Lesson #6 --
Section #1 -- THE TWO LAWS
p 25 -- Introduction -- Whenever the question of the Sabbath is studied, a question is raised concerning the Law of God. Certain texts are cited (Ephesians 2:15; Colossians 2:14-17) with the suggestion that the Law of God has been revoked, and is therefore no longer binding on Christians. This teaching is the result of failing to distinguish between several groups of laws that are set forth in the Bible. We, in this study, will confine ourselves to two laws mentioned in the New Testament.
Romans 7:12 -- The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just and good. Hebrews 7:14-18 The law of a carnal commandment ... weakness and unprofitableness thereof. Hebrews 10:1 The law having a shadow of good things to come ... can never with those sacrifices which they offered.
Note - By comparing these verses it is evident that one law cannot be holy and carnal. A holy law being good in itself would not be a shadow of "good things to come." By illustration, one cannot have a fully ripe apple and a "green" apple all in one apple. It requires two. So also in the matter concerning the law. Two laws are required to meet the description of these texts.
Section #2 --THE HOLY LAW
Romans 7:7, 12 -- I had not known sin, but by the, law, the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. Wherefore the law is holy.
Note - The law that contains the commandment - "Thou shalt not covet" - is the Ten Commandment law. This law Paul declares to be holy.
Exodus 24:12; 31:18; 32:16 -- And the Lord said ... I will give thee ... a law, and commandments which I have written. And He gave to Moses ... two ... tables of stone, written with the finger of God. And the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.
Exodus 25:16, 21 -- And thou shalt put into the ark, the testimony which I shall give thee ... in the ark thou shalt put the testimony.
Note - Twice repeated was the injunction to put the law in the ark, the most sacred object of the Hebrew sanctuary. Of no other portion of the entire Bible, did God manifest such care for an accurate transmission, and preservation as the Ten Commandments. He wrote them with His own finger upon stone, spoke them with His own lips from Mount Sinai (Exodus 20:1). and had it placed in the most holy object on earth, which in turn was housed in what was designated as "the most holy place, " the center of His earthly dwelling. (Exodus 25:8-9)
Exodus 20:1-17 -- The Ten Commandments
Note - This law forbids, idolatry, profanation, stealing, killing, lying, adultery, and covetousness. It requires respect of children for their parents, and sets for the seventh day of every week
p 26 -- as the "sabbath of the Lord thy God."
Section #3 -- THE CODE OF MOSES
Exodus 20:22 -- The Lord said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say . . .
Exodus 24:3-4 -- And Moses wrote all the words.
Deuteronomy 31: 24-26 -- Moses commanded ... Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark ... for a witness.
Note - In the giving, writing, and disposition of this book of the law of Moses, the contrast is clear and distinct between it and the Ten Commandments. Let us note some of the regulations this lesser code contained.
Exodus 23:14, 17 -- Three times thou Shalt keep a feast unto Me in a year. Three times in a year all thy males shall appear before the Lord God. Leviticus 23:6, 14 (Observe the eating regulations connected with the time of the annual feasts.) Leviticus 23:24, 32 In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a Sabbath. It shall be unto you a Sabbath of rest ... in the ninth day of the month.
Note - The Mosaic code regulated aspects of worship involved in the special feast days, as to time, and what could and what could not be eaten at those times. Some of these appointed days were called sabbaths. These were, however, the Sabbaths of the people in contrast with the seventh day which was the Sabbath of the Lord. The summary of the contrast is given by Moses in Leviticus 23:37, 38. Note carefully the words - "These are the feasts of the Lord ... everything upon his day: beside the Sabbaths of the Lord."
Section #4 -- THE CONTRAST
Nehemiah 9:12-14 -- Thou camest down ... upon Mt. Sinai ... and gavest them ... Thy holy Sabbath, and commandest them laws, by the hand of Moses.
Note - Nehemiah in reporting this priestly chant classifies the sabbath of the Lord with the law given by God directly, and not with the code of Moses.
II Kings 21:8 -- All that I have commanded ... and all that my servant Moses commanded.
Deuteronomy 4:12-14 -- The Lord spake unto you, and He declared unto you ... ten commandments. And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes ... that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it.
Note - The Mosaic code was a statute of limitations to be done only in the land of their possessions, while the Ten commandments as given by God were not limited to any locality, but were worldwide in application.
p 27 -- Summary - The laws and ordinances which Paul stated were nailed to the cross were the codes given to Israel to be done only in the land of Canaan. In Christ, the gospel message would go to all the world, and the center of worship would no longer be a tent or a temple built by men's hands, but the most holy place would be a man's heart surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ. Note carefully Hebrews 10:16-17.
