The Law before Sinai by Max Hill

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Apr 29, 1908

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 34, No. 18.

The Law before Sinai.

By Max Hill

THE children of Israel in the land of Egypt were at first honored, but when a king that knew not Joseph arose, they were oppressed. Before many years had passed, the former guests in the land were the servants, in abject slavery to the idolatrous Egyptians. Being a strong people, the descendants of Abraham carried their customs and laws with them, the Sabbath with the rest: But the heartless taskmasters could not allow their slaves to be idle, not even on their Sabbath, so the tasks were increased and the people were compelled to labor on that day. When Moses came to lead the Israelites from the land of oppression, he found no Sabbath observed.

Evidently his first work was to re-establish this institution, for when he and Aaron came before the king, word had already preceded them that the children of Israel were keeping their old Sabbath. This is shown by his refusal to allow them to go into the wilderness a three-days' journey: "Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, loose the people from their works? get you unto your burdens. And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land are now many, and ye make them rest from their burdens." Ex. 5:4, 5. Moses would not assume authority to hinder the work of the children of Israel in anything but in a matter relating to God's will concerning them. Pharaoh also spoke of the interruption of their work not as stopping but as a rest.

Thru David the Lord shows that He delivered His people that they might keep the Sabbath and observe all His statutes. "For He remembered His holy word, and Abraham His servant. And He brought forth His people with joy, and His chosen with singing. And He gave them the lands of the nations; and they took the labor of the peoples in possession; that they might keep His statutes, and observe His laws." Ps. 105:42-45. Now it is evident that the Sabbath commandment is the only one they could not keep, even in captivity; they could worship the true God, make no idols, refrain from taking the name of the Lord in vain; in fact they would have no difficulty in keeping any of the commandments, except that of the Sabbath. Then their masters set them tasks and required that they be performed on the Sabbath as on other days.

That the keeping of the law was God's object in leading His people from Egypt is clearly shown by one of the very first miracles performed in their behalf. Without doubt they knew the law; this is the test He made: "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in My law or not." Wherein lay the test of the law?—In the observance of the Sabbath. By a threefold manifestation was the character of God and His law shown; first, a double portion of the manna fell on the day before the Sabbath; secondly, tho ordinarily it would not keep longer than a day, the extra portion gathered on the preparation day was sweet and good for the Sabbath; and thirdly, none fell on the Sabbath day.

However, some went out to gather manna on the Sabbath. The Lord was displeased with them, and to Moses He said: "How long refuse ye to keep My commandments and My laws?" This alone is evidence that the law existed before Sinai. Further evidence is found in Moses' answer to his father-in-law, when Jethro remonstrated with him for attending to all the details of judging the people: "The people come unto me to inquire of God, . . . and I make them know the statutes of God, and His laws." Ex. 18:15, 16. This work of Moses was in accordance with the instruction of Jehovah, who, in the language of David, "established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children . . . that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments." Ps. 78:5-7.

Clearly the Sabbath was not instituted to commemorate the deliverance from Egypt, for already it was a part of the law of God, well established and known to His people. Indeed, there is no difficulty at all in locating the time when it was first observed, and by whom. "And on the seventh day [of creation] God finished His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it; because that in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made." Gen. 2:2, 3. Instituted by the Creator of the world, on the seventh day of this world's

history, established as a lasting memorial of that creative week, given to man—such is the account, which is neither disputed nor altered by so much as a word in all the Bible, for the very simple and adequate reason that the Bible is the word of God, and that word is "truth," and truth is eternal.