The Hammurabi Code

Well today was the last of Hammurabi's Codes. Hammurabi was a king who wrote a whole bunch of laws around 200 b.c. Some say that the Bible copied his stuff, because they are very similar (we're going to study that later). Well any way we had to read them all and then we did these case trials. David and me were on a team against Karissa, Destiny and Alex. What we did was we had a case we had to judge according to Hammurabi's laws and the Mosaic law. It was awesome, even though we lost by two points.

The weeks study has been all on law, like the need for law, what's a just law, can man make good laws and so on. It's been really interesting. Below is a question, from the book, and my answer to it. Before you read the answer try to answer it yourself and tell me what you thought...thanks!

Why do we need laws?

Laws are a necessary part of life. Hammurabi (the guy we are studying) saw the need for justice and rule in his empire so he created The Code (a book we are reading called “The Codes of Hammurabi and Moses).
But a more Christian answer to the question why do we need laws would be that life’s rules are not the end or purpose for which we live, but a means which permits us to live godly lives and have a godly society, which is the purpose of life.
The law of God. From which all other laws are derived, show what good and evil are so that we may know how to conduct our lives. Freedom doesn’t come when we have no laws, but rather not having laws would lead to chaos, destruction and ultimately death. Laws are needed to live in a righteous, safe and godly world.

How do we know what a just law is?

A just law would be, or derive from, the law of God which He gave to Moses, who wrote them down for God’s people. God has set up for us all that we need to know about good and evil in His Word. Any man made law that conflicts with God’s law is by definition a bad law.
We humans are by nature children of wrath, unregenerate, and plain sinful, any law following such a nature will not be completely just. The Triune God, however, is completely just and good and all His laws follow His nature.
I’m not saying that laws made by man are all together bad, as long as they are in line with scripture they are good, but stepping out of that realm will be bad trouble.
Therefore, a just law is found and based on God’s Word.


That's a taste of what we have been up to. I can't wait till next week when we start another book!