47. Chosen Leaders and Lame Horses

The Judges of Israel

The Book of Judges neatly divides into two unequal parts.  The first section has to do with the judges which guided Israel.  The second part speaks of unguided people.

• Some scholars believe that this book covers about 400 years.  
• Some Jewish scholars hold that the Old Testament has 24 books in place of our 39. 
• They arrive at that number by combining certain books into one book; eg. 1st & 2nd Samuel is simply Samuel, the same is true for Kings and Chronicles.  
• Our 12 minor prophets, to them, are one book.  
• Some say that since the Hebrew alphabet has only 22 letters their Bible should have only 22 books.  
• To accomplish that feat they also add Ruth to Judges and Lamentations to Jeremiah.

Moses, Joshua and Gideon envisioned that Israel would be a theocratic state.  They saw it as possible that Jehovah would be the king of the country of Israel.  Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you, ... the LORD shall rule over you. Judges 12.3. 

The people, however, had other ideas.  When Joshua and his peers had passed away, the Bible says, Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals; and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers. Judges 2:11.

History has shown that a theocratic nation will never happen before Jesus, the Messiah, returns and sets up Jehovah's kingdom on earth.  Until then it is necessary for every nation to have a human leader.  If there is no ruler in a nation to guide it, the nation quickly turns to anarchy.  In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Judges 21:25.

In the case of Israel, in the first part of Judges, the Lord raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them. Yet they would not listen to their judges, but they played the harlot with other gods, and bowed down to them. Judges 2:16-17.

The cycle, which is repeated seven times, in the Book of Judges, is:

1. The Israelites forsake the Lord

2. They are punishment for sins

3. God raises up a deliverer and

4. peace is restored to the Israelites

These war stories, recorded in Judges, have all the intrigue (spies) and sly cunning (hidden daggers) needed, and tens of thousands of deaths on the battlefield, for making good war movies.  For people who like that sort of thing - I don't!

Here is a list of the judges who led Israel to war and the nations they overcame:

1. Othniel fought against Mesopotamia - Abram originally came from here.

2. Ehud fought against Moab - Moab was the son of Lot and his oldest daughter.  In this story, we see what far-reaching, negative, consequences sin can have.

3. Shamgar killed 600 Philistines with a cattle prod - The name Palestine comes from the word Philistine.

4. Deborah fought against the Canaanites - Canaan was the grandson of Noah.

5. Gideon fought against the Midianites - Midian was one of the sons of Abraham by his second wife.

6. Abimelech fought against Shechem - Abimelech was a Son of Gideon and he had 71 brothers.

Tola, lived in the mountains; Jair, had 30 sons.

7. Jephthah fought against the Ammonites - Ammon was the son of Lot and his youngest daughter.

Ibzan had 30 sons and 30 daughters; Elon, judged Israel 10 years; Abdon, had 40 sons.

Samson, the last judge in the Book of Judges - is known for his physical strength and moral weakness.

Lame Horses

But the Lord said to Joshua, ... You shall hamstring their horses. Joshua 11:6.  To hough their horses means to hamstring them. The word is neurokopein (in Greek) in the LXX. A horse is hamstrung when the sinews behind the hoof or hock are severed, thus rendering the horse useless. KJV Bible commentary.

There is an interesting conundrum in chapter 1: So the Lord was with Judah. And they drove out the mountaineers, but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the lowland, because they had chariots of iron. Judges 1:19.  

The writer makes it sound as if, when two armies are evenly matched, the Lord's army will win.  However, if the opposing side uses iron chariots than even the Lord loses the battle.

When things turn out negatively, perhaps the Lord will not be blamed for giving bad advice, the results may be attributed to the nation's, or an individual's, sin.  Often in the Bible, as we already noticed in the Books of Moses, when human ideas turned out well for the Israelites, the Lord gets the credit for the idea, even though it was a human's idea.  

It seems much more likely that one of Joshua's army leaders, rather than the Lord, came up with such a horribly inhumane thought as hamstringing the horses.

Actually, the idea of hamstringing horses, or even soldiers, is not altogether unheard of, either in ancient times or even in modern wars.

The following information is from a blog called, DAILYWRITINGTIPS:

David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses. 2 Samuel 8:4 (New International Version)

About 800 years later, during a battle between Romans and Carthaginians in 216 BCE, fleeing Romans were hamstrung as they ran. The Carthaginians concentrated on the Romans who were still fighting and went back later to kill the crippled soldiers at their leisure.

