Lesson 11: The Law

Proposition:

The Word of God came to humanity first by means of the Law-Torah, given to a specific people at a specific time, in order not to serve as insulation from God’s powerful presence, but to reveal their need for insulation and how to utilize that insulation. The Law acts as a Prevention to Preserve and Profit the chosen people of God, and then all the world.

God’s utilization of the spoken word is highlighted in the very first act of His purpose upon creation. As God’s image-bearing tselem, humanity was able to utilize the power of the spoken word. In the Garden, before things went sideways, Adam named the animals, a job given to him directly by God. This was an incredible honor given to Adam—the ultimate form of replicating, or imaging, God on Earth.

Whatever Adam spoke over the animals, whatever he called them, that is what they were known as.  God didn’t chime in every time there was an odd or silly name and rename the creature, pulling out his override card. No. God gave Adam authority in what he spoke and allowed that authority to stand according to Adam’s will.

The use of words in the garden, however, would be the very thing that was used as a weapon against humanity and used against even God, perhaps. The weaponized use of words there is Deception. Using words that are slightly true to achieve a result that betrays the truth. Saying outright lies to manipulate what end they can achieve.

The Hebrews, however, were given Torah, the Law. When God descended upon Mt. Sinai and met with Moses, he not only showed Moses His Word but also handed Moses His Word, written in stone. Instructions, precepts, customs, manners, directions, whatever you call them, they mean roughly the same thing. Torah, which comes from the root word yarah, connotes aiming at a target, pointing, and shooting like an archer releasing an arrow at a bullseye. That sounds awfully familiar! Torah, or the Law, given to the people of Israel, was the very clear and understandable communication of God toward a small fragment of humanity. It was the tangible, material evidence that the people could point to and say, “This is real. I can do this.” The problem is, they couldn’t do it. The Law, as the Apostle Paul says, was there to reveal our weakness.

What makes Torah unique is that in the narrative of the God YaHWeh and His people, Torah is the permanent and perfect Word entrusted to them alone, among all the people of earth, as a physical written work.

Prevention, Preservation, and Profit

The Law given to Moses, that he would bring to the people, had the intention to transform them from being a common people into a holy nation. (Remember, don’t go getting all spiritual now, holy means utterly unique and set apart) By accepting the Law and adhering to its instruction, these people would become very different from the nations that surrounded them. And remember, holiness is contagious!

God intended for this Law to accomplish a work of His wisdom, not the world’s wisdom. I see these intentions as 3-fold.

The number one intention would be Prevention.

This is seen in all the if/then language. If you follow my commands…then you will be blessed. If you disobey…then you will be cursed. Pretty clear expectations up front. It’s not like God is pulling any punches here; He gives the action and the consequence right out of the gate. Seems quite kind of Him to give them the heads up.

Evidence:

Genesis 1-3

Deuteronomy 6:24-25

Deuteronomy 8:17-20

Analogies:

This is often the most excellent parental tool in the imaginary parental tool-bag. When I give my children a good talking to before a scenario that could end badly, it nearly never gets out of hand. For example, If we are going somewhere that the grownups are going to be doing a lot of boring grown up things like, standing…and talking (ugh) and they, as children, are going to have ample opportunities to pull on our sleeves and whine and beg us to go home every 5 minutes, it is far more likely they will exercise self control and patience if I communicate my expectations (that they don’t whine, they don’t pull on our sleeves and they don’t ask us to leave) before hand.

If they enter those situations without my expectations (and consequences) at the forefront of their minds, they will too easily act out of negative emotions and self-preservation. I can’t rely on them to read my mind and know exactly what I want from them, or even for them to understand the consequences of their actions automatically….they’re kids. Their brains have not yet finished forming.

God gets that. He’s like, “Awe.. look at my emotional, self-preservation-obsessed humans…their brains are so clouded by sin and survival, poor kids need a talkin’ too before we go out into Canaan.” And that’s precisely what he does. The second and third intentions we observe are Preservation and Profit.

Conclusion:

God prescribes the Law to preserve His people, prevent their destruction and pour out His promises on them. It’s very black and white here. God isn’t at all unclear on the matter of obedience. If you obey His Law, you will be blessed, prosperous, healthy, and abundant. If you disobey it, if you turn from it… Well, it’s clear in Deuteronomy 8.

Pride and Idolatry seem to be the primary factors contributing to disobedience of the Torah, which makes sense. If you think you are doing so well because of your own effort, why submit to someone else? Or, if you believe that your blessings are coming from another source, be it another god or object of worship, why give YAHWEH credit and obey His law rather than the other source?

Evocation:

1. So what does the Word have to say to these people, and if to them, does it also speak to us today?

2. Can we see a truer picture of sin here? (Remember sin, or Khata, is “missing the target” and torah is “shooting for the target”)

3. Jesus did not come to do away with the Law but rather to fulfill it. What implications does this have for the way you approach and handle the Torah as a believer today?