DISCLAIMER: These are my notes & commentary and do not represent a balanced summary of the author’s work. I’ve selected portions of the text which were relevant to me and placed them here in my own words, in an abbreviated fashion, with added commentary. Though this article introduces some main ideas from the text, it is bias toward what I felt were ideas of particular importance. This should not be considered a scholarly work, but rather an informal sharing & discussion of ideas as permitted by Fair Use law. I alone am responsible for the contents of this article.
This book highlights many fascinating parallels between the U.S. Constitution and the Law of Moses.
-34% of the founding fathers’ material comes from the bible
-They called politics the divine science
-In the early schools of the USA, the main things they taught in school were 1. religion. 2. Morality. 3. Knowledge.
-the major colleges used to require study of the bible.
-The Founding Fathers saw Moses’ prophecy of gathering in a new land. They saw it as America, and tried to reestablish Gods law there.
-The bible speaks of the Jews returning to Jerusalem, but the rest of Israel to a New Jerusalem.
-33 verses in the bible separate Jerusalem from the new Zion.
-Bible teaches the law to go out from Zion, and the work of the Lord from Jerusalem. (*The law to go out from Zion may be the Constitution from America; Author suggests this throughout the rest of the text.)
-Isaiah saw America and called it an Island, it surrounded by water, and being beyond the rivers of Ethiopia in Africa.
-Remnant in Isle is remnant of Israel. Such connotes Zechariah. He says they will be scourged, and will bring an offering to The Lord.
-Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are not the only people who think that the New Jerusalem will be in America. Several scholars cited in the text.
-Bishop Berkley (George Berkeley, also known as Bishop Berkeley, was an Anglo-Irish philosopher whose primary achievement was the advancement of a theory he called “immaterialism”) thought restoration to come in the USA.
-Daniel said four kingdoms break down then one established forever. Bishop Berkley saw the four down already, now time for the lasting one to be established.
-Bishop Berkley saw the Native Indians (of America) as the people of Zechariah’s prophecy as well.
-Lyman Beecher (Lyman Beecher was a Presbyterian minister, American Temperance Society co-founder and leader) among others saw the west as being the best.
-Colonists held Hebrew as cornerstone of a liberal education. They wanted it as the USA national language, and considered it the key to the bible.
-Colonists considered Greek necessary for a basic education.
-At Harvard a student originally was required to take Hebrew Latin and Greek. These were considered basic to education.
-Many saw the going from the Britain to the colonies like the Israelites fleeing from Egypt to freedom.
-Moses was grandson of Levi, who was grandson of Abraham. He was a Levite.
-Founding Fathers made the Constitution to govern some 300 million since they believed in God’s prophecy that Israel would be gathered there.
-the bible says that when the Red Sea was parted by Moses, that there were walls of water on either side. Moses lifted his rod then the waters parted. (*Surely this shows that this was God’s doing!)
-While Moses was on Mt. Sinai they some 300 stripped naked and sex worshiped around the golden calf like they saw done in Egypt. The rest basically stood around watching. God hated all of this.
-key to governing is to have clear expectations and great motivations to do those things expected of you. Moses ruled this way.
-In ancient Israel, if there were not more than one witness to a crime, the person was not convicted, but left to be judged by God.
-Offenders paid 1/5 more than was owed to discourage future offense.
-Judges were not to avenge the harmed guy, but to give the good by back what was his.
-Proceeds of court went to the innocent, not the judges.
-In Moses’ day most men over 20 were heads of families.
-Checks and balances were in Moses’ law, but the Sanhedrin became bad taking over all.
-In Moses’ system (aka Jehovah’s system), there were 78,600 leaders for 3 million people. These leaders were of the choice of the people, and hence they would resolve much, and hence the government was by the people. This is a large number of leaders per person.
-There was 1 person in charge of each ten persons, another person in charge of each 50, another person in charge of each 100 in God’s law via Moses.
-Moses’ system had six miles square for 100 families with farms pastures and place of settlement. (Anglo Saxons did similarly, and this would later contribute to their conversion to Christianity).
