This entry on the Laws of Moses is still covering Religious and Ceremonial Laws and includes letter "K" of my outline and letter "R", touching on topics such as "Rules for Priests", which includes discussions of HOLINESS, PRIORITIES, VIEWS OF WEALTH, and some bizarre insights into curing SKIN DISEASES. (Three days reading) My notes here continue to include many quotes or paraphrases of Dr. F. LaGard Smith’s narration. Having been a professor of Law at PepperdineUniversity for many years, he has especially interesting comments on the Mosaic Law.
ENTRY TWENTY-SIX -- FEBRUARY 24, 2008
26 -- THE LAWS OF MOSES -- Part Four
K. Rules for Priests
At the heart of the worship rituals is the office of priest. In order that the many sacrifices and offerings are holy unto God, the priests themselves must be holy.
There were rules regarding defilement for dead bodies, the holiness of the priests' appearance, the type of women they were allowed to marry, the behaviour of their children, and how to stay ceremonially clean. (See Lev 21, especially verse 8, which reads, “Consider them holy, because I the LORD am holy - I who make you holy.”).
The idea in all of this, of course, is HOLINESS; a complete separation from all that isn't sacred or clean. The cool thing for us as Christians in the 21st century is that we are all priests. See I Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul." Godexpects us to be separate and holy! We then have to ask ourselves, how different are we from the world around us? If someone put us on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict us?
L. The Sabbatical Year
In addition to the weekly Sabbath for rest and worship, there is also to be a rest for the land on each seventh year. See Lev 25 and Ex 23:10.
Modern day farmers often do this as it helps the land be more fertile. God cared about the land and he also cared about the poor, who would benefit from this law as well.
M. Year of Jubilee
Every 50 years there is to be a special year-long Jubilee, beginning on the Day of Atonement with the solemn blowing of trumpets, also known as the Shofar. I looked up Shofar in Wikipedia and got the following information:
The shofar is mentioned frequently in the HebrewBible, from Exodus to Zechariah, and throughout the Talmud andlater rabbinic literature. It was the voice of a shofar, "exceeding loud," issuing from the thick cloud on Mount Sinai that made all the Israelites tremble in awe (Exodus 19, 20).The shofar is prescribed for the announcement of the New Moon and solemn feasts (Num. x. 10; Ps. lxxxi. 4), as also for proclaiming the year of release, Jubilee (Lev. 25. 9). The first day of the seventh month (Tishri) is termed "a memorial of blowing" (Lev. 23. 24), or "a day of blowing" (Num. xxix. 1), the shofar; the modern use of the instrument survives especially in this connection. In earlier days it was employed also in other religious ceremonials, as processions (II Sam. 6. 15; I Chron. 15. 28), or in the orchestra as an accompaniment to the song of praise (Ps. 98. 6; comp. ib. xlvii. 5). More frequently it was used as the signal-horn of war, like the silver trumpets mentioned in Num. 10. 9 (see Josh. 6.4; Judges 3. 27; 7. 16, 20; I Sam. 8.3).
The year of Jubilee was to be a holy year, like the Sabbatical years, in which the land was to lie fallow. One of the most remarkable features of the Jubilee was the concept of redemption, in which inheritances were restored, slaves were set free, and property formerly sold could either be repurchased or automatically returned. It was both a nobly humanitarian provision and a foretaste of even greater spiritual redemption in the era of the Messiah.
Lev 25:13-24, which was written to help the poor, may have been the foundation for the concept of the 99-year lease (common in British Commonwealth countries). And if people worried that they wouldn't have enough to eat during the Sabbath & Jubilee Years, look at the promise God gave them in Lev 25:18, "Follow my decrees and be careful to obey my laws, and you will live safely in the land. 19 Then the land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill and live there in safety. 20 You may ask, ‘What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not plant or harvest our crops?’21 I will send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years. 22 While you plant during the eighth year, you will eat from the old crop and will continue to eat from it until the harvest of the ninth year comes in."
God also said, in Lev 25:23, "The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants." Thisis how God wants us to view money and property - knowing it ultimately belongs to him and we are the caretakers!
There are even laws on releasing slaves, because God cares about everyone! (Lev 25) I especially like the part in Lev 25:43 which says, “Because the Israelites are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt, they must not be sold as slaves. Do not rule over them ruthlessly, but fear your God.”
N. Purification
Partially for the purposes of maintaining proper health conditions, and partially for teaching proper personal conduct, but primarily for promoting the idea of holiness, the Laws of Moses designate certain types of ceremonial uncleanness. These various types of uncleanness are associated with diet, childbirth, bodily emissions and discharges, numerous diseases, and contact with the dead. In normal law codes the regulations would have most properly fit within a health and general welfare section. However, in a theocratic code such as this, there are religious and ceremonial aspects that more properly fit within this present section. Therefore a certain amount of overlapping must take place at this point. Regulations pertaining primarily to ceremonial purification for uncleanness will be listed here, while other related regulations will be presented in other sections.
1. After Childbirth
Each woman is required to purify her uncleanness after childbirth. This may be associated with the sin of Eve and its consequences of pain for all women giving birth. Or it may be that in order to bring a new child into the human family without sin, the “vessel” through which it comes must itself be made clean. Certainly there is no hint that either the child, or even the act of sexual intimacy between husband and wife which brought about the birth, is itself unclean. Lev 12:1-5 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Say to the Israelites: 'A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period. 3 On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. 4 Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over. 5 If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding." Whyseven days unclean and 33 days waiting period for a boy and 14/66 for a girl? We could get a bad attitude here (those of us who are female!) but we won't, since we trust God's heart. One possible explanation is that, as mentioned above, it is a legacy from Eve's sin in the third chapter of Genesis. Another possible explanation is that God was establishing some kind of pecking order, since men are supposed to be the heads of families, and it is all too easy for moms to usurp that role. Just guessing - sisters, we can ask God in heaven!
Lev 12:6-8 "'When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting a year -old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. 7 He shall offer them before the LORD to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood. These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl. 8 If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.'"
Mary, the mother of Jesus, did this in Luke 2:22-24, "When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons."
2 For Leprosy
The term “leprosy” is used generically to refer to any number of skin diseases, molds, or defects in people, garments, or even houses. While specific diagnosis and treatment is regulated in the health section, the various means of purifying the ceremonial uncleanness are now given. Bear with me as I ask you to read a very long passage, Lev 14:1-20, which will seem laborious at first, but I have a point! So I am trusting that you just read Lev 14:1-20É OK, before you fall off your chair with laughter, let's discuss some possible insights and comments from this bizarre passage!
