Resources for Transformational Development from the Old Testament: How do we use Old Testament Law? Part 3: What is the "Good" in the Pentateuch's Legal Material?

Today, January 30, 2013, Bible Thoughts Today continues the discussion began on January 28 concerning using the legal material in the Pentateuch in transformational development. Previously, we provided our thesis, and the general program of our presentation. Then, we summarized the legal material in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, with a concentration on the blessings and the curses that are found appended to the legal material. Today, we posit an answer to the question concerning what is the “good” in the Pentateuch’s legal material. Our answer may surprise some of our readers.

II. What is “the Good” in the Pentateuch’s Legal Material?

            What does the overall flow and content of the Pentateuch’s legal material, especially the blessings and the curses, have to say about the question, “what is the good?” It seems that the legal material, instead of being an end unto itself, has a goal, that Israel will have a prosperous life in the land that God has given them. Holiness through obedience to the law is to be seen as instrumental to the end of a blessed life with God. The believing Israelite looked beyond legal stipulation and obligation to a blessed life in communion with God.[1] In Leviticus 26, the LORD does not only promise deliverance from enemies and astounding productivity in the Land of Promise, but also promises,¹¹ “I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. ¹² I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.” Obedience to the law provided prosperity to the Israelites, as well as God’s presence in their midst.

Tomorrow we will discuss implications that our previous discussions have for Christian transformational development, and post a second blog defining what we mean by Christian transformational development.

Thank you for reading our blog today. Please recommend Bible Thoughts Today to others if you find the blog helpful to you, and begin a fruitful discussion by posting a comment. God bless.

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[1] See for example, Walter Kaiser, who uses holiness as a central theme for Old Testament ethics (Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Toward Old Testament Ethics [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983]). Holiness is a central theme, but it is a means to living life in the land with God, not an end.