In Defiance of God’s Laws

Fundamental issue: Social stability — God’s Laws demand it and are aimed at producing it. This is the thing on which we focus as we attempt to understand how to do justice and bring Him glory.

The primary means to producing this social stability is hidden in plain sight. Yes, it requires you read between the lines; that’s how Hebrew writing works. In Genesis 6-9 we find the Noah narrative. The climax is the Rainbow Covenant — AKA Law of Noah. Notice what is described as the situation prior to the Flood. First, there is the mixing between the two primary tribes or nations of humanity. That is, we have those who worship God and live a pastoral primitive life. Then we have those who ignore God and follow the inclinations of their human desires and imaginations. The latter built cities, developed technology, etc. The former had no business messing with the latter. One of the symptoms was the rise of domineering warlords, oppressive rulers — bad government and social instability.

Part of the problem was the family elders were refusing to restrain their families. That goes back the Adam, too lazy to keep Eve away from things she didn’t understand properly. In the Covenant of Noah, God instructed mankind to raise up strong elders to lead their families. We are supposed to be a little clannish and not mix too freely with folks who are too different. All the more so if your clan takes seriously the revelation of God and the others don’t. Demonstrate the difference of obeying God’s Laws and claiming the blessings. The uniqueness of holiness was dissolving in free mixing, forgetting God’s ways.

The proper model of government has always been that of the shepherd. This was the tribal elder, not necessarily the oldest grandfather, but the most able and wise of those available. If he was really wise, he would just about have to be forced into the job, because good moral people don’t like to rule the lives of others. People eager to rule are always bad at it; that was the point of describing oppressive “great men” in the narrative, people who were looking out for their own comfort and fame. So true government is a burden on those ruling. Critical was the element of family, living in an extended family household. The elder was your government, the one who used his influence to keep peace within and with the neighbors. Nobody outside the family had any business poking into the details of your daily existence; no laws were permitted to usurp the authority of the elder.

Yes, there are a hundred problems going this route. Not everyone who rises to the eldership is all that nice. Still, the model is based on the best possible life for fallen humanity. Nothing man has devised has been better; instead, it has always turned out uniformly worse. That has never hindered men of power from destroying the clan and tribal unity of folks for the purpose of exploiting them. Today we live in a world where it is virtually illegal to live under biblical laws.

Any society, any civilization, any philosophy that defies this model is wrong. End of discussion. It also happens to be fundamental to the entirety of our Western Civilization. We have to moderate between what we know God requires and whatever it takes to remain relatively unmolested under whatever human government we live. Sure, do what God says, but do so knowing what the consequences will be. We aren’t here to demand and force human government to obey God’s Laws. We are here as living proof His Laws are wise, and our mission is to live them as much as we can. This is what worship and prayer are for, helping us discern where God wants each of us to draw the line, to lay the path between the conflicting demands. What can I do to glorify His name in this particular context?

The West in general, and America in particular, lives in a fundamental defiance of Noah’s Laws. Fundamental to our mission here is pointing that out. Use whatever talents, abilities and gifts you have from God. Seek your calling with an eye to this one basic fact: The only reason we are still on this earth is to make Him look good. The main way we do that is living in the Land of Repentance, always seeking to turn from sin. Turning from sin is doing your best to discern how God’s Laws protect you from being suckered at every turn.

You can study the Laws of God here and here (site closed). Yes, that’s a tall order, a lot to bite off and chew. Don’t follow me; follow the drawing of the Spirit. If this calls to you, find your own path in it. Whatever you do, don’t keep on living in defiance of God’s Laws.