-Having leaders as above referenced allows for strong local government.
-Strong local government is the cornerstone of liberty.
-Moses’ law had a murderer put to death no exceptions.
-Moses’ law had death penalty for Sabbath breaking, but this rarely happened. There was an alternative- if you wanted to live like a Pegan, you could go live with the Pagans. But then you would not have the blessings of living with The House of Israel. Israel had to have strict guidelines, for God had strict guidelines, and if the people were to have his blessing upon their people, then they needed to ensure God’s law be enforced among them. This was the only way God could make them rich and blessed. The threat of the death penalty in Israel was enough to get the people not to do it (break the Sabbath) in Israel.
– “eye for an eye” did not necessarily mean your eye had to be taken out. You either gave the man what he was asking for, or else you would be punished with the equal punishment of the crime.
-Prisoners served up to six years to pay off their debts but still got to see their family, living among society, and weren’t confined to a cell unless they were deemed a harm to others.
-John Jay (John Jay was an American statesman, Patriot, diplomat, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, signer of the Treaty of Paris, and first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court) said that the bible is the only true history.
-Joshua in ancient Israel sent Priests to go ahead and step into the river before it parted. (*Leaders are to set the example, to take up the promise of the Lord and hence show by example to Israel what they should do)
-Better than riches and arms for our country is wise and virtuous youth.
-If we are vicious we will become slaves.
-Communism is different from God’s Law of Consecration. Peter told Ananias still he had ownership but was giving. He could have not done that. The reason Ananias died was because he tried to lie to Peter, telling him that was all the money that the land fetched.
-All were encouraged to memorize the ten commandments in ancient Israel.
-Raca means vain fellow. (Christ said not to call people that)
-Jesus Christ quotes the book of Deuteronomy more than any other text.
-Elisha did all the miracles that Jesus did including bringing people back from the dead (*this is not to say he is the Savior, but shows that persons called of God can perform miracles) (see Ch8)
-No taxes were assessed against the land in Israel.
–All in Israel got an inheritance. If you had no inheritance from your family, you received money without interest and were otherwise helped until you were established.
-In ancient Israel, land a person obtained was even to belong to their posterity. Every 50 years, the year of Jubilee, land was returned to its original owner.
-Burdens were shared by the immediate community in Israel. In time of need neighbors would help you, and you would help your neighbors in their time of need.
-Funds to the needy went right to them, and did not have to pass through bureaucratic system of state or national government in ancient Israel.
-Who didn’t work didn’t eat in ancient Israel.
-There were no interest on loans to the poor. Loans could be assessed if they were for businesses. This worked well for this, an agrarian (agricultural) society.
-There was a day of pardon where debts were canceled in ancient Israel.
-The last of the fruit on the trees was to be left for the poor to glean in ancient Israel.
-The people were to seek out and help the poor in ancient Israel.
-Education was primarily by parents, and was continuous in ancient Israel.
-The largest class size was 25 students in ancient Israel.
-in ancient Israel there was no textbook for a child except the bible until they were 10 years old.
-The parents in ancient Israel were responsible to teach their children not only the law from the bible, but the reasons behind those laws, and modern examples.
-Moses made it a pleasing thing and an honor to God to serve in the military. If a person was married less than a year ago he was excluded, and if it was his harvest time he was excluded, and if he was timid of fighting he was excluded.
-Abraham sought to know the truth from the fathers, and he winded up teaching the people on the throne of Egypt with 365 great ones who came to hear him (*seek like Abraham, and you’ll find everlastingly.) (*See summary of “A Study Guide to the Book of the Facsimiles of Abraham” by Fletcher at http://www.richardsonstudies.wordpress.com)
-God promised Israel that though they thought he had forgotten of them, he would show them that he had not (Isaiah).
-Moses had a Urim and Thumim which he used to judge cases that were too difficult for him.
-When Israel heard God speak they were terrified, and asked Moses to speak to them rather than to hear the voice of God.
-A modern day group will have to reconstruct the constitution to how it was originally. The original is currently shredded (not in use). Study the original well so you can bring it back into use.
