The Old Covenant Mosaic Law in the Old Testament Part 1

Exodus 20:7

"You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain,

for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain. NASB

 

The Renewal of the Covenant

After a lengthy discourse with the Lord, they replace the stone tablets with new ones in a symbolic act of “renewing the Covenant.” This takes place in Exodus 34:1-28.

Exodus 34:27-28 – 27 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel." 28 So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread or drink water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. NASB

At this time, God reaffirms His command for the Israelites to go up and conquer the land of Canaan, and commands the Israelites to move forward with the plans to erect the tabernacle and consecrate the Priests and implement the Ceremonial worship. From this time forward in the narrative, from the latter chapters of Exodus all the way through Deuteronomy, the Scripture traces Israel’s journey up to the east side of the Jordan, before entering into Canaan. Many more precepts and regulations for Ceremonial worship and civil government are given in the texts of Leviticus and Numbers, and then Deuteronomy is really a reiterating or repetition of the Law. In fact, the word Deuteronomy means, “repetition of the Law.” In Deuteronomy the Covenant of the Law is restated and clearly set forth.

Deuteronomy 26:16-19 – 16 "This day the Lord your God commands you to do these statutes and ordinances. You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul. 17 You have today declared the Lord to be your God, and that you would walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments and His ordinances, and listen to His voice. 18 And the Lord has today declared you to be His people, a treasured possession, as He promised you, and that you should keep all His commandments; 19 and that He shall set you high above all nations which He has made, for praise, fame, and honor; and that you shall be a consecrated people to the Lord your God, as He has spoken." NASB

This restating of the Covenant is to charge Israel from this generation forward to always obey the Lord and walk in His ways. All of this happens on the on the east side of the Jordan before they cross into Canaan. It is there where Moses dies and Joshua leads them into the promised land of Canaan.

 

Moral, Ceremonial, and Civil Law

As we have stated, the Bible nowhere deliberately makes distinctions in the different aspects of the Law, but rather the Law is seen as one whole body of precepts. Nevertheless, it is obvious from an overview of the Law, the Mosaic Covenant contained in the Torah, that there are three major categories of precepts addressing Moral, Ceremonial, and Civil aspects of God’s Covenant with Israel. These threefold precepts are:

·      Moral Law – as summed up in the Decalogue, the 10 Commandments, Exodus 20:1-17

·      Ceremonial Law – prescribing the ritual and all the typical (shadow) enactments associated with the Tabernacle and the Priesthood explaining how God was to be worshipped through Ceremony and Rite

·      Civil Law – precepts relating to and governing the people in their national, political and social life for the purpose of establishing justice and order in their society

Since these distinctions are not deliberately pointed out, they simply serve as a way to understand and categorize the Law for purpose of study and close examination. Having already discussed this at length earlier in this study, we will only briefly look at some texts which bear these distinctions out, and discuss the general application of them.

 

Moral Law – Eternal moral principles from an eternal and moral God

The Moral Law outlines what God requires of His people who are to be “holy” and set apart unto Him. It gives specific guidelines about how Israel is to relate both to God and to their fellow man. All of these moral requirements are eternal moral principles and an expression of God’s nature in such a way that they define holiness in a practical way. As such it sets forth fundamental and universal moral principles.

Exodus 20:7 – 7 "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain. NASB

Leviticus 19:1-4 – 19 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. 3 ‘Every one of you shall reverence his mother and his father, and you shall keep My sabbaths; I am the Lord your God. 4 ‘Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves molten gods; I am the Lord your God. NASB

Exodus 22:20-24 – 20 "He who sacrifices to any god, other than to the Lord alone, shall be utterly destroyed. 21 And you shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22 You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. 23 If you afflict him at all, and if he does cry out to Me, I will surely hear his cry; 24 and My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless. NASB

These laws would many times also set forth a punishment for the violation of them. These punishments, (which could range from a simple restitution or blood sacrifice to the death penalty), typically show the severity of the crime.

Ceremonial Law – The Priesthood, Tabernacle and the Temple

The Ceremonial Law put forth regulations for the worship of God which was to be a continual and perpetual tradition and formal custom among them from generation to generation. These were to be carried out at a Tabernacle, a “tent of meeting” where the people would meet with God. This Tabernacle was built according to specific instructions and ornate features and furniture that God had given instructions for the creation.

