There are those who claim that the Law of Moses originated with Creation, so that the Law of Moses is merely a “republication”. There are problems with this from a logical perspective as well as from the clear witness of scripture.
So was the Torah operating before Moses? Let us see.
- a) What is the earliest documentary evidence on this count?
According to Torah, a murderer should be put to death (see Numbers 35:16-20). Cain deliberately slew Abel, and yet we see God’s punishment for this premeditated murder was to have Cain live as a wanderer. God even protected Cain’s life, so that he would live out his life under God’s safe protection. If the Law had just been introduced, then God was ignoring it and acting far more mercifully than it demanded. Yet surely this would have been the critical time to establish and enforce the Law! Logically, it doesn’t fit.
- b) What does Scripture say?
1) Galatians 3:17-19 leaves us in no doubt. The Torah was added 430 years after Abraham. It was put into place because of transgressions (not before transgression).
2) John 1:17 also verifies there was no Torah before Moses. It came through Moses.
3) Romans 5:13-14 again verifies there was to law-transgression to account for from Adam to Moses. The only command broken was by Adam (because that was the only command given before Moses). Nevertheless death reigned even over those who did not have commands to break.
The Bible is unequivocally explicit that the Law of Moses was not operating from the start of Creation. The Law came through Moses.