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Exchanged Glory III: Wise as Serpents
Though a law may be judicial, that doesn’t mean we should ignore it. We are to love and meditate on even the smallest items of God’s Law, considering how they should affect our lives.
For the most part, Christians agree about which laws are ceremonial and which are moral. We may argue about the theology behind our views, but we know that “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14) is a moral law, and “When anyone offers a grain offering to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flower …” (Leviticus 2:1) is ceremonial.
Not all laws are this clear, however. One group of laws that can create some disagreement is the civil punishment laws. Is “Whoever kills any man shall surely be put to death” (Leviticus 24:17) moral or ceremonial? Those who argue for the death penalty might think of it as moral; others would think of it as ceremonial.
I believe that these laws fall into a special category of ceremonial laws called judicial laws. We don’t have to keep them exactly as Israel did,[54] but they are also not empty of moral value. Civil punishments show how God’s unchanging justice was instituted in ancient Israel, and Jesus calls for us to treat that seriously (Matthew 5:17-19). At the same time, we have to realize that these punishments were related to specific circumstances that were unique to God’s people in ancient Israel. Those circumstances have changed, and those of us who live in different times and places should practice justice in a different form.
On the side of the importance of Old Testament civil laws, God told Israel that His commandments showed the nations His wisdom.
Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'
Part of this wisdom is the understanding that only some sins are civil crimes. All sins are wrong, but only civil crimes are to be prosecuted by the government. Civil rulers aren’t to punish people for every little misstep – only for those actions which caused great damage to society. God has given this ministry to all governments.
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. … For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. (emphasis added)
(Romans 13:1; 4)
How does a government know which sins call for it to be an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil? And what punishments should it use to be just? This is a big question, and one on which people strongly disagree. I will give my opinion. I believe that governments need to dig into what God told Israel, understand His justice in it, and then use wisdom to apply that justice to modern nations.[55] This opinion is based on the fact that the New Testament tells us the Old Testament presented a reliable standard of justice for ancient Israel.
For if the word spoken through angels (the law) proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, … [56] (emphasis added)
The death penalty for murder was a just reward (Leviticus 24:17). Being forced to pay back what you have stolen with a penalty added was a just reward (Exodus 22:1). In each case, the punishment fit the crime. It may not be appropriate in modern nations, but there is still value in understanding the just reward required.
On the side of not implementing Old Testament civil punishments, modern nations are not like ancient Israel. One major difference is that no modern nation had its start when God commanded it to drive out the inhabitants of its land:
you shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land and dwell in it, for I have given you the land to possess.
To the extent today’s nations serve God, they do it because of a long process of evangelism and discipleship.
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. (emphasis added)
Converting a nation requires a different approach than driving out its inhabitants. When Israel obeyed God by driving out or killing every man, woman, and child in Canaan, they got rid of large numbers of those who would commit crimes. This judgment-filled beginning made it easier to implement the strict standards of the Old Covenant. Those of us who are reaching out with the love and forgiveness of Christ have a much more difficult task in our attempts to mix justice with mercy.
What if we lived in a nation that was largely Christian? Would we then be required to implement Old Testament justice? I don’t believe so. Even in Old Testament times, the civil punishments were implemented with far more mercy than we might expect. God looks for ways to restore people rather than punish them, and I believe He often left room for His people to imitate His kindness.
He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
… Yet God does not take away a life; but He devises means, so that His banished ones are not expelled from Him.
If mercy was available under the Old Covenant, how much more should it be available now that God has devised the ultimate means of mercy and restoration, the New Covenant through His Son Jesus.
But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit …
I believe that the sacrifice of Jesus allows us to offer people an escape not only from eternal torment but also from some earthly punishments. Just as David devised means to save someone (2 Samuel 14:1-11), God allows today’s rulers to do the same.
That, of course, leaves open a thousand questions. When should we show mercy and when should we bring justice? How do we protect victims while leaving room for sinners to find God’s grace? I don’t have the answers to these questions, but fortunately, this Appendix doesn’t need to offer answers. My goal is simply to present an overview so that we can look at some of the Old Testament punishments for sex offenders and see how they apply to Proverbs 5-7. I will leave the question of how this applies to our modern world to those who are better equipped to answer it.
Now, at last, I can sum up the point of this whole discussion! Though a law may be judicial, that doesn’t mean we should ignore it. We are to love and meditate on even the smallest items of God’s Law, considering how they should affect our lives.
Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.
I don’t believe we should attempt to implement Old Testament civil punishments, but they still teach us valuable lessons. They help us to gain insight so we can prosper.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. (emphasis added)
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