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Why The Law?
Mustard Seed - November/December 2005
Our mother has a practice (rule) unto herself that all the animals must be fed before we sit down to eat. It pleases mom when everyone follows this family practice (characteristic). On the contrary, it is displeasing to mom when we do not and this causes disunity in our family.
Our father and mother have been good and kind towards us all our lives. My dad and mom worked hard all their lives to provide food, clothing, shelter and to leave an inheritance for each of us. We loved dad and we love our mother so we want to do what pleases our mother. Feeding the animals before we ate is one of the family rules that always pleases mom.
Each family sets down rules that family members must follow. Sometimes these rules are in writing, but many times they are verbal and understood. These rules become the family practice and develop the overall nature of the family and the family takes on various characteristics unto itself. For example if the family screams and fights all the time then the family and each family member takes on the characteristics of violence.
My parents understand that rules had to be made for us to follow to develop the right character and values in each family member. When we were young if one of us refused to feed the animals then mom would have had to make a choice. Should she do away with the rule that she had considered good? Or should she cut off the one who was breaking her rule? Mom chose to set down a family law with punishment to encourage the offender to change. The law was that once the animals were fed then we could eat. If they were not fed then we would not eat.
Mom knew that once each of us had finished eating we would become tired and lethargic and that there would be no motivation to get us to feed the animals except punishment. We could smell the wonderful aromas of mom’s cooking and knowing we could not eat until we fed the animals encouraged us to finish the job quickly.
God gave us a family to teach us about His family - The God Family. The attitudes that parents want to see in their children are the ones that God wants to see in His children. We want to see an attitude that indicates our child wants to be a part of our family and that they want to do what is pleasing (love) towards their parents. We would like to see an attitude that shows that they recognize to do good and to build up the family and each family member. And we would like to see a self correcting attitude. A self correcting attitude is an attitude of quick repentance. The minute you realize that you offended anyone you quickly apologize and correct the offense.
God saw these characteristics in Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Daniel and David to name just a few. These men wanted to please God and they searched Him. They wanted to know what was pleasing to God so that they could please God. Psalms 69:31-32 [This] also shall please the LORD better than an ox [or] bullock that hath horns and hoofs. The humble shall see [this, and] be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.
The children of God who seek him shall find Him. The children of God learn His ways. Psalms 119:68-72 Thou [art] good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. The proud have forged a lie against me: [but] I will keep thy precepts with [my] whole heart. Their heart is as fat as grease; [but] I delight in thy law. [It is] good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. The law of thy mouth [is] better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.
God’s ways and rules have exited before the Israelites came out of Egypt. While Israel was in Egypt they forgot about God and learned about the Gods of Egypt. There had not been a teacher for the people of God for almost 400 years. God confirmed the covenant with Israel that He had made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Exodus 19:5-6 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth [is] mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These [are] the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
God then gave Israel His laws that they were to obey. These laws were necessary to develop the character of God, a holy character, in a stiff-necked people. These laws were necessary to develop the right godly character and values in each Israelite just as the rules my parents established in our family were necessary to develop the family member. The character of God has always been the same and the underlying rules of God and the family of God have existed from the beginning and they exist now. These rules include keeping the Sabbath Holy and keeping God’s appointed feasts. Malachi 3:6 For I [am] the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Satan tries to deceive the world into thinking that God’s laws have been nailed to the cross and no longer have to be kept to please him and as proof they quote: Matthew 22:35-40 Then one of them, [which was] a lawyer, asked [him a question], tempting him, and saying, Master, which [is] the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Knowing that God wants to develop in us His holy character and nature and knowing His goodness we therefore want to please Him just as we wanted to please our own parents. When we look to please Him we then keep the two great commandments of the law stated in Matthew and all the other laws that were before Sinai and all the laws given at Sinai are embodied in these two great commandments i.e.: “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
This is how we explain why God gave laws, regulations, statutes and commandments to the Israelites and why they exist today. They exist in our hearts and minds. We want to please God and we therefore look to see what is pleasing to God and we do those things that we think pleases God. God said He would: Heb 10:16-17 This [is] the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Ed Costanza-