Last time we learned that the ten commandments and the other laws and curses that Moses gave the Jews are all part of the Old Testament or old covenant and that this law was given by God through Moses to the Jews only and not to anyone else. Then we ended by noticing that now all of us are under one law. There remain, then, two possibilities for us to study. One is that everyone is now under the law of Moses, with the new teachings that Christ gave being added to it. The other is that the teachings Christ left are a new law that is for everyone and that it replaced the system of two separate laws for the Jews and Gentiles. Since both of these possibilities can’t be true, and since whether we please God or not is at stake, we must discover which one is the right one.
Let’s examine the first possibility in the light of scripture. If the teachings of Christ Jesus are to be added to the Law of Moses, then surely the Bible would teach this idea somewhere. In fact, within the Old Testament itself there would need to be an indication that Moses only gave part of the law and there would be someone who would come later to fill in the rest. Actually, Moses himself does mention a time when there would come another prophet like him, but he doesn’t indicate that this new prophet was going to add anything to Moses’ law. Acts 3:19-26 teaches clearly that the prophet Moses prophesied about in Deuteronomy 18:15-19 was, in fact, Jesus. In Deuteronomy chapter 18 Moses writes that God says He would raise this prophet up and that this prophet (we know this is Jesus) will “speak unto them all that I shall command him” and that anyone who didn’t listen to that prophet, Jesus, would have to answer for it.
God announced from heaven, during the transfiguration, that we are to listen to Jesus rather than Moses, who gave the old law, or Elijah, a prophet who represents all the prophets up to the time of Jesus. This amazing event, when Jesus and Moses and Elijah were seen on the mount by Peter, James, and John, is recorded in Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-10, and Luke 9:28-36. Peter, on this occasion, tried to make Jesus, Moses, and Elijah equal by suggesting that a tabernacle (a place of worship) should be built for each of them. God interrupted him to say, “This is my beloved Son: hear him. And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone.” according to Luke 9:35-36. So, God said there would be a new prophet and Jesus was that prophet that God says we should hear. Notice that God didn’t tell us to keep listening to Moses and Elijah.
Next, we see that the Old Testament prophesied of a time when there would be a new law. Jeremiah 31:31-33 says, "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: {32} Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: {33} But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people." God says there would be a new law, but here it seems that the new law would only be for the Jews. Let’s look to Romans for some explanation. (Because if the new law is only for the Jews all of us who are not Jews are left out.) (Rom 2:28-29 KJV) "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: {29} But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." God explained all of this in Jeremiah when he said He would “write it in their hearts.” Verse 32 above tells us the new law is not like the covenant he made when he brought them out of Egypt. It is not a physical law with physical circumcision and sacrifices to be made constantly and special clothes for the priests and a special design for the place of worship. The new law is a spiritual law. That doesn’t mean there are no outward actions, but rather that God is looking at the inner thoughts and attitudes. Paul tells us in Galatians 3:7 that we can all be Abraham’s children by faith. We don’t have to keep Moses’ law and become Jews to please God. There is a new, different law and we will study about it next time.
Let’s examine the first possibility in the light of scripture. If the teachings of Christ Jesus are to be added to the Law of Moses, then surely the Bible would teach this idea somewhere. In fact, within the Old Testament itself there would need to be an indication that Moses only gave part of the law and there would be someone who would come later to fill in the rest. Actually, Moses himself does mention a time when there would come another prophet like him, but he doesn’t indicate that this new prophet was going to add anything to Moses’ law. Acts 3:19-26 teaches clearly that the prophet Moses prophesied about in Deuteronomy 18:15-19 was, in fact, Jesus. In Deuteronomy chapter 18 Moses writes that God says He would raise this prophet up and that this prophet (we know this is Jesus) will “speak unto them all that I shall command him” and that anyone who didn’t listen to that prophet, Jesus, would have to answer for it.
God announced from heaven, during the transfiguration, that we are to listen to Jesus rather than Moses, who gave the old law, or Elijah, a prophet who represents all the prophets up to the time of Jesus. This amazing event, when Jesus and Moses and Elijah were seen on the mount by Peter, James, and John, is recorded in Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-10, and Luke 9:28-36. Peter, on this occasion, tried to make Jesus, Moses, and Elijah equal by suggesting that a tabernacle (a place of worship) should be built for each of them. God interrupted him to say, “This is my beloved Son: hear him. And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone.” according to Luke 9:35-36. So, God said there would be a new prophet and Jesus was that prophet that God says we should hear. Notice that God didn’t tell us to keep listening to Moses and Elijah.
Next, we see that the Old Testament prophesied of a time when there would be a new law. Jeremiah 31:31-33 says, "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: {32} Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: {33} But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people." God says there would be a new law, but here it seems that the new law would only be for the Jews. Let’s look to Romans for some explanation. (Because if the new law is only for the Jews all of us who are not Jews are left out.) (Rom 2:28-29 KJV) "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: {29} But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." God explained all of this in Jeremiah when he said He would “write it in their hearts.” Verse 32 above tells us the new law is not like the covenant he made when he brought them out of Egypt. It is not a physical law with physical circumcision and sacrifices to be made constantly and special clothes for the priests and a special design for the place of worship. The new law is a spiritual law. That doesn’t mean there are no outward actions, but rather that God is looking at the inner thoughts and attitudes. Paul tells us in Galatians 3:7 that we can all be Abraham’s children by faith. We don’t have to keep Moses’ law and become Jews to please God. There is a new, different law and we will study about it next time.
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