According to this quotation found on many forums, hamstringing is being used as a tactic of war in Zimbabwe:

The latest atrocities, as seen on CNN, are mutilations committed by the dissidents to serve as a warning to farmers not to return. Dogs are hung alive from hooks on farm gates, children’s pet ponies are having one of their front hooves chopped off and cows and sheep are being hamstrung.

45. Promises, Promises!

Make Your Choice

Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River (Bible translations and commentaries agree that this refers to the Euphrates river, after all, that is where Abraham was born), in old times; and they served other gods.  

Joshua was not disturbed by the idea that their forefathers had served other gods.  Those who lived before Abram had never even heard of Jehovah.  Neither did Joshua try to minimize the idea that they were real gods, by saying something like, after all, they were just idols.  The early ancestors of the Bible had no hang-ups about being polytheists.  Polytheism is simply the way it is.

For more about this teaching see:

http://wwwthinkagai.blogspot.com/2012/05/many-gods-in-old-testament.html

Then I (Jehovah) took your father Abraham from the other side of the River. Joshua 24:2-3. Joshua gives a heartwarming speech about all the wonderful things that Jehovah had done for Abraham and his descendants all the way down to the conquering of the Promised Land. 

Joshua closes with these words, Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! “And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River.  

You must decide, who will be your God.  You cannot serve the gods of your ancient forefathers' and Jehovah; or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; you cannot serve the gods your neighbours are serving and Jehovah. 

Let the Church listen well to that advice.

Joshua then gave the "altar call".  This brings the message real close to home, doesn't it? You cannot indulge in the sinful practices your non-Christian neighbours enjoy and serve Jehovah.  Joshua and Christ could have shared the podium; they both taught the same message. 

After laying the choice on the line and making the message clear, he gave them his decision, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. So the people answered and said: Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods. Joshua 24:14-16.

Here Joshua used some, good, old fashioned, reverse psychology.  He said to the people, “You cannot serve the Lord, for He is a holy God."  Take a look at yourself; 

• remember the way you complained in the wilderness; 
• remember your insurrection against Moses; 
• remember the fiasco in the battle at Ai, because of the sins of some soldiers. 

No! Jehovah is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.  If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after He has done you good.

The people's hearts had been stirred, they had come to a decision, so the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the Lord!” So Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord for yourselves, to serve Him.” And they said, “We are witnesses!” Joshua 24:19-25.  They as much as said, if we ever turn our backs on Jehovah He has every legitimate right to punish us and forsake us because we have promised Him that we will always be true to Him.

Don't Neglect Your Promises

Then only fifty-five Bible verses later we have these sad words, Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals; and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them. Judges 2:11-13.  

They had not eradicated the temptations and now they fell prey to them.  In our day we might say, they drank at the same bars; they caroused with their neighbours; they watched the same blasphemous TV shows; they also did not hold their wedding vows sacred.

Here is an example of how that goes: The youth pastor in a church was speaking to the young people about keeping their bodies pure and healthy.  This would certainly include giving up smoking because it is so unhealthy.  He must have been a good speaker; a number of young people came forward, gave up their cigarettes with a vow to the Lord that they would never smoke again.  In the afternoon when the cravings set in, the promises of some of them went up in smoke.

Whether it is smoking or some other problem we have I am sure that most of us can relate to the situation.  We decide never to do something again but that resolve is only good until that temptation comes along again.  

Is it possible that in any stage of our life, each of us, has one particular weakness?  Hebrews 12:1 puts that idea this way, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us.  In almost all translations of the Bible, the word, sin, is in the singular.  In the Greek text, it is, the most besetting sin.  Perhaps, as we have matured, many sinful practices have been put behind us.  Still, for each of us, there is that one "thing" we know we need to overcome.

Here are some words of advice from Solomon, who was known for being the wisest of men. When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed—Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. Ecc. 5:4-5.  In other words, don't play games with Jehovah!

Joshua had warned them: if you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you.  The Israelites had vowed and they broke their vows and their history tells us the results of shrugging off their vows and following lesser gods.

We can easily see North America following in those footsteps to destruction.  The motto, "In God we trust", sounds so pious, and so empty of meaning for most North Americans.  

In Canada, many are pleased that we can honestly say that Canada is a post-Christian country.  We should again hear the words of Joshua, if you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you.

44. Unfinished Business

Unfinished Business

to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh Joshua spoke, saying, “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is giving you rest and is giving you this land.’ ... But ... all your mighty men of valor, shall help them, (the other nine and a half tribes) until the Lord has given your brethren rest, as He gave you, and they also have taken possession of the land which the Lord your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and enjoy it. Joshua 1:12-15.

