Salvation
Doctrine #33: Law
Doctrine #33
Doctrine #33 Read
A law limits the damage that we would do if we thought like animals. Animals only focus on the WHAT. They kill, steal, and destroy because their only focus is on survival. Animals do not create because they have a Wrong or No HOW/WHY.
What would it be like to get money for obeying the law?
Overview
A law consists of a don't WHAT and the threat of a penalty. A law treats everyone the same by establishing a specific Right HOW: Ritual.
Discussion Question
Do you believe you are living under laws you place on yourself?
Scripture
Exodus 20:1-17
ChapterRead the ChapterChanges this passage only. Set your default for every passage.
1And God spake all these words, saying, 2I am Jehovah thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them; for I Jehovah thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation of them that hate me, 6and showing lovingkindness unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
7Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain; for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; 10but the seventh day is a sabbath unto Jehovah thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore Jehovah blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
12Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee.
13Thou shalt not kill.
14Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15Thou shalt not steal.
16Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
17Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s.
1And God spake all these words, saying,
2I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
7Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
12Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
13Thou shalt not kill.
14Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15Thou shalt not steal.
16Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
17Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
Commentary
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 1-26
Exodus chapters 20-23 documented the third part of a covenant: God "sharing" the Law. The fourth part of a covenant was "death."
Commentary · verses 1-3
Verses 1-3: the First Commandment.
Commentary · verses 2-17
Verses 2-17: the Ten Commandments.
Commentary · verses 4-6
Verses 4-6: the Second Commandment.
Commentary · verse 7
Verse 7: the Third Commandment.
Commentary · verses 8-11
Verses 8-11: the Fourth Commandment.
Commentary · verse 11
There were a lot of don't-s. The first three commandments focused on God and the individual. In verse 10, the word "gates" was the Hebrew word "sha `ar" (Strong's #8179) which came from the root word "sha `ar" (Strong's #8176) which meant "to think." Proverbs 23:7 used this word for "thinketh" in: "For as he thinketh within himself, so is he..." The point was that no one from the believer's house could do what the believer thought on the Sabbath. Everyone associated with the believer could only do what the Law told him to do on the Sabbath. There were no loopholes for the believer to be a first cause on the Sabbath. God, via the Law, was the first cause on the Sabbath.
Commentary · verse 12
Verse 12: the Fifth Commandment.
Verse 12 recorded the only commandment that was a principle and gave a value. This commandment focused on the individual and specific people: mother and father. It did not tell people HOW to honor their father and mother because every father and mother is honored in a way unique to them. A principle presents an objective (WHAT) with a benefit (WHY), however, it does not state specifically HOW to achieve the objective. That was left to the uniqueness of the individual.
The rest of the commandments were laws. A law states a what/how not to do and threatens a penalty (WHY). You do not gain anything by following a law. A law treats everyone the same; it denies uniqueness. The purpose of laws are to prevent chaos and destructive behavior, which was what the righteous in the Book of Genesis constantly encountered.
Commentary · verse 13
Verse 13: the Sixth Commandment.
Commentary · verse 14
Verse 14: the Seventh Commandment.
James 2:11 referenced the previous two verses.
Commentary · verse 15
Verse 15: the Eighth Commandment.
Commentary · verse 16
Verse 16: the Ninth Commandment.
Commentary · verse 17
Verse 17: the Tenth Commandment.
The last six commandments dealt with relationship and community.
Leviticus 24:18-22
ChapterRead the ChapterChanges this passage only. Set your default for every passage.
18And he that smiteth a beast mortally shall make it good, life for life.
19And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbor; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him: 20breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be rendered unto him.
21And he that killeth a beast shall make it good: and he that killeth a man shall be put to death.
22Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the sojourner, as for the home-born: for I am Jehovah your God.
18And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast.
19And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him;
20Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.
21And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.
22Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God.
Commentary
The law can't create; it can only equal out Justice. The goal of the law was to get things to even immediately, during your time on earth. It didn't matter who did it or WHY they did it. The HOW for evening it out was specific and became ritual/tradition...
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 1-23
This chapter presented a practical example of the Law.
Commentary · verses 17-22
Verses 17-22: Provisions for law and order.
