The following is a sequel to the article in the December 1984 and
January / February 1985 issues of "Bible Truth". It is in
response to a letter received from a Reader.
In the first place it is as well to start at the beginning. I find
the meaning of Law according to my Concordance is "A rule directing
and obliging a rational creature in moral and religious actions, showing
of the concern for personal actions and under the Law of Cause and
effect." It not only concerns ourselves, our nation, but all other
people in the world.
We find that the Law of the Lord is perfect:
The Law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony
of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple."
Psalm 19 v. 7
This was a necessity for all: the Lord God created this Universe of
ours, and it had to be good:
"And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold it was
very good."
Genesis ch. 1 v. 31
There had to be law and order to enable the world to function, thus
we see God's law concerns our wealth, health, and our prosperity, and
was in existence from the beginning. Adam knew it for God talked with
him in the cool of the evening (see Genesis ch. 3 v. 8). Eve was tempted
by Satan. "Hath God said" (verse 1), thus putting doubt in her
mind, in a subtle way, and it takes our faith and God's Holy Spirit to
defeat his (Satan's) wiles. This reminds one of a chorus we used to sing
at Sunday School:
"Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin:
Ask the Saviour to help you, comfort strengthen and keep you,
He is willing to aid you, He will carry you through."
Here I must point out Adam was not forced to obey God's command, but
had a free will of his own, as indeed we all have, to obey or disobey.
He disobeyed, by taking of the fruit of the tree and the consequence was
that he lost his immortality and all mankind became subject to sin,
disease and death. Thus we see that the Law is our Schoolmaster, to
bring us to Christ.
"Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto
Christ, that we might be justified by faith."
Galatians ch. 3 v. 24
This is where grace comes in "JesusChrist" who gives us the
power to keep HIS LAWS and COMMANDMENTS.
"If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even
as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love."
John ch. 15 v. 10
Our Lord Himself said, "If ye love me keep my
commandments." Thus we see early in our Lord's ministry that we are
told, "He came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it,"
indicating its eternity.
This being so we expect to find the Law affecting every facet of our
lives, and thus we see the law concerning mankind, and, see the first
edict found in Genesis:
"Who so sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed:
for in the image of God made he man."
Genesis ch. 9 v. 6
This law, in this generation, we have abolished and as a consequence
there have been more and more murders, there is not a day passes but we
read of a murder, kidnapping and adultery, for all of which the penalty
is death in God's Law, and the reason that God gave this edict was
because man is made in the image of God. It was to protect us and teach
us to respect our manhood.
It also covers the Law of Marriage:
"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and
shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."
Genesis ch. 2 v. 24
If two people truly love each other as man and wife there should be
no cause for divorcement. Again cause and effect.
It concerns our health and dietary laws. Certain animals etc. are
unclean to us (see Deuteronomy ch. 14). Notice the forbidden animals or
birds are scavengers of land and sea and air. Science tells us that we
assimilate the nature of the beast or bird, therefore if that animal or
bird assimilates dirt and refuse, we ourselves assimilate it if we eat
of its flesh. Again cause and effect. It also concerns our sanitary
laws. Moses is said to be the greatest Health Officer, instituting
isolation for infectious diseases.
It also concerns our monetary system. God is against usury, and yet
it is rampant in our midst today.
"THOU shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of
money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury: UNTO
A STRANGER thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou
shalt not lend upon usury: that the LORD thy God may bless thee . . .
Deuteronomy ch. 23 v. 19
These in the main deal with our personal directives, but they also
concern the nation, particularly this law of Redemption, and can only be
effected by a next of kin. It is under this Law that the Lord Jesus came
as Redeemer, and redeemed His people Israel, being her next of kin, her
husband in fact.
"For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought;
(to Satan) and ye shall be redeemed without money."
Isaiah ch. 52 v. 3
He, Jesus, paid the price of Israel's sins on Calvary (without money)
by His own life.
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his
life for his friends."
John ch. 15 v. 13
Coupled with the Law of Redemption is the Law of property. If a man
should sell his land because of adverse conditions, it should be
restored to him in the year of Jubilee.