Notice that in chapter 11, Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord had said to Moses; and Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. Then the land rested from war.  If we study a map of the division of Palestine by Joshua we see that the whole country was designated to the various tribes.  

However, if we follow the book of Joshua in chronological order, by the end of chapters thirteen and fifteen there are still some areas that have not been taken in spite of the fact that chapter 11 says Joshua took the whole land ... and Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel.

there remains very much land yet to be possessed. “This is the land that yet remains: all the territory of the Philistines and ... the five lords of the Philistines - (and the list continues to contain about fourteen more "tribes"). Joshua 13:1-3.  However, the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, (which were never conquered) are not even mentioned in that list.  Some other areas were never completely taken, but still, Joshua sent the two and a half tribes back to their territory East of Jordan because, as he said, now the Lord your God has given rest to your brethren, as He promised them.

Of those inhabitants, we read that the children of Judah could not drive them out; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem to this day. Joshua 15:63.  However, later, in Joshua's farewell address he contradicted that former statement; And the men of Jericho fought against you ... and the Jebusites. But I delivered them into your hand. Joshua 24:11.  It seems as if the history of conquering the Promised Land, in the days of Joshua, must be taken with a grain of salt because the facts do not all lineup.

Now these are the nations which the Lord left, that He might test Israel by them, ... five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who dwelt in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath. And they were left, that He might test Israel by them, to know whether they would obey the commandments of the Lord, which He had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. Judges 3:1-4.  This paragraph raises some serious questions:

1. If the Philistines, Canaanites, etc. were not yet removed from their territories how was Joshua able to divide up the land and allot certain areas to the Israelites?

2. Why did Joshua send the soldiers of the two and a half tribes back home before the wars were finished?

3. Why did Joshua say that the land rested from war before they had finished their mission? Jehovah had said, you shall possess this land from the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. Joshua 1:4.

the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem and took it; and they ... took possession of it, and dwelt in it. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan. Joshua 19:47-48.  

Later, in Judges 18, we find this story, in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking an inheritance for itself to dwell in; for until that day their inheritance among the tribes of Israel had not fallen to them.

There is a statement I have quoted several times already, but it fits here again: The recording of history with literal exactness of detail is a fairly modern development. At the time, (the Bible was written) precise fact was far less important than the spiritual message of the stories shared.  Jesus and His Times, Readers Digest, 1987.

4. Did they quit warring before they should have and then turn around and blame the Lord for the fact that the natives were left alive?  The writer said they were left, that He might test Israel by them.  Maybe that wasn't Jehovah's plan at all.

5. If that was His plan and His purpose we must ask: did Jehovah not know whether they would obey the commandments of the Lord?

For more on the subject of Jehovah not knowing everything, I suggest: http://wwwthinkagai.blogspot.com/2012/05/jehovahs-limitations.html

43. The Modern Church

To Put It Bluntly

Since Joshua has led us directly into the functioning of the Christian church we may as well continue in that theme. 

Those of you who have read my posts for awhile must certainly believe that I am against everything the church does and believes and that I never attend a church of any kind.  To put it bluntly - that is not true:

I believe that:

1. Christianity has had a more positive effect on the well being of humanity than any other organization has ever had.

2. Children brought up in Christian homes are much more likely to "walk the straight and narrow path" than those who are not.

3. Christians who spend time worshipping Jehovah in prayer and songs are much less likely to be despondent than those who do not.

4. The Church also has many other positive traits; for example:

a) such as near equality for women and men;

b) the Church led the way in setting free slaves;

c) the Church led the way in creating orphanages and hospitals;

However, let's not close our mental eyes to the fact that the church has also failed or even gone astray in many areas.  Those are the areas I keep on picking at.

At first, the early Protestants did not want to leave the "mother church" when they found fault with it; they wanted to change it.  However, because they could not change it, they protested against it and some of its beliefs and practices.

We, who are fifth century Protestants, must not let ourselves believe that we've got everything right; exactly the way Christ would do it.  Because many religious people insist they "have it right", beyond question, I am pushed into finding fault with the church in my posts. I will continue finding fault with the church at large, and criticise her because, according to the Bible, many of her doctrines and methods are totally wrong.

Doing church the Jesus way

Jesus moved about. Most churches stay stubbornly in place.

Jesus talked about wealth and power. We talk about sex and ordination.