Semitic men are generally hairy, thus all the shaving.
Reading this makes me grateful for the New Covenant!
I also think that as weird as this sounds, it's still easier than repentance, so I figure that there are people around today who would go through this bizarre ritual to be saved but wouldn't want to give up their sins or lifestyle.
As one who suffers from psoriasis, an obnoxious & uncomfortable skin condition, I know that if I could be cured miraculously, I'd be willing to go through a bizarre ritual to show my gratitude.
I'm saving the best for last - LOOK AT THE PARALLELS with New Testament BAPTISM!
one of two birds is killed and sheds his blood for the other, which is mixed with water, like Jesus shed his blood for us.
the second bird is dipped (baptized) into the blood & water. We are united with Jesus' death at baptism.
the infected person gets sprinkled with the blood (Hebrews 10:22 "Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water...")
the bird is set free, and flies away, covered with the blood. We rise to live a new life after baptism, free from sin, still covered with the blood of Christ.
the person healed has to bathe!
all the rest of the unusual ceremony reminds me that we are saved by grace through faith!
3 For Discharges
Bodily discharges and emissions are set forth as forms of uncleanness, even if they issue involuntarily. They may or may not have a direct relation to moral impurity, though many diseases are in fact the result of sin. Of more im portance is any perceived uncleanness and the need for purity of the body as well as of the soul. While specific regulations pertaining to various secretions are included in the health section, the methods of ceremonial cleansing which require action by a priest are set forth at this point. (Read Leviticus15:13-15 and 28-30 for the verses on this topic.)
4. Concerning Death
Death has almost universally been associated with sin, so it is no surprise to find regulations defining uncleanness and requirements for sacrifices when one has come into contact with the dead. Physical contact with the dead has great significance for a nation whose God is not merely a piece of stone or wood. Death must not be permitted to contaminate worship of a living God who has given life to all living things. See Numbers 19 for specifics on rules pertaining to coming into contact with a dead body.
O. Persons Excluded From the Congregation
Not only are individuals to keep themselves pure, but the whole congregation must also be without blemish. It is a chosen nation, a holy people. Therefore, certain persons are specifically excluded from the spiritual congregation, though they are apparently permitted to enjoy covenant relationship and to observe the Sabbaths in personal worship. Among the ones excluded are those whose genitals are mutilated (perhaps in response to pagan practices of self-mutilation), and the children of certain forbidden relationships, such as prostitution and incest. These seemingly harsh exclusions are undoubtedly aimed at denouncing and preventing the practices that caused them. See Deuteronomy 23 for the passage on this topic.
Interestingly Deut 23 says that no Moabites will be allowed in the assembly, nor even their descendants! However, God later showed both grace and a sense of humour when he allowed Ruth, a Moabitess, to be the grandmother of future King David! God seems to love to occasionally surprise us with his “exceptions”, which usually have a point. I assume that in Ruth's case, she was obviously more humble and God-seeking than most Hebrew women at that time (read the book of Ruth for the whole story - this will be discussed in future pages of this journal), so God turned the status quo on its head and gave her a place of honour in Jewish genealogy!
P. The Nazirite Vow
Just as there are individuals whom the congregation must set apart in a negative sense for the sake of maintaining purity, so there are those who have been set apart in a positive sense for work within the congregation. The priests are set apart by heredity, and the prophets are chosen directly by God. But there are also men and women who, for a given time, feel a special calling to be set apart or separated for particular spiritual enrichment. These individuals characteristically refrain from certain worldly pleasures and abase themselves with deprivation or service to others. Apparently it is already customary among the Israelites for a special vow to be taken when one wishes to begin such a period of separation, and the religious code now formally recognizes and regulates the practice. God instituted the Nazirite vow for people who wanted to devote some time exclusively to serving him. This vow could be taken for as little as 30 days or as long as a lifetime. It was voluntary, with one exception – parents could take the vow for their young children, making them Nazirites for life. The vow included three distinct restrictions: (1) He must abstain from wine and fermented drink; (2) the hair could not be cut, and the beard could not be shaved; (3) touching a dead body was prohibited. The purpose of the Nazirite vow was to raise up a group of leaders devoted completely to God. Samson (Judges 13:4-5), Samuel (I Samuel 1:11), and John the Baptist (Luke 1:15) were probably Nazirites for life.
Numbers 6 describes the requirements of the vow. Catholicism advocates doing a lesser version of this annually with its p ractice of lent. At different times in my Christian life, I've fasted from various food, drink & activities (watching Movies/TV, reading newspapers and magazines, eating desserts or meat, drinking wine, etc) in order to be more spiritual & less influenced by the world. I should probably do it more often! At present, because of the severity of my psoriasis, I am on a fast, for health reasons, but it definitely helps me to be less worldly!! I can't eat sugar or anything containing sugar, dairy products, wheat in any form, beef, pork, seafood, certain vegetables, and hot chili peppers!! The truth is, I take it as a positive discipline from God who loves me and isn't letting me kill myself with food. Amen for a loving Father.
Q. Vows of Dedication
Although one might never take a Nazirite vow of self -abasement, he might voluntarily dedicate himself or his possessions for the Lord's work as a means of helping to support the financial needs of the tabernacle. This is done through an act of redemption by placing a value upon the person or thing dedicated and giving the value as a donation. Leviticus 27 describes the rules which pertain to such vows and gifts (the value of persons, animals, houses and land), Deut 23:21-23 contains a warning about the importance of fulfilling vows made to God, and Numbers 30:1-16 tell possible reasons for renouncing a vow.
Deuteronomy 23:21-23 “When you make a vow to the LORD your God, be prompt in doing whatever you promised him. For the LORD your God demands that you promptly fulfill all your vows. Ifyou don't, you will be guilty of sin. 22 However, it is not a sin to refrain from making a vow. 23 But once you have voluntarily made a vow, be careful to do as you have said, for you have made a vow to the LORD your God.”
And then there is always the warning for those of us who tend to talk too much and/or be hasty with our vows, “And don't make rash promises to God, for he is in heaven and you are only here on earth, so let your words be few.” (Ecclesiastes 5:2 NLT).
