- The Written Law -

People often wonder why the law needs to be written since God has promised to write the laws upon our hearts (Eze 36:26).

Ex 18:20 And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws . .

Ex 24:12 . . . Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

Written laws are easier to teach. God wrote His laws for this reason.

Lev 24:22 Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God.

Written laws can be validated, and as such, they are more difficult to pervert.

Dt 17:18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:

Dt 17:19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:

Accurate repetition to reinforce learning is possible when one is reading something that is written.

Dt 27:2 And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister:

Dt 27:3 And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee.

Dt 27:8 And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly.

Men are less likely to claim ignorance of God's law as a defense for their sin, where the law is written for general reading.

Dt 28:58 If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD;

Men are responsible to obey God's WRITTEN LAW, not imagined voices or thoughts that may be accredited to God. In fact, the primary way for one to know that a voice or intuition is from God, is to know well, His written Word, the Holy Bible. Otherwise, people will frame their morality with their thoughts, often incorrectly believing their thoughts are springing "from God's law that is written upon their heart."

Few people understand that Satan also puts thoughts into men's hearts (Gen 3:4-6; Matt 16:21-23; Jn 13:2; Acts 5:3; 2Cor 4:4), and takes thoughts from their minds (Matt 13:19). Knowledge of God's Word is the best defense against being deceived by Satan.

Dt 28:59 Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.

Dt 28:61 Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed.

God's written law outlines the punishments, just like the written law of man.

Josh 8:34 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.

Unlike the written law of man, God's written law specifies the blessings that accompany obedience to His law, and the curses that accompany disobedience to His law.

Dt 31:11 When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing.

God's written law can be read to the people, and provide consistency from king to king, to govern by God's wisdom, rather than by the wisdom of mere men.

Dt 31:26 Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.

The written law of God is one witness for or against the obedience of each man.

2Kg 22:8 And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

In this case, when God permitted long-term upheaval in His nation, finding the written law enabled a king to see that his nation was not living according to God's law. He began to restore the nation back to God.