Bible Readings for the Home Circle Part 106

The Law Of G.o.d In The Patriarchal Age

[Ill.u.s.tration.]

Obedience Of Abraham. "Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept ... My commandments." Gen. 26:5.

1. Can there be sin where there is no law?

"Because the law worketh wrath: _for where no law is, there is no transgression_." "_Sin is not imputed when there is no law._" Rom. 4:15; 5:13.

2. Through what is the knowledge of sin obtained?

"For _by the law_ is the knowledge of sin." "I had not known sin, but _by the law_." Rom. 3:20; 7:7.

3. What statement shows that sin was in the world before the law was given on Mt. Sinai?

"_For until the law sin was in the world_: but sin is not imputed when there is no law." Rom. 5:13.

NOTE.-The fact that sin was imputed before the law was given at Sinai is conclusive proof that the law existed before that event.

4. When did sin and death enter the world?

"Wherefore, as _by one man [Adam] sin entered into the world_, and death by sin; and so death pa.s.sed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Verse 12.

5. With what words did G.o.d admonish Cain?

"If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, _sin lieth at the door_." Gen. 4:7.

6. What shows that G.o.d imputed sin to Cain?

"And He said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto Me from the ground. And _now art thou cursed from the earth_, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand."

Verses 10, 11.

7. What was the difference between Cain's and Abel's characters?

"Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? _Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous._" 1 John 3:12.

NOTE.-There must, therefore, have been a standard at that time by which the characters of men were weighed. That standard must have defined the difference between right and wrong, and pointed out man's duty. But this is the province of the law of G.o.d. Hence the law of G.o.d must have existed at that time.

8. In what condition was the world before the flood?

"The earth also was _corrupt before G.o.d_, and the earth was _filled with violence_." Gen. 6:11.

9. What did G.o.d purpose to do with the people of that day?

"And G.o.d said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, _I will destroy them with the earth_." Verse 13.

10. What is Noah called?

"And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, _a preacher of righteousness_." 2 Peter 2:5.

NOTE.-Noah must have warned the antediluvians against sin, and preached repentance and that obedience of faith which brings the life into harmony with the law of G.o.d.

11. Why did the Lord destroy Sodom?

"The men of Sodom were _wicked_ and _sinners_ before the Lord _exceedingly_." Gen. 13:13.

12. What was the character of their deeds?

"And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their _unlawful deeds_)." 2 Peter 2:7, 8.

NOTE.-Their deeds would not have been _unlawful_ had there been no law then in existence. _Unlawful_ means "contrary to law."

13. What did Joseph, in Egypt, say when tempted to sin?

"How then can I do this great wickedness, and _sin against G.o.d_?" Gen.

39:9.

14. What did G.o.d say to Abraham concerning the Amorites?

"In the fourth generation they [Israel] shall come hither again: for _the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full_." Gen. 15:16.

15. Of what sin were the Amorites specially guilty?

"And he [Ahab] did very abominably in _following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites_, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel." 1 Kings 21:26.

16. Why did the Lord abhor the Canaanites?

"Ye shall therefore keep all My statutes, and all My judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spew you not out. And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: _for they committed all these things_, and therefore I abhorred them." Lev. 20:22, 23.

NOTE.-The statement that "they committed all these things" refers to what had been previously forbidden to the Israelites. Among these things was idolatrous wors.h.i.+p (Lev. 20:1-5), showing that the Gentiles, as well as the Jews, were amenable to the law of G.o.d, and were abhorred of G.o.d for violating it.

17. Why did G.o.d make His promise to the seed of Abraham?

"Because Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws." Gen. 26:5.