Commentary · verse 20
This classic passage on how to equal out Justice ("eye for eye") was spoken as the reason for how they were dealing with the blasphemer. The statements like, "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" really support the fact that the Dispensation of the Law was meant to equal out Justice immediately (here on Earth). The principle is Justice, the same principle being used when Jesus expanded doctrine in His Sermon on the Mount. Jesus stated this in Matthew 5:39, "but I say unto you, Resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also."
People often think this is a contradiction between the Old and New Testaments. The misinterpretation here comes from not understanding the underlying principle. Both the Old Testament "eye for eye" statement and Jesus' "turn the other cheek" were founded in Justice. The Law was meant to equal it out now, Jesus intended to help people gain more for their Long Term benefit. Jesus did not say it was wrong to follow "eye for eye" but that it would be better Long Term, in relation to Justice, to "turn the other cheek."
Leviticus 4:1-12
ChapterRead the ChapterChanges this passage only. Set your default for every passage.
1And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 2Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any one shall sin unwittingly, in any of the things which Jehovah hath commanded not to be done, and shall do any one of them: 3if the anointed priest shall sin so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto Jehovah for a sin-offering.
4And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tent of meeting before Jehovah; and he shall lay his hand upon the head of the bullock, and kill the bullock before Jehovah.
5And the anointed priest shall take of the blood of the bullock, and bring it to the tent of meeting: 6and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before Jehovah, before the veil of the sanctuary.
7And the priest shall put of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before Jehovah, which is in the tent of meeting; and all the blood of the bullock shall he pour out at the base of the altar of burnt-offering, which is at the door of the tent of meeting.
8And all the fat of the bullock of the sin-offering he shall take off from it; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, 9and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the loins, and the caul upon the liver, with the kidneys, shall he take away, 10as it is taken off from the ox of the sacrifice of peace-offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of burnt-offering.
11And the skin of the bullock, and all its flesh, with its head, and with its legs, and its inwards, and its dung, 12even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall it be burnt.
1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them:
3If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering.
4And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD; and shall lay his hand upon the bullock’s head, and kill the bullock before the LORD.
5And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock’s blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation:
6And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the vail of the sanctuary.
7And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
8And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
9And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away,
10As it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering.
11And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung,
12Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.
Commentary
It didn't matter who did it or WHY or if they even knew: "any one shall sin unwittingly". There was a very specific HOW to even things back out. If you sinned you would have an experience that would cause you to get back to even. You help children learn by hitting their hand away from the container of poison before they drink it.
" Moreover Jehovah said unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. And I said after she had done all these things, She will return unto me; but she returned not: and her treacherous sister Judah saw it. And I saw, when, for this very cause that backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a bill of divorcement, yet treacherous Judah her sister feared not; but she also went and played the harlot. And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that the land was polluted, and she committed adultery with stones and with stocks. And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not returned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith Jehovah. And Jehovah said unto me, Backsliding Israel hath showed herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith Jehovah; I will not look in anger upon you; for I am merciful, saith Jehovah, I will not keep anger for ever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against Jehovah thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith Jehovah." Jeremiah 3:6-13)
Everyone was treated the same. Judah did not learn through the experience of her sister Israel, so a greater consequence was going to fall on Judah. In the New Testament, we are parts of the Bride. Paul focused the church on how we each have a different purpose by talking about the body parts. In the Old Testament, everyone equally made up the body, and the body was talked about. It was called a wife, sister, or harlot.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 1-2
Verses 1-2: the purpose of the Sin Offering.
Commentary · verse 2
The stage was set that this chapter concerned sinning without knowing. The implication was that the person later found out they had sinned, either through guilt or confrontation.
Commentary · verses 3-12
Verses 3-12: the sin offering for a priest.
Commentary · verse 12
God told Moses the details for how a priest should handle their sin. Notice, God began with the leader: young bull (male), lay hand, sprinkle blood before Lord seven times, put some blood on horns of altar, burn fat/kidneys/etc (like peace offering), and take the rest of the bull outside the camp to a clean place to burn with wood. God wanted the sin offering not burned on the altar.