-on the meeting where they made the constitution, no more than two comments were allowed to be made by a certain individual in certain times, to decrease the chance of quarreling.
-The electoral college has been gone since about 1800, but it will be restored someday. The political party system currently over runs it, but that will go away, and the electoral college system will return.
-Jefferson knew Moses’ prophecy of God’s law to be in place in latter-days, it would entail much of the Anglo Saxon’s law, like paying grievances to people who are grieved more than paying judges that money.
-Jefferson made a profound study of Christian history.
-Jefferson saw that all the original Christian fathers stressed not only faith, but they stressed faith and repentance.
-At Valley Forge 2000 starved or froze to death of those who remained there with Washington.
-Washington pointed out to congress in letters 67 times when things suddenly turned in his favor by God’s providence.
-Morning and night George Washington vocally knelt and prayed to God.
-Of the Founding Fathers some were University Presidents, some were farmers, some rich and some poor. All had basic same beliefs since all were well read in the same things from home or Harvard. They were excellent scholars in economics, political science, the bible, philosophy, governments around the world (they were as at home in one place as another by how well they knew), ancient and modern history.
-Some said Plato’s government is the ideal, but Founding Fathers disagreed. Thomas Jefferson was disgusted with Plato and called it garble and nonsense and wonders why we regard him so highly. (Ch9 apron)
-Founding Fathers read “Publius” and “The Spirit of The Laws” by Montesquieu. Also John Locke and Calvin.
-Ancient and modern history as well as bible study are essential for being a good lawyer.
-A major mistake from our past is letting law makers be exempt from the laws they make.
-Thomas Jefferson read everything he could about the Anglo Saxons.
-When Washington became President of the USA he was so poor that he had to borrow money to buy a suit and attend his own inauguration.
-The Korean war and the Vietnam wars were unconstitutional
-The two world wars were a terrible waste.
-School text books make political party system sound good, but history shows otherwise. Washington warned against these in his farewell address, and they were not part of the original constitution. The electoral college, a brilliant system, was. Washington’s words on the evils of the party system have come to pass, like fighting parties, and paying people to be on your side.
-High salaries to government workers makes it so that scoundrels are the ones who try to get into US leadership
-Founders taught that When in office position, have something of a trade to fall back on.
-Founders taught Government workers don’t need high salaries, the good you feel from it and the trust of the people you receive was enough.
-Founders taught to beware those who go into office just for a job, for who go in there poor retire rich.
-Ben Franklin spoke of the Sheriffs of England who are paid little, but the respect and satisfaction of the job from serving the people was good enough.
-Free Market economy (attending to our needs based on supply and demand) and minimum of government regulations is where we prosper.
-Washington chose not to remain President because of the bad example of Cromwell who failed in trying so to do.
-Pocahontas at about age 19 was baptized a Christian.
-George Washington risked his life many times. His genius thrived on conquering impossible tasks.
-Washington had men come back and enlist after Christmas dinner it was a miracle that they returned to the cold dreary war.
-When they won a battle without bloodshed, Washington told the soldiers to go and to church and thank God for letting them do so without shedding blood.
-Washington lead his people in fighting even in the night which is not traditional. They crossed a cold river at night as well.
-States used to have people appointed to watch over state rights now not so.
-Private welfare federally corrupts the government and the people. Such should be state action. Should be not general but for special cases. Twas originally such in the USA.
-Once Benjamin Franklin had signed the constitution he wept for joy and awe.
-There was revelation from God in the making of the constitution. Revelation happens. This is seen in how Isaiah about 170 years before Cyrus of Persian knew the name of him and what he would do for the Jews (free them and bring them to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. He even had it funded from the king, which was very non-traditional, and considered by the Jews to be a miracle).
-Benjamin Franklin asked they pray in the meetings to make the constitution. They said no. Their reasoning was they didn’t want the people to see them as desperate (which they were), and they didn’t have money to pay a minister to come pray, and they worried of how they were of different denominations. In reality, there were several ministers present already who could have prayed for them (and Franklin speaks of commonalities among all sound religions.) They had prayed while fighting the revolutionary war, but sadly ceased to do so now, and this hindered the progress of the creation of the constitution greatly. Washington prayed twice a day but that was a personal affair.