Exodus 25:1-9 – 25 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for Me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall raise My contribution. 3 And this is the contribution which you are to raise from them: gold, silver and bronze, 4 blue, purple and scarlet material, fine linen, goat hair, 5 rams’ skins dyed red, porpoise skins, acacia wood, 6 oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 7 onyx stones and setting stones, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. 8 And let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. 9 According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, just so you shall construct it. NASB

In the Ceremonial Law God directed certain daily, weekly, monthly, and annual rites and ceremonies which were to be observed as a matter of ceremonial worship unto God. This was both for the glory and fame of God’s name and the good and well-being of the people.

Exodus 29:38-46 – 38 "Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two one year old lambs each day, continuously. 39 The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight; 40 and there shall be one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine for a libation with one lamb. 41 And the other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and shall offer with it the same grain offering as the morning and the same libation, for a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord. 42 It shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the doorway of the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there. 43 And I will meet there with the sons of Israel, and it shall be consecrated by My glory. 44 And I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar; I will also consecrate Aaron and his sons to minister as priests to Me. 45 And I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their God. 46 And they shall know that I am the Lord their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them; I am the Lord their God. NASB

These were to be overseen and directed by the Levites, the sons of Levi (one of Jacob’s sons), whom God had set apart as priests. This Levitical Priesthood has special rights and privileges among Israel and also worked as a law enforcement and medical authority in many cases.

Exodus 23:14-17 – 14 "Three times a year you shall celebrate a feast to Me. 15 You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the month Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. And none shall appear before Me empty-handed. 16 Also you shall observe the Feast of the Harvest of the first fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field; also the Feast of the Ingathering at the end of the year when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field. 17 Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord God. NASB

These Ceremonial Laws we given by very specific and direct instructions from God, who appointed the ways and means of how He was to be worshipped. They even included dietary restrictions for God’s holy people. Thus these Ceremonial Laws touched every aspect of Israelite society. In them was a very beautiful and elaborate array of rites and practices which were to be seen as holy, solemn and carefully guarded and carried out by well trained and consecrated priests who were also appointed by God.

 

Civil Law – A wise rule from the wise God to govern His own people

The Civil Law includes those specific laws that regulate civil and social behavior. All such laws are fundamentally religious since God is the lawgiver and ruler over everything. These civil laws are scattered throughout the entire Law and provide for the well-being of the Israelite people by giving a very orderly and humane set of laws and guidelines for the public governance of their nation. There are eight distinct categories of civil law in the Old Testament: (1) laws regulating leaders, (2) laws regulating the army, (3) criminal laws, (4) laws dealing with crimes against property, (5) laws relating to humane treatment, (6) laws about personal and family rights, (7) laws about property rights, and (8) laws regulating other social behavior.

Exodus 22:1-5 – 22 "If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox and four sheep for the sheep. 2 If the thief is caught while breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there will be no bloodguiltiness on his account. 3 But if the sun has risen on him, there will be bloodguiltiness on his account. He shall surely make restitution; if he owns nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. 4 If what he stole is actually found alive in his possession, whether an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double. NASB

The Civil Law was very broad and touched every aspect of Israelite life. It was a just and righteous means to govern their public life and reflect the character of the holy God they worshipped.

 

Thus see in the whole of God’s Law a well ordered and upright society of people who were to be set apart and governed by God. God’s people were to preserve and study God’s Law, revere His name, be grateful and thankful, and obey, love, and serve their redeemer God.

Deuteronomy 10:12-14 – 12 "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the Lord’s commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good? 14 "Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it. NASB

Deuteronomy 11:13-15 – 13 "And it shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul, 14 that He will give the rain for your land in its season, the early and late rain, that you may gather in your grain and your new wine and your oil. 15 And He will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you shall eat and be satisfied. NASB

 

 

 

This is an ongoing series….. you can hear it taught here…..

