance or superiority or fear or ownership of one another that we see all over in Exodus. Instead, we see a community that is self-giving, it's generous, compassionate, and loving.

In Exodus, we see only a shadow, glimpses of the heart of God in these laws that are described. But in Christ we see the very face of God—his unfiltered and perfect reflection of the nature and the character of God, fully seen, fully known. In the Son, you have been invited to wake up, to wake up to the new reality in Christ. Through him you have been enveloped into the triune life of God. You are free, you are holy, you are his and you are loved. This is what's true. This is what is ours.

Ours is to agree with God. To turn from the lies that keep us living like a slave and begin to live in the truth, in the light, as the daughter that you are, the son that you are. The prayer of my own heart is that today I'll be fully awake. That I'll live in this new reality that I've been swept up into. And that's a prayer that I have for my family, for my wife and my daughters and my son. And that's the prayer that I have for you.

May it be so.