BLUEPRINT FOR A BETTER WORLD

1. BLUEPRINT FOR A BETTER WORLD Lesson 2 for July 13, 2019

2. After many years of slavery, God delivered the people of Israel from Egypt. He gave them fair laws in their way to the Promised Land. “And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?” (Deuteronomy 4:8). These laws especially protected the weak. THE LEGISLATOR THE TEN COMMANDMENTS PROTECTIVE LAWS THE SECOND TITHE THE JUBILEE

3. THE LEGISLATOR “So the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.”(Exodus 4:31) God showed Himself to Moses in bush that “was burning with fire” and “was not consumed” (Exodus 3:2). He told Moses that He had seen the sorrow of His people and He had heard their cry (v. 7). God commissioned Moses to deliver Israel from Egypt (v. 10). They would not exit Egypt empty handed. Egypt would pay the Israelites for all the work they had done as slaves (v. 21). On their way to Canaan, God resolved to make a nation from these people who were former slaves. He gave them fair laws that could be a blessing for the entire world. To do this, He called them to mount Sinai.

4. “Jehovah revealed Himself, not alone in the awful majesty of the judge and lawgiver, but as the compassionate guardian of His people: ‘I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.’ He whom they had already known as their Guide and Deliverer, who had brought them forth from Egypt, making a way for them through the sea, and overthrowing Pharaoh and his hosts, who had thus shown Himself to be above all the gods of Egypt—He it was who now spoke His law.” E.G.W. (Patriarchs and Prophets, cp. 27, p. 305)

5. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS “So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone.”(Deuteronomy 4:13) The Ten Commandments were the Constitution of the people of Israel. It was the highest law from which all other laws derive from them. Fulfilling the Commandments is a sign of our love to God (the first 4; Dt. 6:5; Mt. 22:37-38) and our neighbor (the last 6; Lv. 19:18; Mt. 22:39). We should fulfill the Commandments both by our acts and our intentions (Matthew 5:21-30). A society in which everyone keeps the Commandments would be an active, vibrant society in which everyone enthusiastically acted on their love for God by loving and caring for one another.

6. “What a God is our God! He rules over His kingdom with diligence and care, and He has built a hedge—the Ten Commandments—about His subjects to preserve them from the results of transgression. In requiring obedience to the laws of His kingdom, God gives His people health and happiness, peace and joy. He teaches them that the perfection of character He requires can be attained only by becoming familiar with His word.” E.G.W. (Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, cp. 64, p. 454)

7. PROTECTIVE LAWS “You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child.”(Exodus 22:21-22) There are three chapters (21-23) in Exodus which include different types of laws: Caring for those vulnerable (slaves, foreigners, widows and orphans) is key in these laws. The Israelites had to care for the less favored and to treat them the same caring way God had treat them when they were foreigners in Egypt.

8. “The laws which God gave His ancient people were wiser, better, and more humane than those of the most civilized nations of the earth. The laws of the nations bear marks of the infirmities and passions of the unrenewed heart; but God’s law bears the stamp of the divine.” E.G.W. (Patriarchs and Prophets, cp. 42, p. 465)

9. THE SECOND TITHE “At the end of every third year you shall bring out the tithe of your produce of that year and store it up within your gates. And the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates, may come and eat and be satisfied, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.” (Deuteronomy 14:28-29) Deuteronomy 14:22-29 explains that the Israelites had to give a second tithe, with a different purpose from that of the first. For two years, this second tithe was carried to Jerusalem. They ate part of it in their family and shared it with those in need. The third year, this special tithe was shared with the “local” needy in each city. Every Israelite gave about 25-33% of their income to maintain the nation. Part of it was destined to look after those in need.

10. E.G.W. (Education, cp. 5, p. 44) “The consecration to God of a tithe of all increase, whether of the orchard and harvest field, the flocks and herds, or the labor of brain or hand, the devotion of a second tithe for the relief of the poor and other benevolent uses, tended to keep fresh before the people the truth of God’s ownership of all, and of their opportunity to be channels of His blessings. It was a training adapted to kill out all narrowing selfishness, and to cultivate breadth and nobility of character.”

11. THE JUBILEE “And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you; and each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his family.”(Leviticus 25:10) The Jubilee was the year of liberation of the land. Everyone received their inheritance back in the Jubilee. This way, no one could amass large estates. In addition, families didn’t lose their lands—their livelihood—forever. When someone had to sell their inheritance, the price for it was calculated equivalent to the benefit from the subsequent harvests it would yield until the Jubilee year. Because of sin, there will always be poor people (Matthew 26:11). The Jubilee was the solution God proposed to minimize social inequality.

12. “In apportioning the inheritance of His people, it was God’s purpose to teach them, and through them the people of after generations, correct principles concerning the ownership of the land. The land of Canaan was divided among the whole people, the Levites only, as ministers of the sanctuary, being excepted. Though one might for a season dispose of his possession, he could not barter away the inheritance of his children. When able to do so, he was at liberty at any time to redeem it; debts were remitted every seventh year, and in the fiftieth, or year of jubilee, all landed property reverted to the original owner. Thus every family was secured in its possession, and a safeguard was afforded against the extremes either of wealth or of poverty.” E.G.W. (Education, cp. 5, p. 43)

13. “Where shall we find laws more noble, pure, and just than are exhibited on the statute books wherein is recorded the instruction given to Moses for the children of Israel? From what other source can we gather such strength or learn such noble science? What other book will teach men so well how to love, fear, and obey God? What other book presents to students more ennobling science, more wonderful history? It clearly portrays righteousness and foretells the consequence of disloyalty to the law of Jehovah.” E.G.W. (Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 428)