R. Laws of Separation
In all things the Israelites are to be holy, pure, and set apart from the people and practices of the nations around them. To emphasize the idea of separateness, the Israelites are forbidden certain mixtures. In LaGard Smith's presentation of the Laws of Moses, he includes Lev 19:2 here, which I think is the theme of the whole of Leviticus - Leviticus 19:2 “Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.”
Following on from that verse are warnings against mixing different kinds of seeds, work animals, clothing materials and breeding different kinds of animals together. Of course, many of the commandments God gave the Israelites after they left Egypt were related to being separate. For us today, we are also supposed to focus on being separate from the world.
My next entry on the Laws of Moses will cover the second and third major sections of the outline called "Laws of Government" and “Laws of Special Crimes”.
This entry on the Laws of Moses covers the second and third major section in the outline called "Laws of Government" and “Laws of Special Crimes” and discusses topics such as LEADERSHIP and ANCIENT JUDICIAL SYSTEMS. (Two days reading) My notes here continue to include many quotes or paraphrases of Dr. F. LaGard Smith’s narration. Having been a professor of Law at PepperdineUniversity for many years, he has especially interesting comments on the Mosaic Law.
II. Laws of Government
Normally the most important laws of any nation are those which provide the base of government, upon which all other laws depend. In a theocracy, however, there is a minimum of legislative or administrative function. The ruler is God, and it is he who determines the nation's laws, as well as the people's direction - politically, militarily, and economically. (In theory, this is how the radicals in Afghanistan and the Middle East want the world to be now in the 21st century. Of course, then you get into the whole argument of who is God's messenger, should non-believers be made to follow it, etc… God brought Christianity to the world when the Romans controlled the land of Israel, and showed that a true relationship with him has nothing to do with land borders but with the heart. But I digress…)
For over four decades Moses has served as Israel's leader. Under the direct control of God himself, Moses has taught as a prophet, interceded as a priest, and legislated as a lawgiver. (Talk about wearing many different hats!) The high priests, Aaron and Eleazar, have shared Moses' responsibilities in leading the religious activities, which constitute such a vital part of the Israelites' daily life. In addition, a council of 70 elders has been appointed to assist in the administration of national affairs. And not to be forgotten is the continuing patriarchal leadership provided by the chiefs and leaders within each tribe (and the dads in each family!).
In light of such a structure, it is of great interest that God should anticipate the people's desire for a king in future years and actually provide certain guidelines at this early time.
A. Concerning a King
God is so amazing - he thinks of everything! Read through verse by verse...
Deut 17:14-20 v14 “When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, "Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us”
He knew they'd ask for a king!
v15 “be sure to appoint over you the king the LORD your God chooses. He must be from among your own brothers. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not a brother Israelite.”
God makes allowances for disobedience and helps with a "Plan B". In this case, it was anticipating the desire for a king and therefore giving specific rules about what said king should be like, even though them choosing to have a king was a rejection of Him as their king! (see 1 Sam 8).
v16 “The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them,for the LORD has told you, "You are not to go back that way again."
Perhaps all horses in those days came from Egypt. We can certainly understand why God wouldn't want them to go back there. However, there were other reasons for the horse warning, like worldliness, taking exorbitant amounts of money from people in taxes and relying on human strength and warfare rather than God.
v1 7 “He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.”
Notice how Solomon did the very opposite of the above - took foreign wives & lots of horses and gold! (See I Kings 4:26, 10:14-29, 11:1f).
18 “When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites.”
Imagine if you copied all of Moses' Law, from Genesis to Deuteronomy - now THAT would teach you the bible!
19 “It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God andfollow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees...”
David was such a king - he read and meditated on the Law (of Moses) day and night. He wrote, in Psalm 40:8 "I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."
And lastly, God wants the future king to
20 “not consider himself better than his brothers nor turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel."
God knows that people don't respect an arrogant ruler. Ps 131 is an example of David's humility: "1 My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; Ido not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. 2 But I have stilled and quieted my soul..." So is the story of how he wouldn't drink the water that his friends sacrificed to get for him (see 2 Sam 23:13-17) God also warned the future rulers of his people not go to the left or right when it came to obeying his words. For hundreds of years later after David in the time of the kings, whenever one of the kings lived an obedient life, God would say, "He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done."(2 Kings 18:3).
As some of us strive to be leaders among God's people today, let's remember to love God, follow his word, flee worldliness, and be humble servants!
B. Respect for Rulers
Whether it be a future king or a present leader at any lesser level, the people are to show proper respect for God's chosen representatives.
Exodus 22:28 "Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people."
Obviously this doesn't mean agreeing or following blindly when your leaders are in sin. However, it is godly to show respect to all in authority (Romans 13:1 "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.")
C.The Judicial System
A nation of laws must have courts, judges, and established rules of procedure. Moses had acted alone as a judge until the burden became too great for one man. At the suggestion of his father-in-law (Jethro in Ex 18), Moses made judges of men who were rulers over their tribes and families, and retained only the responsibility for deciding difficult cases. As the nation moved toward a more stabilized government, God provided for a more formal judicial structure.
1.Establishment of Courts
Read Deut 16:18 and 17:8-13 to see how God's design for the implementation of justice included many trappings of modern legal systems, such as the appointment of judges, a court of appeals, and even warned against contempt of court!
2.Fairness and Justice
I'm including all the verses given here because they are the foundation of what we view as "fairness" regarding bribes, partiality and the disadvantaged. What powerful and humane concepts in that day and age!
Exodus 23:8 "Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous."
Leviticus 19:15 "'Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly."
Deut 24:17-18 "Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. 18 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this."
Deut 16:19-20 "Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous. 20 Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the LORD your God is giving you."
3. Witnesses
The truthfulness of those who would testify against others is so central to honesty and justice that it is required as one of the Ten Commandments!
The 9th Commandment: Deut 5:20, "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor."
Deut 19:16-19 is just too good to miss. "If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse a man of a crime, 17 the two men involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time. 18 The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against his brother, 19 then do to him as he intended to do to his brother. You must purge the evil from among you. "Whoa! That's what happened to Haman, the bad guy in the book of Esther!
(Esther 7:9 Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, "A gallows seventy-five feet high stands by Haman 's house. He had it made for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king." The king said, "Hang him on it!" 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had preparedfor Mordecai. Then the king's fury subsided.")
(See Exodus 23 for more on this topic.)
4. Punishment
This section is taken from bits of Deut 21, 24 & 25 and deals with the ideas of taking personal responsibility, limited number of beatings, and burying hanged criminals.
