Tuesday: The Covenant at Sinai
How was the covenant made between Israel and God at Mount Sinai? Exodus 24:1-18
Moses and some leaders went to Mount Sinai. These leaders included Aaron and his two sons, who represented the priests; and the 70 elders and leaders, who represented the nation. The men accompanying Moses had to stop from afar, but Moses was allowed to go on up to where God appeared.
Image © Standard Publishing from GoodSalt.com
Moses later came and affirmed the covenant with the whole nation. He proclaimed what God had spoken to him, to which the nation answered with the following words: All the words which the Lord has said we will do.
(See Exod. 24:3, NKJV.)
Of course, as sacred history has shown and as our own experience often proves, it’s one thing to make the claim to be obedient; it’s quite another to reach out in faith and surrender in order to harness the divine power that gives us the grace to do what we say we will.
Read Hebrews 4:2. How does this verse explain Israel’s failure? How can we learn to avoid the same mistake?
Only by faith and by grasping the promises that come by faith can we be obedient, an obedience that is expressed by loyalty to God’s law. Obedience to the law was no more contrary to the everlasting covenant in Moses’ time than it is in ours. The common misperception about the law and the covenants, which usually arises from reading Paul, stems from a failure to take into account the context in which Paul was writing, that of dealing with his Judaizing opponents. They wanted to make the law and obedience to it, central to the faith; Paul, in contrast, wanted to make Christ and His righteousness the central component.
How often have you said, All that the Lord has told me, I will do?
only to fail to follow through? How does this unfortunate reality make the promise of grace so much more precious? What hope would you have without it?
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In the book Patriarchs and Prophets, in the chapter "The Law and the Covenants" on pages 371 and 372 there are comments which deal with the covenant offered in Exodus 24. In the Bible Handbook by Stephen Haskell referenced in the Ellen White CD-ROM, is a chapter on the two covenants. page 91. In addition, AT Jones had a three part article appearing in the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, July 17, July 24, and July 31 1900. EJ Waggoner also wrote on this.
Dear Larry,
Your references were helpful, and I found each one online and read them all. The Sabbath School lesson title is, "The Covenant" and the Bible clearly teaches two covenants, most of which is taught by the story of Sarah and Hagar, Galatian 4:21-31. Unfortunately, there is much confusion concerning the two covenants and if people took the time to study them out in the Bible, it would become clearer. Thank you for pointing us in the correct direction, giving insights into the two covenants.
“All the words which the Lord has said we will do” is the appropriate response to any and every covenant with the Lord and to anything the Lord says (Exodus 24:3). Having become so accustomed to doing evil it is hard for sinners to imagine obeying God all the time. Still this is the mindset the Creator calls for among those who acknowledge, respect and love Him (John 14:23-24).
Both Jesus and other spokespersons for God connect love for the Lord directly with obedience (1 John 5:3) and scripture explicitly describes those who profess love without obedience as liars (1 John 2:3-5). Any who has a problem with obedience has a problem with love.
Weak beings as humans are need not worry that they may fail in obedience (1 John 2:1). Immediately after noting that love requires obedience Jesus indicated how this would be realized - by the Helper, the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-16).
Believers need to make the decision to do right, surrender their will, and draw on the available power. The Holy Spirit initiates the process and is at work every step of the way, but not without human cooperation (Philippians 2:13-14).
The saints ought not to get so caught up with their own salvation and guarding against legalism (working for their own salvation) that they neglect to obey the Lord. Legalism is a problem because of self. If in resisting legalism one is still being selfish the battle is still lost.
Earnest working for the salvation of others and a longing to simply please the Creator and Redeemer to whom they owe everything (Psalm 100:3; 1 Corinthians 6:20) without seeking or claiming credit is sufficient safeguard against legalism (Philippians 1:5-6).
Had the Israelites drawn on the available power and surrendered self they would have been able to honor their side of the Sinai Covenant (Exodus 24:7). They would have learned the lessons and continued to be sheltered under the Everlasting Covenant which existed before Sinai.
AMEN. But then surrendering self is the major battle we face constantly! Praising God he even provides that to a willing heart. Sometimes I can only be willing to be made willing!
I agree the main Covenant is the Everlasting Covenant and all the other Divine Covenants were progressive revelations of the Everlasting Covenant.
All of them were based on mercy, grace and forgiveness.
All the Divine Covenants were set out by the LORD, humans only had the option to accept or reject, there was no negotiations.
Those that thought they could keep The Covenant by their own strength were deluding themselves because that wasn't The Covenant that the LORD offered. It was a counterfeit. And it was this counterfeit that Paul referred to from time to time.
The LORD's desire is for us to develop a character like His through His Divine Creative Power, do we accept or do we reject the offer?
I feel that the movement against the law in order to avoid "legalism" is really a companion to it. Either way, it is the effort of the individual to claim salvation without actually being saved from themselves as they cling to sin while putting on the cloak of either "commandment keeping" or "grace alone".
Until we renounce sin and present ourselves as a living sacrifice, we cannot be transformed by the renewing of our mind. The Holy Spirit cannot dwell in the presence of sin.
Everything in and about the New Covenant speaks against the literal “Ten Commandments” being the Law that God writes on His children’s hearts.
