Is the Bible a message from a God I can’t see?

Law ahead of its time Part 2

The Law

• Law of Moses = First 5 books of Bible– Genesis

– Exodus

– Leviticus

– Numbers

– Deuteronomy

• Known also as “The Law”

Law Ahead of Its Time

• Recommendations– Fruit and vegetables not restricted– Restrictions on fat, unsafe meat and

seafood

• Safe water supply

• Safe disposal of sewage

• Washing to avoid cross infection

• Isolation of infectious diseases

Bible was ahead of its time in community health

Rest of the world took 3,500 years to catch up Rest of the world took 3,500 years to catch up with the community health regulationswith the community health regulations

Introduction

Who first spoke these words:

• “love your neighbour as yourself”?

• It wasn’t Jesus!

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbour as yourself

Leviticus 19:18

First spoken by Moses more than 1400 First spoken by Moses more than 1400 years before Jesusyears before Jesus

Introduction

• Jesus regarded as advanced moral teacher

• Reminding about words in law of Moses

• Shows how advanced Law was

World would be much better place if this was followedWorld would be much better place if this was followed

Civil law ahead of its time

• Would reduce many modern problems

• Law of love– Tender, merciful laws

• Considering the age when they were writtenConsidering the age when they were written

• Nothing short of a miracle!Nothing short of a miracle!

Land and Wealth

a) Equal division of wealth

• Land was wealth

• Fair distribution of land

And you shall divide the land by lot as an inheritance among your families; to the larger you shall give a larger inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give a smaller inheritance.

Numbers 33 v 54

Land and Wealth

a) Equal division of wealth

• Families still became poor

• Borrow money or sell part of land

• In a poverty trap

Land and Wealth

a) Equal division of wealth

• Escape from poverty trap

• Jubilee every 50 years

• Prevented permanent loss of land

Large estates not allowed

In this Year of Jubilee, each of you shall return to his possession.

Leviticus 25 v 13

Land and Wealth

a) Equal division of wealth

• Money borrowing controlledAccording to the multitude of years you shall increase its price, and according to the fewer number of years you shall diminish its price; for he sells to you according to the number of the years of the crops.

Leviticus 25 v 16Large estates not allowed

Rest

b) A day of rest Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.

Exodus 20 v 9 and 10

Rest

b) A day of rest• Regular day of rest

beneficial• Helps people work

efficiently

Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.

Exodus 20 v 9 and 10

Crime & Punishment

c) Treatment of criminals

• Law unusual: – No prisons

– Criminals responsible for their actions

If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall restore five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep

Exodus 22 v 1

Crime & Punishment

c) Treatment of criminals

• Thief to recompense victim …if he has nothing, then

he shall be sold for his theft

Exodus 22 v 3

Thief to work as a servant to Thief to work as a servant to pay backpay backWiser than locking him up!Wiser than locking him up!

Considerationd) Consideration for others

…you shall love your neighbour as yourself

Leviticus 19 v 18

Other systems of law Other systems of law stop people harming stop people harming each othereach other

Consideration

d) Consideration for others

• Exodus 23 v 1 to 9

Consideration

d) Consideration for others Do not spread false reports. Do not help a wicked man by being a malicious witness

Exodus 23 v 1

Slander and perjury Slander and perjury forbiddenforbidden

Consideration

d) Consideration for others Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong

Exodus 23 v 2

Trouble often occurs Trouble often occurs when people gather in when people gather in gangsgangs

Mob violence would be Mob violence would be preventedprevented

Consideration

d) Consideration for others Do not show favouritism to a poor man in his lawsuit… Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits

Exodus 23 v 3 and 6

Everyone treated equallyEveryone treated equally

Modern laws often favour the rich who can Modern laws often favour the rich who can afford expensive “legal action”afford expensive “legal action”

Consideration

d) Consideration for others

If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to take it back to him. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help him with it

Exodus 23 v 4 and 5 People must help those People must help those they dislikedthey disliked

Consideration

d) Consideration for others Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous

Exodus 23 v 8

Bribery encourages Bribery encourages corruption - so forbiddencorruption - so forbidden

Consideration

d) Consideration for others Also you shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the heart of a stranger, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Exodus 23 v 9

Much trouble as a result of racial hatred Much trouble as a result of racial hatred

Hatred of people of other nations to stopHatred of people of other nations to stop

Common Objection

“An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, life for life”

• Wasn’t the Law of Moses brutal?

• Answer:– Think of the age when they lived– Punishment was limited - so far and no further– e.g. You couldn’t kill someone for blinding his

neighbour

Common Objection

Show no pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Deuteronomy 19:21

Look at the context

• Only example where pity was not to be shown

• To prevent false witnesses bringing evil against innocents

• In other circumstances mercy could be applied – if the injured wished it

Law kind & just compared to laws of Law kind & just compared to laws of neighboursneighbours

SummaryBible was ahead of its time in civil law

• Equal division of wealth• Extremes of poverty and wealth

prevented• Work restricted to 6 days a week• Criminals responsible for their deeds• Consideration to be shown for others• Deceit and lying forbidden• Mob violence prohibited• Equal justice for poor and rich• Bribery not permitted• Racial hatred not allowed

The Challenge• How did the Bible

writers produce such a remarkable civil law?

• Civil law was 1000s of years ahead of its time

• Where else can you find similar evidence of a power greater and wiser than us?

You can trust the Bible when it gives advice You can trust the Bible when it gives advice about your lifeabout your life