Skip to content

Topics Research

Question

What evidence exists for the moral law operating from creation to Sinai? Investigate the Sabbath at creation (Gen 2:2-3), Cain's murder and God's response (Gen 4:3-11), the knowledge of clean and unclean animals (Gen 7:2), Abraham keeping God's commandments, statutes, and laws (Gen 26:5), Joseph recognizing adultery as sin against God (Gen 39:9), the manna-Sabbath test before Sinai (Exo 16:4-30). If the moral law only began at Sinai, how were these pre-Sinai acts recognized as sin or obedience?

Topics

SABBATH

  • Signifying a period of rest: GEN 2:2,3; LEV 23; 25; 26:34,35
  • Preparations for the: EXO 16:22; MAT 27:62; MRK 15:42; LUK 23:54; JHN 19:31
  • Religious usages on the: GEN 2:3; MRK 6:2; LUK 4:16,31; 6:6; 13:10; ACT 13:14
  • Sacrifices on the: NUM 28:9,10; EZK 46:4,5
  • Unclassified Scriptures: GEN 2:2,3; EXO 16:5,23-30; 20:8-11; 23:12; 31:13-17; 34:21; 35:2,3; LEV 16:29-31; 19:3,30; 23:1-3,27-32; 24:8; 26:2,34,35; NUM 15:32-36; 28:9,10; DEU 5:12-15; 2KI 4:23; 1CH 9:32; 2CH 36:21; NEH 9:13,14; 10:31; 13:15-22; PSA 92:1-15; 118:24; ISA 1:13; 56:2,4-7; 58:13,14; 66:23; JER 17:21,22,24-27; LAM 1:7; 2:6; EZK 20:12,13,16,20,21,24; 22:8; 23:38; 44:24; 46:1,3; HOS 2:11; AMO 8:5; MAT 12:1-8,10-12; 24:20; MRK 2:27,28; 6:2; 16:1; LUK 4:16,31; 6:1-10; 13:10-17; 14:1-6; 23:54,56; JHN 5:5-14; 7:21-24; 9:1-34; 19:31; ACT 13:14,27,42,44; 15:21; 16:13; 17:2; 18:4; COL 2:16; HEB 4:4,9
  • Observance of: By Moses NUM 15:32-34; By Nehemiah NEH 13:15,21; By women at Jesus' tomb LUK 23:56; By Paul ACT 13:14; By disciples ACT 16:13; By John REV 1:10
  • Violations of: Gathering manna EXO 16:27; Gathering sticks NUM 15:32; Men of Tyre NEH 13:16; Inhabitants of Jerusalem JER 17:21-23

Relevance to study: The Sabbath is listed under Gen 2:2,3 (creation) and Exo 16:5,23-30 (pre-Sinai manna test). The earliest reference precedes Sinai by the entire span of Genesis. The entry shows the Sabbath first appears in the creation narrative, not at Sinai.

CAIN

  • Son of Adam: GEN 4:1
  • Jealousy and crime of: GEN 4:3-15; HEB 11:4; 1JN 3:12; Jude 1:11
  • Sojourns in the land of Nod: GEN 4:16
  • Children and descendants of: GEN 4:17,18

Relevance to study: Cain's murder of Abel (Gen 4:3-15) is an act of moral transgression recognized and punished by God before Sinai. The NT references (1JN 3:12; HEB 11:4) interpret this in a moral-law framework.

COMMANDMENTS

  • General scriptures: EXO 13:8-10; 20:3-17; DEU 4:5,9,10; 5:6-21; 6:4-9; 11:18-21; 32:46,47; JOS 8:30-35; 2CH 17:7-9; NEH 8:2-8; PSA 78:1-7; PRO 3:3,4; 6:20,21; 7:1-4; ISA 57:8; JER 11:4; ZEC 7:9,10; 8:16,17
  • Precepts of Jesus: MAT 5:16,22-24,27-48; 6:1-4,6-8,16-25,31-34; 7:1-29; etc.
  • Of men: ISA 29:13; MAT 15:3-20; MRK 7:2-23; ROM 14:1-6,10-23; 1TI 4:1-3

Relevance to study: The topic begins with Exodus (Sinai), but the question of this study is whether the commandments existed before Sinai. Gen 26:5 uses mitsvah (H4687), the same word for "commandments" in this topic.

NOAH

  • Son of Lamech: GEN 5:28,29
  • Builds an ark and saves his family: GEN 6:14-22; 7; 8; HEB 11:7; 1PE 3:20
  • Builds an altar and offers sacrifices: GEN 8:20,21
  • Receives the covenant from God: GEN 8:20,22; 9:9-17

Relevance to study: Noah knew the distinction between clean and unclean animals (Gen 7:2), offered sacrifices of clean animals (Gen 8:20), and received the murder prohibition (Gen 9:5-6) -- all pre-Sinai.