Jesus formed radically open circles of friends. We erect institutional barriers and admit only those we deem worthy.

Jesus dodged calls for laws and doctrines. We codify and dogmatize.

Jesus fed the multitudes without conditions. We marginalize those who fail our moral litmus tests.

Jesus stood up to the religious establishment. We are the religious establishment.

Jesus told stories that engaged people in the mystery of God’s kingdom. We quote chapter and verse to declare certainty.

Jesus ventured outside the approved realm and touched the untouchable. We stay close to home, adopt lofty goals for spending small amounts of money on high profile needs, and applaud ourselves for being mission minded.

Jesus endured rejection, suffered for all to see, and sent His Spirit to give His disciples courage to do the same. We crave acceptance, try to build large crowds by pleasing people, and proclaim the promise of prosperity and tribal superiority.

Jesus owned nothing. We at various times have insisted on owning everything.

Could we possibly get it more wrong? It’s no wonder that church participation has fallen to single digits in Europe and are dwindling steadily in America. No wonder politicians see us not as a bold counter-voice calling them to repentance and mercy but as allies in mean-spirited campaigns.

Here are five basics we could tackle today:

First, it is time for congregations to focus on people, especially on their joys and sorrows, their wounds and yearnings.

Second, it is time for us to move about, to place less importance on stability and more on being present to humanity.

Third, it is time for us to abandon our prideful barriers and restrictions, to stop worshipping at the altar of right opinion and to hear what God needs from us today in the actual fields of hunger and heartache.

Fourth, it is time for us to start fighting about the Bible and our claims to holiness. We render ourselves impotent by our divisions and absurd in our hubris. (hubris - high opinion of our self worth).

Fifth, it is time for us to stand and sing, kneel and pray together, not because we like or approve of each other but because Jesus called us to be one.

Until we show a capacity to love one another, our neighbors will rightly see us as hypocrites Until we join hands and plow facing forwards, our neighbors will see us as being mired in as safe and self serving past and frightened by a challenging future.

Just Wondering, Jesus. Tom Ehrich, Author

42 A Different Altar

Your Church Is All Wrong

This Old Testament story, (Joshua 22:9-31), reminds me, so much, of the activities of the Christian church at large.  

In this post, I have taken the liberty to dovetail some of my ideas (pink) of part of the history of the Christian church into this rather lengthy story from the Bible.  I hope you can follow my line of thinking.

So the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh returned, (to the Eastern side of the Jordan river) ... to go to the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession.  Moses had promised this to them before any of the Israelites crossed the Jordan River for the first time.

And when they came to the region of the Jordan which is in the land of Canaan, they ... built an altar there by the Jordan—a great, impressive altar.  It looked like there was a new denomination in the land.   A people who worshipped differently than they had been brought up to worship. Not only that, they were egotistical, they built a large, impressive meeting house with high spires.

Now ... when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered together at Shiloh to go to war against them.  The nine and a half tribes who were not moving to the East of Jordan believed that the two and a half tribes, that were moving were starting a new religion.  They were ready to fight their own kin to the death, because of a misunderstanding.  How like the history of the Christian church!

• As early as the fourth century some leaders in the church killed some of those who did not accept the doctrine of the Trinity; 
• the crusades of the dark ages were merely an excuse to make the whole world worship the way the "Christians" thought others should worship; 
• when the Protestant church was first born, many protesters were killed because they insisted that the truth lay in the Bible, not in the church's traditions. 
• Some in the established church killed their own "brothers in Christ" over non-consequential differences.

Then the children of Israel sent Phinehas ... the priest to them (the two and a half tribes) and with him ten rulers.  Here, common sense prevailed; rather than going directly to war, they sent a "fact-finding team".  

Then they came to them ... and they spoke with them, saying, “Thus says the whole congregation of the Lord: Those of us who are not moving over the Jordan are the whole congregation of the Lord, you are not, you are just a "cult" if you do not believe exactly what we believe; if you do not do religion like we do religion, you are not a follower of the Lord.

‘What treachery is this that you have committed against the God of Israel?  Whatever possessed you to turn your back on Christ?

to turn away this day from following the Lord, in that you have built for yourselves an altar, that you might rebel this day against the Lord? We are sure that in your church you do not really worship the Lord. 

‘Nevertheless, if the land of your possession is unclean, then cross over (come back) to the land of the possession of the Lord, Jehovah owns our church, where the Lord’s tabernacle stands, and we worship in HIS church, not like you, in yours, and take possession among us.  We can easily see that the place where you worship is evil, but if you repent and come back to us, we will gladly forgive you for your wickedness.  