Deuteronomy 28:1-3
ChapterRead the ChapterChanges this passage only. Set your default for every passage.
1And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of Jehovah thy God, to observe to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that Jehovah thy God will set thee on high above all the nations of the earth: 2and all these blessings shall come upon thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of Jehovah thy God.
3Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
1And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
2And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
3Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
Commentary
Deuteronomy 28 was a long chapter. A shorter and similar chapter is covered below in Additional Scripture. Here, we will cover Deuteronomy 28 as a summary. These first three verses began the list of blessings that continued through verse 14. Notice, the blessing wasn't coming from within the commandments. These verses showed God was offering a blessing for keeping the Law. This was God encouraging growth by understanding. God always first tried to motivate people to grow by what they could gain. Then...
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 1-68
This chapter covered more blessings and curses.
Commentary · verses 3-14
Verses 3-14: a list of blessings they would receive if they obeyed God, if they hearkened to God's Voice.
Deuteronomy 28:15-16
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15But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of Jehovah thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day, that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee.
16Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.
15But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:
16Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.
Commentary
The list of curses continued through verse 44. When people weren't motivated to grow by gain through understanding, God then motivated people to grow by showing them what they could lose. This was growth through experience. Then...
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 1-68
This chapter covered more blessings and curses.
Commentary · verses 15-68
Verses 15-68: a list of curses they would receive if they did not obey God, if they did not hearken to God's Voice.
Deuteronomy 28:45-46
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45And all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of Jehovah thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: 46and they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.
45Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee:
46And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.
Commentary
Notice, these curses were supposed to be a sign and a wonder to cause the people to go back to doing the right thing. If the people didn't grow, these curses would continue until they were utterly destroyed; they would have no more mercy. The list of penalties for not learning by experience continued through verse 62. Then...
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 1-68
This chapter covered more blessings and curses.
Commentary · verses 15-68
Verses 15-68: a list of curses they would receive if they did not obey God, if they did not hearken to God's Voice.
Deuteronomy 28:63
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63And it shall come to pass, that, as Jehovah rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you, so Jehovah will rejoice over you to cause you to perish, and to destroy you; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest in to possess it.
63And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it.
Commentary
God wanted to help people grow with benefits through understanding. However, He was just as willing to help people grow with curses through experience. Wayne Swokowski taught me the definition and etymology of the Hebrew word for "law" in the Old Testament were not governmental like most of us believe. The word "law" meant guidance. It came from the idea of being sprinkled upon with water from the outside. The Law was knowledge (graphe) from the outside that first attempted to reach the person through understanding, then experience from the outside.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 1-68
This chapter covered more blessings and curses.
Commentary · verses 15-68
Verses 15-68: a list of curses they would receive if they did not obey God, if they did not hearken to God's Voice.
Commentary · verse 63
God would also rejoice over them to destroy them. This rejoicing would be an effect of God's Justice. Destroying them in the short term would result in creation in the long term.
Leviticus 20:26
ChapterRead the ChapterChanges this passage only. Set your default for every passage.
26And ye shall be holy unto me: for I, Jehovah, am holy, and have set you apart from the peoples, that ye should be mine.
26And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.
Commentary
God gave the children of Israel His Law so that they could be guided by Him. Holy meant pure and clean and set apart, and the Law provided a way for the children of Israel to be holy so that they could be with God because He is Holy.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 1-27
This chapter covered punishments for laws already given.
Commentary · verses 22-26
Verses 22-26: Summary of this chapter.
Commentary · verse 26
God summarized this section and finished it by saying they should be holy unto God for God is Holy. God did not require the Israelites to do something He wasn't already doing.
9But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
Commentary
In the Old Testament, the people were declared holy and their goal was to maintain it by not doing something wrong. There was no goal they were growing towards. They basically got physical blessings if they maintained their spiritual holiness.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verse 9
The Israel nation was chosen to show the praises of God who called them out of darkness and into His light.
7And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee.
7And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
Commentary
God made an everlasting covenant with Israel. There was no goal, it went on forever. Basically with a law you are only on the line or below the line. It is not like a stock market graph, it is more like a wave that never gets bigger.