“...God, who also made us adequate servants of a New Covenant, NOT OF THE LETTER but of THE SPIRIT; for the LETTER KILLS, but the SPIRIT GIVES LIFE. If the ministry of DEATH, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, .... how will the ministry of the SPIRIT fail to be even more with glory? For if the ministry of CONDEMNATION has glory, much more does the ministry of RIGHTEOUSNESS abound in glory.”(2 Cor 3:5-11). “If a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the Law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”(Gal 3:21,22)
“The PROMISE (COVENANT) to Abraham or to his SEED that he would be heir of the world was NOT through LAW, but through the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH. For if those who are of LAW are heirs, faith is made void and the PROMISE nullified; for LAW brings wrath...(Rom 4:13-16; Gal 3:1-9)
God delivered a people, related to Abraham “according to the flesh”, from physical slavery to take them to a physical “promised land” as a picture, type, figure, or shadow of the coming REDEMPTION from SLAVERY TO SIN(DEATH) to ETERNAL LIFE. God was particular to say -”The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. The Lord DID NOT MAKE THIS COVENANT WITH OUR FATHERS, but with us, all those of us alive here today”.(Dt 5:2,3) The people said “all that the Lord has spoken we will do”. (Ex 19:8; 24:3-7) God commended their statement but added , “Oh that they had such a HEART in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever”.(Dt 5:29) They had been delivered from physical slavery but not from slavery to sin. What did God require of these “stony hearted people” in this Covenant? “Cursed is every one who does not abide by all things written in the book of the Law, to perform them.”(Dt 27:26) Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for the “righteous man shall live by FAITH”. However the LAW IS NOT OF FAITH; on the contrary, “HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM”(Gal 3:10-12). The Old Covenant was not according to Faith. It was obey and live - two different covenants -one according to faith, the other according to works.
So what is / was the purpose of the Law or The Old Covenant(an added covenant)? The Scripture tells us that “ law came in that Sin might abound and to be a tutor until Christ”. Will we believe or accept this?
These sin-slaves were put under the Supervision of the Law “UNTIL the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made ... “Before FAITH came, we were kept in custody under the Law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed ... But now that Faith has come , we are no longer under a Tutor. For you are all SONS of GOD through the faith of Christ Jesus”.(Gal 3:19-26) When the people feared for their life and asked that they not hear God’s voice anymore, God complimented them:”They have spoken well! I will raise up a prophet from among their brothers like you, and I will put MY WORDS in His mouth, and He shall speak to them ALL THAT I COMMAND HIM. It shall come about that whoever will not listen to MY WORDS which He shall speak in MY NAME, I Myself will require it of him.”(Dt 18:15-19) Christ comes with the definitive WORDS of the NEW COVENANT, the covenant of promise.
Christ declared that He came to fulfill Law and Prophets not to destroy them.
A special fulfillment is confirmed in Scripture. Since Christ died to redeem us from under Law why go back under Law? “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh but through LOVE serve one another. For THE WHOLE LAW IS FULFILLED IN ONE WORD, in YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. If you are led by the SPIRIT, you are not under Law.”(Gal 5; Rom 13:8-14). “Sin shall not have dominion over you, because you are not under Law but under GRACE (the NEW COVENANT)(Rom 6:14)
The LAW OF LOVE is called CHRIST LAW (1 Cor 9:21; Gal 6:2; 2 Pt 3:2; Rom 8:2); also the Law of Liberty. God prophesied “Pay attention to Me , My people...For a LAW will go forth from Me, and I will set My justice for a light of the peoples. My Righteousness is near, My Salvation has gone forth,...and for My arm they will wait expectantly.”(Isa 51:4,5) “...Hope does not disappoint, because the LOVE OF GOD has been POURED OUT WITHIN OUR HEARTS through the HOLY SPIRIT WHO was given to us.”(Rom 5:5) “The fruit of the Spirit is LOVE...(Gal 5:22) “May the Lord direct your hearts into the LOVE OF GOD and into the steadfastness of Christ”.(2 Th 3:5) The Law of Christ and the Law of Moses are compared thoroughly in the book of Hebrews. The 2 covenants are compared thoroughly in 2 Cor 3.
Which of the two laws is in the “Ark of the Covenant” or written in the hearts of God’s people.
Hi Kenny,
You have contributed some meaningful ideas, some I don't quite understand, and some that I haven't studied out much, such as 2 Corinthians 3. The glory of the New covenant in the context of how 2 Corinthians explains it, is new to me. What I am wondering, are your ideas from only the Bible or other sources?
Your opening sentences I am trying to understand: "Everything in and about the New Covenant speaks against the literal “Ten Commandments” being the Law that God writes on His children’s hearts.
“...God, who also made us adequate servants of a New Covenant, NOT OF THE LETTER but of THE SPIRIT; for the LETTER KILLS, but the SPIRIT GIVES LIFE."
This section is clear to me and I totally agree: “The PROMISE (COVENANT) to Abraham or to his SEED that he would be heir of the world was NOT through LAW, but through the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH. For if those who are of LAW are heirs, faith is made void and the PROMISE nullified; for LAW brings wrath...(Rom 4:13-16; Gal 3:1-9)
Looking forward to your reply.
