Law Of Freedom Part Two
Category: Law and the Bible
In our introduction, we established that Jesus Christ is the source of law. According to the Scriptures, He alone, is lawgiver, judge and king (Isa 33:22; Jam 4:12). This is an important point. All throughout history, just men have recognized the origin of law is higher than man; that it comes from God. As an example of this, consider that the signers of the Declaration of Independence agreed men have certain rights that come from our Creator and that governments are established to secure these rights.[1] Consider also that the English kings always prefaced their declarations with a salutation acknowledging their authority from God.[2] Even the Greeks and Romans, though pagan, prefaced their bills, letters and decrees acknowledging their authority from the gods-even the Caesars, who were considered to be mangods.
Mans' Desire to be the Source of Law
Man has always claimed a higher authority to legitimize his law. Hammurabi claimed his famous law (the Code of Hammurabi) was received from the sun-god, Shamash, the god of law.[3] The ancient Chinese believed God to be all things universal and man was to live in such a way to complete the whole. So deeply they believed in this universality, their law required a man to disobey any ruler that violated universal law. Throughout Anglo-Saxon Europe, the Bible became the foundation for all the christianized civilizations. The higher law of God empowered laymen to challenge kings and tyrants. This power evolved into the religious and personal freedoms that have been the hallmark of this great nation, America. Now the world is entering a new order, one that considers man to be lawmaker and the state to be god. There is no higher authority than "democracy," with the exception of international courts and UN resolutions.
The Bible says, "God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes." [Ecc 7:29] That man would be his own god has been his desire from the beginning. When the snake tempted Eve, he enticed her with the idea that she could determine for herself what was right and what was wrong (Gen 3:5). As a result of mans' first sin, Cain chose for himself what would be sufficient obedience to God. When God was not willing to compromise His requirements, Cain killed his brother, Abel (Gen 4:1-12).
At the Tower of Babel, Nimrod convinced the people to settle in one city-to make a name for them-the promise of limitless power, contrary to God's command to take dominion and populate the whole earth[4] (Gen 11:1-9). Adam and Cain demonstrates mans' individual desire to be his own god. The Tower of Babel demonstrates mans' desire to establish the state, or corporate man, as god-and little has changed since that time.
Nations and gods
After God confused the languages at the Tower of Babel man established gods to represent the authority he desired to have for himself, or make for himself. This statement is somewhat deductive on my part and my basis for this premise is that gods are not mentioned in Scripture prior to that time. In fact, the simple reason given in Genesis for the flood is that man had sunken to sexual debauchery and violence-deciding for himself evil and good. Prior to that, the Bible gives the example of Lamech, a descendent of Cain, deciding for himself whether he could kill a man for harming him. Another evidence, after the Flood, when men roamed the plains of Shinar and began to build the Tower, God said that man was as one, one language and one goal, and that there was nothing to stop him from accomplishing his every desire (Gen 11:6). There was no mention of gods-no division of gods either by laws, tribes or nations.
Even examining historical and archeological books, there is little or no evidence of gods prior to the Flood, with this exception: There are indications of occult activity and/or contact with extra-terrestrials. It is argued by many historians the Tower of Babel was built to be a communication device with extra-terrestrials. Keep in mind, the role of extra-terrestrials throughout the ages has always been as "mentors" rather than as gods. If extra-terrestrials did, in fact, participate with man at the Tower of Babel, it is apparent their mentoring was opposed to God's dominion mandate. This confirms my view that extra-terrestrials do not come from other planets but are demonic activity. Their advice to man was then, and always is, along the same line as Satan's first temptation, "You will be as gods, deciding for yourself what is right and what is wrong."
Before the confusion at Babel, the world was one; there was a singular conflict: man v God. After Babel, the corruption of mans' unity spawned an endless register of gods. In other words, gods were created out of mans' confusion. Quite the opposite of Creation, and the Bible is clear that all "who make them will be like them and so will all who trust in them." [Psa 135:18]
It doesn't matter how big the world is, there is always one who wants another's territory and the early gods required the wholesale consumption of human flesh. Laws were made to justify man's dominion over another. Nations rose to power only to be defeated by the more powerful and world rulers overcame world rulers until the time of the Messiah. After the birth of Christ, the age of world rulers took a parenthesis (Isa 10:33-11:1). During this time, dominion has been exercised by the church of Jesus Christ (in a fallen state, of course) and its influence has had a civilizing effect upon the Gentile nations of the world. What is known as the "civilized world" are the nations influenced by the Christian faith. Within this sphere of influence, the role of flesh consuming gods has been mostly forgotten; they have taken a backseat to civility.
Now, as the church age comes to an end and man is lured out of it, to return to the Tower of Babel, the appeal is made once again to reason, unity and power. It is a false unity that will focus on a singular man?god rather than traditional false gods-a continuation of the Caesars, if you will. At the end of the age the antichrist will bring the nations into a New World Order where the goal of faith will be positive thoughts (or ideals) and all gods will be as one, or equal-under the control of man. This leader will be the final and ultimate Caesar and all worship will belong to him on pain of death.[5] But God will not be mocked: all power, authority and glory belong to Him from before time to eternity.
