2) The law in action

We will examine two practical uses of the Law in everyday life.

The apostle Paul, who was not bound under the Law, uses a command regarding animals to establish the principle that the worker should be fed while performing pastoral care.

For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the corn. Does God take care for oxen? (1Corinthians 9:9)

Paul uses the underpinning principle of the Law and applies it to his situation.

The second example relates to the profession of architecture. I have mentioned to other Christians that there are commands in the Law that affect the practice of architecture. They were surprised. The study of the Law of Moses gives a powerful understanding of the responsibility we have. By the civil law of Australia there are requirements in tort and for negligence, but students of the Law of Moses know already the principle of care in action and restitution, or “making good”.

And if a man borrow aught of, his neighbor, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good. (Exodus 22:14)

There is one law that has provisions that exceed those in the civil law contained in the Building Code of Australia. Consider,

When you build a new house, then you shall make a battlement for your roof, that thou bring not blood upon your house, if any man fall from there. (Deuteronomy 22:8)

So when we buy or build a house, we need to make sure we have a balustrade at locations where someone might fall. We need not worry so much if it complies with the fine points of the civil law as we have a much greater judge who has established the principle that nobody should fall from our house to their hurt.

Should we meditate on the Law of Moses? If we do not, we will not have the wisdom that Joshua speaks of. And if we do not have that wisdom, what is the origin of our courage to act justly?

Human philosophies, such as Buddhism, have produced an image that 'wise' people sit and think. The Law of Moses is not about that kind of wisdom. In fact both Proverbs and Ecclesiastes challenge that cultural model of wisdom, as they are not about pure thought, being commentaries on our actions. I hope I have shown that the Law gives a more powerful type of wisdom, in fact the most powerful type of wisdom, the wisdom of kings, which is: wisdom in action.