Jane, while I'm sure Kenny will provide you his own response, I only saw him comparing one part of Scripture to another. It might be helpful to think of the old covenant as a parable containing teachings explaining the "new" Covenant (Lk 24:27). Their is no conflict. The conflicts are a product of our fallen human minds (Lk 24:25). The covenant of Exodus 24 may be best understood in the light of Heb 3:5 and Deut 18:15, 18 which would make Moses a type of Christ. God's primary interest has ALWAYS been the restoration of His human creature back to the way He created us in the first place (Gen 1:26). We see the principle in the promise made by the Creator in Gen 3:15 beginning to be amplified by Gen 12:1-3, and gives birth to a people selected for this service (Ex 19:5-6). But what would happen to AIDS patients who were being treated by doctors with TB (Deut 6:6-7; 9:4-6)? The old covenant is God's attempt to minister to the "doctors"(Rom 7:7,13). Notice though, that from the Creator's perspective the "doctors" and "patients" in reality had the same deadly disease (Jer 9:26-27; Deut 5:29; Rom 3:9-12)! Praise God, the "new" Covenant IS the Creator's RESOLUTION of what ails ALL humanity (Eze 18:30-31; Heb 8:6,10; Rom 5:18; Rom 3:21-23)!!
Hi Kenny.. You have covered essentually the biblical verses of the two covenants. What is different about these two is not the law and God but how they are internalized. The Israelites of old tried by doing it without God's help...the second promises that God is the only one who is capable of doing so. Also,
God gave his laws not only as standards of behavior toward God and man but they were given to protect relationship s and to transform a sinner to Godlikeness. When internalized (writing the law in our hearts) with the help of the Holy Spirit..they transform a person's character and produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). These processes are summarized in Ephesians 2:8-10. God's covenants are actually God's promises in His desire to continue a loving and reconciling relationship with humanity.
Hugh..you pointed out very important steps in the process of obedience especially the role of the Holy Spirit as well as the danger of legalism. That is one side of salvation. The Israelites were stuck with that side. They missed the other side which was they were supposed to be channels of blessing or conduits of truth to other nations. Ephesians 2.8-11 states that after having been saved by grace through faith in Jesus, believers have a preordained work to do which is the proclamation and the demonstration of the gospel in their lives. Cf isaiah 58 and Christ' mission Luke 4.18,19 & matt 23.23; 25:31-46
Relationship. Relationship. Relationship. The secret to obedience is the result of a surrendered, humbled, grateful, loving relationship with God as empowered by the Holy Spirit and the gift of faith in Jesus. One may obey out of fear or out of love. The Israelites obeyed God most of the times from external motivation: obey and prosper or disobey and be cursed. God desired obedience coming from grateful hearts. Thus he continued to establish his desire for a relationship through his progressive covenants starting from Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and the Hebrew nation which were finally fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
I'd like to comment briefly on "relationship relationship relationship", by saying that [in my view,] it is by ACTING on our belief that brings us into a close, genuine relationship with God. This might sound back to front, but I believe it to be the reality.
"It is OBEDIENCE to the word of the living God that brings men into close relationship with Christ." (EGW, R&H Apr.17 1900)
This idea, together with the following text, has been troublesome to various ones [at various times in history], but as James wrote,
"You see then how that by WORKS a man is justified, and not by faith only." (Jas 2:24) Even the thief on the cross was justified by his works/actions, when he opened his mouth and reproved his companion.
Phil 2.13 and Heb 13.21 give a better idea as to where the motivation and power of our actions come from. Without these..our "righteous acts" are like filthy rugs Isa. 64.6 Jesus said.. Without me you can't do anything John 15.5. That's why it is imperative of a sinner to be connected (relationship) with God first to be enabled to act in acceptable obedience. An analogy...an
Electric lamp cannot work by itself without being connected to an electrical outlet. i suppose the same is true with Christian living. God gave us the gift of faith in Jesus so we can act accordingly
Maybe it is a "chicken and egg" thing. The Bible is clear that no one comes to God without being drawn. All of the covenants studied this week were initiated by God. Yet Stewart makes a good point that acting builds relationships. The more we understand God, the more we are drawn to Him by love. The more we are drawn to Him, the more we want to be like Him and to do His will, which brings us closer to Him.
Outside Jesus we can't do or keep any promises because there is no power in us.
The Book of the Covenant was written by Moses (Ex 24:4), and it was read to the people. The Blood of the Covenant was then sprinkled upon the Book, upon the altar [which Moses had built early that morning], and also upon the people (Ex 24:6-8, Heb 9:19).
I feel there is some significance in the fact that this was done BEFORE any of the Tabernacle 'furniture' was made; before any part of the Sanctuary was set up. And it seems[!] to have taken place even BEFORE the Law was first delivered to Moses, written on tables of stone. (Ex 24:12, Ex 31:18, Ex 32:19).
Before any of the symbolic service was set up, the people experienced first hand, some of the terrific grandeur and power of God. The Covenant is made, based on direct personal experiences, and not on a system of "types" (symbolic articles/teaching aids). The "typical" system was not introduced until after the Covenant was enacted.
