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We’ve all read them. The rules about stoning rebellious children and women who lie about being virgins. The dietary restrictions. The offerings. To our modern eyes these may seem odd; to critics, they seem barbaric and backwards.
But the “difficult” Old Testament rules, particularly the ones found in the first five books of the Bible, are actually not as difficult as they may seem. Here are a few observations I’ve come across as I’ve studied these:
1. Remember, the Israelites agreed to be bound by these rules, like a contract. An example of this is found in Deut. 26:17-18:
“You have declared this day that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in obedience to him, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws—that you will listen to him. And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands.”
The Israelites could have remained enslaved in Egypt. They were given their freedom, at the cost of only obeying the Lord their God. These rules become less problematic when you consider that they agreed to obey them.
2. Many of the OT rules were designed to set the Israelites apart from their pagan neighbors or to keep them away from idolatry. A particular example of this is found in the prohibition of boiling a young goat in its mother’s milk. This was a pagan practice and the Lord did not want His people wrapped up in it. The Lord called His people to be distinct, and that requires distinct rules.
3. We learn from Paul (in Romans, I believe) that the Mosaic Law existed, at least in part, to prove that man could not save himself. These laws were so demanding because God wanted His people to understand they could never live up to His standard. Which leads to the next reason.
4. The rules were there to show us the need for grace. Because we cannot save ourselves, because all of our acts of righteousness are but “filthy rags” before the Lord, we understand the need to be saved. We understand that God saves us as an act of mercy and grace and love. The rules remind us how badly we need God because we could never live up to His holiness.
5. Many of the rules embody God’s holiness. God took sexual purity seriously, which is why you see many of these rules aimed at this concept. He took all of His values seriously. And He wanted us to know HOW seriously He took them.
6. Every culture has their unique mores that may seem strange to outsiders. You can probably think of some off the top of your head. But imagine telling someone 3,000 years ago that if they had uttered something the least bit offensive two decades ago, that a mob would rise up and attempt to ruin their lives and careers, even though their lives bring joy to others or their careers were lucrative and successful. No one was injured by said utterance. It wasn’t even intended to be bigoted or hateful. But no matter, they need to have their lives ruined because someone dug up an old quote by them.
This cultural practice exists in the United States today, known as cancel culture. I’d bet though that if you tried to explain this stuff to ancient Israelites they’d scratch their heads just like we scratch ours about some of their rules. Cultures are different. They are unique. And when you factor in thousands of years and different regions around the world, the uniqueness becomes even more apparent.
What are your thoughts on these rules? How would you explain them to a non-believer or a new Christian?
But the “difficult” Old Testament rules, particularly the ones found in the first five books of the Bible, are actually not as difficult as they may seem. Here are a few observations I’ve come across as I’ve studied these:
1. Remember, the Israelites agreed to be bound by these rules, like a contract. An example of this is found in Deut. 26:17-18:
“You have declared this day that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in obedience to him, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws—that you will listen to him. And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands.”
The Israelites could have remained enslaved in Egypt. They were given their freedom, at the cost of only obeying the Lord their God. These rules become less problematic when you consider that they agreed to obey them.
2. Many of the OT rules were designed to set the Israelites apart from their pagan neighbors or to keep them away from idolatry. A particular example of this is found in the prohibition of boiling a young goat in its mother’s milk. This was a pagan practice and the Lord did not want His people wrapped up in it. The Lord called His people to be distinct, and that requires distinct rules.
3. We learn from Paul (in Romans, I believe) that the Mosaic Law existed, at least in part, to prove that man could not save himself. These laws were so demanding because God wanted His people to understand they could never live up to His standard. Which leads to the next reason.
4. The rules were there to show us the need for grace. Because we cannot save ourselves, because all of our acts of righteousness are but “filthy rags” before the Lord, we understand the need to be saved. We understand that God saves us as an act of mercy and grace and love. The rules remind us how badly we need God because we could never live up to His holiness.
5. Many of the rules embody God’s holiness. God took sexual purity seriously, which is why you see many of these rules aimed at this concept. He took all of His values seriously. And He wanted us to know HOW seriously He took them.
6. Every culture has their unique mores that may seem strange to outsiders. You can probably think of some off the top of your head. But imagine telling someone 3,000 years ago that if they had uttered something the least bit offensive two decades ago, that a mob would rise up and attempt to ruin their lives and careers, even though their lives bring joy to others or their careers were lucrative and successful. No one was injured by said utterance. It wasn’t even intended to be bigoted or hateful. But no matter, they need to have their lives ruined because someone dug up an old quote by them.
This cultural practice exists in the United States today, known as cancel culture. I’d bet though that if you tried to explain this stuff to ancient Israelites they’d scratch their heads just like we scratch ours about some of their rules. Cultures are different. They are unique. And when you factor in thousands of years and different regions around the world, the uniqueness becomes even more apparent.
What are your thoughts on these rules? How would you explain them to a non-believer or a new Christian?
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