After giving the nation of Israel the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20), the Lord gave them the civic law (Exodus 21-23).

The first law abolished the practice of slavery and substituted it with a six year labor contract (Exodus 21:3; Deuteronomy 15:12-15). No man was to ever hold another man or woman as his lifelong 'property'. Laborers were to be treated with respect. On the seventh year the contracted servant would have fulfilled all of his or her obligations and would be permitted to go free. If the released servant chose to enter a lifelong service of his or her Master, they could do so. (See Exodus 21:5-6; Deuteronomy 15:16-18). This was to be a voluntary act. Never were they to offer themselves on the basis of coercion, fear or guilt. This would be the highest exercise of freedom: a choice to serve, motivated by love. It is a supernatural choice that requires the grace of God's life and power.

The picture of the servant who makes this voluntary and sacrificial choice reminds us of the Apostle Paul's words to the church at Galatia: "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love." (Galatians 5:13).

The choice of the 'Love-Servant' in Exodus 21 and Deuteronomy 15 gives us a prophetic picture of the Messiah who would be called 'The Servant' (Isaiah 42:1; Zechariah 3:8; Isaiah 52:13; Isaiah 53:11). The passage tells us that the Hebrew slave was to fulfill his obligations to the law by serving his master for six years. The number six is representative of our humanity (created on the sixth day, six were to be the days of his labor, Jesus died on sixth day, hanging on the cross for six hours; man's number is defined in Revelation 13:18). Jesus was born under the law (Galatians 4:4) to magnify, honor and fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17). He satisfied every moral obligation of the law. No other human being could ever say that they "loved God with all their heart, with all their soul and with all their strength, and love their neighbor as themselves." Jesus alone could dare his contemporaries with the charge: "Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?" (John 8:46 NIV).

God demonstrated that Jesus had fulfilled his service to the obligations of the law when He was transfigured on the Mount. The witnesses of the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah) were there. God's moral nature was perfectly reflected in Jesus. In Exodus 33:22-23 Moses could only see the back of God's glory. This time He would behold God's glory in the face of Jesus Christ - full of grace and truth (John 1:14; 2 Corinthians 4:6). "After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light." (Matthew 17:1-2). Jesus stood clothed with the shining righteousness. Having fulfilled the law, He, as man, was now qualified for eternal life. God's name had been glorified. He could go free. He could go away alone. But Jesus had come for another purpose; another hour.

Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds....." Father, glorify your name! Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again." (John 12:23-24, 28). God's righteousness was manifestly glorified in Jesus' humanity as a 'single seed.' But Jesus made a supernatural choice. Because He loved His master (His father), His bride (now estranged Israel-Isaiah 54:4-8) and His potential children (Hebrews 2:15) who would be born of the Spirit through faith, Jesus went the extra mile. He had fulfilled the law in his own right and been glorified in his personal humanity on the Mount of Transfiguration. Now He would fulfill it once again and be glorified as the "Son of Man" (the representative man) by taking the penalty incurred by our sins. He would allow Himself to be pierced and crucified. He chose to be nailed to the cross out of His love for the Father and His household even as the bondservant was pierced at the door. He chose to bring many sons into glory rather than just Himself (Hebrews 2:10).

Jesus, out of love for the Father and us, chose to die to Himself and become an eternal servant. He gave Himself in service to the Father, to fall into the ground as a substitutionary sacrifice. The life of the righteous seed can now be reproduced in any seeds as Christ is born in us. He rises again to live perpetually as a servant. This is how He will be recognized: As the One who was pierced (Psalm 40:6; Psalm 22:16; John 19:34; Zechariah 12:10; Luke 24:30-31.40). As the One who serves (Luke 12:37; 22:27).

What choices are you making today? Are they choices to love? To serve?

Because He first loved us,