The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were the "first" to be instituted, even before their deliverance Ex 12; sanctification of first-born; then the Sabbath was instituted in Ex 16 - that was the Sabbath they should remember.
Kenny, I find your chronology confusing.
You write that the Sabbath was instituted in Exodus 16??? What about Gen 2:2-3. It says that God "rested" ("sabbathed") on the seventh day. "Sabbath" simply means "rest," and God clearly instituted the seventh-day Sabbath at the end of creation week, not several thousand years later.
Sorry, I should have used the word "introduced" as Stewart used it. I never meant that Sabbath was actually instituted in the wilderness!
Okay, thanks for clarifying a bit. Perhaps we need to clarify further.
I'm not sure that the Sabbath was "introduced" with the manna, although it might have been "re-introduced" for those who had forgotten its sacredness during their time in Egypt. And since the Sabbath was instituted at Creation, it was not part of a system of "types and symbols" to which Stewart was referring.
There is no Scripture that reveals that anyone “observed” or “kept” Sabbath before Israel in Exodus 16.
God on the 7th day, having completed His work, ceased or rested from His work and blessed and sanctified the 7th day because He had rested from His work. The sun never went down on His rest in the 7th. He never went back to His work. However He’s been working since then.(John 5:17) He does not have a weekly observance of Sabbath.
God delivered Israel from Egyptian slavery and said, “Observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy .... You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; THEREFORE the Lord, your God commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.”(Dt 5:12-15) God later designated the Sabbath “a sign between Me and the sons of Israel throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord Who sanctifies you.”(Ex 31:12-17)
Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, “God is SPIRIT, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and Truth”(John 4:24). Again “we are the circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the FLESH”(Phi 3:3) So God’s REST is SPIRITUAL because He is SPIRIT. Israel REST is the rest of the FLESH, Physical. God distinguished His Rest when He “swore in My anger, truly they shall not enter into My rest”(Ps 95:11) They were keeping Sabbath and resting every week one day, Sabbath. Every Sabbath they commemorated their deliverance from slavery with complete rest. We, like them, wish on every Sabbath that the day would not end. We don’t want to go back to work for 6 more days of toil and burdens. Would they be interested in God’s Rest? The rest of the Soul or Spirit?
What is the burden or labor of the Spirit or Soul from which we need Rest, Relief? Of course the Sabbath that Israel observed could do nothing about that? No Law could do anything about it.(Rom 8:3-5; Heb 7:18,19; 10:1; Acts 13:39). For what the Law could not do God did by sending HIS SON.
Remember God gave Israel their sabbath as a sign that the Lord was their Sanctifier. “For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one (Father); therefore He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying “I will proclaim Your name to My brethren, In the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise”(Heb 2:11,12) So the Sanctifier, Christ, came to his brethren saying “Come unto Me, all who labor(to exhaustion) and heavy-laden, and I will give you REST.... and you will find REST for YOUR SOULS! (Matt 11:28,29). They never recognized Him. Was Jesus competing with the Sabbath for attention? No! Here was the TRUE SABBATH, the SANCTIFIER, the true LIBERATOR, the FULFILLMENT and BODY of the shadow Sabbath (Col 2:16). Just like when Jesus presented Himself 4 days before the Passover in the Temple and threw out the animals because He was the TRUE LAMB that takes away the sin of the world. The people favored their sabbath rest and killed Christ the TRUE SABBATH.
Christ lived the TRUE SABBATH REST, that of Isa 58. He never spoke His own Words. never did His own Will always His Father’s will; never did His own pleasure, always sought to please His Father; never performed His own works, His Father in Him did His works.(John 6:38;7:16; 8:26-29,40;12:48,49; 14:10-12) That is what the real Sabbath keeping is about. If Christ depended solely on the Father to work in Him, how about us. He therefore could continue His work on their Sabbath because it was His Father who was working in Him. Read Heb 4 and you will find the true Sabbath Rest knows no time - neither day, nor week , nor month, nor year, nor seasons (Gal 4 :10) God’s Holy Day has no end. All who believe enter God’s Rest and we are encouraged to be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through the same example of disobedience of Israel.
Kenny, when God gave the law on Sinai, was this the first time these laws were made known? (see Genesis 26:5)
Jesus said the Sabbath was made for man, and the only account of this is found in Genesis when God appointed a 7th day and a memorial of His creation. Read the 4th commandment and see why it was established and you will understand better when this was done. After the exodus of Israel from Egypt, God added a new meaning to the Sabbath, as a memorial of His power to sanctify sinners. (See Ex 31:12-17)
And also the Sabbath as a memorial of God's deliverance from bondage ( God the redeemer) Deut. 5:15. To add the memorial of God's creatorship Exo.20:8 as well as our sanctifier Exo 31:13..to which you correctly alluded to?
:
Perhaps I should have been clearer in my earlier comments.
It is undeniable that a Typical system was introduced very soon after Adam's sin. Cain and Abel had been taught the requirements of the sacrificial system [as it then stood], and the young men came into conflict over that "system". So symbols were added almost as soon as sin entered the human family. But when I wrote that the "typical system was not introduced until after the Covenant was enacted", I was referring to the full-blown Sanctuary Service, and to the Covenant made at Sinai.