 

http://www.heritageabq.org/teaching/seriesview/1819/

 

 

If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and enter into eternal life…..click here to find out how….. http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425

 

 

If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org

 

Daily Delighting in the Word

Jeremiah 15:16

Thy words were found and I ate them, And Thy words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart;

For I have been called by Thy name, O Lord God of hosts. NASB

 

Abiding in the Word

The first basic discipline of Christian life is daily meditation in the Word of God. This is because the Word is how God reveals Himself to us, where He speaks to us, and how He nurtures the divine life that is in us through regeneration. God has shown us some of His divine attributes through the natural revelation that we see in the creation around us. When we look at the creation we learn some things about God’s beauty, His creativity and almighty power. But in the Scripture God has given us a very special revelation of Himself in hundreds of very specific ways designed to reveal His character and nature to us. In fact, His Word so comprehensively reveals His nature that it is like God speaking to us about Himself, about ourselves, and about the nature and purpose of our existence as His creatures. This is why He calls it His Word, because it is in the Bible where God speaks to us. Now this is no small thing. Indeed the Word of God is also the way that God nurtures the divine life that is in the believer that he or she received when they were born again by the Spirit. God has chosen to nurture our spiritual life through the Word as we partake of Him through reading it, meditating on it, and praying through it, as if it were the very food that sustains God’s life within our soul. This happens by the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer, who teaches us and imparts the divine life to us through the Word. Without a regular time of meditation and prayer in the Word, our spiritual life will surely be deficient and undernourished. Because of these truths about the Word of God, it is therefore the most important and basic discipline to regularly experience our relationship with God through the Word, where He will reveal Himself to us, speak to us and impart His divine life to us.

2 Peter 1:3-4 – seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

1 Peter 2:1-2 – 2 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2 like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, NASB

Daily meditation – a renewed mind

The Bible is an amazing book. It is not just a book you read for information, it’s a book you read for transformation. The Words of the Bible are the very Words of God and they powerfully change your heart and life as you consider and meditate upon them. The Bible enlightens us with God’s wisdom and it changes the way we view our world and thereby transforms our thinking to be consistent with reality. It penetrates our hearts and like a sharp knife that cuts out the cancer of sin from our lives causes us to discern good from evil. It judges the thoughts and intentions of our hearts, whether they are good or evil and thereby conforms us to God’s goodness in the very inner part of our soul. The Word is nourishment to our soul and equips us and makes us grow spiritually. The Bible comforts us with its magnificent promises, fills us with joy, and gives us hope and encouragement to persevere even in through the toughest of times. The Bible teaches us about God’s amazing character and His divine attributes so that we will properly fear Him, praise Him and worship Him according to the honor that is due His great name. Through it we learn to know and experience God and His Son Jesus the Christ, for whom all things exist. The Word of God is the wellspring from which all of God’s blessings flow into our life.  The Bible is the living Word of God.

Psalm 119:11 – Thy word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against Thee.

Psalm 119:104-105 – From Thy precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way. Thy word is a lamp to my feet, And a light to my path.

Psalm 119:128-130 – Therefore I esteem right all Thy precepts concerning everything, I hate every false way. Thy testimonies are wonderful; Therefore my soul observes them. The unfolding of Thy words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.

Now it is of utmost importance that a Christian disciple learn to meditate on the Word. This is an important priority for Christians, and we should be on a weekly reading plan and making daily progress in the Word, learning to know God. Because of the life transforming power and supernatural wisdom of the Word, it takes much concentration and thought to ingest, absorb, and understand it. In fact, we can only truly understand it as the Holy Spirit gives the understanding to us. This He does as we humbly come to Him seeking His face and desiring to learn and draw from the divine Light and Life that is in the Word. It is important that while meditating we do so with a humble heart of faith and trust combined with an attitude of prayer and communion with God. When we come to God in the Word, we must expect to meet Him there where He will speak to us by His powerful Word. This will have a powerfully transforming effect on our life which will grant us everything we need for life and to be like God, and will become the fountain of God’s blessing in our life. It is therefore of utmost importance to do this daily so that God’s truth and divine mercy through the Word are new to us every day.  A Christian disciple must learn to feed themselves upon the Word through daily meditation. One major priority for the Christian is to develop a habit of daily meditation.

