Several years ago I asked the Lord…How can we know which of His principles/laws apply to us today?
God impressed on me to look in His word prior to Moses to see which principles of God are evident that far back. In the book of Genesis. Before there was the nation of ancient Israel. Before there was any Old Covenant (OC) or New Covenant (NC). The name “Moses” doesn’t appear until Ex.2:10.
So I searched Genesis for (timeless) righteous principles of God…which we see carried-over into the OC in Exodus, and also apply to us Christians today and eventually to all mankind.
Predating Moses…God’s righteous standards for mankind and the Kingdom of God, and even glimpses of Christ’s gospel, are seen in the book of Genesis. As we read between the lines of narrative, Genesis reflects examples of how to honor God and love our neighbor; how to live our lives, and how not to. Lessons that apply to Christian living.
Reformed Church theologian Albertus Pieters’ Notes On Genesis “Whoever has learned the Genesis stories has learned all the chief things that can be known about God (apart from the incarnation of God in Christ)…of permanent institutions for the well-being of mankind; we have here the institution of the Sabbath, marriage, government, and worship.” There’s much revealed between the lines of Genesis!
Genesis was written/compiled by Moses, inspired by the Holy Spirit (2Ti.3:16). It tells of ancient gentiles. Some of them applied God’s ways, while others violated principles of God and His Kingdom.
The Lord said of the gentile Abraham in Ge.26:5, “Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws”. Also Wisdom of Sirach 44:20 KJV 1611 edition “Abraham kept the law of the Most High.” Abraham was obedient to the Lord. To be so consecrated in obedience, he surely had much faith/belief in God! Jesus said to Jews who opposed Him in Jn.8:39, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham”. Abraham the non-Jew applied God’s principles & laws, present in Genesis. Long before Moses (400 years)! Also ref the topic “Abraham Obeyed Which Commandments?”.
James Bruckner Implied Law in the Abraham Narrative, p.67 “Genesis is embedded with law.”
Later, God had Moses define, describe, elaborate on, and add to those godly moral principles/laws via codified injunctions. Moses did so in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.
The Old Covenant for Israel/Jews contained God’s moral precepts & laws existing in Genesis, which Abraham obeyed. But added for Israel were pilgrim feasts, tabernacle/temple rituals, sin & guilt offerings, etc. (see “Added in the Old Covenant”.) We read of no regularly recurring animal sacrifices prior to Moses/Israel.
However, in Genesis there’s no nation of Israel! The first Jew (Judah) isn’t even born until Ge.29:35!
So the acts we read the gentiles in Genesis doing/not doing relate to principles of conduct for mankind in general (not solely for Jews)…predating by centuries the Old Covenant Law of Moses for Israel.
Doug Ward The Law of God in the Book of Genesis “This beginning portion of the Bible has quite a lot to say about legal matters. However, it often addresses these matters indirectly rather than in the form of explicit commands.” There are laws of God present in Genesis between the lines. cf. Ro.4:15, 5:12-13.
Here I’ll go through the book of Genesis, noting God’s principles revealed in it. Again, Genesis reflects the Lord’s guidelines for man before there was a nation of Israel. As we read Genesis, we’ll see actions, both good and bad, righteous and unrighteous…done by those ancient gentiles and non-Jews.
(As an exercise or for reference, you might divide a sheet of paper into two columns. On the left side, list things/actions to AVOID. On the right side, list things/actions that are scripturally right to DO.)
Ge.1:11-12 “Plants and trees bearing seed after their kind.” From creation, kind is to produce kind in biogenesis (cf. v.21, 24). Vegetation which may be eaten. Hybrid crops weren’t authorized, nor are GMOs. Genetically Modified Organisms pose yet unknown health risks; they may also affect allergies.
Ge.1:29 “I have given you every seed-bearing plant that is on the surface of the earth, and every tree which has fruit with seeds. It shall be food for you.” Seed-bearing land crops are for food. These do photosynthesis. These aren’t funguses or algae/seaweed. Mushrooms are a fungus e.g.; they live on rot. Some mushrooms are carcinogenic.
Ge.1:27-28 “Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion.” God gives to man the mandate to beget children (if physically able), and maintain the environment of the earth.
Ge.2:2-3 “God ceased [or rested, shabáth Hebrew] on the 7th day from all His work. God blessed the 7th day and sanctified it.” It’s the first thing God made holy! The sabbath is created for man, Mk.2:27. Sabbath day rest is the recurring weekly sign which identifies that God/Christ is the Creator. see the series “Sabbath 7th Day”.
Ge.2:17 “The tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat. For in the day you eat it you shall surely die.” To disobey God will result in death (cf. 3:6, 24). God is to be obeyed. see “Life and Death – for Saints” and “Tree Symbolism in Scripture”.
Ge.2:24-25 “A man shall join to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. They were both naked, the man and his wife.” Marriage and sex between male & female is ordained.
Ge.4:4 “Abel offered the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions.” This righteous gentile Abel (He.11:4) didn’t eat the fat portions. Fat (and organ meats) wasn’t authorized for human consumption (ref Le.3:3-5, 17). Eating fat is unhealthy. see “Unclean verses Clean Food”.