You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they were created and have their being. [Rev 4:11]
Laws and Conquest v Law of Freedom
Ur of Chaldea was probably one of the most corrupt, yet, prosperous societies prior to the Babylonian conquest. This city had hot and cold running water with flushing toilets. There is an account of the burial of the king of Ur,[6] which to affirm his divinity, required the entombment of the queen, with an attendant at head and foot, nine ladies of the court, several soldiers, ox-carts with drivers, musicians, etc. Save the king, all others had been buried alive. It was from this society that God called out one man, Abraham. He was called to leave the corruption of the world behind and to become a chosen nation-the nation of Israel. The one nation, through which God would bless the nations of the world (Gen 18:18; Gal 3:8).
Most history books claim King Hammurabi to be the first king to set up a legal code. "The code is divided into about 280 clauses and opens with the words, 'Law and justice I established in the land, I made happy the human race in those days.'"[7] There were clauses awarding "eye for eye" and "tooth for tooth." Yet, a wine merchant that allowed riotous assembly would be subject to the death penalty.
He claimed himself to be the "King of Righteousness,"[8] which was the same title for Melchizedek, his contemporary. In title and in law, he set out to make himself higher than the King of Righteousness sent from God-Melchizedek. I cannot tell you if Melchizedek had a written law prior to Hammurabi, the history books are silent. My suspicion is such and that Hammurabi copied some law from Melchizedek. And the reason I say this is that some of his laws are very similar to God's-not all by any means. Because of this similarity, many history books lay claim that the Israelites (leaving God out of the picture entirely) copied Hammurabi when writing their law. My point is not tit-for-tat but that God gave Melchizedek a similar law as given to Israel, though much earlier. Thus, the similarities. Hammurabi, recognizing God's law to be beneficial to a civil society and wishing to establish himself as "the King of Righteousness," incorporated some of this into his code. Nonetheless, Hammurabi represents a righteousness of man, which can never accomplish the peace-even world peace-that comes from the righteousness of God.
We read in Genesis chapter fourteen, Abraham defeated Hammurabi to rescue his nephew, Lot. After which, Abraham tithed a tenth of the spoils to Melchizedek, King of Salem (that is, Jerusalem-also construed, King of Peace), King of Justice, King of Righteousness. This is an interesting story in Genesis chapter fourteen.[9] Because, just as one man would set himself up to be greater than God, with a law that was greater than His and credited with being the sole source of world peace and, in that, the current world system will continue the tradition that the first written law was the creation of man and originated in the City of Man-Babylon (Shinar), God used Abraham, with a mere three hundred plus men to defeat the power of man and lay the spoils at the feet of the one who was, not only the forerunner and type of Jesus Christ (Heb 5:6-10; 6:20-7:28) but also, the one who represented God's Law and God's peace, from God's city, to the early world that lay between the days of the Tower and the world-conquering kings. Nonetheless, of Hammurabi's laws, many were good, as we said before, but all were prejudiced toward the financial and civil well-being of his kingdom and the establishment of the king's divinity. Certainly, none of his laws prevented him from conquering other nations for the express purpose of procuring plunder and slaves, as he had done to Sodom.
Early Babylonian and Persian kings created laws requiring the people bow and pray to statues of the king.[10] The Romans continued this tradition by making gods of their kings, the Caesars. In fact, the crime of the early Christian church was not that they espoused some new doctrine but that they refused to recognize the supremacy of the state, or Caesar, over the church, and certainly not over the God of the church, Jesus Christ. It is a historical fact that the Romans were quite liberal in their acceptance of most religions as long as those religions recognized the supremacy of the state and the divinity of Caesar. America has continued the tradition of the Caesars, in that churches are systematically licensed by the state. The taking of a corporate license constructs the church as an agency, or creation, of the state and the application for a 501(C)(3) charter places Christ under the authority of the state and the churches have failed to recognize this. Certainly, few have resisted.
The late R. J. Rushdoony wrote a book entitled, The "Atheism" of the Early Church (Ross House Books, Vallecito, CA, 1983, 2000). In the first chapter, he chronicles how the crime of the early church was not that they practiced a new religion but that they refused to recognize the deity of the Caesars.
There was conflict between Rome and the early church. Rome's policy towards all religion was that no religion had a right to exist unless it was a licit religion, duly licensed by the Empire ... A part of the procedure whereby that licit status was secured was to appear before a Roman imperial center, and there to put a little incense on a brazier before an image of the emperor or a battle insignia, and then declare very briefly, "Caesar is Lord!" That was all. It was an acknowledgment of the sovereignty of Caesar over every area of life and thought.
But the Christians felt that they had been called instead to bring everything into captivity to Jesus Christ ... [By declaring, "Jesus is Lord,"] Christians put their heads on the chopping block. They became a subversive force because through their confession they denied the lordship of Caesar. This is what the conflict was about. Who was the Lord-Christ or Caesar?