III. Laws of Special Crimes
Crimes are normally defined as offenses against society (in contrast to civil wrongs, which affect only individuals). Crimes are typically punished by fines, imprisonment and even death, whereas civil wrongs are remedied by various forms of restitution – usually monetary. In the theocracy of Israel, there are many offenses punishable by death which do not fall within traditional crime categories, and offenses which fall within traditional crime categories which are not punishable by death. There is no punishment by imprisonment at all. Theft, for an example, is punished by a form of fine and restitution. (Therefore the special crimes category set forth below is arbitrarily based upon more traditional classifications of offenses.) To insure respect for human life, the most basic moral principle of life is given - The 6th Commandment: Deut 5:17 “You shall not murder."
A. Crimes Against the Person
1.Homicide
Numbers 35, Exodus 2 1-22, and Deuteronomy 19 described and mandated how to deal with different kinds of and situations for murder, such as premeditated, intentional, with only one witness, etc. God also taught the need for and rules governing cities of refuge. See Numbers 35:9-15 HOWEVER these were only for accidental death. For those proven guilty, there was no mercy! See Deut 19:11-13 "But if a man hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him, assaults and kills him, and then flees to one of these cities, 12 the elders of his town shall sendfor him, bring him backfrom the city, and hand him over to the avenger of blood to die. 13 Show him no pity. You must purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, so that it may go well with you."
2.Feticide
There was no abortion – but harming a pregnant woman who subsequently miscarried brought the death penalty. (Ex 21:23-25)
3.Kidnapping
Exodus 21:16 "Anyone who kidnaps another and either sells him or still has him when he is caught must be put to death."
4.Mayhem
Disfiguring or maiming another, slave or free, brought “eye for an eye” justice!
5.Rape
These verses are interesting -
Deut 22:25-29 "But if out in the country a man happens to meet a girl pledged to be married and rapes her, only the man who has done this shall die. 26 Do nothing to the girl; she has committed no sin deserving death. This case is like that of someone who attacks and murders his neighbor, 27 for the man found the girl out in the country, and though the betrothed girl screamed, there was no one to rescue her. 28 If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, 29 he shall pay the girl's father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the girl, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives."
6.Assault
Striking Parents
Exodus 21:15 "Anyone who attacks his father or his mother must be put to death." Exodus 21 & 25 also mention what happens in cases involving permanent injury, the beating of slaves and purposefully injuring a man's private parts in a fight!
B. Crimes Against Property
A person's property is also to be respected. Stealing was out rightly prohibited. Remember the 8th Commandment: "You shall not steal."Deut5:19
1.Theft of Personal Property
Theft of animals was especially considered serious because it took away people's livelihood (see Exodus 22).
2.Theft of Real Property
Moving boundary markers was cheating, lying and stealing another's land. It was an utterly unfair business practice.
Deut 19:14 "Do not move your neighbor's boundary stone set up by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess."
This applies to all sorts of business dealings today, and, along with the directive found in Leviticus to use honest scales and honest weights, is the backbone for fair business practices until today.
As mentioned earlier, there was no jail sentence. Criminals were either given the death penalty, had a body part cut off/out, or paid back for something with money. I suppose that the community was expected to take care of the “rehabilitation”. This kind of radical punishment worked when they were led by godly men but would have been open to extreme corruption once the leaders were cruel and driven by selfish ambition.
My next entry on the Laws of Moses will cover the fourth major section of the outline called "Personal Rights and Remedies”.
(One day’s reading) This entry on the Laws of Moses covers the fourth major section of the outline called "Personal Rights and Remedies” and addresses topics such as BROTHERLY LOVE, PURITY, and THE WAY WE VIEW MONEY. Don’t forget that my notes here include many quotes or paraphrases of Dr. F. LaGard Smith’s narration. Having been a professor of Law at PepperdineUniversity for many years, he has especially interesting comments on the Mosaic Law. Incidentally, the date for this entry in Dr. Smith’s bible is March 1, but we are in a leap year...just to make it confusing!
IV. Personal Rights and Remedies
Personal injuries, economic losses, and matters of inheritance are among the many matters of personal rights and responsibilities included in this section of various civil laws. Some regulations are merely directory in nature while others set forth specific remedies. These civil laws are designed to regulate daily activities in a fair manner for each citizen and to instill a sense of order throughout society.
A. Restitution for Loss
This section is mostly taken from Exodus 22 and discusses disputed lost property, what should happen when property is lost while keeping it for others, and the borrower's responsibility. These teachings raised the bar for fairness and challenged the young Israelites surrounded by sometimes lawless nations to rise above the norms morally.
Numbers 5:5-10 The LORD said to Moses, 6 "Say to the Israelites: 'When a man or woman wrongs another in any way and so is unfaithful to the LORD, that person is guilty 7 and must confess the sin he has committed. He must make full restitution for his wrong, add one fifth to it and give it all to the person he has wronged. 8 But if that person has no close relative to whom restitution can be made for the wrong, the restitution belongs to the LORD and must be given to the priest, along with the ram with which atonement is made for him. 9 All the sacred contributions the Israelites bring to a priest will belong to him. 10 Each man's sacred gifts are his own, but what he gives to the priest will belong to the priest.'"
WOW! This passage shows that God considers doing wrong to one's neighbour equal to being unfaithful to the LORD! No wonder Jesus included "Love your neighbour as yourself" in the Greatest Commandment! We sometimes think we can live our Christian life in a vacuum – that we can practice our religion between only us and God. Not only do the New Testament scriptures on the body of Christ nullify that idea, but I think God forces us to work together to make us more Christ-like! Also, the idea of restitution (give back what you owe plus a fifth) is a great idea. Zaccheus went beyond and gave back 4 times! (Luke 19:1 -10). Gary Chapman, the author of the Five Love Languages books, also wrote a book on resolving conflict, The Five Languages of Apology. Dr. Chapman surmises that the reason some people don’t forgive even when the offending party has already apologized is that the “offendee” doesn’t feel that the “offender” was sincere. One’s interpretation of another’s sincerity is linked to one’s favoured “language of apology”. Not surprisingly, one of the “languages” he mentions is “making restitution”. The others are saying sorry, asking for forgiveness, taking responsibility, and true repentance. If you find that someone is having a difficult time forgiving you for something, or if you are the one having a hard time forgiving someone else, please read this book, along with all the verses in the New Testament on forgiveness. It is a matter of life and death! (Matt 6:15 “But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”)
B.Seduction
In addition to the impropriety involved, there was an economic aspect to cases of seduction – a girl and her father had to be compensated financially for the loss of her virginity!
