The Bible Class

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LESSON IV. The Law existed from the Beginning

Questions to Lesson 4*

Let us now look for the law of God in that part of the Bible called the Old Testament. The book of Genesis is a brief history of events, beginning with the creation of the world, and extending over a period of more than two thousand years. During this time there lived some men who were approved of God, such as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Lot, Isaac, and Jacob. These the Lord called righteous men, because they did right. But there were many wicked men in those times, like Cain, who killed his brother, and God sent dreadful judgments upon them for their sins. At one time he sent a flood of water upon the earth, and destroyed all men living, but eight persons; [Genesis 7] at another time he rained fire and brimstone on four cities, and burned them up with all their inhabitants, with the exception of one man and a part of his family. Genesis 19. BIC 10.1

But the law of God is not written in the book of Genesis. No set of rules are here given for men to live by. But it is reasonable to suppose that God had then revealed to men what was right and what was wrong. Those righteous men must have been taught of God what actions were right. And, in fact, we know that they had the law of God, although it is not written in the history of these times, that is, the book of Genesis. For God says, Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. Genesis 26:5. He could not have kept a law before that law was made known to him. So we know that God had a law and righteous men kept it, though the law itself is not recorded here. BIC 11.1

On the other hand, those wicked men who were destroyed by flood and flame, broke the law, and were sinners in the sight of God. And they could not be sinners without a law; for sin is the transgression of the law, [1 John 3:4,] and where no law is there is no transgression. Romans 4:15. BIC 11.2

Thus we see that the law of God existed during those early ages, that good men kept it, and bad men broke it; and wherever we can find a whole law which God has given at any time, we may be confident that it is the same law which those righteous men kept; for he does not change, and his perfect rule of right cannot change. BIC 11.3