In every world system, laws were imposed upon the ruled and the conquered to establish the sovereignty, and in many cases, the deity of the ruler and/or the ruling class. Despite the influence of the church age, the kings and queens of England believed they were the emissaries of God. As such, though not deities themselves, they claimed they held the same power as God among men because it was them alone who knew what was best for the nation and for the people.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, God gave the Ten Commandments to the Israelites as one of the first orders of business after He brought them out of slavery in Egypt. For four hundred years, they lived under harsh and unjust rule and they were not allowed to worship their God-the only true God. Now, they were free from their bondage and on the way to the Promised Land. It was God's intention to teach them how to live in freedom-to worship Him and follow just laws.
"It pleased the Lord for the sake of His righteousness to make His law great and glorious." [Isa 42:21] "The law will go out from Me; My justice will become a light to the nations." [Isa 51:4]
Unlike mans' laws, which are designed to deify man and control the masses, God's law was designed to honor Him, Who, unlike man is deserving of all honor, glory and praise (Rev 4:11), and teach men to live in freedom. Many philosophers, historians and writers speak of the harshness of God's law, and we will address the issue as we travel through this study, but the law of God is just, concise and can be read by man. The law of man is so voluminous that no one man could possibly read it. It is expanding daily and, as such, all men at any time are in violation of one or more laws, if enforced. Thus, we can claim with certainty that man's laws are designed to control and oppress while God's laws are designed to promote liberty and faith.
He produced epic films in Hollywood for almost five decades and started Paramount Pictures. ... At the opening of The Ten Commandments, Cecil B. DeMille stated: "Man has made 32 million laws since the Commandments were handed down to Moses on Mount Sinai...but he has never improved on God's law.... They are the charter and guide of human liberty, for there can be no liberty without the law."[11]
The Danger of Relativism
Just as Adam and Eve wanted to determine for themselves evil and good, even today, we are caught up in relativistic social philosophies where man decides what is right and what is wrong. Often, if it is evil, individual determination may trump moral law. We are told we cannot judge abortion because we do not know the terrible circumstances the mother might be going through. We cannot judge perverted lifestyles-how are we to say their love is less than that of a heterosexual married couple-and many of them are "good people." Even murderers, rapists, robbers and pedophiles are victims. They have all had hard circumstances or childhoods that brought them to commit these terrible acts.
The problem is not a difference of perspective, or different opinions of right and wrong. Jesus Christ warned us, "If your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" [Mat 6:23] The problem is sin, we evaluate the law through eyes of sin; and to justify sin, we have erased the line that separates right from wrong. We are willing to mitigate capital sins if our petty sins can be overlooked-if we can determine for ourselves what is sin to us. When we maintain that perverts and felons are convicted under God's law, then we must also agree that the small man and his "small sins" are under that same law. So we throw it all out, while hoping God is grading on a curve.
In Deuteronomy chapter thirty, we are told to choose life or choose death. While we may apply this on a personal scale, it was established as a corporate, or national choice. Through Moses, God promised the Israelites they would possess their land if they obeyed His commands but reminded them they would be destroyed if they disobeyed the true God and followed after other gods. This promise applies to all nations and the reason our nation has been prosperous is because God proved His word true. But we have left the convictions of our Founding Fathers and we are systematically eliminating God from our society and we refuse to train our children in the ways of the Lord. Our government schools have relegated anything to do with God to the trash dump and even soft-spined Christians join the chorus of "separation of church and state." If we don't turn back, if we do not teach our children the importance of God's law, we will be a doomed nation.
The Bible is clear: we cannot choose our own way, we cannot decide for ourselves what is right and what is wrong and expect to remain in our land as a free people. The land will vomit us out (Lev 18:24-30; 20:22-23) as is happening through environmental laws and we will go into captivity (2Ki 17:14-20; Isa 28:7-13) as is happening with the multitude of regulations and bureaucrats that are besetting our daily lives. If we are to live free, we must honor God and obey His laws (Lev 25:18-19; Deu 12:28; Joh 8:31-32; Jam 1:25).
ENDNOTES
[1]"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men..."
[2]One example is the Magna Charta, which begins, "John, by the Grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy, Aquitaine, and Count of Anjou..."
[3]Wigmore, John, A Panorama of the World's Legal Systems, Washington Law Book Co., Washington DC, 1936, pg 86.
[4]The same is true today. The world is rising up as one city, regulating urban sprawl and even Christians are no longer convinced that God's dominion mandate for man is valid.
[5]see Dan 11:36-38
[6]Ceram, C.W., Gods, Graves & Scholars, Wings Books (Random House), New York, 1951, 1967, pg 310-11.
[7]The Americana (in 16 volumes), Scientific American, New York, 1904-06, no pages; "Hammurabi."
[8]ibid
[9]In the Scripture, Hammurabi is called Amraphel, king of Shinar (early Babylon).
[10]see Dan 3:1-30; 6:1-28
[11]American Minute with Bill Federer, 21 January 2003 (Internet service).
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