Exodus 22:16-17 "If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife. 17 If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins." No hanky-panky allowed - talk about a shotgun wedding! Too bad that after the sexual revolution of the 60's, most young people don't respect themselves enough to think this way. I was a teen in the late 70's and things were already quite messed up by then. After learning how to be a trainer for HOPE worldwide’s “Positive Choice”, I am of the conviction that all teens should have a chance to go through that programme.
C.Injuries and Damages
These are so practical and fun to read. Wouldn't the courts today have less business if everyone had this much common sense?!
Exodus 21:33-34 "If a man uncovers a pit or digs one and fails to cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34 the owner of the pit must pay for the loss; he must pay its owner, and the dead animal will be his."
Exodus 22:6 "If a fire breaks out and spreads into thorn bushes so that it burns shocks of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution."(The same goes if your animals ruin another man's crops Ex 22:5). Exodus 21:28 "If a bull gores a man or a woman to death, the bull must be stoned to death, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible."
Exodus 21:29-32 "If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up and it kills a man or woman, the bull must be stoned and the owner also must be put to death. 30 However, if payment is demanded of him, he may redeem his life by paying whatever is demanded. 31 This law also applies if the bull gores a son or daughter. 32 If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull must be stoned." MAKES SENSE!
Here's one that reminds me of the law in Australia that says you have to build a fence around your pool! Deut 22:8 When you build a new house, make a parapet around your roof so that you may not bring the guilt of bloodshed on your house if someone falls from the roof."
D.Masters and Servants
God allowed slavery as one of the necessary evils of the day, but he didn't allow for the mistreatment of slaves. The same went for contract manual laborers.
Deut 24:14-15 Do not take advantage of a hired man who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother Israelite or an alien living in one of your towns. 15 Pay him his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and is counting on it. Otherwise he may cry to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin."
Deut 23:15 addresses the issue of treating an escape slave well and not returning him (wow!) and Ex 21:1-11 discusses the issue of releasing slaves.
Deut 15:12-18 is awesome! Even in those days, God was teaching to do to others as you would have them do to you, at least in the context of a nomadic Semitic culture.
E.Credit, Interest, and Collateral
Deut 23:19-20 "Do not charge your brother interest, whether on money or food or anything else that may earn interest. 20 You may charge a foreigner interest, but not a brother Israelite, so that the LORD your God may bless you in everything you put your hand to in the land you are entering to possess." The Israelites kept this law so well that they not only became famous for NOT charging interest to each other, but they also became even more well-known in Europe for charging interest to foreigners, hence the caricature of the Jewish money-lender. (Shylock, from Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice", demanded a pound of flesh when the merchant defaulted on his debts!) Obviously, every race has shrewd bankers, so it is an unfair stereotype, but interesting, nonetheless, if one considers that the passage above gave birth to the whole idea. Ex 22:25-27 "If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like a moneylender; charge him no interest. 26 If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge, return it to him by sunset, 27 because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? When he cries out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate." Godprotects the poor and teaches compassion!
Deut 24:6 "Do not take a pair of millstones-not even the upper one-as security for a debt, because that would be taking a man's livelihood as security." God knows it's unreasonable to take away the very tools a man will use to repay his loan! Perhaps this is why bankrupts in America usually get to keep their work -related car.
Deut 24:10-11" When you make a loan of any kind to your neighbor, do not go into his house to get what he is offering as a pledge. 11 Stay outside and let the man to whom you are making the loan bring the pledge out to you." This is basic dignity and respect to all people, including those down on their luck.
Deut 15:1-11 is a long passage on cancelling debts and the community's obligation to the poor which contains an interesting paradox. In v 4, God says that there should be no poor among you, if only they'll obey his commands. However, in v11, God acknowledges that there will always be poor people (because we live in a fallen world where people don't always follow God's laws and where bad things happen, where people use bad judgment in decision making, etc) and we should therefore be generous to the poor. Read this beautiful passage for more insights!
F.Contracts and Agreements
This section is mostly concerned with the taking of vows, which must have been verbal rather than written. Lev 19:12 "'Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD." There's a long section in Num 30:1-16 which sheds light on how God expected husbands to lead their households spiritually.
G.Weights and Measures
As I mentioned earlier in the section on theft, the admonitions regarding weights and measures are foundational to Christian business practice. Leviticus 19:11 "Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another." Can't get much clearer than that!
Lev 19:35-37 "Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity. 36 Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out ofEgypt. 37 "'Keep all my decrees and all my laws andfollow them. Iam the LORD."
Why should we be honest in our business practices? Because God is God, that's why! Deut 25:13-16 has more to say about integrity in business and strong words for those who are dishonest! "God detests anyone who... deals dishonestly."WOW!
H. Inheritance
1.Right of Firstborn
As in many cultures, the first-born child received more. Deut 21:15-17 explains.
2.Levirate Marriage
A custom of the ages was incorporated into the Laws of Moses, presumably to preserve the right of inheritance and to prevent property improprieties. When a man dies childless, his brother was to take the widow as a wife and to father a child in his brother's name. That first child would receive the deceased brother's inheritance, while any other children of the union would inherit through their natural father. (The marriage itself receives its more modern name of “levirate” from the Latin word of a husband's brother.) An example of the custom being practiced even before the Law of Moses was given can be seen in the account of Tamar and Judah in Genesis 38.
3. The Case of Zelophehad's Daughters
In anticipation of the settlement of Canaan and the assignment of territory to each tribe and family, Moses is approached by the daughters of a man who had died without any sons to inherit a portion of the Promised Land. Concerned about loss of family possession, the daughters ask that land be assigned to the family through them. Moses agrees, but limits their marriages to men within the same tribe so that their inheritance will not be transferred to another tribe. Why a levirate marriage is not involved is not indicated – perhaps the man had no brothers. But the case does indicate something of the status of women in a predominately male-oriented society. Numbers 27 and 36 tell the whole story.
My next entry on the Laws of Moses will cover the fifth major section of the outline called “Marriage, Divorce, and Sexual Relations”. See ya tomorrow!
