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The Law before the Laws

The Law before the Laws: How God’s Moral Code Predates the Stone Tablets

For many, the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai marks the beginning of divine law. Thunder, lightning, and a booming voice delivering explicit instructions etched in stone seem to present a brand-new ethical framework for the fledgling nation of Israel. However, a closer look at the earliest narratives of the Bible reveals a profound truth: the foundational principles of God’s law were not new at Sinai, but were already echoing through creation and human conscience.

This article explores the compelling evidence from the book of Genesis, demonstrating that God’s moral and even some ceremonial laws were known, understood, and often tragically violated, centuries before they were formally codified in the Mosaic Law. Indeed, the famous command to “remember the Sabbath” serves as a powerful key to unlocking this ancient truth.

“Remember the Sabbath”: A Clue in the Command

One of the most striking pieces of evidence for pre-Mosaic law lies within the fourth commandment itself: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). The word “remember” is crucial. It implies a recollection of something already known, not the introduction of an entirely novel concept.

This remembrance points directly back to creation week in Genesis 2:2-3, where God Himself “rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy.” Here, the principle of a sanctified day of rest is woven into the very fabric of creation, a divine pattern established long before Abraham or Israel. Further evidence comes in Exodus 16, prior to Sinai, when God provided manna in the wilderness. Some Israelites violated the instructions for the seventh day, prompting God’s rebuke: “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws?” (Exodus 16:28). This definitively shows the Sabbath, and indeed other “commandments and laws,” were already expected to be known and observed before the grand unveiling at Sinai.

The Ten Commandments: Violations in Genesis

Beyond the Sabbath, a careful examination of the Genesis narratives reveals numerous instances where the principles embodied in the Ten Commandments were clearly violated, with corresponding divine disapproval or natural consequences. This suggests an inherent, “written on the heart” understanding of right and wrong. Let’s review the evidence, commandment by commandment.

  1. You Shall Have No Other Gods Before Me: Jacob’s family possessed “foreign gods,” which he commanded them to put away and bury before they could worship the Lord (Genesis 35:2-4).
  2. You Shall Not Make for Yourself a Carved Image: Rachel stole her father Laban’s household idols, known as teraphim, and hid them (Genesis 31:19-35).
  3. You Shall Not Take the Name of the Lord Your God in Vain: The people at the Tower of Babel sought to “make a name for ourselves” to the exclusion of God’s authority (Genesis 11:4).
  4. Remember the Sabbath Day, to Keep It Holy: As seen in Exodus 16, some Israelites gathered manna on the seventh day despite God’s clear instructions.
  5. Honor Your Father and Your Mother: Ham’s dishonorable act of exposing his father Noah’s nakedness resulted in a curse (Genesis 9:20-27).
  6. You Shall Not Murder: Cain murdered his brother Abel (Genesis 4:8), an act God immediately held him accountable for, proving the law was in effect.
  7. You Shall Not Commit Adultery: Joseph refused to lie with Potiphar’s wife, explicitly stating that it would be a “great wickedness and sin against God” (Genesis 39:9).
  8. You Shall Not Steal: Rachel stole her father Laban’s household idols (Genesis 31:19).
  9. You Shall Not Bear False Witness: Jacob lied to his father Isaac, pretending to be Esau in order to steal the blessing (Genesis 27:18-24).
  10. You Shall Not Covet: Coveting is a sin of the heart that leads to other transgressions, such as when Pharaoh and Abimelech both desired Abraham’s wife Sarah (Genesis 12 & 20).

The Profound Point: Why This Matters

So what’s the point? Understanding that God’s law existed before Sinai is not just a theological curiosity; it has profound implications for how we see God, humanity, and the Law itself.

  • God’s Consistent Character: This theory shows that God’s moral standards are not arbitrary or changing. The God who gave the Law is the same God who established a moral order at creation. This consistency is foundational to our trust in His unchanging nature.
  • Universal Accountability: The existence of a “Law before the Laws” explains why people throughout history have been held accountable for their actions. It shows that humanity has always been expected to live by a universal moral code, a law “written on their hearts” (Romans 2:14-15), even before a written text existed.
  • The Law as Grace: This reframes the purpose of the Mosaic Law. Instead of a new, rigid set of rules, the Law of Moses becomes a gracious act of clarification. God knew humanity was failing to remember and follow the innate law. He gave a detailed, written guide to a specific people to set them apart and show them how to live in a righteous relationship with Him. The Law wasn’t just a burden; it was a gift designed to help a flawed people walk in a way that honors God.

Ultimately, the point is that God’s plan is coherent from Genesis to Revelation. He didn’t just decide what was right and wrong when He got to Sinai. His moral standards are eternal, and the written law was a clear expression of those standards to a people who desperately needed to be reminded.