-Oft people in the USA wanted a king. Israel had made that mistake, wanting to be like all the other nations, and they never fully recovered from that. Founding Fathers knew this and avoided having a king.
-Some of the states got on board with the Constitution only by a handful of votes (under ten) to be the deciding factor (*It does matter that we vote! We believe that we can make a difference, especially as we come together!)
-The Founding Fathers thought that the constitution would fail if it’s people it governed were not a virtuous people.
-Virtue back then meant more than it does to us commonly now. It entailed that we loose ourselves in doing good for the country.
-The more crude and vicious a people are, the more they will need leaders.
-People currently are not willing to conform to God’s law, but they will be once they are in crisis. It will be like as it was with the Sons of Issachar. We merely need to have enough people who know what to do about it once the people are ready to live Gods law. See sons of Issachar example of how it worked out.
-A good economy needs the people to have the freedom to try, buy, sell, and fail. The market will grow then, and people will have to make good products lest they fail. If a business cannot fail, then it will make poor quality products.
-We should not go into debt to help other nations. We should do what we can, not more. George Washington hoped that we would not get involved with the political affairs of Europe or other countries, being that what they stand for is so different from what we stand for in our country the USA.
-Founding Fathers wanted that we be not permanently united with other nations politically.
-Government should have power to stop businesses from selling things exploiting human weaknesses like drugs alcohol and pornography.
-The U.S. Treasury will return when the restoration of God’s law and the Constitution occurs.
-The Senate should be answerable to state legislature.
-When the Constitution is restored a President will not be limited to a certain amount of terms. For example, Ronald Reagan was not able to continue on with much good he was doing because of the impending end of his Presidency people did not take him seriously etc.
-Who loves something the most will be the person who promotes its virtues the most.
-Benjamin Franklin said that all sound religion believes we are accountable to God after death about how we treated our fellow beings, and that we ought to treat others as we would like to be treated, that we are all children of the God, and that the God is over us all.
-We are all something, hence we did not come from nothing. The organizer of us must be greater than us (hence he had power to organize us), and hence the supreme good.
-Anglo Saxon word for “the supreme good” is “God”.
-Founding Fathers said one who boasts to be an atheist was merely not imploring his divine ability to reason.
-Government is designed to provide equal rights for all people, not equal things for all people.
-Robbing the rich to give to the poor seems good, but it isn’t. A person should be able to give of his goods out of charity if he desires to, but a well-meaning third-party person should not try to appeal to the government to try and get the man with more to be forced to give his goods to the poor.
-Unalienable rights means rights we are given at birth by God.
-Some unalienable rights are life liberty the pursuit of happiness, and the way the Constitution was originally written, property was one of these. More of these are the right to bear arms, freedom of conscious, to choose your spouse, to choose your profession, habeas corpus (need to be charged of something in order to be held captive by the government), also the dispense of our property, and to assemble.
-The Founding Fathers wanted a republic not a democracy.
-Democracy is not good. it has proven not to be historically. This is because democracy is the masses of people choosing everything. The issue is that the common people don’t have time to sufficiently read up on all of the issues. They are too busy with their jobs. They don’t go to the political and otherwise meetings.
-Republic means that we select people to represent our best interests in government.
-When people lose faith in their leaders, it’s common for them to want a democracy, but such often becomes a dictatorship.
-The Pledge of Allegiance shows that this country was designed to be a republic.
-Government needs power to control the people, and to control itself.
-Rights of life and liberty are only secure when the right of property is secure. Yes, to own, develop, and dispense it.
-The right of property doesn’t mean the property itself has rights, it means that the person who owns the property has right. Such was explanation of a chief judge.
-Property is the fruit of liberty.
-When we don’t stand up against the government when they make changes to the Constitution, the Constitution becomes shredded. Such has happened in the past and is one of our biggest mistakes.
