Annual Reading of the Law in Israel:

What if every family read the U.S. Constitution annually?

From Lesson 51 of the Biblical Framework Series

Charles Clough

In Deut.31:9 look what happens to the Old Testament law code. “So Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel. [10] Then Moses commanded them, saying, ‘At the end of every seven years, at the time of the year of remission of debts, at the Feast of Booths,” or the Feast of Tabernacles, [11] “when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place where He will choose, you shall read this law in front of all Israel in their hearing. [12] Assemble the people, the men and the women and the children and the alien,” the foreigner, “who is in your town, in order that they may hear and learn and fear the LORD your God, and be careful to observe the words of this law. [13] “And their children, who have not known will hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live the land which you are about to cross over the Jordan to possess it.”

Isn’t that an intriguing requirement? Every seven years, the entire nation had to publicly study the law in its entirety. They had to stand there as the priest read it. Not all of them were literate, but they had to endure this ceremony every seven years.

What would be analogous to that in our legal structure today? Every seven years, every American family would have to read the United States Constitution. There would be a public reading of the United States Constitution every seven years so everybody understands what the basis of this country is all about.