What would it take for you to change your beliefs? Do you grow with a curse through experience? For some, the only thing that can motivate them is the thought of losing something. They only want to stay out of the red. When you ask them if they want more their answer is, "I'm doing my best and that's good enough for me!"
You can grow with a benefit through understanding! Do you grow if someone gives you a chance to fix the way you think by showing you what you can gain?
How do want your God to treat you? How do you treat others? Wouldn't it be amazing if we lived our lives without having to constantly run into the brick walls before realizing that our teeth are going to get smashed out of our mouths? In the next Doctrine we will find out how!
Leviticus 26 began with God showing through understanding what Israel could gain:
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 6-7
God stated this Covenant would be "everlasting". The first Covenant was not an everlasting covenant, not only because it did not last, but God did not state it would be everlasting. Everlasting did not mean it couldn't be ended for a time. Everlasting meant that it would exist in eternity. Even if it was ended, it would eventually be reinstated.
Closing Thoughts
" Ye shall make you no idols, neither shall ye rear you up a graven image, or a pillar, neither shall ye place any figured stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am Jehovah your God. Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am Jehovah. If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; then I will give your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time; and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will cause evil beasts to cease out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land. And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. And five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand; and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. And I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and will establish my covenant with you. And ye shall eat old store long kept, and ye shall bring forth the old because of the new. And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people. I am Jehovah your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bars of your yoke, and made you go upright." Then, God explained what would happen (what God would take away) to Israel through experience if they didn't respond to God approaching them with a benefit through understanding: " But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; and if ye shall reject my statutes, and if your soul abhor mine ordinances, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant; I also will do this unto you: I will appoint terror over you, even consumption and fever, that shall consume the eyes, and make the soul to pine away; and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be smitten before your enemies: they that hate you shall rule over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you." However, the next verse showed God punished Israel through experience so they would choose to grow: " And if ye will not yet for these things hearken unto me, then I will chastise you seven times more for your sins." Notice, not responding to God's warning meant God would punish them seven times more. " And I will break the pride of your power: and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass; and your strength shall be spent in vain; for your land shall not yield its increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruit. And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me, I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins." Notice, God was still appealing to Israel through experience. If Israel didn't respond, God would bring seven times more plagues to get their attention. " And I will send the beast of the field among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your ways shall become desolate. And if by these things ye will not be reformed unto me, but will walk contrary unto me; then will I also walk contrary unto you; and I will smite you, even I, seven times for your sins." Again, God still appealed to Israel through experience... " And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall execute the vengeance of the covenant; and ye shall be gathered together within your cities: and I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. When I break your staff of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied. And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me; then I will walk contrary unto you in wrath; and I also will chastise you seven times for your sins." The pattern continued...God appealed to Israel through experience. However, it looked like God reached the end of mercy... " And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat. And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your sun-images, and cast your dead bodies upon the bodies of your idols; and my soul shall abhor you. And I will make your cities a waste, and will bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savor of your sweet odors. And I will bring the land into desolation; and your enemies that dwell therein shall be astonished at it. And you will I scatter among the nations, and I will draw out the sword after you: and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste. Then shall the land enjoy its sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye are in your enemies' land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy its sabbaths. As long as it lieth desolate it shall have rest, even the rest which it had not in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it. And as for them that are left of you, I will send a faintness into their heart in the lands of their enemies: and the sound of a driven leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as one fleeth from the sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth. And they shall stumble one upon another, as it were before the sword, when none pursueth: and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies. And ye shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up. And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them." However, there was still enough mercy for Israel to begin the process of getting back to even. It wouldn't be by doing the commandments. Israel had to do something more... " And they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, in their trespass which they trespassed against me, and also that, because they walked contrary unto me, I also walked contrary unto them, and brought them into the land of their enemies: if then their uncircumcised heart be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity; then will I remember my covenant with Jacob; and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land. The land also shall be left by them, and shall enjoy its sabbaths, while it lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity; because, even because they rejected mine ordinances, and their soul abhorred my statutes. And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them; for I am Jehovah their God; but I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am Jehovah. These are the statutes and ordinances and laws, which Jehovah made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by Moses." God's focus is growth.
The Ten Commandments were don'ts and they were all WHAT'S.