But yes, Kenny, clearly the Passover, etc. had been instituted prior to the arrival of the people at Sinai. Yes, God employed symbolic services prior to the wilderness Sanctuary.
Hi Kenny, we have run out of reply levels above so I am adding my response to your comment above.
I am not entirely sure of your argument. If you are saying essentially that the Sabbath was a Israelite/Jewish requirement because these is no reference to it being kept before Exodus 16 then it is worth considering the wording of the 5th commandment. "The wording, "Remember the Sabbath Day ..." is a pretty clear implication that the Sabbath had been instituted before but had been forgotten. The wording also provided a clear reference back to creation indicating that the Sabbath had been an integral part of the creative activity of God.
If you are implying that we make the mistake of worshiping the Sabbath rather than honouring Jesus, then I think you are making a valid point. Sometimes our emphasis on the Sabbath is directed at proving the we, Seventh-day Adventists have got it right, proving our identity as God's chosen church. We can indeed be guilty of promoting the Sabbath over the God of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is not about our identity, it is about Jesus and our relationship with him.
My own journey into Sabbath keeping and its meaning has taken many turns and I have come to realise that Sabbath-keeping has to be much more than just being part of the liturgical activity of a couple of hours on Sabbath morning. I was at one stage heavily involved in church "Sabbath activity" and it took a fair whack on the head spiritually for me to realise that Sabbath rest was more than church. Somewhere along the line I learned about the joy of Sabbath-keeping, not fulfilling a law in order to be saved, but sharing the Sabbath because I am saved.
Hi Maurice:
You make an astute observation that we as Adventists appear to make the Sabbath day of supreme importance. If we make the Lord of the Sabbath supreme in our lives (with all our heart and soul and mind), proper Sabbath observance will ensue.
A part of the Sabbath rest also involves the concept of "work" as enshrined in the words of Jesus in connection with two of the miracles performed on the Sabbath. "My Father has been working until now and I have been working" John 5:17. "I must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day. John 9:4. May "the works of God" (John 9:3) be revealed in us in our Sabbath observance.
For Kenny who wrote: "There is no Scripture that reveals that anyone “observed” or “kept” Sabbath before Israel in Exodus 16."
Where do you read that anyone profaned it? Does the lack of reference to anyone keeping it mean that no one observed the Sabbath, or does it mean that no one stepped away from the sacred observance of the day that was made for man, according to Jesus. The only record of the Sabbath being made is Genesis 2. The Sabbath was not "made" in Exodus 16, where it was only reintroduced to those who had forgotten it. There was still 7 days each week since creation and continuing to our day. Jesus' remark in Mark 2 tells us that the 7th day was appointed to man at creation, since that is when it was "made". We have the sin of Eve and then Adam highlighted. Also the departure of Cain, so don't you think if the Sabbath had been openly violated that this would have been also shown? Yet, in time, the world had become so wicked that individual sins were not made note of, only that "every thought" was only evil without end. For this God cleansed the earth with a flood. Noah, still faithful to the covenant must have observed the Sabbath, since it would have been noteworthy of one so obedient to God.
We have also the record in Gen 26 of Abraham having been faithful to keep all of God's "commandments, my statutes, and my laws"(vs 5), having obeyed "my voice", which means God Himself passed on the knowledge of His law to those who worshiped Him as the Creator God. The Law written in stone on Sinai is complete, with nothing new since the beginning of Creation, or God would have stood accused by the adversary. This law is as eternal as God Himself, so we must conclude that Abraham had been given this law to observe, as well as others including Joseph, who refused to offend God by disobedience to His law has handed down from the patriarchs.
The scriptures are filled with all the evidence required for faith.
Interesting comments. Questions about Sabbath-keeping have used up way too much paper and ink over the centuries. When deciding about Sabbath, I really am not concerned over whether Noah or Methusaleh kept the Sabbath. Regardless of the previous attempts at arguing against its importance, even a cursory reading of the Edenic experience demonstrates the importance of the "seventh day". I always wonder what the hidden agenda is when someone spends so much energy fighting against the importance of the Sabbath and how it links man with his/her Creator. Kenny, in all Christian kindness, Thou protest too much.
Jane, the initial statement of the Covenant of Promise, later developed into “New Covenant”, indicated it to be a solution for Adam’s sin - total eradication of sin and its god. The covenant on Mt Sinai, according to God, was brought in “incidentally” (Grk. Gal 2:4) for a subordinate purpose - that sin might abound -the more fully to reveal the evil brought in by Adam and the need and glory of the remedy by CHRIST: the super-abundance of GRACE in the New Covenant.
The Law was not brought in as a solution for sin. It was to magnify man’s sin condition. Unsupervised the antediluvian world caused God to regret He created man. The Scripture says they didn’t sin in the magnitude of Adam. Man under supervision of Law would sin deliberately like Adam. We saw it and we wonder how in the presence of God’s Messengers (Angels) they could have done those things. That is what Adam passed on to his progeny. The law cannot check transgressions. It was not brought in for that. Rather it “stimulates” the unregenerate, corrupt heart to disobey(Rom 5:20; 7:13) I already hear the voices on the offense. The New Covenant absolutely solves the sin situation.
