What are the Noahide laws? How do these laws given to Noah affect us today? Who is behind the push to live under these set of laws? When are we going to achieve world peace?
On June 10, 2013, in New York City at the United Nations a delegation with Rabbi Cohen presented to the international body a talk at the “One People One World” conference. The talk introduced the concept of living with the God-given laws to Noah and his sons as a way to achieve world peace.
There is an organization called the Institute of Noahide code and it is an NGO accredited with the United Nations. They are dedicated to the spreading of awareness of the Noahide Laws. So, what are these 7 laws that this organization is making you aware of and how does it compare to what God actually said?
The Seven Noahide Laws – Talmud / Tosefta
- Not to worship idols.
- Not to curse God.
- Not to commit murder.
- Not to commit adultery or sexual immorality.
- Not to steal.
- Not to eat the flesh torn from a living animal.
- To establish courts of justice.
These seven laws seem very reasonable to live by, and according to the Jewish teachers these laws were given by God. A record of these oral teachings are found in the rabbinic books of the Talmud and Tosefta. These books point to the law found at Genesis chapter 9 and Jubilees chapter 7. So, let us compare them to what the word of God actually says.
Genesis 9:1-9… And God blessed Noah, and his sons, and saith to them, `Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth; 2 and your fear and your dread is on every beast of the earth, and on every fowl of the heavens, on all that creeps on the ground, and on all fishes of the sea — into your hand they have been given. 3 Every creeping thing that is alive, to you it is for food; as the green herb I have given to you the whole; 4 only flesh in its life — its blood — ye do not eat. 5 `And only your blood for your lives do I require; from the hand of every living thing I require it, and from the hand of man, from the hand of every man’s brother I require the life of man; 6 who so sheds man’s blood, by man is his blood shed: for in the image of God hath He made man. 7 And you, be fruitful and multiply, teem in the earth, and multiply in it.’ 8 And God spoke unto Noah, and unto his sons with him, saying, 9 `And I, lo, I am establishing My covenant with you, and with your seed after you.
God blessed Noah and his sons and mandated for them to fill the earth and have in subjection all creation. That same command was given to Adam. Noah was then commanded not to eat blood. And a proclamation to not kill man was given. But whoever would kill, in such a manner he would be put to death. God called it a Covenant with Noah, his sons, and all mankind thereafter.
Now let us look at Jubilees chapter 7 and see what else we can extrapolate about these Noahide laws that were given to mankind.
Jubilees 7:20… And in the twenty-eighth jubilee (2657 BC or after) Noah began to enjoin (preform or adopt) upon his sons’ sons the ordinances and commandments, and all the judgments that he knew, and he exhorted his sons to observe righteousness, and to cover the shame of their flesh, and to bless their Creator, and honor father and mother, and love their neighbor, and guard their souls from fornication and uncleanness and all iniquity.
Just before Noah died he conveyed to his sons that they needed to observe the ordinances and commandments of God. That they should observe righteousness. Cover the shame of the flesh. To bless their Creator. Honor their mother and father. To love their neighbor. And to guard against uncleanness, fornication, and all iniquity that is sin.
It should start to become noticeable to you that there seems to be a difference between the rabbinic teaching of the law given to Noah and that which is actually found in these writings. Let us review more of what God spoke to Moses here in Jubilees chapter 6.
Jubilees 6:4-10… And the Lord smelt the goodly savor, and He made a covenant with him that there should not be any more a flood to destroy the earth; that all the days of the earth seed-time and harvest should never cease; cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night should not change their order, nor cease forever. 5 ‘And you, increase ye and multiply upon the earth, and become many upon it, and be a blessing upon it. The fear of you and the dread of you I will inspire in everything that is on earth and in the sea. 6 And behold I have given unto you all beasts, and all winged things, and everything that moves on the earth, and the fish in the waters, and all things for food; as the green herbs, I have given you all things to eat. 7 But flesh, with the life thereof, with the blood, ye shall not eat; for the life of all flesh is in the blood, lest your blood of your lives be required. At the hand of every man, at the hand of every (beast) will I require the blood of man. 8 Who so sheds man’s blood by man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God made He man. 9 And you, increase ye, and multiply on the earth.’ 10 And Noah and his sons swore that they would not eat any blood that was in any flesh, and he made a covenant before the Lord God forever throughout all the generations of the earth in this month.
