Today's Favorite Verse: Deuteronomy 27:1, 10, 14
"And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day.
Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day.
And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice,"
The Lord commanded Moses on what they were to do when they passed over Jordan into the promised land. They were to set up great stones and plaster them. Then to write on them all the words of the law that he had received. Afterwards the Levites were to speak in a loud voice all the words of the law, and the people were to obey all the commandments and statutes.
It was the word statutes that caught by eye. I had to look up what exactly was a statute.
Here are some things I learned.
-Typically, statutes command or prohibit something or declare policy.
-Statutory law within the legal order can appear in three different forms: (1) written formal law, (2) law for the community and (3) non-public law.
-Statute is (legal) (common law) legislated rule of society which has been given the force of law by those it governs.
The statutes appear to be the laws of the community or society, which makes sense because what is laid out in the rest of the chapter are exactly that. For example: "Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour’s landmark." These statues are telling them more plainly how to live the commandments in consideration for their society.
Obeying statutes would also be in keeping with the 12th Article of Faith: "We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law."
I pondered on how the Lord doesn't just give laws, he gives counsel to the prophet on how best to run His Church, and for his people to live together. This now has me wondering if the First Presidency letter of August 12, 2021 could be considered a statute? We were given specific things we could do to fight the war on this pandemic. It was written and sent to all the members, and then read again over the pulpits of our churches. We do not need to be commanded in all things but we are told by the Lord to obey his statutes, and that should not be dismissed.
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