Joshua 1:8 – This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

Psalm 1:1-3 –  How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. NASB

 

 

 

If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and enter into eternal life…..click here to find out how….. http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425

 

 

If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org

 

The Old Covenant Mosaic Law in the Old Testament Part 1

Exodus 24:7-8

7 Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, "All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!" 8 So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, "Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words." NASB

 

Old Testament

The Law first appears in the Old Testament in the book of Exodus in chapter 20, after God had graciously delivered His people Israel from the bondage of slavery under Pharaoh, having destroyed the Egyptian army at the Red Sea. After feeding them manna, quail and water from the rock, God then meets with them at Sinai and gives them “the covenant” there. The Lord first delivers the Decalogue (10 Commandments) on two tablets of stone (Exodus 20), and then goes onto to give both Civil (Exodus 21-22) and Ceremonial Laws (Exodus 23-31) as the narrative history of the Exodus unfolds. The historical narrative continues through the books of Leviticus and Numbers in which God gives additional Civil and Ceremonial Laws throughout. Then the book of Deuteronomy is a summarizing of the whole of the Law, and a reaffirmation of the covenant, and the continuation of the historical narrative wherein the role of leadership is passed from Moses to Joshua.

 

The Old Covenant is contained in this section of the Old Testament, Exodus through Deuteronomy, and outlines God’s covenant with His chosen nation Israel. It is under this covenant that God will unfold the course of redemptive history all the way through the Old Testament narrative up until the time of the arrival of the Messiah and the New Covenant Age. Joshua through Esther give a historical narrative covering approximately 1000 years through the time of the Exile and return to Palestine under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah. During that portion of history, the Wisdom and Poetry literature was written, as well as the major and minor Prophets were written at various times in the course of that historical narrative.

 

Here see that the Old Covenant was a specific covenant that God made with Israel, (and not the Church), that served its place in redemptive history to establish the basis for everything that God would accomplish in Christ and prepare the way for the New Covenant blessings that have now come in the Kingdom of God. It is important to see however, that the blessings of the Messianic Age of salvation were a mystery in the Old Testament period and not realized or fully understood by the people of that age. This accounts for the typological role of the Old Covenant worship which laid the necessary foundation for all that God has brought to pass in Christ, ushering in the Kingdom of God through Him.

Romans 16:25-27 – 25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, 26 but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith; 27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen. NASB

Ephesians 3:4-7 – 4 And by referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; 6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, NASB

See then that New Testament outlines a view of the Old Covenant which sees it as temporary and preparatory in order to fully establish a basis for what God would do in the New Covenant Age of Messianic salvation. Although this is true, the Old Covenant is filled with tremendous revelation about God’s character and nature, his redemptive purposes in the world, a pattern for the true worship of God and requirements of worship based on God’s holy character. It is also filled with instructions about how mankind is to love one another and what that looks like practically in a society through the Civil Law. It is a bright shining light that leads us to see the will of God for how He is to be worshipped and how we are to treat each other according to His holy character in this fallen world. 

 

Texts and Contexts – Moses and the Prophets

 

The Making and Breaking of the Covenant

The Mosaic Covenant, or Old Covenant was made by God with Israel at Mount Sinai, 3 months after their deliverance and Exodus from Egypt, the tyrannical oppression of slavery under Pharaoh king of Egypt. After leading them through the desert, the Israelites come to Sinai and there God meets with them and makes a Covenant with them.

Exodus 19:1-8 – 19 In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. 2 When they set out from Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness; and there Israel camped in front of the mountain. 3 And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. 5 ‘Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; 6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel." 7 So Moses came and called the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the Lord had commanded him. 8 And all the people answered together and said, "All that the Lord has spoken we will do!" And Moses brought back the words of the people to the Lord. NASB