When comparing this account with Genesis we can see mankind was to be a blessing on the earth. Also, Noah and his sons swore they would not eat blood. Can we find more laws that God gave to mankind in the book of Jubilees?
Jubilees 4:31-32… At the close of this jubilee Cain was killed after him in the same year (3060 BC); for his house fell upon him and he died in the midst of his house, and he was killed by its stones; for with a stone, he had killed Abel, and by a stone was he killed in righteous judgment. 32 For this reason it was ordained on the heavenly tablets: With the instrument with which a man kills his neighbor with the same shall he be killed; after the manner that he wounded him, in like manner shall they deal with him.
So, God had established a writing down of the laws in the heavenly tablets. Laws that would apply to mankind and the governing of them. These could be referred to as Godly rules, his judgments. The early Christian congregation called it the Way, or path of righteousness is what Enoch called it.
Jubilees 5:12-16 says that God created at that time a path of a righteous nature. And that there would be a judge who will judge all things in heaven and earth based on God’s righteousness.
By all means we should observe every law that God gave man, we should be willing to live it. We should not just pick and choose what law we want to observe. No but we are obligated to all of them. Let us go ahead and list the do’s and the don’ts of what we have found through the reading of the Scriptures.
- Be a blessing and have subjection all creation.
- Eat no blood.
- Observe righteousness.
- Cover your flesh.
- Bless God.
- Honor your parents.
- Love your neighbor.
- Guard against uncleanness of fornication and all sin.
- No Killing of mankind.
No matter what your religion or where you’re from, do you think it’s okay to steal? Do you think it’s okay to testify falsely? Do you believe that adultery is okay?
I think most of us who read this will agree that stealing, testifying falsely, and adultery is wrong in our minds and none of us want to have to experience that wrongdoing perpetrated against us. These three laws are a part of the 10 Commandments God gave his people. Let’s look at that list.
- Have no other God but me.
- Have no images.
- Take not God’s name in vain.
- Observe the Sabbath.
- Honor father and mother.
- No murder.
- No adultery.
- No stealing.
- No false testifying.
- Do not desire your fellowman’s things
After comparing the Noahide laws with what was really given to Noah and his sons and then comparing it with the 10 Commandments, there seems to be a lot of questions that need to be answered. What is the purpose behind these rabbinic teachers and why do they want us to live by their prescribed Noahide laws? Why are they not advocating for us to live by all the commandments that God gave Adam, Abraham, and Noah? Do you think it’s okay only to pick and choose some of these God given laws? Are we still obligated for all the commandments that have gone forth from God? Do you think God nullified any of his commandments?
Achieving World Peace
The Noahide laws have been put forth to bring about world peace. But what does God say about mankind achieving peace?
You need to look up Zechariah 8:1-19 and read it for yourself.
Isaiah 57:14-21… He said, “Build it up, build it up, prepare the way,
remove every obstacle from My people’s way.” 15 For the High and Exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy says this: “I live in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and lowly of spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the oppressed. 16 For I will not accuse you forever, and I will not always be angry; for then the spirit would grow weak before Me,
even the breath of man, which I have made. 17 Because of his sinful greed I was angry, so I struck him; I was angry and hid; but he went on turning back to the desires of his heart. 18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, 19 creating words of praise.” The Lord says, “Peace, peace to the one who is far or near, and I will heal him. 20 But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waters churn up mire and muck. 21 There is no peace for the wicked,” says my God.
Jeremiah 8:8-12… “How can you claim, ‘We are wise because the law of the Lord is with us’? In fact, the lying pen of scribes has produced falsehood. 9 The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and snared. They have rejected the word of the Lord, so what wisdom do they really have? 10 Therefore, I will give their wives to other men, their fields to new occupants, for from the least to the greatest, everyone is making profit dishonestly. From prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely. 11 They have treated superficially the brokenness of My dear people, claiming, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace. 12 Were they ashamed when they acted so abhorrently? They weren’t at all ashamed. They can no longer feel humiliation. Therefore, they will fall among the fallen. When I punish them, they will collapse,” says the Lord.
This is what God has to say to his people, read Ezekiel 13:1-23.
To have world peace we need to stop the curse that have been pronounced upon mankind and become a blessing instead. We need to observe God’s righteousness and bless the living God. Find the path of righteousness and stay on it, to honor parents and love our neighbors. Repent and pray for God’s kingdom to come. Say Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. Yes come Lord Yeshua and bring God’s righteousness to us.
Writingwithlogos.com – Last Revised 5/25/24