Eternal Principles
Although the civil penalties are not to be enforced, the principle of the judgment itself still stands. Many have been incorporated into the legislature of Christian nations. The reason is because Old Testament laws were seen by these forefathers as eternal principles and not just impositions on Israel.
Under the Old Covenant, a thief must restore either double or five times the amount stolen. Exodus 22:1.7. If an animal was killed by a neighbour, one of the same kind must replace it. If property was borrowed, it must be returned in good order. If not, it should be replaced. Exodus 22:14. If an animal killed a human being, the animal must die. Exodus 21:28.
In Western society or any country with just Constitutions, the law requires that when property is damaged, appropriate measures be taken for it to be repaired or the equivalent in monetary damages.
If a thief or murderer cannot be identified, there must be a trial to see what actually took place, and identify the perpetrator. It was the same in Israel. Deuteronomy 17:8-12. Two or three witnesses were required, and never could a verdict be given with only one witness. Deuteronomy 17:6. 19:15. Exodus 22:8. Self-condemnation was against the law. These are valid in good laws today. A false witness was condemned and must stand before the judges for trial. Deuteronomy 19:16.17.
Moving a neighbour’s landmark was condemned. Deuteronomy 19:14. 27:17. Today we have surveyors checking the boundaries of property to ascertain exactly where it begin and ends. Court cases have been fought over tiny strips of land that have not been properly marked or have been deceitfully acquired.
Bribery was condemned. Exodus 23:8. It is condemned still. Lobbying, which is on the same principle, is rife in every field of life. As the world moves further and further away from God’s eternal principles, these evils increase.
Partiality was forbidden and the poor must not be wrested from judgment. Exodus 23:3. Leviticus 19:15. Partiality or showing favour is still wrong, whether it is to the rich, the famous, the elite or members of particular Orders.
There was to be no breeding between different kinds of animals, birds or fish. Leviticus 19:19. This condemns the modern breeding of various kinds, such as a sheep with a goat. It would also include cloning and genetic manipulation of animals with animals and animals with food. God created distinct “kinds” – man, animals, birds, fish, and plants – and they are still to be kept separate.
Quarantine was another important statute of Israel, something the heathen still do not understand. Leviticus 13.14.15. 17:15.16.
Any person who showed signs of a disease -- a “running issue” or “white flesh” was to be separated from society for inspection. If they showed certain signs, they must be isolated for a specific period of time to see what developed. Even after the signs had disappeared, there must be a further wait until the person could be cleared. These laws related to human beings, animals, even homes and clothing. If any sign of mould occurred, the house or clothing must be either washed thoroughly or destroyed.
After touching a dead human being or animal, the hands were to be thoroughly washed. If food or utensils came in contact with the dead, they were to be washed or broken, depending on their nature. In Israel, these activities involved ritualistic cleansing; today they are purely sanitary.
We might think these laws of sanitation are universal knowledge, but it was only a few hundred years ago that doctors believed working in a mortuary was no different from working in a maternity hospital. They would perform an autopsy on a dead body, then deliver a baby in the hospital without washing their hands. No wonder mortality of babies was high.
We can thank men like Louis Pasteur for discovering germs and recommending the washing of hands, but God had said it thousands of years earlier – sanitary conditions must prevail. They still apply, but not as part of the Old Covenant. We might call them ‘laws of nature’, something that in a world of sin we must strictly adhere to or reap the consequences.
There are other laws that also seem obvious, and yet they are being disobeyed more and more. There must be no sexual relations between a son and his mother or a daughter and her father. In fact, there must be none between any family member, not fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, step fathers, step mothers, daughter-in-laws, son-in-laws, mother-in-laws, father-in-laws, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, grand mothers, grand fathers, grand daughters, grand sons, aunts, uncles etc. Leviticus 18:6-20. 20:10-12. 17-21.
In the past these stipulations were accepted as true obedience to the 5th and 7th commandment, however, today the lust of men and women knows no bounds. The end result can be insanity or deformity. Breeders of livestock know they must have ‘new blood’, or they will breed small or unhealthy offspring.
In the beginning, before sin had taken hold of man, God sanctioned inter-marriage among families, but there came a time when this was no longer healthful. Even Noah’s sons understood the principle of personal privacy, and one son paid dearly for violating his father’s nakedness. Genesis 9:20-26.
During a certain period, the kings and queens of Europe were all related. This was an attempt to unite Europe into one powerful nation. God had said they would “mingle themselves with the seed of men”, but would not succeed in their world empire plans. Daniel 2:43.
To obey laws dealing with sexual relations and marriage today is not to keep the Old Covenant, but to honour and respect universal principles designed for our own good.
Relationships between unmarried men and women are still sinful, even in today’s immoral world This is what the New Testament
refers to as fornication. Acts 15:20. 1 Corinthians 5:1. 2 Corinthians 12:21. Rape was always forbidden. Deuteronomy 22:22-29.
Even worse are relationships between men and men, and women and women. Leviticus 18:22. 20:13. Romans 1:26.27. Laws against acts of sodomy at one time graced the statute books of Western nations, but under pressure from the United Nations, they are being rescinded.
Another immoral act not even mentioned in the Bible is the change from one sex to another. Imagine how the God of heaven must view this transvestite action when He had forbidden a man or a woman simply from wearing the clothing of the opposite sex. Deuteronomy 22:10.
Women should consider the wearing of trousers, jeans, slacks, pantsuits, shorts, and other male-like clothing inappropriate. In every nation there is an acceptable standard of male and female clothing that must be adhered to. More and more this command is being violated and male attire is being preferred by women, and some men are involved in a very specific type of dress change called ‘cross dressing’. Today the word ‘Unisex’ is common place, but God had commanded the sexes be kept distinct and separate.
The Bible shows clearly that the fire and brimstone falling on Sodom and Gomorrah was a punishment resulting from their “fornication and going after strange flesh”. Jude 7. For this they suffered the “vengeance of eternal fire”. God has set the ashen remains of these cities “as an example” and warning for later generations, especially the last one before the coming of Christ.
No Christian will violate God’s eternal principles in relation to sexuality, for He said, “Ye shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” Leviticus 19:2. The command remains, for it is exactly the same in the New Testament -- “Be ye holy; for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16.
Christians belong to a “holy priesthood”, and have a “holy calling”. 1 Peter 2:5. 2 Timothy 1:9. They are admonished to have “holy conversation”, and to keep their bodies pure as the “temple of God.” 2 Peter 3:11. 1 Corinthians 3:17.
God made it very clear that the reason He destroyed the Canaanite nations was because their abominations had defiled and corrupted them. The warning was that if Israel followed their example, they too would be destroyed.
“Defile not yourselves in any of these things, for in all these the nations are defiled; therefore I do visit the iniquity therof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.
Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nations, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you, [for all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled], that the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.
For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people. Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 18:24-30. [Bracket in text]
If Christians have similar corruption in their lives, they will die like the heathen.
Dear Reader, go to the Word of God – the whole Bible, from Genesis to Revelation – and study for yourself. Be like the Bereans who, “received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so.” Acts 17:11.
Laws of the Old Covenant