Is The Scripture Law?

Chapter 6

Day 1

  There are many books in the bible that contain laws. What we are looking at in this lesson is motivation, not inspiration. We are going to go back to the beginning and look at Moses. Perhaps if you realize the motivation and determination of Moses, you will be able to look at the other writers of laws in the bible and do the same for them.

The book of Genesis is a historical book as is Exodus except for one chapter. In the twentieth chapter of Exodus we find the Ten Commandments. Although these Commandments were not really law because there were not punishments connected to them, they were the first guidelines God gave the Children of Israel to live by. What prompted God to give the commandments at this time?

It had been over 500 years since God made the promise to Abraham (Genesis 12). When God told Moses to lead the Children of Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 3,4,5) there is no mention of Moses being a judge over the people. Yet in Exodus 18 we see that Moses had in fact taken on the responsibility of judge. It was after Moses followed the advice of his father-in-law Jethro and went to God with these problems among the people that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. These commandments set down guidelines that made they judging of the people easier for Moses.

God saw three attributes in Moses that convinced Him Moses should write the books of the law. These three things demonstrated Moses’ ability to govern the people with both the gentleness and authority of God.

Moses Loved God. Although Moses hade been raised by the Egyptians (Exodus 1), Moses had freely conversed with the Israelites and had heard about God. When in Exodus 2, Moses was forced to flee Egypt and go to Midi an he met the priest Jethro who became his father-in-law. From him Moses learned to both fear and love God.

Moses Loved God’s People. Although Moses felt he was unworthy he agreed to lead the people from Egypt. Because of their constant complaining and whining it took Moses a while to get to know the Israelites and learn to love them. Perhaps his love for these people inspired more confidence in Moses. But God saw Moses’ love for His people.

Moses’ Dedication To Both God And The Israelites. By showing the initiative of appointing himself judge of the people, Moses demonstrated his dedication to them. Because Moses was using what he had learned from Jethro about God to do the judging, Moses demonstrated his dedication to God. These were God’s people and deserved to know God and His will toward them.

I’m sure you can see from the story of Moses just how and why God chose each of the writers of the laws contained in the bible. These laws were used not only to judge the people of Israel, but also to establish them as a nation in accordance with God’s promise to Abraham. This was God’s nation and God’s chosen people. Only the best of the best, as we would state it today, were allowed to reign over them. God wanted to make sure these people had the opportunity to become a great nation and worship Him as He had promised.

Remember what we said a promise was. God had made the promise to Abraham and had to live up to that promise.

Daily Bible Readings:

As much as I would like to tell you to read the entire book of Exodus, I won’t. But I do suggest that at some time in the future you read it.

Read Exodus 20.