-Common property becomes a belonging to whoever cultivates it. If permission is always needed to cultivate the land, people would starve.
-If land once cultivated cannot be said to belong to the person who did so, a lazy or mighty person would come in and take over. Hence the worker would lose his motivation to work.
-God commanded us to till the earth (in the scriptures). There is no motive to do so if we don’t know that what we till is ours.
-“Threat to one’s property is threat to one’s life.” (John Locke)
-When the federal government tends to the poor, it’s bad. Until this generation, the people cared for the poor. President Grover Cleveland refused to use money for such.
-People should supper the government but the government should not support the people.
-Government welfare encourages the people to rely on the government, and expect a handout. It deprives the people of the joy of caring to the poor.
-Adam Smith wrote five books, “The Wealth of Nations” which goes well with the constitution.
-At the cleansing of America, when things are put in order by devastation in America and people are living like pioneers again to prepare the world for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, a 100 leader (a person who is in charge of 100 persons or families) sets up a city hall for school and church on Sundays, and makes the beauty in city buildings to gladden the hearts of the community, and sets up recreation committee, and they have contests, and sacrifice.
-Hail beauty without extravagance. Hail wisdom not without manliness.
-The Golden age of Greece was such because they had many constitutional practices, much local government and government for the people by the people.
-After the cleansing, people will inhabit old houses, the scriptures say. This suggests that the cleansing will be by plague not nuclear warfare merely.
-Issue with the west is that there is no water. But Isaiah said that the wilderness will have water. Many will come to inhabit it. “Extend thy stakes”.
-Suppression of crime is almost automatic in God’s law. Who hurts must be hurt unless they make repair to all damages. This is better than incarceration or paying a fine to the court. The money went to the person who was damaged. Incarceration was only for persons who were a threat to others.
-The captains of 10’s, 100’s, etc. (which will come into play at the cleansing of America and reinstatement of the Constitution in preparation for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ) will have duty of seeing all in their “ward” have the needs of life.
-( at the cleansing of America and reinstatement of the Constitution in preparation for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ) All will live in tents until we can all have cabins, then all will live in houses, etc.
-Brigham Young said all who bow to Christ and confess his divinity we call brothers and sister, weather they are Latter-day Saints or not.
-Article 1 Section 1 of the Constitution says law making is for congress, but today the President and his cabinet army of groups do so.
-Sam Adams spoke of how socialized welfare is, on our government, unconstitutional. People ought not labor to give to the government under the pretense that the government will care for them.
-People will become humble, the Constitution will be reinstated.
-( in the time of the cleansing of America and reinstatement of the Constitution in preparation for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ)leaders will be chosen without politics.
-People try to socialize America slowly so we don’t notice until we are in bondage.
-People who know the devastation is coming will be trained beforehand to serve in administration of food and other needs. They will know how things will run at this time, and be the ones to help save some people, or at least care for the survivors.
-Captains of government -( in the time of the cleansing of America and reinstatement of the Constitution in preparation for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ) will be asked to serve without pay except for minimal living expenses. It will be considered a duty they perform for their country wherein they must put aside luxuries of life in order to do this for their assigned time, they will leave.
-The crisis, like after World War 2, will take a year or more for supplies to reach the people. Hence, we need to have our 1-year supply of food storage (*President Benson said that having 1 year of storage may well be like getting onto Noah’s ark in our day. See Ensign November 1987, 49).
-God never intended us to live in packed cities, but as recognized important individuals of a community. I.e. Townships of 100 in New England. Representative government at its best. 10 families were a tithing. Their leader was called a tithing man, or a captain of 10.
-Participative theocracy is what Thomas Jefferson wanted. This would allow people to participate in government daily, not just once a year in elections. Divide the counties into wards was the key.
-Elementary schools are better managed by the parents of that area than if directed by government.
-Who tries to get rid of religion is not a patriot. Now we are not allowed to read the bible in our school rooms, the plaques on the walls with the ten commandments have been torn down from the school walls, and this would anger Benjamin Franklin. He said that the Constitution would not work for a non-religious, immoral people.
