God Gives HIS Law

It is at this point that many go terribly wrong. Most have been taught that Moses gave—or brought—the Ten Commandments. This has been a means of diminishing what has always been God’s Law as being merely the “law of Moses.”

Here is what really happened. Exodus 20:1-26 describes the giving of God’s great Ten Commandments. But who gave them?: “And GOD spoke all these words, saying ...” (Exod. 20:1). (What follow in the text are the Ten Commandments – Ex 20:2-17.) Yes, they are God’s Law, GOD’S TEN COMMANDMENTS—not Moses’ or anyone else’s.

MASSIVE ASSEMBLY: The Israelite assembly at Mt. Sinai (consisting of 3 to 4 million people) vastly outnumbered even the biggest crowds found at typical large sports stadiums today. Source: The Best Free Photos

Source: Inertia Stock.xchng 003

Deuteronomy 5:1-33 is Moses’ recounting of how God’s Law was given: “The LORD talked with you FACE TO FACE in the mount out of the midst of the fire, (I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to show you the word of the LORD: for you were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount;) saying ...” (Deut. 5:4-5). As with Exodus, the Ten Commandments follow (Deut. 5:6-21).

Yes, Moses stood in front of the people as a kind of buffer to their fear of what God was saying. But Moses did not give the Law—GOD gave it directly to Israel, “face to face.” That is what it says. It was God’s Law, and HE gave it. Now notice all-important Deut 5:22: “These words the LORD spoke unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: AND HE ADDED NO MORE. And He wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me” (Deut. 5:22).

This verse clearly shows that God spoke “unto all your assembly.” Let’s say it plainly. The Ten Commandments were given to Israel by God, not Moses! But there is this additional key phrase within the verse—“And He added no more.”

All of the other laws that God gave LATER—His statutes, ordinances, precepts, and judgments—were not part of His complete spiritual Law given by Him directly to the people at Mt. Sinai. This must be recognized. God held nothing back in the giving of His Law. He left nothing out—His spiritual Law was perfect and complete.

The Law of God is a living entity. Speaking of this Law, Acts 7:38 states, “This is he [Moses], that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spoke to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give UNTO US.” That’s right. God’s Law is a living—“lively”—Law, and was intended to be carried down “TO US.”

God’s Law, including the Fourth Commandment, is binding on His New Testament Church today. It has not been done away. It was sent “unto us.”

Have you ever read this next passage from the New Testament? The foundation—His Law—of God’s Old Covenant agreement with Israel is the same as His New Covenant agreement with the Church: “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord; I will put MY LAWS into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people” (Heb. 8:10).

Is God’s Law Harsh?

Many have tried to say that God’s Law is harsh, unfair, and unjust, and therefore cannot be obeyed. This is untrue, but it is predictable that human nature would find such an excuse to disobey that Law.

Would the One who created mankind, who says He “is love” (1 John 4:8, 16), not explain the supreme importance of love within His Plan—and its direct relationship to His Law?

Broadly speaking, there are two different ways of life. One is the “GIVE” way—the way of love and outgoing concern—God’s Way. The other is the “GET” way—the way of selfishness and self-concern—the way of this world. Love is patient, kind, and considerate. It shares, cooperates, serves, and helps. Christ taught, “It is more blessed to GIVE than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

The way of love is a marvellous, unseen spiritual law that keeps those who keep it and breaks those who break it! It is inexorable and binding in every aspect and relationship in life. Like the law of gravity, you cannot see it, but you can see the effects of breaking it.

This world is based on getting rather than giving! People constantly strive to get more—to accumulate—for themselves throughout their lives.

This violates the Tenth Commandment, which forbids coveting. Notice what God says about His people, and about all nations, in a prophecy directed to those alive at the end of the age: “For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one deals falsely” (Jer. 6:13).

Two chapters later is an almost identical statement, except that God also warns of the horrific punishment He will bring because of this worldwide attitude. We will see this later.

God wanted Adam to take of the Tree of Life so that he could enjoy all the good things of life. God must have explained this to him, since He warned that violating His basic command would result in his death. If Adam had eaten of the Tree of Life, he would have received the Spirit of God. He would have learned the way of LOVE—the “give” way—instead of the way he chose.

Love Defined

Paul wrote, “... because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us” (Rom. 5:5).

Now what is the Bible definition of love? Men’s opinions do not count!

John wrote, “FOR THIS IS THE LOVE OF GOD, THAT WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS: and His commandments are not grievous” (1 John 5:3). Many who claim to have love believe that the Commandments are grievous. But God says they are not, and calls His Law “holy, just, good and spiritual” (Rom. 7:12,14). This includes the Sabbath. God nowhere makes it an exception to this statement. The Sabbath is also giving time back to God through worship, prayer, Bible study, and meditation on Him, His creation, and His purpose. Certainly worshipping God is a form of giving to Him.

Paul explains that the Commandments and the Law are the same: “Love works no ill to his neighbour: therefore LOVE IS THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW” (Rom. 13:10). The Bible defines love as “the fulfilling of the law.” Obeying the Commandments fulfils the Law—and this “WORKS NO ILL TO HIS NEIGHBOUR.”

The Bible speaks of “the Holy Spirit, [which] God has given to them that OBEY Him” (Acts 5:32). Christians obey God’s spiritual Law. Jesus never taught that we should just “believe on Him” to be saved. When asked what one must “do” to have “eternal life”—be saved—Christ did not say, “Just believe on Me.” He said, “If you will enter into life, KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS” (Matt. 19:17). Now, why do not preachers ever read this passage to their congregations?

Now ask: Where is the harshness in a Law that God equates with love? The standards of men’s “sentimental fluff” forms of “love” mean nothing to God. As with sin, God defines real love!

Understand! “Sin is the transgression of the LAW” (1 John 3:4), and “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). There is a cause for every effect.

The Sabbath is a matter of obedience, and, as the Fourth Commandment, is directly tied to receiving eternal life. But it also yields benefits in this life. Understand. It is possible to obey God, but the world is ignorant of this because its ministers and theologians tell them it cannot be done or that Christ did it for them. Yet, “Love is the fulfilling of the LAW.” Romans 8:6—the verse just preceding the Ro 8:7 quoted earlier states, “For to be carnally [physically] minded [hostile to God’s Law] is death; but to be spiritually minded is LIFE and PEACE.” In the next chapter, we will learn that God has established a special, permanent Sabbath covenant with His people.

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