(One day of reading) This entry on the Laws of Moses will cover the fifth major section of the outline called “Marriage, Divorce, and Sexual Relations”. Don’t forget that my notes here include many quotes or paraphrases of Dr. F. LaGard Smith’s narration. Having been a professor of Law at PepperdineUniversity for many years, he has especially interesting comments on the Mosaic Law.
V. Marriage, Divorce, and Sexual Relations
A. Marriage
Modern notions of proper marriage relations do not necessarily reflect the custom and laws of the Israelites. Most noticeable is the tacitly permitted practice of polygamy in the ancient law. In centuries to come, most societies, both religious and secular, will generally disapprove of the practice. Nothing is said in the Laws of Moses regarding any prerequisites for marriage, or regarding any required formalities. The marriage relationship is assumed to be permanent in nature and necessary for the establishment of certain rights and for the legitimacy of sexual relations (and for having offspring from that union). Only the following special laws relating to marriage are given.
1.Marrying a Captive Woman
Deut20:10-18 and 21:10-14.
When I first read the passage in chapter 21, I asked myself, 'But I thought they weren't supposed to marry foreign women?' Then I re-read Deut 20:10-18 re marrying women captives from faraway lands, not the banned tribes who were next door neighbours, and I understood.
2.First Year of Marriage
Deut 24:5 "If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to the wife he has married."
This is so sweet and understanding of God, who obviously wants us to have great marriages!
3. If Virginity is Doubted
Deut 22:13-21 When you read this passage, you will shake in your boots, especially if your pre-Christian days were less than “pure”. THIS IS SCARY. It is very “old-fashioned” sounding to us modern day folk, but in a theocracy, everyone was expected to obey God’s laws. Notwithstanding the fact that the prescription sounds draconian and sexist, this is proof that premarital sin has always been looked at as going against God. I’ll say it again – for thousands of years, sex before marriage has been viewed as a sin! Any attempt to water this down just because our culture doesn’t uphold it now is wrong and should be preached against vehemently. This is one of the most major teachings that makes us different from the world. We are ridiculed and even hated for our stand as a church on pre-marital sex and pure dating, and I say, “Amen” to that!
B.Divorce
Although scholars have long debated whether the Laws of Moses permit divorce for seemingly any cause, unlike in other nations the Israelites are at least taught the seriousness and finality of a dissolved marriage. Later Scripture indicates that any ease of divorce under the Laws of Moses may be merely a concession on God's part at this time. Deut 24:1-4 discusses the finality of divorce.
C.Sexual Violations
1.Introduction
God wanted his people to stand in contrast with the Pagans!
Lev 18:1-5 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'I am the LORD your God. 3 You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. 4 You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the LORD your God. 5 Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD."
2.Adultery
At the heart of the marriage relationship is the idea of faithfulness to the vows of commitment. Faithfulness is important both in marriage and in the people's relationship with God. Their unfaithfulness to God is considered spiritual adultery. Breach of the marriage vow by sexual relations with a person other than one's spouse is so serious that it is prohibited by one of the Ten Commandments.
The 7th Commandment Deut 5:18 "You shall not commit adultery."
Leviticus 18:20 "Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor's wife and defile yourself with her."
Deut 22:22 "If a man is found sleeping with another man's wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel." The penalty is death!
Deut 22:23-24 "If a man happens to meet in a town a virgin pledged to be married and he sleeps with her, 24 you shall take both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death-the girl because she was in a town and did not scream for help, and the man because he violated another man's wife. You must purge the evil from among you." Even for people who are engaged!
3.Fornication
Sexual relations between unmarried persons will result in certain adverse consequences. As noted previously, the woman's lack of virginity at the time of marriage can result in serious punishment. (see Deut 22:13-21).
4.Prostitution
Prohibition of sexual relations given in exchange for money concerns not only the unapproved sexual activity itself, but also forbidden participation in pagan cult worship, in which prostitution by both men and women is commonplace.
Lev 19:29 "'Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness."
Deut 23:17-18 "No Israelite man or woman is to become a shrine prostitute. 18 You must not bring the earnings ofa female prostitute or of a male prostitute into the house of the LORD your God to pay any vow, because the LORD your God detests them both." These pagan cult prostitutes show up eventually in Israel & Judah under some of the wicked kings, like Manasseh. (See 2 Kings 23:7 which talks about Josiah destroying Manasseh’s "quarters of the male shrine prostitutes, which were in the temple of the LORD and where women did weaving for Asherah. ")
5.Incest
Sexual activity between blood relatives and other near relatives is prohibited. This is therefore the formal end of the early period during which extremely close relatives married each other, presumably for more rapid propagation of the human race.
Read Lev 18 and 20 for a thorough description of all different possible kinds of incest, all of which are forbidden and punishable by death, burning in the fire, or, at best, childlessness.
6.Violation of Uncleanness
Because a woman was considered ceremonially unclean during her menstrual period, sexual relations during that time are prohibited.
See Leviticus 18:19 & 20:18
7. Homosexual Practices
Homosexual conduct is prohibited.
Lev 18:22 "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable."
Lev 20:13 "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads." As with other sexual sins mentioned above, the penalty in the Hebrew theocracy for homosexual offenders was death. The injunction against homosexuality is repeated several times in the New Testament.
8.Bestiality
Lev 18:23 "Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion."
Lev 20:15-16 "If a man has sexual relations with an animal, he must be put to death, and you must kill the animal. 16 "'If a woman approaches an animal to have sexual relations with it, kill both the woman and the animal. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads."
This may sound bizarre (hopefully it does!), but apparently there were people tempted by such depravity in Moses’ day, and as the world gets more and more depraved in the 21st century, we must guard our hearts against all kinds of wickedness.
9.Conclusion
Obviously God feels very strongly about sexual immorality! He doesn't even want people to wear clothes of the opposite sex! See Deut 22:5 This section ends with a final general warning against sexual sins.
Lev 18:24-30 "Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that Iam going to drive out before you became defiled. 25 Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. 26 But you must keep my decrees and my laws. The native-born and the aliens living among you must not do any of these detestable things, 27 for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled. 28 And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you. 29 "'Everyone who does any of these detestable things-such persons must be cut off from their people. 30 Keep my requirements and do not follow any of the detestable customs that were practiced before you came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the LORD your God."
Tomorrow’s entry on the Laws of Moses will cover the sixth major section of the outline called “Health and Dietary Laws”.
This entry on the Laws of Moses covers one day of reading and is the sixth major section of the outline called “Health and Dietary Laws”.