Sister, when in the early ‘80s many independent ministries started cropping up and the 1888 message was revived to try to halt the “decline” in Adventism, I decided to put everything else aside and “read” the Word for myself. What I place on paper is usually quotes from the Word with as little of my words as possible. I get in trouble using my words as recently as this week.
Kenny,
The following quote from your post refers: "The law cannot check transgressions. It was not brought in for that. Rather it “stimulates” the unregenerate, corrupt heart to disobey(Rom 5:20; 7:13)"
Did the "law" make things worse, and is therefore at fault? What do you understand to have been transgressed in the first place? How does one know when he/she has sinned? Are the Ten Commandments now invalid, or just one or two of them, such as the Second for example?
Bro Wittum, thanks for your Christian kindness. Now, who denies the importance of the “Edenic seventh day”? That is the “promised rest”(Heb 4:1,3,4)! Which Sabbath had become an abomination?(Isa 1:13,14) Which Sabbath was God bringing to an end?(Hos 2:9-11) Which Sabbath is a “shadow” of Christ?(Col 2:16,17) Like all God’s promises, ALL, SABBATH REST is fulfilled ONLY in CHRIST.
When type met ANTI-TYPE, the Jews chose TYPE and killed the CHRIST for breaking their Sabbath. Bro I hope you have chosen the ANTI-TYPE like all believers(Heb 4:3) and have entered into the true rest. Holding the shadow rest is fine, but is abomination if you reject the TRUE REST.
Kenny, If the Sabbath of the 4th commandment is a "shadow rest", should we understand that the other 9 commandments refer to "shadows" also?
If we recognise the sanctity of life (do not kill), are we enacting a "shadow"? If we are truthful in all our dealings (not bearing false witness against any), are we manifesting only a "shadow"... or are we manifesting "light"?
[I feel we will enter into difficulties if we isolate one of the Commandments, and teach that obedience to it is a "shadow" - effectively, that it has no real substance.]
For the years that Adam and Eve lived in Eden, the holy pair were "tested" over a literal tree, weren't they? The time is coming, and now is, when we will be "tested" over a literal day.
Hugh and Stewart, “So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteousness and good”.(Rom 7:12) The Law accomplishes its purpose perfectly. “But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers,.... and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.”(1Tim 1:8-11)
“But the goal of our commandment is LOVE FROM A PURE HEART and a GOOD CONSCIENCE and a sincere FAITH”.(1Tim 1:5) That is accomplished through the New Covenant, the Gospel of Jesus Christ with His rules of Life - rules that “FULFILL THE LAW”.
The Law is included among the elementary or rudimentary principles. “So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, ... so that He might redeem those who were under Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons....But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak elemental things to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? Gal 4
Christ often said “It says in your Law .... but I SAY...”. Now Christ’s rules of life are more encompassing and demanding than Moses Law. One identifying mark of a SON in Christ’s rules is that he loves his enemies like His Father in heaven. We are commanded to love all. These awesome requirements have caused us to fall back on a less demanding set of rules - the Law of Moses.
The Creator established the Sabbath at Creation, it was the pre-incarnate Jesus who gave the 10 Commandments and all the other statues and ordinances through Moses at Mt Sinai and it was Jesus Christ who said: "Love Me and keep My Commandments" Just like children learn the basics in the lower grades of school and then learn the more complex things as they go on wards up to University, Jehovah revealed His Character and His Covenant progressively until the final revelation by coming in person to this earth.
We do Him an injustice by trying to imply there are different ways to salvation in the different eras.
Kenny, every verse you share is truth, but it is an interesting collection of bible passages to prove a point. Do you realize there are as many passages to show the error of what seems to be your conclusion?
Start with Eccl 12:13,14 and consider also the description of the last faithful generation that will be redeemed from the earth in Rev 14:12.
Shirley, the way to salvation has been the same from the beginning to the present - by grace through the faith of Jesus Christ, “New Covenant”!
If salvation was by the “Old Covenant” then Moses is ‘lost’. He suffered the same fate as all those who came out of Egypt and rebelled against God. God told him he could not enter because of the particular sin he committed. By being faithful to the Old Covenant they would enter the Promised Land and “live” long in that land.
Remember Christ was “slain from the foundation of the world”. Anyone “saved” is such because has reserved that person for Himself to His honor and glory. The Law turns upon the specific Priesthood associated with it. The Levitical Priesthood could only “cleanse” the flesh. So when the Melchizedek Priesthood comes in there MUST BE a change of Law .(Heb 7:11,12)
Kenny, I understand that you have come to a conclusion based on your studies and I know that nothing I say will change your mind.
However I have come to a different conclusion so we will have to agree to disagree.
I believe the Bible is the progressive revelation of the true character of the God, it starts with God creating humans in His image, their choosing to know evil, and from then on God offering to restore them to be in His image. In the Everlasting Covenant He offers: I will be your God and you will be My people and I will dwell with you""
Any and all laws he gave were to reveal His character and always included an offer of forgiveness and a way to be at one with Him.