But do not rebel against the Lord, nor rebel against us, by building yourselves an altar besides the altar of the Lord our God.  Don't continue with this evil set of doctrines you hold. We hold all the right doctrines, and if you worship with us, you will also worship the Lord properly.

We Still Preach The Same Gospel

Then they ... answered and said to the heads of the divisions of Israel: “The Lord God of gods, the Lord God of gods, We worship the same God you do! He knows, and let Israel itself know. Jehovah knows that this is true, and you should know it also. But in fact we have done it for fear, for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your descendants may speak to our descendants, saying, What have you to do with the Lord God of Israel?  Actually, we have not left off worshipping Jehovah, but your style of worship did not suit us, we needed a fellowship service that is more lively; or, for some, more subdued than yours.

“For the Lord has made the Jordan a border between you and us.  We admit that there is a line drawn between you and us but it is the Lord who has made this border.  So it is not right for you to say, You have no part in the Lord. Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build ourselves an altar, a place to worship, not for burnt offering nor for sacrifice.  We are not replacing the Christ who offered Himself as a sacrifice for us.  We will still preach "Christ crucified, risen, ascended and returning".  Only, we will have a different style and use different words than you do.

they ... built an altar there by the Jordan.  We have placed a cross at our church, just like you have at your church, that it may be a witness between you and us and our generations after us, that we may perform the service of the Lord before Him.  Why than do you say, “You have no part in the Lord.” ... “Far be it from us that we should rebel against the Lord, and turn from following the Lord this day.”

Now when Phinehas the priest and those ... who were with him, heard the words that they spoke, it pleased them. Then Phinehas ... the priest said to them ... “This day we perceive that the Lord is among us.  Your denomination and ours stand united in doctrine, even though we may have cultural or emotional differences which cause us to worship in different methods.  We are so pleased that you have not committed this treachery against the Lord.” Joshua 22:9-31.

Denominational separation used to be very strong.  Some Christians thought, some still do, that they could not be friends with someone from a different denomination.  A very devout Roman Catholic Christian lady, in our town, has many Protestant friends who respect her thoroughly.  And why shouldn't they, if none of them are hung up on minor issues?

It is refreshing to see that some can overcome denominational barriers.  For example, not far from where we live, a Seventh Day Adventist group uses a building on Saturday to worship the Lord, and then on Sunday morning, a Presbyterian group uses the same building, to, also, worship the same Lord.  What would be really neat is, if then, because the Jehovah's Witnesses gather on Sunday afternoons anyway, they would use the same building, to worship Jehovah.

There seems to be an idea that the way we worship the Lord is the only right way to do it, and that anyone who does not do it our way is not really doing it at all. 

This reminds me of a poem I learned many years ago:

How to Pray

"The proper way for a man to pray,"
said deacon Lemuel Keys,
"His only proper attitude,
Is down upon his knees."

"No, I should say, the way to pray,"
Said Reverend Doctor Wise,
"Is standing straight with outstretched arms
and rapturous, upturned eyes."

"It seems to me his hands should be
devoutly clasped in front,
With both thumbs pointing to the ground."
Said Reverend Doctor Blunt.

"Last year I fell in Hodkin's well,
head first," said Cyrus brown,
"with both my heals a-sticken up
and my head a-pointen down.

And I made prayer right then and there,
best prayer I ever said,
The prayenest prayer I ever prayed,
was standin on my head."

author unknown

41. Thou shalt! Thou shalt not!

Liberty In Christ

The Muslims must face Mecca when they pray, they must be on their knees and bow down, head to the floor. 

All Muslims must attempt to do the Hajj (visit Mecca) at least once in their lifetime. 

While I was preparing to write this post I visited the Muslim rulebook and found a list of 735 rules. In Christianity we do not have those items as rules; however, some of those items we also follow because of common decency or proper etiquette.

Christians also keep many of the Muslim laws, because we, like they, have high moral standards; but we do not keep them because they are written as rules.  I wonder if this is what Christ was referring to when he said, But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. John 14:26. 

So, since Jehovah's spirit is indwelling Christians they do not need a long list of rules; they have supernatural guidance, if only they will take the time to nurture Jehovah's presence. 

Our leader, Christ, did not like rules.  He turned the whole idea of rules on its head.  Instead of making rules, Christ reversed that way of thinking.  Instead of saying, Do this or Do not do that, He said, Blessed are those who... However, because it is Christians' desire to please Christ they will follow the guidelines of the New Testament.