VI. Health and Dietary Laws
A. Health Regulations
In the Laws of Moses, there is a close relationship between cleanliness and godliness. Persons suffering from various bodily discharges and other illnesses - especially involving skin blemishes - are considered ceremonially unclean as well. The religious and ceremonial laws noted earlier contain rites of purification for such persons. Regulations for diagnosis and treatment are set out separately in this section. Obviously, it's not the most stimulating reading in the Torah , so I'll only comment on what seems interesting to me at the moment.
1.Skin Conditions and Mold (Leviticus 13, 14)
Regarding the diagnosis and treatment of these communicable skin and mold conditions, I can't help feeling that the reason for the concern is corporate safety - you don't want leprosy spreading through your camp of more than a million people! We've all seen news footage of refugee camps in Africa during civil wars in the past decade, or Vietnamese boat people camps in Southeast Asia - the disease and hygiene issues are a nightmare! God knew that and planned ahead for his people! For leprosy, there was a 14 day quarantine for questionable cases.
There were other skin diseases or conditions besides leprosy; some were contagious and some weren't. All of these are discussed here, including my psoriasis, which is from the Greek word "psora" which means, "itch". This passage probably refers to other itching conditions as well, like scabies, since they thought it was contagious. Psoriasis isn't but it does runs in families (See Lev 13:29-37). They even had rules for baldness! God basically didn't want dangerous diseases spreading!
The same for mold. We in humid Singapore can surely appreciate this - I've had mold under the kitchen sink cabinet in almost every home I've lived in here, and whatever you put in that cabinet then smells of mold as well. I've even had books and leather bags ruined because of the spreading of mold in an old closet. The Hebrews were so determined to get rid of mold that if it reappeared after extreme measures were taken, they just pulled down the whole house! There's also a bird & blood cleansing ritual like the one mentioned in my previous entry on Religious Rules.
A final warning concerning skin diseases is issued in Deut 24:8 "In cases of leprous diseases be very careful to do exactly as the priests, who are Levites, instruct you. You must follow carefully what I have commanded them."
2.Discharges
There are rules regarding discharges from men and women that occur during the sexual act and as a result of the monthly cycle. I assume that the reason God wanted them to bathe after these normal occurrences was to keep people clean and bug-free! After all, they didn't have T.V., so for many married couples, their "discharges" would have occurred nightly. However, they would have to purposefully be self-controlled before days when they needed to be "ceremonially clean" in order to perform a religious act. That's why, when proscribing rules for certain big ceremonies, such as Passover, God would say that they had to abstain from sexual relations that week. (See Exodus 19:15 "Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations."
There were also other discharges, and, as these could possibly be related to contagious diseases, there was sometimes a need to isolate people outside the camp. These processes are described in Lev 15 & Num 5:1-4. I'll close this bit with the final verse of Leviticus 15.Lev 15:3 1 "You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean, so they will not die in their uncleanness for defiling my dwelling place, which is among them."
For our 21st century Christian application, we can certainly relate this to the idea of sin being contagious, which will be discussed more in the seventh chapter of Joshua with the story of Achan's sin.
B. Dietary Regulations
Dietary Regulations may reflect both health and religious concerns. Animals, fish, birds, insects, and creatures of the ground area divided into categories of “clean” and “unclean”, indicating whether or not it is acceptable for the Israelites to eat them. A creature may be “unclean” because it has unsanitary contact with that which is putrefied; because it is associated with objectionable living habits; because it is unhealthy for human consumption; or because it is a creature typically used in pagan worship. The eating of blood is particularly prohibited because blood represents all life, and because it is used to seek for atonement from sin.
1.Clean and Unclean Creatures
In Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, there are incredibly detailed instructions on which animals the Israelites could eat. Read these chapters for the minutiae. The idea of clean and unclean often relates to health & hygiene (it's proven that pork which hasn't been cooked properly contains worms), but it can also be just for the purposes of separation - God wanted his people to be different. We, too, are supposed to stand out, not so much because of our traditions, clothes or diet, but because of our lives. (See I Peter 2:11-12 "Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. "and Titus 2:7-8 "In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.")
I'll close this bit with a quote from Lev 20:25-26. "You must therefore make a distinction between clean and unclean animals and between unclean and clean birds. Do not defile yourselves by any animal or bird or anything that moves along the ground-those which I have set apart as unclean for you. 26 You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own."
2.Dead Animals
There are hygiene related rules for what to do with clean animals found dead or which were killed by other animals.
(See Lev 11:39, Deut 14:21, Lev 17:15 and Ex 22:31).
3. Blood & Fat, Meat & Milk
Leviticus 7 and 17 and Deut 12 all carry the prohibition against blood and fat, while Ex 23, 34 and Deut 14 give the strange injunction against eating a young goat cooked in its mother's milk. These verses were the foundation for the idea of the Jewish kosher diet, which excludes many foods and doesn't allow for meat & dairy to be consumed at the same meal. Modern Jews use different sets of crockery and cutlery for meat meals and dairy meals.
I'm not sure if God's concern was not eating dairy products with meat products, (another question we can ask God in heaven!), but modern food- combining proponents would agree that your food will digest more efficiently if you don't eat two kinds of protein at one meal.
Also, specifically concerning fat, perhaps God was preventing heart disease... Or this may have been a more religious injunction. Who knows? But no one could argue with the health and hygiene of it all.
My next entry on the Laws of Moses will cover the seventh, eighth and ninth major sections of the outline: "General Welfare Laws", "Rules for Warfare" and "Responsibilities Under the Law".
ENTRY THIRTY-ONE -- MARCH 3, 2008
31 -- THE LAWS OF MOSES -- Part Nine
This is my final entry for the Laws of Moses, (yea!) and covers the seventh, eighth and ninth major sections of the outline: "General Welfare Laws", "Rules for Warfare" and "Responsibilities Under the Law". (Two days’ reading)
VII. General Welfare Laws
One feature which sets the Law of Moses apart from the laws of non-theocratic nations is the attention given to protection of the weak, the poor and the stranger. For example, a common provision throughout the code is that, for the most part, each law is applicable to citizens and non-citizens alike. (There is in this a reminder that the Israelites themselves were once persecuted as foreigners in the land of Egypt.) In addition to the general principles of fairness and equal protection found throughout all the laws, there are various specific laws calling for acts of benevolence, special respect for particular persons, and care for human and animal life.