Lesson #6 -- QUIZ -- (Fill in the blanks)
1. -- Paul declares the law which says - "Thou shalt not covet" to be ____.
2. -- This holy Law is also known as the ___ ____.
3. -- The Ten ____ were spoken by the ____ of God from Mt. ____, and were _____ with the ____ of God upon two tablets of stone.
4. -- God Himself commanded that this Law be placed in the ____, which was the single article of furniture in the most ____ place of the ____.
5. -- There is also another law in the Old Testament, written by ____, and was commanded by ____, to be placed in the side of the ark for a ____ - ____.
6. -- This Mosaic code was a statute of limitations, because it was to be observed only in the ____ of ____. Deuteronomy ____:____.
7. -- The Mosaic code of laws contained days of worship called ____, but these were the Sabbaths of the ____ in contrast to the seventh-day Sabbath, which was the Sabbath of the ____.
8. -- Under the New Covenant, the Law of God would be placed in the ____ and ___ of man, instead of the ark in a sanctuary.
CONCEPTS FOR FURTHER STUDY
THE COVENANTS
The Old Covenant -- developed out of the experience at Mount Sinai:
1. -- God through Moses made Israel a special promise. (Ex. 19:3-6) [19:5 reads in the Hebrew - "If ye will surely listen to My voice, ... "]
2. -- After hearing the voice of God from the midst of the display of awful grandeur, Israel requested not to hear that voice again. (Ex. 20:18-19)
3. -- God then spoke to them through Moses. (Ex. 20:22)
p 28 --
4. -- What was said (Ex. 20:23 - 23:33) was written in a book. (Ex. 24:4)
5. -- This book was read in the hearing of all the people, and a covenant ratified in blood was entered into directly with the people. (Ex. 24:5-8)
6. -- This coven ant provided no means for forgiveness if broken. (Ex. 23:20-21)
7. -- Within 40 days, while Moses was in the Mount, it was broken. (Ex. 24:18;32:1-6)
Observations:
a. -- The Ten Commandments as spoken on Mt. Sinai were never made a part of this Old Covenant. Moses did not receive the Law in writing till he was in the mount during the 40 days. (Ex. 24:18; 31:18)
b. -- The Sanctuary and its services were received by Moses while in the Mount. (Ex. 24:18; 25:8-9)
The "Type" Covenant -- Developed out of the apostasy at Sinai:
1. -- The gravity of the situation was at once perceived by Moses. (Ex. 32:17-20)
2. -- A temporary tabernacle that served Israel was removed from the camp. (Ex. 33:7)
3. -- Moses entered into mediation with God. (Ex. 32:30-32; 33:11-23)
4. -- A covenant was entered into between God and Moses standing for the people. (Ex. 34:10, 27) It was not ratified by blood, except through the sanctuary services. The knowledge, benefits, and blessings of this covenant were always through a mediator. (Ex. 34:29-35)
5. -- This was a type covenant, even as the sanctuary and the priesthood were types. (Heb. 8:13; 9:1)
6. -- The Sabbath and the sanctuary were placed together in commands to Israel. (Ex. 35:1-5, 21)
The New Covenant -- Developed out of the Apostasy of Eden:
1. -- God gave to Adam and Eve a commanded covenant with no revealed plan for forgiveness. (Gen. 2:16-17) This was broken. (Hosea 6:7 margin) Adam hearkened unto another voice, thus with Eve accepting another god. (Gen. 3:17, 1)
2. -- There was an intervention. (Gen. 3:15; Rev. 13:8; Gen. 3:21)
3. -- The prophecy of Christ's role in this Covenant is connected with the experience at Mt. Sinai. (Deut. 18:15-19)
4. -- Though veiled in flesh - a human voice - nevertheless the voice of God. That Voice speaks from the glory of the Cross. (I Cor. 1:18; 22-24) It is no more acceptable today than was the voice of God from the glory of Sinai to Israel.
5. -- The understanding of these covenants is basic to one's understanding of the analogies used in the book of Hebrews: - the Two Houses (Heb. 3); the Two Sanctuaries (Heb. 9); and the Two Priesthoods (Heb. 8).For Diagram see Appendix C
Quiz Answers --
(1) holy. (2) Ten, Commandments. (3) Commandments, voice, written, finger. (4) ark, holy, sanctuary. (5) Moses, Moses, witness (testimony). (6) land, possession, 4:12-14. (7) Sabbaths, people, Lord. (8) hearts, mind.