-Money will be able to be exchanged for immediate trade in gold or silver at any government bank (in the time of the cleansing of America and reinstatement of the Constitution in preparation for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ).
-Each ward will be like a small republic within itself (in the time of the cleansing of America and reinstatement of the Constitution in preparation for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ)
-When one-person travels to a new town, they will get a letter of recommendation from the town they are leaving acclaiming their good reputation. This will greatly help them get into the new community with a good start. Those who don’t produce one of these may be watched over carefully until they prove themselves, or even some privileges revoked for the time being.
-Graduated income taxes are directly against the Constitution. Mere 10% sales tax will suffice for taxing. Note there was also no property tax in the law of Moses. Thus the rich people are taxed more because they spend more money.
-Virtuous people show we need not so many laws, that God’s law does suffice.
-mere primitive requirements of early pioneer life it will be (in the time of the cleansing of America and reinstatement of the Constitution in preparation for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ).
-Children who required expensive cereals, and adults who had exotic food shipped in from a far will learn to eat oatmeal and beans etc. There will be no more mass distribution of food, it will be local.
-Thomas Jefferson wanted a pyramid of local government via wards, and people at the top would have little to do since most of the needs would be met by the local leaders.
-Deuteronomy 1:13-15 says how to become a pyramid of local government.
-the Vice President will be drafted rather than having the runner up for President be the Vice President.
-There will be no lobbyists or special interest groups.
-There will be no political candidates who raise millions of dollars to run for Presidency to publicize their campaign, making promises to do certain things once in Presidency for those who give them money in this process.
-Government businesses will be privatized or phased out.
-The government will lose the 40% of land that it currently has which it has obtained over the years in an unconstitutional manner.
-Beginning primarily with “the new deal”, the 10th amendment was gone.
-Many USA Secretaries i.e. of Agriculture, are merely to dish out money to the people who helped the President get enough money to run for president. They will be absolved. This constitutes basically the entire Cabinet of the President.
-Congress sessions will be short as they were originally designed to be, something like three months.
-The Cabinet of the President can’t pass laws or make regulations. Much of them currently do this though. As mentioned, most of these offices will be abolished.
-“Administrative Law” marks the end of the original constitution.
-There should be no secret executive or otherwise agreements.
-No bank should be allowed to loan out money that it does not have.
-If we could invest our money instead of the government taking out a portion of it for Social Security we could be rich.
-Social Security money will soon cease to exist.
-The Federal Government could not make social programs, only states could originally. For 1/10 of the money goes toward caring for the poor. They send welfare to who not need it since it’s cheaper to pay them the checks than to hire monitors to check on it.
-Woodrow vs. Wade, about women having a right that doesn’t exist, the “private right”, to destroy an unborn children! Abortion has always been allowed for cases of incest or rape, but we are far from that today (*An LDS person who participates in an abortion is not allowed to have a temple recommend. Cases of incest or rape are exceptions) See Church Handbook.)
-Depressions come from people not spending money. The Great Depression was such, the people were afraid. This would be avoided in God’s law, for we will live in wards, and money will be exchangeable for gold or silver.
-Countries which are controlled by the government ever remain stagnant, whereas the free nations flourish.
-The government should be able to prevent debauchery (distribution of gambling, pornography, drugs, monopolies, etc. Things that appeal to human weakness. The Founding Fathers felt the same on this issue.)
-“Free to Choose” by Milton Freedman is a good book on economics which Skousen suggests.
-Economy depends on profit. Gauging, aka shady business, isn’t justified profit.
-Free Market System economy makes things abundant and cheap, and profits for all rise. Competition yields constant improvement of service, and more people use the service, thus profits for all are increasing. Monopoly disappoints these efforts. John Adams knew this long ago.
-Price limits are unconstitutional in time of peace, and they don’t work in time of war. Price rising motivates production and competition.
-Products disappear when price limits happen. Then black markets engage, and things get expensive, corrupt, and full of bribery.
-The sense of crisis brings people together. We see this occurring already in third world countries.
-States united so they could have military strength, and money enough for public figures.