A. Requirements for Benevolence
1. Excess Crops Were To Be for the Poor
Lev 19:9-10 "'When you reap the harvest ofyour land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings ofyour harvest. 10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. Jam the LORD your God."
Deut 24 makes the same point, and emphasizes how doing this specifically helps the alien, the orphans & fatherless and the widows. See also the book of Ruth for an example of someone “gleaning”.
This was God's way of feeding the poor in an agrarian society - but what about in today's urban world? For more ideas on this topic, read Rich Christians Living in an Age of Hunger, which can be found in the Singapore church library.
2.The Recipients Are Not to Take Advantage
Deut 23:24-25 "If you enter your neighbor's vineyard, you may eat all the grapes you want, but do not put any in your basket. 25 If you enter your neighbor's grain field, you may pick kernels with your hands, but you must not put a sickle to his standing grain." The honour system was obviously at work here. Amazingly, it wasn't too many years ago that you could actually trust people to do such things! Community mores (unwritten rules) carried weight!
3.Maintaining the Poor
Lev 25:35-3 8 This passage simply says that if you fear God, you'll love your less fortunate neighbour as yourself and care for your fellow Israelite while he gets himself back on his feet. We ARE our brother's keeper. (This = helping them to buy food and clothing, not supporting them in a middle-class lifestyle.)
B. Duties of Respect and Support
1.Parents
At the heart of any society is the family, and at the heart of the family is the parent-child relationship. In order to insure both financial support and proper attitudes in this important family responsibility, children are commanded to honour their parents.
Parental honour was not optional. Deut 5:16 The 5th Commandment: "Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you." Lev 19:3 directs everyone to respect their parents and Lev 20:9 warns, "If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother, and his blood will be on his own head."
Deut 21:18-21 commands the Israelite community to stone to death any rebellious and disobedient son as a way of "purging the evil from among" them! This was a way of keeping order in the community. You can bet they didn't need juvenile detention centers.
2.Elderly
Lev 19:32 "Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. Iam the LORD." Showing disrespect for senior adults and the elderly is showing disrespect for God!
3. Widows & Orphans
Exodus 22:22-24 "Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. 23Ifyou do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. 24 My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless." Wow! What a threat! God cares for the underdog! It’s great to see the way HOPE worldwide helps to take care of orphans from around the world.
4. Strangers - Concern for Foreign Workers
Lev 19:33-34 "When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. 34 The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God."
Lev 24:22 "You are to have the same law for the alien and the native-born. I am the LORD your God. " This is relevant for those of us who live in countries where foreign workers are looked down upon and taken advantage of.
5.Handicapped
Lev 19:14 "Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. Iam the LORD."
For ideas on how you can help people in similar situations, talk to your local HOPE worldwide representatives, employees or volunteers about getting involved, or go to the HOPE worldwide website www.hopeww.org. Further reading can be found in the Singapore church library - The Discipline of Simplicity by Richard Foster and Hope for a Hurting World, a DPI book.
6.Neighbours
Lev 19:16 outlaws slander and endangering your neighbour's life and Deut 22:1-4 commands helping your neighbour when he needs assistance.
Lev 19:17 "Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt." Truelove wants the best for one's neighbour and also speaks the truth when necessary - I bet they helped each other when their kids were acting up! Lev 19:18 sums it up:
18 "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD."
To insure respect for all that belongs to one's neighbour, the last of the Ten Commandments prohibits even the kind of ATTITUDE which would lead to any wrongful acquisition from a neighbour. This is very forward thinking!
Deut 5:21 The 10th Commandment: "You shall not covet your neighbour's wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbour's house or land, his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour." Again, this helps you deal with your HEART! It's discipling the attitude.
C. Treatment of Animals
Deut 22:6-7 and 25:4 show compassion for animals.
VIII. Rules of Warfare
A. Preparation for Battles
According to Deut 20:1-9, the most important preparation was for the priest to ensure courage, banish fear, and help the troops to trust in God and be single minded. The bottom line – anyone who is distracted is not fit for battle!
B. Rules of Siege
The principles here are really remarkable because of the foresight involved. Read Deut 20:10-20 to be inspired with God's wisdom.
C. CampRegulations
God even gave advice about the toilet! Deut 23:9-14
IX. Responsibilities Under the Laws
A.Obedience Expected
Lev 22:31-33 1 "Keep my commands and follow them. I am the LORD. 32 Do not profane my holy name. I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites. I am the LORD, who makes you holy 33 and who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the LORD."
How do we acknowledge God as holy? By obeying his commands and following him with all our heart!
Deut 12:32 "See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it."
B.Duty to Promulgate (to make a new idea widely known)
Numbers 15:38-41 "Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. 39 You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. 40 Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God. 41 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the LORD your God."
Deut 31:10-13 Then Moses commanded them: "At the end of every seven years, in the year for canceling debts, during the Feast of Tabernacles, 11 when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this law before them in their hearing. 12 Assemble the people-men, women and children, and the aliens living in your towns-so they can listen and learn to fear the LORD your God and follow carefully all the words of this law. 13 Their children, who do not know this law, must hear it and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess."
God wants his people to obey him & love his word!
C. Blessings of Obedience and Punishment for Disobedience
Lev 26:3-13 tells of the great blessings that come with obedience. Verses 11-13 describe the "Divine Romance" that God desires to have with us: "I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. 12 I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people. 13 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high."
Inasmuch as great blessings come with obedience, so great disaster will come with disobedience.
Lev 26:14-39 tells of the terrible curses that will come down on us when we are unfaithful to God and don’t obey. You must read it to believe it!
WOW! v 18, 23 & 27 are especially scary cause they're about what God will do if we're STILL not broken! God, please humble me and spare me and my family from pride and stubbornness.
GOD IS ALWAYS FAITHFUL WHEN WE HUMBLE OURSELVES, NO MATTER HOW WE'VE BEEN! AMEN!
Lev 26:40-42 "'But if they will confess their sins and the sins of their fathers -their treachery against me and their hostility toward me, 41 which made me hostile toward them so that I sent them into the land of their enemies-then when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they pay for their sin, 42I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land."
E. Conclusion
Leviticus 26:46 "These are the decrees, the laws and the regulations that the LORD established on Mount Sinai between himself and the Israelites through Moses." (next entry on March 5)
This entry on the Laws of Moses is still covering Religious and Ceremonial Laws and 