Christ reworded one very impressive Old Testament rule, And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. Luke 6:31. This rule covers common decency, honesty, etiquette, and all other areas of life.

For the Israelite community, there were the ten major rules.  There were some other mundane rules also, but, it was the Jewish leaders, who over the years, devised many arbitrary, Thou shalts and Thou shalt nots.  They ended up with 613 rules, including the Ten Commandments.

All but one of The Ten Commandments of the Old Testament are repeated, in different words, in the New Testament; the book which Christians are to follow.  

The one not repeated is Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Ex. 20:8. The remaining nine are enlarged upon by the New Testament preachers and writers.  It is perhaps not surprising that the New Testament has as many rules as it does, after all, most of the New Testament writers were Jews.

Christ came to set us free from man-made rules.  About this Saint Paul wrote, The Jewish law had many commands and rules, but Christ ended that law. Eph. 2:15 (NCV).  Christ proved this when He performed the miracle at the Pool of Bethesda. John 5:1-15.  It seems Christ could have healed the crippled man any day of the week, but no! He chose the Sabbath, to show the Jews that their man-made interpretation of the rules were of no consequence to Him. 

The Pharisees were so upset that Christ had done the healing on the Sabbath, that they could not even appreciate the fact that the man who had been a cripple for 38 years, could finally walk.  The best they could do is find fault with him for carrying his "roll-up" mattress on that holy day.

Christians do not need many laws about what to eat.  The New Testament has only two laws about food:

Do not eat meat offered to idols. 1 Cor. 8. 

Do not eat meat with blood in it. Acts 15:19.

We have no specific rules as to what to wear, or how to dress; except, to say, high Christian moral standards must always be maintained.

Become a Slave if You Choose

What has the church, since Christ's day, done about making rules?  There are many, many, and each separate group has its own set of man-made rules.  Here are a few of them. I did not invent any of the following rules, they are all real!

• You must never eat meat from warm-blooded animals on a Friday. (Roman Catholic) 
• You must never eat pork. (Seventh Day Adventist) 
• You must not drink caffeinated coffee or coke. (Mormon)

• Priests, bishops, cardinals and nuns must not marry.  Before the Roman Catholic Church had even begun to exist, Paul already warned Timothy about such an ungodly law.  People will be forbidding to marry. 1 Tim. 4:3.  

It is, in large part, because of that ungodly law that there has been such widespread immoral conduct among Roman Catholic priests and nuns.    That is also why there have been so many unwanted babies killed inside their "sacred" walls.

• If one invokes the holy trinity and makes the sign of the cross the sign must flow from the top down and then from left to right. 
• No way! It must flow from right to left.  Ostensibly because the Son of God is more important than the Holy Spirit is.   And people have argued, and are still arguing, about that!

• A newborn must be baptised as soon as possible, in case it dies, at least it will go to heaven, not to hell! (Roman Catholic)
• Young people should get baptized before they get married. (Some Mennonites)
• People should never be baptised until they have made a personal choice to follow Jesus.  Certainly, never as an infant! (Most Evangelicals)
• Unless you are baptized by immersion you are not really baptised and certainly not born again. (Some offshoots of the Evangelical group)

• Men must have short hair, women must never cut their hair. (Some Mennonites)

About this rule, the Apostle Paul wrote: Does not even nature itself teach you that if man has long hair, it is a shame to him? But if a woman should have long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her in place of a veil. But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God. 1 Cor. 11:14-16.

• It is alright for Christians to own and drive cars. (Most Christians)
• Yes, but the bumpers must be black; black indicates humility. (Black Bumper Mennonites)
• The Christians in the Bible did not own cars and neither should we. (Some other Mennonites)

• Musical instruments are not allowed in a worship service. (Some Mennonites)
• Praise the Lord with the harp; Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings. Psalm 33:2.

• Women should ... not come (into a church) in dresses that are too short or revealing or in slacks. Even before entering the church women should wipe off their lipstick. OrthodoxPhotos.com. 

This makes one wonder, though, is it OK for women to wear dresses that are too short when they are not going to church?

• Rules are made and disagreed about to a point where congregations break-up; 
• people who used to be friends can be friends no longer; 
• families who used to be united are now scorned by each other simply because they hold some different theological or practical viewpoints. 

Do we really need to be so hung up on so many little meaningless incidentals?

   In the Gospel of John Christ prayed for The Church.  His prayer has not yet been answered; He prayed, I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. John 17:11.