The Law of God Miscellanies (1)

“Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!” Deuteronomy 5.29

“Whoever kills any man shall surely be put to death. Whoever kills an animal shall make it good, animal for animal. If a man causes disfigurement of his neighbor, as he has done, so shall it be done to him— fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he has caused disfigurement of a man, so shall it be done to him.” Leviticus 24.17-20

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” Ezekiel 36.26, 27

Reflect and discuss.
1.  How much do you know about the historical and cultural conditions in which the Law was given? How familiar are you with the nations that surrounded Israel in those days? What were they like? By what kind of laws were they governed?

2.  What does the condition of Israel’s heart in the Old Testament have to do with the apparent harshness of the Law of God?

Think about it.
Certain provisions commanded in God’s Law seem harsh and inhumane to the modern mind. 

But the modern mind is the beneficiary of two millennia of social development, much of which is the result (1) of principles based on God’s Law which have become embedded in the social order, and (2) the workings of grace and the Spirit of God through His ever-advancing Kingdom. The Law of God, in its original form, was given at a time when no such legal precedent or spiritual power existed.

The pagan peoples of Canaan were passionate and violent, with no or few written laws and a social order that was maintained by, among other things, continuous war, pillage, and idolatry involving fornication and human sacrifice. 

The people of Israel, at the time the Law was given, had no experience with freedom. They lacked the inward restraint of the Spirit of God, and they did not have it in their hearts to fear the Lord. Throughout their history, the people of Israel were prone to self-seeking of the vilest sort, and they were often swayed in their actions by the pagan peoples around them.

The Law was harsh in places, Jesus explained, because of the hardness of people’s hearts and the slippery slope of sin (Matt. 19.1-12; Mk. 10.1-12).

The Law served the people of Israel in a way similar to how martial law preserves social order during times when that order has been broken or violated or is in jeopardy. The harshness of the Law was only temporary; it pointed forward to the time when a greater order would be realized and the goodness inherent in the Law would flourish. It looked forward to the time when a Prophet from God would speak His Word with greater clarity and force than in the Law, and when His Spirit would dwell within His people to enable them to live according to His good and upright plan. Thereafter, God’s people would be able to understand the Law beyond the mere letter of the Law into the spirit of it, and to discern those best practices which issue in justice, defined as love for God and neighbor.

Meditate and discuss.
1.  In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul dealt with a situation which, under the Law of Israel, would have required the death penalty (cf. Deut. 22.30; 27.20; Lev. 20.11). But Paul insisted only that the church in Corinth remove the offender from their midst. Why? What had changed from the days of Moses to the days of Paul? How was Paul’s teaching in line with the spirit of the Law and not just the letter (2 Cor. 3.4-6)? What ultimately became of that man who was excommunicated (2 Cor. 2.3-9)? Did Paul and the Corinthians keep the Law? Explain.

2.  Look at Matthew 5.17-19 and Romans 3.21-31. How would you describe Jesus’ relationship to the Law and the Law’s role in the life of a believer?

3.  In our day, we may not need the Law in all its “martial law” aspects, but we need the Law nonetheless. What is the relationship between the indwelling Spirit of Christ and the Law of God?

“Whoever does not believe in Christ, of whom Moses wrote in the law, destroys the law. But whoever believes in Christ, of whom Moses wrote, confirms the law through faith, because he believes in Christ.” Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD)

Thank You, Lord, for Your holy and righteous and good Law (Rom. 7.12). Help me to…

Pray Psalm 19.7-11.
As you pray, put in your own words the various benefits of the Law mentioned in these verses.

Psalm 19.7-14 (St. Christopher: Beneath the Cross of Jesus)
The Law of God is perfect, His testimony sure; 
The simple man God’s wisdom learns, the soul receives its cure. 
God’s Word is right, and His command is pure, and truth imparts; 
He makes our eyes to understand; with joy He fills our hearts. 

The fear of God is cleansing, forever shall it last. 
His judgments all are true and just, by righteousness held fast. 
O seek them more than gold most fine, than honey find them sweet; 
Be warned by every word and line; be blessed with joy complete. 

Who, Lord, can know his errors? O keep sin far from me! 
Let evil rule not in my soul that I may blameless be. 
O let my thoughts, let all my words, before Your glorious sight 
Be pleasing to You, gracious Lord, acceptable and right!

T. M. Moore

For more insight to the Law of God and its role in the life of faith, order the book The Ground for Christian Ethics by clicking here. 

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006.