Which Old Testament laws to be observed?

[Greengardener]

Unfortunately you weren't following me. I brought the example of murder. There are different degrees of murder in law, intentional, unintentional, with witnesses, without witnesses, manslaughter, etc. But this cannot be adjudicated for punishment without civil laws, so if the ones in Biblical law don't apply, what good is it to talk about the Ten Commandments altogether? Can you address this more specifically?

It appears you have looked in the laws where you can see that there was a differentiation for unintentional manslaughter and even the provision of sanctuary cities to prohibit the angry relatives from taking vengeance until the matter could be investigated. Although there was little government, there was the combination of priesthood and civil leadership that appears to be sufficient to carry out a sensible response. Since there wasn't another authority that the people were to submit to then, that seemed to be set up to work. In light of the socially bankrupt nations they were dispossessing it looked like a pretty decent plan. God says Vengeance is HIS, but the arm to carry it out seemed to be sometimes HIS directly and sometimes the responses of the people that agreed with Him over the alternative and sometimes the Israelite community at large.

As to the question whether there are other commandments there that could be carried out, not being limited by not having the means for the sacrifices, I'd say YES, and like you I ask: what would happen if we did? Jesus did, so wouldn't it be interesting if we also did? Jesus kept the laws, the appointed times, the whole thing. I would think it a delightful experiment at the least and most likely a wonderful way of life.

I've often wondered what Christianity would look like in the US had we interpreted the NT in light of the OT and not interpreted what the NT says in the light of the traditional "Church History." I've wondered many times if we would have more fully understood the commandments as Jesus gave them were further described not only in the OT but also in the way Jesus walked. I think we would find ourselves keeping a Friday even-Saturday eve Sabbath and using the time to draw closer to God and each other rather than complaining that we can't go to the store or "work" until sunset and we would sure look forward to the large gatherings at the Feast of Tabernacles. We would "see" Jesus in the Passover more clearly - both as the Lamb Who takes away the sin of the world and the Bread of Life, untainted by sin.

As is typical, any thread juxtaposing independent thought in relation to God's Word and His Laws seems to fall into the same rut and it's a shame that it happens. We could look at this together and glean from each other instead of doctrinalizing each other when the basis for such behaviors is not as sound as we may think. What if there's something worth seeing here? I think you started with a good question. Don't let the rut deter you, Duvduv!

I've recently realized that curiosity is inversely related to familiarity and I haven't regretted reading what God says with a new curiosity to find HIM more than support for pre-conceived ideas. May we always stay curious about how to love the LORD our God with all our hearts more effectively and how to encourage each other in these increasingly dark days.