What does "not please her master" reveal about human relationships and God's standards? Setting the scene Exodus 21:8: “If she is displeasing to her master who has selected her for himself, he must allow her to be redeemed; he has no right to sell her to foreigners, since he has broken faith with her.” A Hebrew father could sell a daughter as a household servant with the expectation she would become the master’s wife. God immediately steps in with protective limits the moment the plan breaks down—“if she is displeasing.” The heart behind the law • God addresses real‐life disappointments in relationships. • The law anticipates sin’s fallout—broken promises, shifting affections, power imbalances—and places guardrails around the vulnerable. • Redemption, not exploitation, is the first option offered: “he must allow her to be redeemed.” What “not please her master” says about fallen human hearts • Attraction and commitment can prove fragile. Feelings fade; promises can be broken. • People with power are tempted to discard those who fail to meet expectations. • Displeasure can lead to oppression unless restrained by righteous standards. What God’s standards demand • Faithfulness: “since he has broken faith with her.” God names the master’s coldness a breach of covenant. Compare Malachi 2:14, 15. • Dignity: the woman retains value though rejected. She may be “redeemed,” not sold “to foreigners.” • Justice: the master forfeits profit on the resale; sin is made costly for the offender. • Mercy: an open door for the woman’s restoration—echoing Leviticus 25:47-49 where kin may redeem relatives. Broader biblical echoes • Deuteronomy 24:1-4 guards deserted wives; both passages show God addressing male failure. • Matthew 19:8—Jesus says Moses permitted divorce “because of the hardness of your hearts,” yet God’s design is lifelong faithfulness. • Ephesians 5:25—husbands must love “as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her,” the opposite of abandoning one who no longer pleases. Gospel parallels • Christ, our Master, never casts off those who displease Him (John 6:37); instead He redeems at His own cost (1 Peter 1:18-19). • The rejected servant girl points ahead to believers: once without hope, now purchased and cherished (Hosea 2:19-20). Personal takeaways • Guard every commitment; feelings are no excuse for unfaithfulness. • Use power to protect, never to exploit. • When relationships sour, pursue redemption and restoration first. • Remember the Redeemer who secured our worth with His blood; extend that same steadfast love to others. |
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