ABRAHAM

  • Divine call of: GEN 12:1-3; HEB 11:8
  • Is blessed by Melchizedek: GEN 14:18-20; HEB 7:1-10
  • God's covenant with: GEN 15; 17:1-22; GAL 3:6-18
  • Piety of: GEN 12:7,8; 13:4,18; 18:19; 20:7; 21:33; 22:3-13; 26:5; NEH 9:7,8; ROM 4:16-18
  • Faith of: GEN 15:6; ROM 4:1-22; GAL 3:6-9; HEB 11:8-10,17-19; JAS 2:21-24

Relevance to study: Gen 26:5 is central -- God testifies that Abraham "kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws." The same Hebrew terms (mishmereth, mitsvah, chuqqah, towrah) are used for the Sinai legislation. Gen 14:20 records pre-Sinai tithing. Gen 18:19 records God's testimony that Abraham would "keep the way of the LORD."

JOSEPH

  • Son of Jacob: GEN 30:24
  • Is prospered of God: GEN 39:2-5,21,23
  • Joseph's integrity: GEN 39:7-12
  • His piety: GEN 41:51
  • God's providence with: GEN 39:2-5; PSA 105:17-22

Relevance to study: Gen 39:7-12 records Joseph refusing Potiphar's wife and calling adultery "this great wickedness, and sin against God" (Gen 39:9). This pre-Sinai moral awareness is listed under both ADULTERY (instances) and CONSCIENCE (faithful instances).

SIN

  • Fruits of: GEN 3:7-24; 4:9-14; 6:5-7 (all pre-Sinai)
  • Known to God: GEN 3:11; 4:10; 18:13 (all pre-Sinai)
  • National, punishment of: GEN 6:5-7; 7:21,22 (pre-Sinai flood); Sodomites GEN 18:20
  • Punishment of: GEN 2:17; 3:16-19; 4:7; 6:3,5-7; 18:20; 19:13 (all pre-Sinai)
  • Repugnant to God: GEN 6:6,7 (pre-Sinai)
  • Repugnant to righteous people: GEN 39:7-9 (Joseph, pre-Sinai)
  • Unclassified scriptures: ROM 5:12-21; 7:7,13; 1JN 3:4,6,8-10,15

Relevance to study: The SIN topic contains extensive pre-Sinai entries (Gen 2:17; 3:7-24; 4:7-14; 6:5-7; 18:20; 19:13; 39:7-9). Nave's itself lists these as instances of sin -- acts that were recognized as morally wrong before the Sinai legislation.

ADULTERY

  • General scriptures: GEN 20:3 (God warns Abimelech, pre-Sinai)
  • Forbidden: EXO 20:14; DEU 5:18; ROM 13:9; JAS 2:11
  • Penalties for: GEN 20:7; 26:11; 38:24 (all pre-Sinai)
  • Instances of: Sodomites GEN 19:5-8; Lot GEN 19:31-38; Shechem GEN 34:2; Reuben GEN 35:22; Judah GEN 38:1-24; Potiphar's wife GEN 39:7-12 (all pre-Sinai)

Relevance to study: Multiple pre-Sinai instances of adultery are listed with penalties enforced before Sinai (Gen 20:3,7; 26:11; 38:24). Gen 20:3 records God warning Abimelech about adultery with a death threat. Gen 38:24 records Judah ordering Tamar burned for perceived harlotry. These pre-Sinai penalties presuppose a known standard.

ADAM

  • Creation of: GEN 1:26-28; 2:7; 1CO 15:45; 1TI 2:13
  • History of, before he sinned: GEN 1:26-30; 2:16-25
  • Temptation and sin of: GEN 3; ROM 5:14-21; 1TI 2:14
  • Brought sin into the world: 1CO 15:22,45
  • Type of Christ: ROM 5:14

Relevance to study: Gen 2:16-17 records the first divine commandment/prohibition ("thou shalt not eat of it"). Gen 3 records the first transgression and its consequences. ROM 5:14-21 addresses the relationship between Adam's sin and the law.

ANIMALS (Clean and Unclean)

  • Two of every sort preserved in the ark: GEN 6:19,20; 7:2,3,5,9,11; 8:19
  • Clean and unclean: GEN 8:20; LEV 7:21; 11; 20:25; DEU 14:3-20; ACT 10:11-15; 1TI 4:3-5
  • Offered in sacrifice: GEN 4:4; 7:2-8; 8:20

Relevance to study: Gen 7:2 records God's instruction to Noah to take seven of clean animals and two of unclean -- before Sinai, before the Leviticus 11 codification. Gen 8:20 records sacrifice of clean animals. The word H2889 (tahowr, "clean") is used in Gen 7:2, its earliest occurrence. This shows the clean/unclean distinction predates Sinai.