-Ethiopia was the bread basket of Africa, but when it became communized, it went to poverty. No one had desire to work since they could not keep what they made. Attempts to buy more supplies for one’s self in order to help that person do more business was not allowed, and was called selfish. In reality such is necessary.
-The Founding Fathers didn’t set out to have America be policemen of the world.
-All who desire freedom can join the USA (*provided naturally they must live by the law we have).
-Sympathy for a nation can lead us to want to believe that they have similar principals that we do in the USA, but they don’t. Hence, we help them too much in war time etc. We must be impartial in our foreign affairs. Steer clear of permanent alliances with foreign countries. Make temporary alliances only in times of emergency (said George Washington).
-Whipping people for crimes can help teach discipline. This in Canada helped people to not commit re-offenses.
-The people brought a woman to Jesus who was taken in adultery. They did not bring the male involved, such was the law to bring him also. At any rate, Jesus did not care about technicalities, so he did not bring this up. Jesus forgave her (*and told her not to do that anymore). In another translation of the bible we read that she went away praising god, believing in god from that hour.
-Part of the establishment of God’s Law and the Constitution may be done before the cleansing, but other parts of it the people will refuse to do until after the cleansing (when they are humbled by natural and otherwise disaster, and reduced to minimal economy of living.) These things are to happen before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
-Breaking of the Sabbath made so much rebellion in Israel that it threatened the existence of Israel, hence is was punishable by death.
-No provision in God’s Law for men to emasculate themselves.
-Children have inalienable rights just as adults do. You could not get back at someone via abuse to their children in God’s Law.
-In Israel, once a child reached the age of accountability which was usually 8, the full punishments of law might be inflicted.
-Juvenile rebellion against parents was a capital crime. We have no record of this occurring, for the parent would have to be the one who casted the first stone to slay them. Nevertheless, the knowledge that the parent had power over the life of the child was enough to keep the child from misbehaving too much. Also the child could make up for what he has done, paying a sort of a ransom on his life. For the death penalty to occur, the parent had to bring the child before a court of law, and tell of the child’s behavior, then the judge would give the ok on it. It would happen in front of the judge to ensure that it was the parent who casted the first stone. Law of God required parents to have patience with their child. They would go to the city and report his stubbornness and rebelliousness or that he is a drunkard. This had important psychological value, instilling in the minds of the children that their parents had power over their lives.
-No more than 40 lashes by the whip could be imposed upon someone. The lashes were done in front of a judge so they person would be sure to not receive more than 40 lashes.
-Parents were to teach their children religious history so they would understand why God gave them certain commandments.
-Tolerating rapes muggings drive by shootings, taking it easy on them in a juvenile court made crime go way up in the USA. We should not even have a juvenile court. The child would receive the same punishment as the adult in God’s Law, but the judge would take the child’s age into accountability.
-“28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord.” (Lev. 19:28) Speaks against tattoos and piercings. (For current Prophetic council on these issues, see “For the Strength of Youth” published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.)
-5 “They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.” (Lev. 21:5) Speaks against tattoos and piercings. The not cutting the beard corner or baldness of head was referring to how a wicked cult or sorority group of that day showed they belonged to the group by shaving their head or their beards into circular shape. God was telling the people to not be a part of that wicked society which such represented.
-There was no tax on land in God’s law, so no foreclosure on lands.
-Mortgages or leases could not extend beyond 49 years, the 50th year was the year of jubilee, where the land was returned to its original owners. Such enabled families in Israel to continue to have a land of inheritance therein (*They in a hard time may have to sell it and the new owner makes profits off of it for a season, but eventually the land would return to the original owners.)
-In the Law of God adultery was considered to be almost as wicked as murder. They saw that the family was so important. One was not to divorce unless it was an extreme case. The marriage covenant was so sacred. An adultery is an example of an extreme case. Christ said Moses gave writing of divorcement to people because of the wickedness of their hearts, and that in the beginning it was not so (for further commentary on this about how we are not living this law but will be required to at a future time in the Kingdom of God (The law of no divorce) see posts on “The Mortal Messiah” by Bruce R. McConkie.
