Harmonizing Genesis 26:4-5 and Deuteronomy 11:1: Understanding Obedience Before the Law

Harmonizing Genesis 26:4-5 and Deuteronomy 11:1: Understanding Obedience Before the Law



One of the intriguing aspects of biblical theology is understanding how God's commands and laws relate to different periods of redemptive history. A particularly challenging passage in this regard is Genesis 26:5, where God tells Isaac:

Genesis 26:4-5
English Standard Version
4 I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, 5 because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”


At first glance, this statement raises a question: How could Abraham have kept God's commandments, statutes, and laws when the Mosaic Law had not yet been given? This becomes even more puzzling when we compare it to Deuteronomy 11:1, which states:

Deuteronomy 11:1
English Standard Version
11 “You shall therefore love the Lord your God and keep his charge, his statutes, his rules, and his commandments always.


If both Abraham (before the Law) and Israel (under the Law) are described with similar language regarding obedience, how do we reconcile this? Does this imply that Abraham had a form of the Law before Moses, or is there another way to understand these terms?

In this blog, we will explore the relationship between these two passages, examining whether Abraham’s obedience was identical to Mosaic Law, or if it reflects a broader principle of covenantal faithfulness. By doing so, we will uncover a richer understanding of how God's expectations of obedience unfold throughout Scripture.


When we examine this passage, we see that the Mosaic Covenant had not yet been established. This raises the question: How did Abraham obey God's commandments? A similar issue arises in other parts of Genesis—such as Cain and Abel’s sacrifices, Noah’s distinction between clean and unclean animals, and the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire and brimstone. How were these individuals held accountable to divine standards before the giving of the Law at Sinai?

The first thing to consider is that not every covenant included a system of laws, rituals, and customs. While there is no universally agreed-upon number of covenants, only the Mosaic Covenant contains a formal list of commandments. The covenants preceding Moses required obedience to specific directives rather than a comprehensive legal code.

Second, whenever God spoke, His words carried absolute authority. Scripture does not differentiate between authoritative and non-authoritative speech—every divine command or instruction was inherently binding.

While the Bible doesn't explicitly list a codified law given to Abraham, Genesis 26:4-5 implies that Abraham followed divine instructions. The Hebrew word for commandments is misva. It can be used for commandments pertaining to men and wisdom sayings, not just commandments from God. In general, it can refer to instructions or directives. Here’s a breakdown of what those commandments, statutes, and laws may have been:

***Commandments

Meaning: Specific divine commands given directly by God.

Possible Examples:

Leave his homeland – Genesis 12:1-4

Circumcision – Genesis 17:9-14

Offer Isaac as a sacrifice – Genesis 22:1-18

Walk blamelessly before God – Genesis 17:1-2

Other uses in Scripture (ESV): 2 Kings18:36; 2 Chronicles 8:15; Jeremiah 35:14,16,18; Proverbs 2:1, Proverbs 3:1, Proverbs 4:4, Proverbs 6:20,23; Isaiah 29:13.


***Statutes/Customs

Meaning: Ordinances or rituals God established that required consistent observance.

Possible Examples:

Building altars and offering sacrifices– Genesis 12:7-8; Genesis 13:18; Genesis 22:9-13

Practicing hospitality and righteousness – Abraham demonstrated this with strangers in Genesis 18:1-8 and interceding for Sodom in Genesis 18:23-32.

Other uses in Scripture (ESV): Leviticus 20:23; 1 Kings 3:3; 2 Kings 17:8,19; Jeremiah 10:3; Micah 6:16;


***Laws

Meaning: Broader divine instructions that reflect God’s moral or ethical standards.

Possible Examples:

Moral laws about marriage – Abraham seemed aware of God's design for marriage since he feared being killed over Sarah's beauty (Genesis 20:11-13).

Distinction between clean and unclean animals – This knowledge predates Moses as seen when Noah brought clean and unclean animals (Genesis 7:2-3). Abraham likely understood similar principles.

Honesty and integrity – Abraham made efforts to resolve disputes peacefully (Genesis 13:8-9; Genesis 21:22-31).

Tithing or giving offerings to God – Abraham gave a tenth of his spoils to Melchizedek, a priest of God (Genesis 14:18-20).

Other uses in Scripture (KJV): Proverbs 1:8; Proverbs 6:20, 23; Proverbs 3:1; Proverbs 4:2; Proverbs 7:2; Proverbs 13:14; Proverbs 28:4, Proverbs 28:7, 9; Proverbs 29:18; Psalm 78:1; Proverbs 31:26



Conclusion:

While the Mosaic Law (given at Sinai) did not exist in Abraham's time, God's moral law — principles of righteousness, justice, and obedience — always existed. Abraham was obedient to God's direct commands (like circumcision in Genesis 17) and general moral principles (like justice and righteousness in Genesis 18:19). Deuteronomy 11:1 reaffirms this timeless principle of loving and obeying God, which was evident in Abraham's life.

These instructions were not codified as the Mosaic Law, but were still God’s commandments, statutes, and laws for him to follow. The phrasing in Genesis 26:4-5 (charge, commandments, statutes, and laws) reflect God’s authority and expectations, not necessarily a formal legal code.


In Deuteronomy 11:1, the Israelites were given a formal covenant (the Mosaic Law). In Genesis 26:4-5, Abraham operated under a personal covenant with God (Genesis 15, Genesis 17). Both passages emphasize faithful obedience to God's will — Abraham through direct, personalized commands and Israel through a formalized law code. Hebrews 11:8-10 highlights that Abraham lived by faith and obedience, paralleling the call to Israel in Deuteronomy 11:1 to demonstrate love and loyalty to God. The absence of Mosaic Law during Abraham's time does not negate that Abraham still obeyed divine commands suited for his covenant. Genesis 26:4-5 uses universal language to convey Abraham’s complete obedience while Deuteronomy 11:1 simply formalizes that principle under a national covenant. In both cases, obedience is the unifying theme, whether under personal divine instructions (Abraham) or a national covenant (Israel).


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