HOMICIDE

  • Felonious, or Murder: GEN 4:9-12; 9:5,6; EXO 20:13; DEU 5:17; ROM 13:9; 1JN 3:12,15
  • Instances of felonious: By Cain GEN 4:8
  • Punishment of: GEN 4:13-15; 9:5,6; EXO 21:12,14; LEV 24:17
  • Instances of the punishment of murderers: Cain GEN 4:11-15

Relevance to study: Murder was prohibited and punished before Sinai: Cain (Gen 4:8-15) and the Noahic prohibition (Gen 9:5-6). The sixth commandment (Exo 20:13) codified what was already recognized as wrong.

SODOM

  • Wickedness of inhabitants: GEN 13:13; 19:4-13; EZK 16:46,48,49; Jude 1:7
  • Abraham's intercession for: GEN 18:16-33
  • Destroyed for wickedness: GEN 19:1-29; 2PE 2:6

Relevance to study: Sodom's destruction demonstrates pre-Sinai divine judgment for sin. Gen 13:13 states the men of Sodom "were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly." God destroyed them for their sin (Gen 19:1-29), though the Sinai legislation had not yet been given. EZK 16:49-50 identifies their specific sins.

TITHES

  • Paid by Abraham to Melchizedek: GEN 14:20; HEB 7:2-6
  • Jacob vows a tenth: GEN 28:22

Relevance to study: Pre-Sinai tithing by Abraham (Gen 14:20) and Jacob (Gen 28:22) demonstrates religious practices and obligations recognized before Sinai. The author of Hebrews (7:1-10) draws theological significance from Abraham's tithe.

CONSCIENCE

  • General scriptures: ROM 2:14,15; 7:15-22,23
  • Faithful instances: Pharaoh GEN 12:18,19; Abimelech GEN 26:9-11; Jacob GEN 31:39; Joseph GEN 39:7-12
  • Guilty instances: Adam and Eve GEN 3:7,8

Relevance to study: ROM 2:14-15 states Gentiles "which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law...which shew the work of the law written in their hearts." The pre-Sinai conscience instances (Adam/Eve, Pharaoh, Abimelech, Joseph) demonstrate awareness of moral standards before the Sinai legislation.

LAW

  • General scriptures: PSA 19:7-9; 119:1-8; ROM 2:14,15; 7:7,12,14; 1JN 3:4; 5:3
  • Of Moses, Given at Sinai: EXO 19; DEU 1:1; 4:10-13; 33:2
  • Temporary heading: JER 3:16; MAT 5:17-45; LUK 16:16,17; JHN 1:17; ROM 7:1-6; 8:3; GAL 2:3-9; 4:30,31; EPH 2:15; COL 2:14-23; HEB 8:4-13; 9:8-24; 10:1-18

Relevance to study: The LAW topic's "general scriptures" include ROM 2:14,15 (law written on hearts) and 1JN 3:4 (sin is transgression of the law). The "TEMPORARY" heading lists passages cited by those who argue the law began and ended with the Mosaic era. The research must gather all these passages.

REST

  • Divine institutions for: See SABBATH
  • Days of: EXO 23:12; 34:21
  • Spiritual: MAT 11:29; HEB 4:1-11

Relevance to study: HEB 4:1-11 connects the Sabbath rest to creation (4:4) and argues for a continuing "rest" for God's people (4:9). This passage interprets the creation Sabbath as having ongoing significance.

RESPONSIBILITY

  • Attempts to shift: Adam GEN 3:12,13; Eve GEN 3:13
  • Personal: EZK 18:20,30; MAT 12:37; GAL 6:5

Relevance to study: Pre-Sinai accountability for sin (Adam, Eve, Cain) demonstrates that moral responsibility was operative before Sinai. God held individuals accountable for their actions.

DECALOGUE

  • Written by God: EXO 24:12; 31:18; 32:16; DEU 5:22; 9:10
  • Divine authority of: EXO 20:1; 34:27,28; DEU 5:4-22
  • Called Words of the Covenant: EXO 34:28; DEU 4:13
  • Called Tables of Testimony: EXO 31:18; 34:29; 40:20

Relevance to study: The Decalogue was formally delivered at Sinai. The question is whether its content was operative before that formal delivery. The fourth commandment (Exo 20:8-11) explicitly references creation as its basis.

  • General scriptures concerning sexual immorality in Sodom (GEN 19:4-14)
  • Pre-Sinai destruction of Sodom as judgment (GEN 19:24,25)
  • Used as a proverbial term for sexual sin (DEU 23:17; 1KI 14:24)
  • Things abominable to God include: adultery (LEV 18:20), sodomy (LEV 18:22,23), offering children in sacrifice (LEV 18:21) -- many of these were practiced (and judged) before Sinai