–Scriptural mandates for heterosexuality include passages like these:
man leave his father and mother to cleave unto his wife;
obey thy father and thy mother;
“22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” (Lev. 18:22);
a man and his wife shall be one flesh;
parents teach them the commandments throughout the day;
men love your wives as Christ loved the church;
“13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” (Lev:20:13);
honor thy father and thy mother,
“let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband” (1 Cor.7:2);
“27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.” (Rom. 1:27);
(*Not to mention the cascade of modern revelation from Living Prophets on how such is against the natural law of God), etc.
-“10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Cor. 6:10).
In God’s law, the habitual drunkards were incarcerated until they had dried out (*become sober, and lost their dependence upon the substance they were addicted to.).
-“21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Gal. 5:21)
-Whipping was also associated with public drunkenness.
-Law of Moses you could kill a thief who attacked you in the night since he could not be identified. If he robbed you in the day you were not to kill him accept in self-defense for he could be identified and forced to pay back what he took (plus 1/5 to encourage the thief to not rob again).
-People were commanded to honor the elderly.
-“43 Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour; but shalt fear thy God.” (Lev. 25:43) about employer employee relations.
-The law was administered by the people themselves, not by policemen. When needed, the people would bring a person to a judge, or the people would tell the judge or an issue, it would be investigated, then brought to law. There were no police looking around for violators.
-The Lord’s law entailed that the witnesses against the person of the capital crime were the first persons to throw a stone at them. If the witnesses would not throw the stone, it usually meant that something was untrue about their testimony against the person.
-Eye for an eye was so the people would not pitty, but hurt for hurt or full satisfaction to the victim was the law.
-“31 Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.” (Num. 35:31)
-“19 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy God.” (Exo. 23:19)
Was to be given to the Lord.
-“2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.” (1 Cor. 7:2).
-Who took advantage of a young woman was required to marry her or and give dowry to her parents if asked especially if the woman was a virgin.
-Gossip is idle chatter made up of rumors, guesses about others. It’s like fire that the truth can’t catch up with. “16 ¶Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the Lord.” (Lev. 19:16).
“1 Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.” (Exo. 23:1)
-Modern law punishes libel and slander.
-Hate feeds on itself.
-17 ¶”Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.” (Lev. 19:17)
We are to help each other with criticism, but some people no matter how instructive the criticism, will react to it like small children and resist criticism by relating it with hate. They protest by tantrum. The Lord makes it clear that helping someone come to terms with his errors is not to be equated with hate.
” 11 ¶But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities:
12 Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. 13 Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.” (Deut. 19:11-13)
-Lord always required that we show the handicap kindness, ” 14 ¶Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the Lord” (Lev. 19:14)
-Homosexuality is any unnatural sexual relations, but particularly with a person of the same sex.
-Historically speaking, every city which has had homosexuality as an important part of it’s lifestyle has been destroyed.
-Moses said the souls which commit homosexuality or beastiality will be cut off from among the people; this meant death or banishment.
-“5 ¶The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.” (Deut. 22:5).
-23 “Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.” (Lev. 18:23)
-“6 ¶None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the Lord.” (Lev. 18:6)
-The year of jubilee came directly after the Sabbath year which means there was two years of rest back to back.
-Necromancer is one who seeks from the dead to tell the future and is condemned by the Lord.
-God’s prophets don’t communicate their messages through witches or spiritual seances.
-Israelites were to treat strangers as themselves, to love them, remembering that they were once strangers in Egypt.
-Transvestite is someone who dresses like the opposite gender. This is an abomination to the Lord. It represents their homosexual tendencies.
-When there was no one to recompense the trespass to, the offender would recompense give recompense to the Lord via the Priest.
-The scripture says “thou shalt not suffer a witch to live” (Exo. 22:18). A better translation is “thou shalt not suffer the murderer to live.”
-Witchcraft goes along with the other offenses like adultery which was critical to the culture (and survival) of the Zion community.
-If a person accused another person falsely, they were to receive the same punishment they were going to have the same punishment they wished upon whom they accused.
