What is Law?

The first time the word "law" appears in the bible is in Genesis 47:26: "And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part; except the land of the priests only, which became not Pharaoh's." What is telling about this reference is the longevity of this law. It developed out of a seemingly temporary situation, but it lasted for centuries. Is something changeable a law? Or is law a reflection of the character of God, who is unchangeable?

The next mention of the word is Exodus 12:49: "One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you." Not only is law unchangeable, it is applicable equally to all. This is a statement of equality before the law. Law that is different for one person as opposed to another indicates a differentiation of mankind before man, whereas the law of God applies to all human beings alike.

The references to law become quite frequent after that. Exodus 13:9 states: "And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD'S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt." The law of God becomes the defining character of life of those delivered by God from slavery. The law tells how to live, and keeping it in one's heart and mind constantly is an act of gratitude to that God. Therefore, the law of God is a statement - of gratitude by those who obey, but what does it express of those who do not obey?

For those who don't obey, it expresses a failure to care about life itself. Exodus 16:4: "Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no." God kept the people alive by raining manna from heaven in the wilderness where they would have died without His assistance. He gave them strict instructions on how to live by eating the manna in the manner he indicated. This scripture indicates that issuance of the law provides a test of man by God. Sanctions for those who fail to obey that which determines whether they live or die.

Law is issued by the unchanging God who applies the law equally to all men and who gives it to preserve life. Exodus 24:12: "And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them." Law is given by God. One way we know a law is not of God is because it lacks the above characteristics.

More importantly, does it subtract from the law of God? Does it add to the law of God? If you answer yes to either of those questions, you had better tread carefully. Christ criticized the Pharisees, lawyers, and Scribes of His day were guilty of both, yet they claimed to represent the God who issued the law by Moses. Jesus issued some of His most scathing rebukes and warnings to them for such "adjustments" to God's law.

The idea that every human must consent to the law is humanist, not biblical. If the society denies God’s law, whether from the pew or the pulpit or the US Supreme Court, God will have His due. “You reap what you sow.” He’s really not dependent upon man’s will to ensure His “will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Mt. 6. By the way, why would we pray that, if we didn't want God's law to be our law?

If your faith is in the law as conceived by the governed, then you will have to please every single governed. We will get 300 million versions of the 10 commandments, and we will deserve every one of them. Thus, we receive the just judgment of pleasing man – being unable to please man.

Law is not a democratically determined matter. It's determined by God. Contracts, agreed upon between people in such a way as to ignore God, result in the world of the ancients - each society with its own law and own god. This is the world before the Great Flood and of Canaan, societies God wanted to destroy, no, annihilate.

Without a return to biblical law or some other authoritative law system that is not subject to the chaos of human diversity, the society of America is headed in that direction. Law, lacking no direction or eternal foundation or boundaries, will degrade to meet, not the common denominator, but every denominator, and it will not be able to do so without lawlessness becoming the result. What replaces the resulting chaos, wherein no one knows what is legal or illegal from one day to the next, is anyone's guess. But it will be replaced by something that is not democratically determined. And when I say not democratically determined, I mean not changeable at the whim of the latest fad. It will be chosen by people, but it will be because they realize that society cannot continue on the trajectory it is on.