The Noahide Laws

Genesis 9:1-9 HCSB God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. (2) The fear and terror of you will be in every living creature on the earth, every bird of the sky, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are placed under your authority. (3) Every living creature will be food for you; as I gave the green plants, I have given you everything. (4) However, you must not eat meat with its lifeblood in it. (5) I will require the life of every animal and every man for your life and your blood. I will require the life of each man's brother for a man's life. (6) Whoever sheds man's blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in His image. (7) But you, be fruitful and multiply; spread out over the earth and multiply on it." (8) Then God said to Noah and his sons with him, (9) "Understand that I am confirming My covenant with you and your descendants after you,

According to traditional Judaism, Elohim gave Noah and his family seven commandments to observe when he saved them from the flood. These commandments, referred to as the Noahic or Noahide commandments, are inferred from Genesis 8-9, and are as follows:

1) Not to commit blasphemy; derived from Noah appropriately worshipping God in 8:20-21

2) Not to commit idolatry; derived from Noah appropriately worshipping God in 8:20-21

3) Not to eat meat with the blood still in it (9:4).

4) Not to commit bloodshed; (9:5 cp 6:11, 13)

5) Not to commit robbery; derived from a sod interpretation of 9:5 and 6:11, 13

6) To establish courts of justice; derived from the establishment of capital punishment in 9:5-6 cp 6:11

7) Not to commit sexual sin; derived from what led to the problem (6:2) and what happened right after in 9:22-25

These commandments are fairly simple and straightforward, and they are recognized by most of the world as sound moral principles. Because they precede the Sinaitic Law, they are more basic and foundational. Because they precede the existence of Abram (the first Jew), they apply to all mankind, regardless of whether they are Jew or Gentile.

· Genesis 9:9 HCSB "Understand that I am confirming My covenant with you and your descendants after you,

This view apparently received tacit approval by the Apostles. If you look carefully, you will see that these seven principles all fall under the “greatest command” ruling of the Master. The first three fall under “Love God” and the last four fall under “Love your neighbor”. When asked if Gentile converts had to follow all of Judaism’s Talmudic laws, the Apostles based their decision on ancient Halakha and restricted their demands to a summarization of the Noahide Laws.

· Acts 15:19-21 HCSB Therefore, in my judgment, we should not cause difficulties for those who turn to God from among the Gentiles, (20) but instead we should write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from blood. (21) For since ancient times, Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, and he is read aloud in the synagogues every Sabbath day."

· Acts 15:28-29 HCSB For it was the Holy Spirit's decision--and ours--to put no greater burden on you than these necessary things: (29) that you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these things, you will do well. Farewell.

I would like to draw your attention to:

· Leviticus 17:10-12 HCSB "Anyone from the house of Israel or from the foreigners who live among them who eats any blood, I will turn against that person who eats blood and cut him off from his people. (11) For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have appointed it to you to make atonement on the altar for your lives, since it is the lifeblood that makes atonement. (12) Therefore I say to the Israelites: None of you and no foreigner who lives among you may eat blood.

For those of you who have been under my teaching for a while and are interested in the concept of Ezrach’ (e.g. citizenship in the kingdom of God), note that the Law was applied equally to Jew and Gentile. The only common denominator was to be that they desired to worship Yahweh appropriately.

Besides the traditional derashot, allow me to draw some additional conclusions from the text:

1. Yahweh’s moral requirements are very basic.

2. We are the more condemned for the simplicity of His requirements and our abysmal failure at keeping them.

3. We are responsible for every living thing including the wildlife and insects. (8:17 cp 9:2)

4. We are only to fill the earth – not OVER fill it. (9:1, 7)

5. Vegetarianism is a healthful choice but it cannot be a religious requirement. (9:3)

6. Capital punishment for murder is required. (9:4-6 also derived from the cause of the flood 6:11, 13)

7. Human rules of holiness are useless and ineffective. (Colossians 2:20-23)

· Colossians 2:20-23 HCSB If you died with Christ to the elemental forces of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: (21) "Don't handle, don't taste, don't touch"? (22) All these regulations refer to what is destroyed by being used up; they are human commands and doctrines. (23) Although these have a reputation of wisdom by promoting ascetic practices, humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value against fleshly indulgence.

8. We need to get into the ark but we need to come out of the ark at some point. Hanging out in the ark won’t get the job done. (8:16 cp 1 Peter 2:2-3; 1 Corinthians 3:1-2; Hebrews 5:12-14; Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 14:23; Romans 12:16-18)

a. Application to salvation

· 1 Peter 2:2-3 HCSB Like newborn infants, desire the unadulterated spiritual milk, so that you may grow by it in your salvation, (3) since you have tasted that the Lord is good.

· 1 Corinthians 3:1-2 HCSB (1) Brothers, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ. (2) I fed you milk, not solid food, because you were not yet able to receive it. In fact, you are still not able,

· Hebrews 5:12-14 HCSB For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of God's revelation. You need milk, not solid food. (13) Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant. (14) But solid food is for the mature--for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil.

b. Application to church

· Matthew 28:18-20 HCSB Then Jesus came near and said to them, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (19) Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

· Luke 14:23 HCSB "Then the master told the slave, 'Go out into the highways and lanes and make them come in, so that my house may be filled.

c. Application to family or cliques

· Romans 12:16-18 HCSB Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. (17) Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone's eyes. (18) If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone.

9. Each one of us must make leading our immediate family to the Lord a priority. (8:16, 18; 9:1; cp 1 Corinthians 7:10-16)

· 1 Corinthians 7:10-16 HCSB I command the married--not I, but the Lord--a wife is not to leave her husband. (11) But if she does leave, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband--and a husband is not to leave his wife. (12) But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is willing to live with him, he must not leave her. (13) Also, if any woman has an unbelieving husband, and he is willing to live with her, she must not leave her husband. (14) For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the Christian husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. (15) But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to peace. (16) For you, wife, how do you know whether you will save your husband? Or you, husband, how do you know whether you will save your wife?

10. God does not desire our destruction. He wants to bless us. (Genesis 6:6 cp 9:1. 11; Jeremiah 29:11-13)

· Jeremiah 29:11-13 HCSB For I know the plans I have for you"--this is the LORD's declaration--"plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (12) You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. (13) You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.