Common Sense Commentary: I prepared this study for a Sunday School class and adjusted it for the blog .... here. RB
I. God's Supreme Law Of Eternal Holiness Incorporates (Love,Truth, Purity And Worship) .(Obedience is within the scope of the above four facets of Holiness)
The Archangel Lucifer was the first violator of this Supreme, Eternal Law, as recorded in...
Isaiah 14:12-15 "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer (Light Reflector) son of the morning (Sunrise)how art thou cut down to the ground (Heb. erets means earth).... For thou hast said in thine heart (not out loud but in conspiracy) ...I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit." (Lucifer had no light of his own. He reflected God's glorious light to the universe as the moon has no light but reflects the sun's light.)
In Ezekiel, God further identifies the reasons for Lucifer's violation of God's Deity, and how he fell from his exalted position as primary worshiper, witness and reflector of God's glorious light. It is recorded in Ezek.28:12-17. These verses are addressed to the King of Tyrus. Here, God is either calling the King of this exceedingly wicked city, the devil, or, he is calling the devil the King of the most wicked city in around. I choose the latter. "....Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, (you did it to yourself ... oh you) full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; (Lucifer) every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. (Not born.)(Lucifer); Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth (Lucifer) ;and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God;(Lucifer) thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire." (Lucifer). Lucifer's covering of the above precious stones, no matter how precious or perfectly refractive, have no light or brilliance of their own. Without light, they are nothing more than invisible, useless rocks. However, even with a spark of light, they come alive and reflect the light which is shinned upon them. Without light, they remain in darkness but do not reflect darkness ... only light. Light is, in reality, much of something. It has within it every possible color. It has a power content, a heat, vitamin, chemical, illuminative and anti-septic content. Light is much of something, but darkness is nothing except the absence of light. Without the glorious light of God, Lucifer and all unenlightened creatures are in darkness and have no light and no useful purpose.
Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, ( Lucifer) till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: (Lucifer) I will cast thee to the ground.... ( Lucifer lost God's light and brought his now darkness to earth with him. Gen.1:2 ).
Lucifer (Light Reflector) obviously had a free-will choice and chose to lie to himself, to his followers and to God also, by pretending to be a loyal worshiper. He went from the Light Reflector of God's glory in heaven to the Prince Of Darkness in the earth. Jesus called him a liar and the father of lies in Gospel of John:
John 8:44 "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." So who is a liar? "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son" 1 Jn. 2:22.
II. God's Supreme Law Of Obedience To Divine Authority - Enforced on Human Race in this original Commandment, in Eden, for simple human Obedience to God:
Genesis 2:16-17 "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Lucifer led Adam & Eve to disobey God by turning from the Tree Of Life to the Forbidden Tree and caused their death. Jesus called him a murderer in John 8, above. He has caused millions of deaths through their disobedience, and millions more through the sinner's personal disobedience.
III. God's Supreme Law Of the "Sanctity Of Life". Upon this basic law, the ten Commandments and all other legitimate laws are based.
Genesis 9:5-6 "And surely your blood of your lives will I require ( Heb. darash =care for, seek justice for) .... at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man." This law says that all of society is responsible to enforce the sanctity of human life and prescribes the penalty for violating it. The reason and basis upon which God values every human life is, because the murder of a human being is an attack upon God Himself... "for in the image of God made he man."
IV. God's Supreme Law Of Ten Commandments.
A detailed expansion of God's original laws... Holiness,
Obedience, Sanctity Of Life.
Exodus 20:3-17
Thou shalt have no other gods before me. (Remember Lucifer).
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image....Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God.... (Remember Lucifer)
Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.... (Remember Lucifer).
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. (Lucifer abandoned all holiness).
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long.... (This fifth commandment may have more to do with our relationship to God than people)
Thou shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Thou shalt not steal.
Thou shalt not bear false witness....
Thou shalt not covet....
There is Much confusion about the 6th Commandment, "Thou shalt not kill." The word "kill" here is Heb. word "ratsach" and literally means "murder". Jesus quoted this commandment in Matt. 19:18 "Thou shalt do no murder." In the very next chapter, following the ten commandments of Ex.20, in Ex.21, God's Mosaic Law commands execution for various crimes. If execution for crime is murder, then God contradicts Himself. That does not happen. In Ex.21:14, if a person, with malice aforethought, murders someone, he is to be executed. In v.16, if a person kidnaps someone, he is to be executed. In v.22, if someone hurts a pregnant woman, in any kind of scuffle, and the child is lost, the guilty person is to be executed. Execution is a different Heb. word than murder. Under God's Law, killing someone for murder or kidnapping is not the same thing as murder, it is ordained of God as a punishment for their crime.
V. Jesus under girded God's Holy Law with Grace and Love. Jesus summed up the deeper meaning of the ten Commandments into just two Commandments: The first half of the ten commandments have to do with our relationship with God and the second half have to do with our relationship with other people. And both of these can be reduced to just one word .... "LOVE"
Matthew 5:17-18 "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. (Gal.5:14 "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, thou shalt love....") For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in: no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Perfect love, our destiny.
Matthew 22:35-40 "Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question .... Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. "
Hebrews 7:19 "For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did ...."
Romans 3:19-22 "Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds (works) of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe...."
Galatians 3:24-25 "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster."
VI. New Testament Enforcement Of God's Civil Law
is by election or appointment of Law Legislators, Enforcers & Law Judges. These are Society's Representatives but God's Civil Law Ministers for the good and safety of people.
Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto civil law ... the powers that be are ordained of God ..... For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? .... For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
Be subject to civil law. Be law abiding citizens. Our law enforcement organizations are there to terrify evil doers and protect those who do good. They are actually ministers of God to us for our good. Total breakdown of law (anarchy) is probably worse than a dictatorship. Dictatorship is a zoo but anarchy is a jungle swamp full of carnivorous beasts. If we do evil, expect to be punished. Law enforcement officers do not bear arms in vain but, when necessary, execute wrath upon evil doers. That is what government and law enforcement are supposed to be. When they are corrupt, abusive, or negligent, take other action. If a Hitler or Stalin commands you to violate God's commands ... murder someone, steal, lie, betray or in any way violate God's word or sin, just remember, "We ought to obey God rather than man."Acts5:29.
Rayburn Blair 11/1/13
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