provision for courts of law allowed for variety. Providing this was deemed in keeping with basic moral principles. So that while what constituted modesty might legitimately differ from one culture to the next, a concern for modest behavior ought to prevail regardless of cultural distinctive.
There were many factors to bear in mind. For instance, the judge should not assume the merits of the case on the basis of the good or bad reputation of one of the litigants. Since either or both might be at fault.
Nor should the judge unnecessarily delay the proceedings, by lengthening the time of testimony or cross-examination. Such as calculated to increase the distress of those implicated. While serving no legitimate purpose.
Thus have we explored the realm of divine mandates. First concerning the Mosaic Covenant and then God’s covenant with Noah. As for the former, said to set forth 613 regulations, but reduced to 7 in the latter instance. Although the latter are for the most part more general, and thought to be roughly equivalent. While focusing our attention on man’s relationship to the Sovereign Lord, and life together.
1. Inch, Scripture As Story, 35.
2. Kaiser Jr., Toward Old Testament Ethics, 85.
3. Inch, Scripture as Story, 36.
4. Watkins, The New Absolutes, 65.
5. Inch, Scripture as Story, 37.
6. 7. Cole, Exodus, 161.
7. Clorfene and Togalsky, The Path of the Righteous Gentile, 8.
8. Ibid., 74.
9. Hoffmeier, “Abortion and the Old Testament Law,” 53.
10. Hartley, Genesis, 63.
11. Clorfene and Rogalsky, The Path of the Righteous Gentile, 98.
Prophetic Times
From the beginning. Scripture begins with the solemn affirmation, “In the beginning God” (Gen. 1:1). We are thus alerted to the fact that at the outset God stands alone in solitary splendor. There is no rival. No, not one!
The religious pantheon was a later addition, meant to serve human caprice. Along the line of human fiction
Initially, the earth was formless and void. Resembling the amorphous clay cast by a potter, before fashioning a vessel—both functional and aesthetically pleasing. It was a barren landscape, lacking life. Now the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters, in anticipation of the task that lay ahead.
“Let there be light,” God declared, “and there was light.” And God was that it was good. Then in other regards, concluding with the observation: “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.”
“By way of implications, man was born free, with the intent that he should remain free. Not free from obligation, which is license, but free to cultivate a relationship with God and one another.”12 So things would have remained had he abided by God’s instructions.
Instead, he ate from the forbidden fruit. Our choices either open new opportunities, or further restrict those we previously enjoyed. This proved to be no exception. Life took a decided turn for the worse, for the original couple and their posterity. For instance, Adam was informed: “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life” (Gen. 3:17).
Worthy of note, even small changes in original conditions are calculated to have disproportionate results. Moreover, this was a defection of major proportions. Leaving the impression that Life was radically altered.
By way of a reality check, Eve gave birth to two sons: Cain and Abel. In the course of time, Abel offered fat portions from the firstborn of his flock to the Lord, as one would honor a distinguished guest. While Cain offered a token alternative. Consequently, God Looked with favor on Abel’s offering, but with manifest disfavor on his brother’s sacrifice.
“Why are you angry?” the Lord inquired of Cain. “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it” (Gen. 4:6–7). Sin is thus depicted as a predatory animal, waiting to devour its victim. If not vanquished, it will succeed.
Cain nonetheless proposed to his brother, “Let’s go out to the field.” Arriving at a secluded place, he attacked and killed Abel. And then refused to assume responsibility for his despicable behavior.
“What have you done?” God exclaimed. “Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.” “It was believed that uncovered human blood cried out for vengeance against the murderer. If no one heard the cry, God was obligated to redress the wrong.”13
Some time later, Lamech informed his wives: “I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me. If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times” (Gen. 4:23–24). Thus revealing the swift progress of sin, by way of contrasting the impulsive behavior of Cain with the calculated retaliation of his vengeful successor.
Matters continued to deteriorate. Now the Lord saw how great the wickedness of man had become, how “that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time” (Gen. 6:15). One could hardly imagine a more scathing indictment.
So the Lord determined to bring a flood upon the earth, as if to cleanse it from its contamination. As might a potter, when he sees that his work in progress I compromised, starts over. With the prospect of better success.
Even so, Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. He “was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.” So the Lord warned him of the impending disaster, and instructed him to build an ark for the deliverance of his family and perpetuation of the human race.
In retrospect, “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith” (Heb. 11:7). As illustrative of the thesis, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (v 1).
Once the waters had receded, God covenanted with Noah. Recalling the earlier discussion of its features. By way of exploring the character of the divine mandates.
Now the whole world had a common language. As men moved eastward, they found