Robert, John the Baptist represented the Old Covenant, sent to introduce the King-Priest of the New Covenant (Mat 11:11; Lk 7:28). He said “I am not the Christ but I have been sent ahead of Him....He must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all, he who is from the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth... The Father loves the Son and has given ALL THINGS into His hand.(John 3:28-35) John officially gives way to Christ. That’s how smoothly the Old Covenant gave way to the New Covenant as God designed. But Israel’s leaders made their stand against it.
Jesus said “if you love Me keep My commandments”. Is Jesus here competing with the “commandments” of the Law? Is He adding “commandments” make a bi-cameral “law”. He goes on to say “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever, the SPIRIT of TRUTH... HE abides with you and will be in you”(John 14:15,16)
Isn’t that exactly the promise of the “New Covenant”(Jer 31; Ezk 36) and this is done for His Holy Name’s sake, totally GRACE. (Moses was “destined”, I would say, not to enter that land) Every Commandment went through the ceremonial “sanctification” under the animal blood (Heb 9:17-22). The 10 Commandments are part of the figures or shadows to be fulfilled. Scripture says the “Law of Christ” FULFILLED the Law of the Old Covenant.
So the commandments of Rev 21 are Christ’s Commandments. Matt 5-7 and 1John gives good detail of Christ’s commandments. Let’s be diligent to enter into His rest so that God may work His works in us. There is no other way to execute Christ’s commandments.
Kenny, how do you arrive at the conclusion that the "10 Commandments are part of the figures or shadows"? What does that mean in everyday living as a Servant of God?
Are you saying the 10 commandments are no longer valid?
Robert, while Kenny can respond for himself, I'll have to agree that the "10 Commandments are part of the figures or shadows". You shouldn't understand him to be saying that "the 10 commandments are no longer valid" but his statement of Christ being the fulfillment of the old covenant is sound Scripture (Mt 5:17-18). Note that there are two significant occurrences recorded at the ratification of the initial covenant in Ex 24. Based on Heb 3:5 and Deut 18:15, 18 Moses becomes a type of Christ. The first significant occurrence is that Moses (Christ) WRITES a book, the content of which the people (physical Israel) voiced agreement with and Moses ratifies it with blood (Ex 24:7-8). Note what Scripture states that book was for (Deut 31:19 compared with Jn 15:24-25) but probably more importantly, its implied status (Deut 31:26). The second significant occurrence is that Moses (Christ) RECEIVES tables of stone, WRITTEN BY GOD containing the Ten Commandments to teach the people (Ex 24:12). Compared to the book written by Moses, note the implied status of the one written by God (Ex 25:16). We see Christ typified in the ministration of both the book and the stone, one implying something temporary (Col 2:14) the other permanence (Heb 6:13,17-18). The first covenant was temporary and intended by God to address Israel's "heart" problem (Deut 7:6-7; Deut 31:27; Jer 17:1). When our younger son was about 6 years old he fell from his bunk bed while playing with his brother and cousin and fractured his elbow. The doctor applied a cast from his wrist all the way past his elbow. That external cast didn't undermine the importance of the bone God created within, in fact, it emphasized its importance. That temporary aid, did not or could not heal the once sound bone within, but neither could it replace the bone. So should he remove it the next day when it got in the way of an active 6 year-old? He was glad when the time came for it to be removed!
The Creator desires to restore His image (Ex 34:6; Gal 5:22-23) in humans by writing His law of supreme love of God (Mt 22:36-38) in our minds (Heb 8:10). You asked, "What does that mean in everyday living as a Servant of God?"...I say allow your imagination to roam freely when minds, fathered by the devil (Jn 8:44; 1 Jn 3:8), by an undeserving act of the Creator's kindness, RECEIVES God's inscription.
Kenny, I must also point out the fact that John never introduced Jesus as "priest/king", but as "the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world". What defines sin? How does the Lamb of God take it away?
Study Lev 16, Rom 3:23-26, etc.
Also, I will add this pertaining to the "new" covenant, the word "new" meaning "fresh", as in God making it "fresh" with everyone who will come to Him through Christ, though it is no different than what He gave to Adam and Eve, and through them the whole world (Gen 3:15, the woman's seed) where God stated: "I will put emnity...". This is the same as the "fresh" covenant in Jeremiah, where God will give every sinner who accepts this agreement to be "transformed by the renewing" of their mind, as God makes each one "partakers of the Divine nature" from which all have fallen, which the law reveals by showing us our transgression against the very nature of God, which man originally was made to reflect fully. The law spoken on Sinai and then written in stone is the very foundation of God's own nature/character and only as we are found to be the same, can we dwell in His presence. This is the purpose of the covenant, and God offers it "fresh" to any of the woman's seed who accept it in faith.
The Law of God, spoken by Him in only one place, then written in stone, was to be proclaimed by Israel to the whole world, which God so loves and wants to save, giving His only begotten Son that they might believe in Him and not perish in their sins.(John 3:16; 8:24) This law is like a coin with two sides, it points out sin, and at the same time, reveals righteousness.(Rom 7:7; 8:1-4)
This Law is as eternal as it's Author, and leads us to Christ for salvation from our sins against it.