"But if he be not able to restore it to him, then that which
is sold shall remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until the
year of jubilee: and in the jubilee it shall go out, and he shall
return unto his possession,"
Leviticus ch. 25 v. 28
A place for man to dwell in with his family, is a man's right. A
promise on this subject is seen in Isaiah.
"And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall
plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and
another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the
days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long
enjoy the work of their hands."
Isaiah ch. 65 vv. 21 and 22
Further the Monetary Law concerns our personal giving to God. The
giving of the tithe, one tenth of our increase to God. It was mentioned
when Abraham met Melchizedek after the battle of kings.
"And he (Abram) gave him tithes of all"
Genesis ch.14 v.20
It is mentioned next when Jacob was at Bethel and had the vision of
the ladder sent up from the earth and reaching into heaven.
"And Jacob vowed a vow, . . . So that I come again to my
father's house in peace; . . . And this stone, which I have set for a
pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I
will surely give the tenth unto thee."
Genesis ch. 28 vv. 20-22
It is worthy to mention that this STONE stands today in Westminster
Abbey, and is the stone on which our Kings and Queens are crowned.
If I may mention again the Law of lending. When we can lend to a
brother without usury, we are not to worry for repayments, and at the
end of the seventh year what remains of all of it, is to be cancelled as
it is the year of release and is the Lord's. In passing I can tell you
of two occasions when I operated this law and received no payments. At
the end of the seventh year, I cancelled it writing across it "The
year of the Lord's rule." A few years later, about 2-3 years, I
received a cheque from a friend who knew nothing of what had transpired,
and the amount more than covered what I had loaned, and also it came at
a point in time when I needed it most. Thus it takes faith to do this.
Notice from Exodus chapter 20, the first Ten Commandments, verses
2-17 concern our duty to God, or how we may demonstrate our loyalty and
love for God, read it for yourself, and if we truly did this the rest
follows, as it is the outcome of the first and should be motivated by
love. Particular note should be made of verse 8-10.
"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt
thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the sabbath
of the LORD thy God:"
The seventh day is a day of rest and worship, which in this
generation in which we are living is almost totally ignored, and we are
thus seeing more stress and strain in our midst. There is an important
verse in Isaiah.
"If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy
pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of
the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways,
nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then
shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride
upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of
Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it."
Isaiah ch. 58 vv. 13 and 14
I have experienced this blessing causing me to rise in my office. I
only mention this to demonstrate HIS TRUTH.
If we love God we would willingly join in worship and praise, no
humming and ha-ing about it. In fact you would not find your week so
easy without that day of praise and worship. It brings its own fruit,
and you work better.
The statutes and judgments which follow are for our guidance on
governmental and national dealings, including the one where we may not
be convicted by one witness, but by two or three witnesses shall the
crime be established, thus ensuring a fair trial. The Bible is our
history pre-written by God. There are 39 books in the Old Testament
which is 13 x 3 = 39. Thirteen is symbolic of
rebellion, three times indicates complete rebellion. There are 27 books
in the New Testament 9 x 3 = 27. Nine is symbolic of
restoration, complete restoration, Christ stands between the two
testaments overruling and guiding us to Himself indicating that we are
covered by His righteousness. The last picture we have portrayed in
Revelation chapter 19 is of a wife made ready for her husband.
To her is given a clean and white robe,
"And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen,
clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of
saints."
Revelation ch. 19 v. 8
She will once more be ruling with God as her name implies. Also I
might mention that Britain is Israel and it is only this truth that is a
key to the understanding of the present prophecies in these last days.
She must be safe in her chambers waiting for the Lord's return when He
will take the Throne of His father David, which is in our midst today,
and He will rule over the House of Jacob.
It is interesting to note that our Common Law is based on the law
given at Sinai, coded by Miletus in 1000 B.C. and later by King Alfred.
The Statue of Moses with the two tablets of stone stand by the
Barrister's entrance of the Courts of Law in London to this day.
