Introduction: A Law Older Than the Tablets
Many people treat the “Law of Moses”—especially the Ten Commandments—as though it was something brand new, introduced for the first time at Mount Sinai. But the idea that humanity had no law before Moses is not only theologically weak—it’s biblically false. The truth is, what we often call the “Law of Moses” is more accurately the Law given to Moses—a codified revelation of principles that already existed.
Let’s dismantle the myth and walk through Scripture to uncover the truth: God’s law predates Moses.
1. A Moral Law Before the Law of Moses
Murder – Cain and Abel (Genesis 4)
God punishes Cain for murdering Abel. That doesn’t make sense unless Cain already knew murder was wrong. There was no written commandment, but Cain’s guilt and God’s response show a moral law already in effect.
Adultery – Genesis 2:24
God establishes marriage as a one-flesh, lifelong covenant. This standard is already in place before Israel exists. Adultery violates this sacred bond.
False Witness – The Serpent and Abraham’s Deception
The serpent deceived Eve and was cursed. Abraham and Sarah lie to Pharaoh about their relationship, and even a pagan ruler recognizes the deception as morally wrong. Clearly, truthfulness was a standard before Sinai.
Covetousness and Theft – Abraham, Sarah, and Esau
Pharaoh’s reaction to Sarah shows that taking another man’s wife—even by deception—was considered sinful. Likewise, Jacob’s behavior toward Esau regarding the birthright and blessing demonstrates the moral weight of taking what does not belong to you.
Honoring Parents – Ham and Noah (Genesis 9)
Ham dishonors his father and receives a generational curse. In contrast, Shem and Japheth honor Noah and are blessed. This perfectly illustrates the pre-Sinai existence of the Fifth Commandment.
Blood Sacrifice – Cain and Abel Again
Abel’s offering of blood is accepted, while Cain’s grain offering is not. This reflects God’s standard for atonement, pointing to spiritual truths that were understood before the Levitical system.
Sabbath – Genesis 2:2–3
God Himself rested on the seventh day and sanctified it. This principle is established at creation—not at Sinai.
Other Gods and Graven Images – Abraham and Idolatry
Joshua 24:2 says Abraham’s fathers served other gods. God called Abraham out of that system. The rejection of idolatry clearly existed before the commandments were carved in stone.
2. Noah, Enoch, and the Patriarchs Were Not Lawless
To suggest that righteous men like Noah, who built massive ships by divine instruction, or that Cain’s descendants who built cities, lived without law is to ignore both Scripture and reason.
- Noah was called “righteous” (Genesis 6:9). You can’t be righteous without a standard.
- Enoch walked with God for over 300 years. What does walking with God mean if not obedience to His ways?
- Abraham obeyed God’s commandments (Genesis 26:5), centuries before Sinai.
Noah, Enoch, and Abraham were men who lived in covenant, offering sacrifices, receiving instructions, and exercising discernment between right and wrong.
And this wasn’t limited to moral law. The sacrificial laws likely existed before Abraham, and were passed down through holy tradition. Melchizedek, the priest of the Most High God, received tithes from Abraham and functioned as a priest-king, showing that ceremonial practices and priestly authority predated the Levitical system. The Levites inherited their priestly function through Abraham, whose spiritual lineage flowed through his encounter with Melchizedek.
3. The Law of Moses = The Law Given to Moses
What we often label “Mosaic Law” was not a new invention—it was a reintroduction.
After 400 years of Egyptian bondage, Israel had been living under foreign laws and forgotten God’s ways. So God, in His mercy, reintroduced His law to them through Moses.
“I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt…” (Exodus 20:2)
The Law begins with redemption, not restriction. God didn’t give laws to save people. He saved people and then gave them laws to live in covenant with Him.
This codified revelation given to Moses was uniquely suited for the Israelite nation in that moment—fresh out of Egypt and needing clarity and identity. But this does not mean the law was new in substance. The same commandments had already been known, practiced, and obeyed by patriarchs and prophets from Adam to Abraham to Joseph. Even in codified form, God’s law had been present through figures like Melchizedek, who served as both priest and king.
In short, Moses was not receiving a new ethical system—he was delivering an ancient truth in structured, national form to a people who had been immersed in a culture alien to God’s righteousness.
Conclusion: The Law Is as Old as God Himself
God’s law didn’t begin with Moses because it didn’t begin with man. It flows from the very nature and holiness of God. Whether it was revealed through Melchizedek, preached through Enoch, obeyed by Noah, or codified through Moses—it is the same eternal truth.
To treat the Ten Commandments or moral law as something invented at Sinai is to misunderstand the whole arc of Scripture. Moses was the messenger, not the author. The Law of Moses is really the Law of God, temporarily given to Israel—but eternally rooted in the righteousness of heaven.
If God’s law has always been present, the real question becomes: Are we walking in step with it today? because it didn’t begin with man. It flows from the very nature and holiness of God. Whether it was revealed through Melchizedek, preached through Enoch, obeyed by Noah, or codified through Moses—it is the same eternal truth.
To treat the Ten Commandments or moral law as something invented at Sinai is to misunderstand the whole arc of Scripture. Moses was the messenger, not the author. The Law of Moses is really the Law of God, temporarily given to Israel—but eternally rooted in the righteousness of heaven.
To explore the biblical references discussed in this article, you can look them up using a trusted scripture search sites like https://www.biblegateway.com.