When did God have to remind Himself: don't worship other gods; remember the Sabbath day; don't steal; don't covet; don't fornicate??
That law reveals the character of sinful man. The Sons of God are not put under such a Law. That is for "slaves" of sin. The Sons have been delivered from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of Light, the kingdom of the Son of His Love! If the Law was permanent when Moses threw it to the ground, it would have broken off half of the mountain instead of getting splintered and must be remade!
You miss the symbolic meaning of Moses casting down the tablets of the Law Kenny. God's law CAN be broken. He gives us that choice, but will hold us to that choice in the end. (look what happened in Eden, and where it has led this world)
By the way, the Law was written again, on stone. A "fresh" start for those willing to forsake sin and become Holy, as God is Holy, by His power in the life of all who surrender to it.
Have you read the Proverbs lately?
I find the dichotomy of this conversation a bit frustrating. Frustrating because in my experience there are two "ditches" that a lot of well intended people stumble into. One ditch minimizes the importance of obedience/behavior/performance. The other ditch attempts to "be good enough" to save. Both are dead wrong. It is necessary to step back and look at the big picture in order to understand this. The best place to see the big picture in the Bible is Job. As Adventists we have additional insights from Ellen White that "pull back the curtain" even further than Job does, and we should be the forefront of sharing and clarifying this.
The picture starts with God creating beings like Himself. A key ingredient was the ability to love--particularly to love Him. That ability requires free choice. Free choice implies the ability to make harmful choices. From that perspective, sin isn't some arbitrary restriction. It is anything that destroys self or others. With that definition, sin is never OK. It is to be avoided and eliminated. The end of the big picture is that this planet is the petri dish in which the vaccine for sin is being created. By the time the experiment is over, no one will ever want to go down that path again.
So commandment keeping is simply sin avoidance, which means not doing destructive things. As sinful human beings, we are incapable of doing that, which is why we need a savior. But it is our goal, and with God's help we can grow in our performance. We are never saved by that performance. If for no other reason than that it is imperfect, and therefore inadequate. We are saved only by Christ's sacrifice. Period. Ever. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't care about our performance. Sin is inherently destructive. Anyone who says it doesn't matter is self-deluded. Even being saved, our present life may be less comfortable because of choices we make. In addition, going back to the free choice idea, God won't force salvation on us. If we chose not to accept it, not to follow Him, not to recognize sin for the destructive force it is, He will not force us to. The Bible is pretty clear about the end for those who make that choice. Salvation was offered to them, but they were not saved.
I cannot close without one other comment. There are two things that turn people off about performance. One is that the majority of people who emphasize performance spend most of their time judging other people's performance rather than focusing on their own growth. That is wrong, wrong, wrong. Matt. 7 is quite clear on that, along with many other passages. That is the work of the Holy Spirit, not us. The other is that a lot of people who focus on performance have a tendency to write rules, to interpret, scripture (and of course force their perspective on others). This is also misguided. My performance is guided by Scripture and the Holy Spirit, not by someone else's interpretation of scripture. These two issues drive a lot of the "left" attitudes.
There are those that understand the current trend is to lower the standard which we are to reach (by faith in God's "exceeding great and precious promises, whereby we become partakers of the Divine nature"), and they are compelled to exhort their brethren. Paul wrote "examine yourselves" to know if we are living by faith or if we are "reprobate". What do we examine? God is going to judge the world by their works, whether they are good or evil. Works reveal faith or unbelief.
It's not difficult to know for ourselves if our works are righteous or wicked as the Holy Spirit is faithful to bring conviction to "the world". The Law reveals both sin and righteousness. God counsels sinners to "forget not my Law, but let your heart keep my commandments" (Prov 3:1) with blessings given for those who "strive against sin". This striving isn't gritting ones teeth and "working", rather the striving is to surrender the will and present themselves as living sacrifices, which is reasonable, and thus take the yoke of Christ which gives us Rest. In this we allow the Holy Spirit to guide the conscience. I've not met very many who "emphasizes performance", while I have known those who labor to keep the righteous standard before those prone to forget it as the world often leads many to do. This is why the shepherds of the flock are to be found encouraging, exhorting, rebuking ("sharply, that they may be sound in the faith"), praying, studying and earnestly laboring for those who stumble and fall off the narrow path to Life.
Those who despise the high standard (like Cain) will always object when "Abel" entreats the erring ones. I will also point out that when firm resistance is met, those who resist should be left to their chosen course. No one will be successfully coerced into Holiness.
The closer we come to heaven, the narrower and steeper the path for the people of God. We are safe to follow Daniel's counsel to Nebuchadnezzar who was urged to "break off your sins by righteousness..."(Dan 4:27), as the new life in the Spirit crowds out the old life of the flesh. It's just a new set of choices that comes when one takes up their cross and follows Jesus wherever He leads them.
I would not say this world is an experiment, but rather, is in a crisis.
So True Robert, Jehovah says Be perfect/holy as I am perfect/holy!!!
However we don't have to worry, Jehovah's Word is creative, He said let there be light and there was light, if we surrender our lives to Him, He can re-create us in His image. It is a daily process. The reason why He wants us to be perfect is because that will be best for us and because He wants to dwell with us - O perfect joy!!