Here God mentions the “Covenant” He will make with the people, and they agree that they will keep it. One of the great purposes of the Old Covenant is mentioned here, that God desires to make Israel a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation” so that they would be a people set apart unto God to reflect His holiness to the watching world. During a terrifying meeting with God at Sinai in Exodus 19:9-24, the Lord God Himself speaks the words of the Decalogue, the 10 Commandments, in Exodus 20:1-17. With the people in great fear at the thunder and lightning, fire and smoke from the presence of the Lord on the mountain, He further delivers and expands the Law in Exodus 20:22-23:19. Then in Exodus 23:20-33, the Lord gives a prophecy and direction for the Israelites to enter into the promised land of Canaan, and the conquest of the wicked Canaanites who lived there. All of this Conquest will be accomplished by a supernatural deliverance by God and at His sovereign direction and timing. All of these words are written down by Moses (Ex24:4, 7) who is given special privilege to go up on the mountain in the presence of the Lord. In this section of text, Exodus 20:1-23:33, the whole Law is summarized and in it Moral, Civil and Ceremonial precepts are given in summary form. This summary of the Covenant is later expanded on greatly in Exodus through Deuteronomy in many diverse ways.

 

After the Lord had spoken the words of the Covenant, He gathers Moses, the priests, and the elders of Israel together at the base of the mountain, and the people being present but farther away, with blood sacrifice for cleansing, He reads the whole “book of the Covenant” in the hearing of the people. Here the people formally hear the summary of the whole Covenant and agree to do as the Lord has spoken.

Exodus 24:7-8 – 7 Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, "All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!" 8 So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, "Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words." NASB

Here see that God made the Old Covenant with Israel at Sinai. And this He did so that Israel would be a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation” belonging to the Lord, as His own possession, a people set apart unto God to reflect His holiness to the watching world, both in their generation AND in the annals of recorded history (in the Bible), for all the generations of humanity to see.

 

It is worth noting here that Moses then goes up on the mountain for forty days and nights to receive the Law and the Covenant from God, during this time, God gives a portion of the Ceremonial Law in great detail which includes instruction on the forming of the Tabernacle and the Priesthood, along with the Sabbath instructions. The Sabbath is set forth here as the perpetual SIGN of the Covenant between God and Israel, which is for all their future generations.

Exodus 31:12-17 – 12 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 13 "But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘You shall surely observe My sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. 14 ‘Therefore you are to observe the sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. 15 ‘For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the Lord; whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall surely be put to death. 16 ‘So the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath, to celebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.’ 17 "It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed." NASB

See here that the Sabbath is specifically set apart by God as a SIGN of the Old Covenant that He made specifically with Israel, and explains that this sign is specifically for them, and all there future generations, the physical ethnic line of Israelites. This is clearly set forth in

Exodus 31:16-17 –  “So the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath, to celebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.’ 17 "It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever;” NASB.

For an excellent and detailed study of this matter, see the study written by Greg Ferreri, “The Sabbath – Shadow and Substance,” published on the HCF website here; http://www.heritageabq.org/library/details/the_sabbath_shadow_and_substance/

 

This is followed by the tragic breaking of the Covenant by Israel just a few short days after these great events. As Moses is up on the mountain receiving the Decalogue on two stone tablets, written by the “finger of God” (Ex 31:18), Israel goes astray from God and breaks the Covenant by forging an idol of a golden calf and bowing down to worship it, calling it their god. This they did indulging in immorality and drunkenness, “pagan revelry OR rose up to play” in celebration of this god, which was really no god at all, but only an image formed by the art and craft of man. The words “rose up to play” (v-32:6) in Hebrew have sexual connotations, and verse 25 speaks of them being severely “out of control.”

Exodus 32:3-8 – 3 Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. 4 And he took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it into a molten calf; and they said, "This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt." 5 Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, "Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord." 6 So the next day they rose early and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. NASB

See here the weakness of the flesh to uphold and obey the Law of God! Israel quickly broke the commandments and in a very overt and antagonistic way they even broke the first, second and third commandments. At this the Lord was angry enough to wipe them off the face of the earth, but Moses successfully entreats God to forgive them, Exodus 32:7-14. Then as Moses heads down the mountain to admonish and correct the straying idolaters, carrying the two stone tablets of the Covenant, he throws them down in anger and breaks them in a symbolic act of significance. Here see that Israel was quick to “break the Covenant” that the Lord made with them, and along with the breaking of the tablets comes the destruction of the idol and false God they had made.

 

 

 

This is an ongoing series….. you can hear it taught here…..

 

http://www.heritageabq.org/teaching/seriesview/1819/

 

 

If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and enter into eternal life…..click here to find out how….. http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425

 

 

If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org