Rooting Path · How to Read the Bible · Lesson 4 of 7 · Reading Stories and Law · about 20 min
A short story from Judges:
1There was a man of the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah. 2He said to his mother, “The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears—behold, the silver is with me. I took it.” His mother said, “May the LORD bless my son!” 3He restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother, then his mother said, “I most certainly dedicate the silver to the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a molten image. Now therefore I will restore it to you.” 4When he restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave them to a silversmith, who made a carved image and a molten image out of it. It was in the house of Micah. 5The man Micah had a house of gods, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. 6In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did that which was right in his own eyes.
Judg 17:1–6 · WEB
One law from the law of Moses:
8When you build a new house, then you shall make a railing around your roof, so that you don’t bring blood on your house if anyone falls from there.
Deut 22:8 · WEB
Someone asked Jesus which commandment in the law is the greatest:
37Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and great commandment. 39A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
Matt 22:37–40 · WEB
The first three lessons were about how to read: see first, then look at the context. From this lesson on, we look at the different kinds of writing in the Bible—different books are read in different ways. We begin with the two most common kinds in the Old Testament: story and law.
More than half of the Old Testament is story. The easiest mistake in reading stories is to assume that what the text records is what God approves. In fact the Bible is very honest; it records both the good and the bad in people. Being recorded does not mean we are told to do the same.
Read this short section of Judges. Micah took eleven hundred pieces of silver from his mother, heard her curse, and gave it back. His mother said she would dedicate the silver “to the LORD,” (Judg 17:3) and the result was “a carved image and a molten image.” (Judg 17:3) Micah’s household had a house of gods and idols, and he even made one of his sons a priest. The people in the story speak the LORD’s name, yet do exactly what the law plainly forbids—making carved images.
The text does not stop here to criticize Micah. So how do we know what the writer thinks? Look at the very next sentence: “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Judg 17:6) In the last verse of Judges, the same sentence comes again word for word (Judg 21:25). The writer’s verdict is hidden here: this is not an example to follow, but an age when everyone thought themselves right. When reading stories, watch for the writer’s own words; often he does not say outright ‘this is wrong’, but lets you see how it ends.
Why, then, does the Old Testament record so many bad things? Paul says: “these things happened to them by way of example, and they were written for our admonition” (1 Cor 10:11), and also: “whatever things were written before were written for our learning” (Rom 15:4). The good stories show us God’s faithfulness; the bad ones are like a mirror in which we recognize ourselves.
Now the law. This law in Deuteronomy is very concrete: when you build a house, put a railing around the roof. Why? The text itself says: “so that you don’t bring blood on your house if anyone falls from there.” (Deut 22:8) Reading a law, you can ask two things: why was it given then? What unchanging principle lies behind it? The principle behind this one is caring for other people’s lives. Today’s balcony railings, pool fences and driving speeds all follow the same principle.
Jesus summed up the whole law in two: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind,” (Matt 22:37) and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” (Matt 22:39) and he said: “The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” (Matt 22:40) So with each law you read, you can ask: how does this teach people to love God and love their neighbor?
Which Old Testament laws are still kept literally today and which have been fulfilled in Christ is something churches understand differently; please ask your own church. This lesson practices just one thing: with every law, look for the principle behind it.
Open your Bible to Deut 22:1–4. These laws are about what to do when you see your brother’s ox or sheep straying, or his donkey fallen on the road. Work through the two steps from this lesson:
For reference: these laws keep saying you must not see it “and hide yourself from them” (Deut 22:1, 3, 4)—when you see your neighbor’s loss, you cannot pretend not to see it. The principle behind it: someone else’s loss is my business too. Today it might be: when you find something, try to return it to its owner; when you see someone fall by the road, stop and help them up.
For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through perseverance and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Rom 15:4 · WEB
This week read Judges 17 and 18 and find the writer’s verdict—hint: watch for words like ‘In those days there was no king in Israel’.
Just this one thing. When you do it, tap that day below; if you don’t, that’s all right—try again next week.
Good. Tap each day you do it this week:
Putting down roots is not something you do alone. Find a brother or sister you trust (ideally of the same sex) and talk this question over this week:
Is there an Old Testament law you have always found strange? Try looking together for the principle behind it.