Ge.4:8 “Cain killed his brother Abel.” Murder is a crime. We all know that. Here, long prior to Mt Sinai and the codified law given to Moses/Israel. (also see “War & Killing and the Bible Christian”.)
Ge.4:14-15 “The Lord said, ‘Whoever kills Cain, will suffer vengeance sevenfold’. The Lord set a sign for Cain, lest any finding him should smite him.” Personal vengeance isn’t allowed (legal authorities determine who executes God’s vengeance, e.g. Ge.9:6 & De.17:6-11. see “Governmental Loyalty for Christians”.)
Ge.5:22 “Enoch walked with God.” The faithful (non-Jew) Enoch’s life pleased God, He.11:5.
Ge.7:1-3 “Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and his mate; one pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and his mate.” The gentile Noah knew clean & unclean creatures differed. God didn’t approve the unclean for sacrifice or as food; some are carcinogenic. (Clean wild animals weren’t used for godly sacrifices…the six extra pairs of clean wild animals were for food!) Ge.8:20-21 thanksgiving worship towards the Lord is done by Noah (through sacrifice).
Ge.9:3 “Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you, as the green plants.” However, as some green plants are poisonous, some moving creatures are unclean/harmful. The only creatures for “food” are (clean) moving/live creatures, properly bled. Not creatures which die of themselves (“strangled”, Ac.15:29 KJV), not carrion or road kill, which attract parasites. see “Acts 15 – Four Prohibitions”.
Ge.9:4 “You shall not eat the flesh with the life, the blood.” God forbad blood as “food” (cf. Le.3:17, Ac.15:29). “The life of the flesh is in the blood.” (Le.17:11) Blood transmits disease. Drinking blood is toxic to our system.
Ge.9:5-6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed.” A human justice system with governing law courts, even to include capital punishment, God authorized. (ref De.17:6-11, Ro.13:1-4.)
Ge.9:20-23 “Noah began farming and planted a vineyard. He became drunk.” Farming and vineyards are fine. But drunkenness/intoxication has bad consequences (cf. Pr.20:1).
Ge.9:24-26 “When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him.” Dishonoring a parent or grandparent is wrong.
Ge.12:14-20 Pharoah. Adultery is very wrong (cf. 20:1-18). Adultery occurs when a married/betrothed woman has sexual relations with a man not her husband/fiancée. see “Sexual Sins, Harlotry, Rape”.
Ge.13:13 “The men of Sodom were wicked, sinners against the Lord.” Wicked sinners?! Without law, there is no transgression/sin (Ro.4:15). Evidently there was law and the transgression of it in Genesis!
Ge.14:18 “Melchisedek king of Salem brought out bread & wine; he was priest of the Most High God.” Both king and priest. This indicates there is no complete separation between state and church. Here also is bread & wine, the forerunner of communion with Jesus. (ref He.7:17 Jesus is priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.) see “Melchisedek Order Priesthood” and “Bread and Wine in the Church”.
Ge.14:20 “Abram gave him [Melchisedek] a tenth of all.” Tithing to God’s representative of church and state is done by the gentile Abram, the father of the faithful, Ro.4:16. (cf. Ge.28:22 God hadn’t raised taxes in Jacob’s day; His rate is still just 10%.) see “Tithe to Church and State”.
Ge.15:16 “The iniquity of the Amorites isn’t yet full.” But if God didn’t have moral law in Genesis, they wouldn’t be guilty of iniquity. Paul wrote, “Without law there’s no transgression”, Ro.5:12-13.
Ge.19:4-11 the men of Sodom said to Lot, “Where are the men [angels] who came to visit you tonight? Send them out so we can have sex with them’….Lot said to them, ‘Please don’t act so wickedly.” Same-sex intercourse is wickedness (as is beastiality, sex with a different kind)!
Ge.20:7, 17-18 “Abraham prayed to God.” Ge.25:21 so did Isaac. Ge.24:63 Isaac meditated. Prayer and meditation to God are good practices.
Ge.21:9-10, 14 Abraham sent away Hagár his wife (ref Ge.16:3) and their son Ishmaél. Divorce may be done for just cause, as when continual disrespect/mockery or physical abuse is present. (cf. De.24:1)
Ge.25:8-10 “His sons buried him [Abraham].” Isaac & Ishmael. This reflects proper burial for the deceased. Also seen in this passage is sons honoring their parents (ref Ex.20:12, Ep.6:2).
Ge.27:11-13, 19 Jacob lied to Isaac. Lying is usually wrong; so is deception and notably false witness. (cf. 27:34-36, 37:31-33, 39:14, 20, Ex.20:16, Col.3:9, Ac.5:1-11.) see “Lying – Ananias & Sapphira”.
Ge.30:1-13 lists the four wives of Jacob (v.4), and their offspring. Having plural wives simultaneously isn’t morally wrong, if they’re adequately provided for. Jacob/Israel wasn’t an adulterer! (see “Polygyny – Lawful in God’s Eyes?”.)
Ge.31:33 Jacob’s four wives had separate tents. (However, having plural wives in most of today’s western world isn’t customary and isn’t recommended.) Sexual orgies aren’t God’s way.
Ge.31:19 “Rachel stole the household idols that were her father’s.” Stealing is wrong. We know that. Also, idolatry and having other gods is wrong (cf. Jsh.24:2)!
Ge.31:34-35 Labán wouldn’t search the saddlebags upon which Rachel sat during her period. Again, blood transmits disease. Contact with human uncleanness and sex during menstruation is to be avoided (ref Le.15:20, 20:18, Ac.21:25). Menstrual sex can cause tubal pregnancy and cervical cancer.
Ge.31:32 “Anyone you find your gods with shall not live.” Jacob was talking to Laban, Rachel’s father. Speaking curses upon someone can have dire consequences…Rachel died young (Ge.35:16-19).
Ge.31:42 “The God of Abraham, the God of my father.” The true God is noted here by Jacob.
Ge.34:1-2, 24-26, 30 Dinah. Rape/seduction (not mutual consent or elopement) is wrong; violations may be a capital offense. (see “Sexual Sins, Harlotry, Rape”.) v.15-30 covenant-breaking is wrong. (Here by Jacob’s sons; Shechemites did become physically circumcised.)
Ge.35:22 “Reuben lay with Bilháh his father’s concubine.” She’s a secondary wife of Jacob, Ge.30:4. Dishonoring your father is sin. Sex with father’s wife is a wrong form of incest, Le.18:8 & 1Co.5:1.
{Sidelight: Yet lesser incest such as marrying your sister wasn’t disallowed. Kindred endogamy was necessary for reproduction and environmental caretaking, as per Ge.1:28 & Ge.9:1. However, it’s said that when Abrám married Sarah (his niece or half-sister), Ge.20:11-12, the gene pool was still deep and the risk of birth defects was less. (Later, when the risk became greater, this too is prohibited, Le.18:9.)}
Ge.37:5-9 “Joseph had another dream.” (fulfilled in Ge.42:6.) This shows that God gives valid dreams.
Ge.37:27-28 Joseph’s brothers sold him to traders. Kidnapping is very wrong (cf. Ex.21:16). Also, selling one into slavery against his will was evil (cf. Ge.50:20).
Ge.38:7-10 refusing to father a son for a deceased brother’s widow was a form of cruelty to women (the weaker sex). A son would care for his mother in her old age. Also seen here is wrong coveting.
Ge.39:7-12 adultery is a “great evil” (v.9). Again, God’s moral laws existed in Genesis. In this passage, a married woman tried to rape Joseph. He knew adultery was sin (prior to the law of Moses).
Ge.45:4-15 Joseph and his brothers reconcile. Forgiveness is seen; also respect and love of family.
Ge.48:5-6 from Jacob’s example, we see that inheritances for children/grandchildren are good.
Ge.50:21 “I will provide for you and your little ones.” Joseph takes into account the welfare of others.
Ge.50:24-26 reflects honoring the memory of the deceased (Joseph, fulfilled in Jsh.24:32).
Even hints & prophecies of the Savior and the gospel predate Moses. Ge.3:15 indicates the seed of the woman (not of the man) eventually would crush the serpent’s head…the future virgin birth of Christ the Lord is implied. Also Ge.22:8, the Lord Himself to be the lamb/sacrifice. That will be Jesus.
Also, 1Pe.3:20-21 relates baptism for Christian converts to the Genesis Flood (Ge.6–8). By means of flood waters, Noah was saved from the evil so prevalent around him. Peter ties this to the water of baptism saving believers, in the sense of figuratively cleansing their conscience.
Bruckner op. cit., p. 205 wrote, seen in Genesis is “…a full range of law implied and functioning from the beginning”. Indicative of this are the three dozen godly principles I’ve noted in this topic survey.
These principles/laws are universal from Creation regarding gentiles; they predate Moses, the OC and the NC! Since they are universal…Christians of all nations should ordinarily adhere to most today!
In Genesis we read of Godfearers who obeyed the Lord…non-Jewish men such as Abraham (Ge.22:12) and Joseph (Ge.42:18). Job too was a Godfearer (Jb.1:8). That was prior to the OC law for Israel, later codified in Exodus. (also cf. Ac.10:1-2 Cornelius the gentile Godfearer.)
However, absent from Genesis (but part of the Levitical OC for Israel) were tabernacle procedures & ceremonies: e.g. sin/guilt offerings, pilgrim feasts, various washings. Any such rituals aren’t seen or recorded by Moses in Genesis regarding righteous gentiles and non-Jews of old.
Yet God had moral laws from the beginning, in Genesis. 1Jn.3:8 “The devil sins from the beginning.”
This concludes our survey of God’s moral principles/laws seen in the book of Genesis. The principles predate Moses’ later codification and they transcend the OC.
The topic “Ten Commandments in Genesis & Job” focuses specifically on the Decalogue/Testimony, as seen prior to Moses and the Old Covenant for Israel.
Bible Topic Exposition 