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The
Seventh-day Adventist Church and other
Sabbatarian groups make an artificial
distinction between the Law of God (i.e. The
Ten Commandments) and the Law of Moses.
There is no Biblical distinction. They are
one and the same law! They were the Old
Covenant that was replaced by the New
Covenant, Law of Christ.
"The book with the
words of this Law (Deuteronomy 31:24-26)
refers to the Book of Deuteronomy. It was to
be placed beside the ark, not in it. Only
the Ten Commandments were placed in the ark
(Exodus 25:16; 31:18; 1 Kings 8:9). Moses'
angry words to the people (Deuteronomy 31:27-29) reflected both his righteous
indignation and his disappointment in them
after hearing God's prediction of their
future apostasy (Deuteronomy 31:16). Since
Moses knew from experience that they were
rebellious and stiff-necked (Deuteronomy 9:6, 13; 10:16), he knew that after he was
dead they would continue to be rebellious
and would even become utterly corrupt,
probably by idol-worship; (Deuteronomy 4:16, 25; 9:12). As a result God in His anger
would bring disaster on them." [1]
"Moses, knowing he
had only a few more days to live, handed
over the leadership of Israel to his
divinely appointed successor, Joshua. He
reminded both Joshua and the people that
fearless commitment to the task ahead,
combined with total trust in God, would
guarantee victory over the Canaanites and
possession of the promised land (Deuteronomy 31:1-8; 14-15; 23; Numbers 27:12-23)." [2]
"Moses then made
three separate arrangements to ensure that
people did not forget their covenant
obligations. First, he commanded the priests
and leaders to make sure that the entire law
was read publicly every seven years
(Deuteronomy 31:9-15). Second, he himself
wrote a song that would stick in people's
minds as a constant warning and reminder.
(Deuteronomy 31:16-23) The song is recorded
in Deuteronomy 32). Third, he put his own
written record of the law in a safe place
beside the ark, as a witness against the
people when they turned away from it. This
copy of the law beside the ark was an
absolute standard of reference in all
matters of life and conduct (Deuteronomy 31:24-29)." [3]
The
Mosaic Covenant was a conditional covenant
based on the Suzerain-Vassal covenant type
which was a very common covenant type used
between nations at the time of the exodus.
"Deuteronomy 31:9
says, Moses wrote down this law and gave it
to the priests. Ancient treaties [like
Suzerain-Vassal covenants] specified that a
copy of the treaty was to be placed before
the gods at the religious centers of the
nations involved. For Israel, that meant to
place it in the Ark of the Covenant (See
Deuteronomy 31:26; 33:9; Exodus 16:34; 31:18)." [4]
“These
arrangements were again consistent with
ancient practices concerning a covenant
between an overlord and his subject people.
The covenant document was kept in the
people's sanctuary, and the leaders
conducted periodic public readings to remind
the people of their covenant obligations.
Finally, God provided a record of the law so
that future generations could know God's
will (Deuteronomy 31:24-29). The Lord, true
to ancient treaty form, invoked heaven and
earth as witnesses to the promises that
Israel had sworn.” [5]
The reason the
“Book of the Law” is placed beside the Ark
was so it could be read regularly. No one
was allowed to open the Ark in which was the
actual covenant containing the “Words of the
Covenant”, the Ten Commandments. The Book of
the Law had a written copy of the Ten
Commandments and all of the rest of the 613
Laws of Moses to be read to the people.
The Seventh-day
Adventists teach a "two law" theory about
the Old Covenant. They teach that the Book
of the Law placed beside the Ark was made
obsolete but that the Ten Commandments are a
separate "eternal" covenant. Nothing could
be further from the truth. The Book of the
Law was read to the people every seven years
as a witness against the people so they
would not forget God's covenant with them.
The Seventh-day
Adventist Church in general are not taught
about the covenants; they don’t know what
they are or how they work. They don't know
when they began and when they ended. If the
Seventh-day Adventist member truly wants to
know what the Bible says about the covenants
they have to study them for themselves.
Their Church will not teach them about the
covenants (for good reasons).
“Seventh-day
Adventists teach there is a distinction
between the Ten Commandments and the rest of
the law. They even have graphics that seem
to show the distinction. The way they quote
the scriptures is a complete distortion of
the truth.” [6]
The Bible nowhere
teaches that the ceremonial laws and the Ten
Commandments are separate and distinct
covenants.
The
Commandments Changed at Different Time
Periods:
The solution
distinguishes between a code and the
commandments contained therein.
“The Mosaic Law
was one of several codes of ethical conduct
that God has given throughout human history.
That particular code contained 613
commandments. There have also been other
codes. Adam lived under laws, the sum of
which may be called the code of Adam or the
code of Eden. Noah was expected to obey the
laws of God, so there was a Noahic code. We
know that God revealed many commands and
laws to Abraham (Genesis 26:5). They may be
called the Abrahamic code. The Mosaic code
contained all the laws of the Law. And today
we live under the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2) or the law of the Spirit of life in
Christ (Romans 8:2). This code contains the
hundreds of specific commandments recorded
in the New Testament.
The
Mosaic Law was done away in its entirety as
a legal code. It has been replaced by the
law of Christ.
The law of Christ
contains some new commands (1 Timothy 4:4),
some old ones (Romans 13:9), and some
revised ones (Romans 13:4, with reference to
capital punishment). All the laws of the
Mosaic code have been abolished because the
code has. Specific Mosaic commands that are
part of the Christian code appear there not
as a continuation of part of the Mosaic Law,
or in order to be observed in some deeper
sense, but as specifically incorporated into
that code, and as such they are binding on
believers today. A particular law that was
part of the Mosaic code is done away; that
same law, if part of the law of Christ, is
binding. It is necessary to say both truths
in order not to have to resort to a
nonliteral interpretation of 2 Corinthians 3
or Hebrews 7 and in order not to have to
resort to some sort of theological
contortions to retain part of the Mosaic
Law.
An illustration
of this idea: As children mature, different
codes are instituted by their parents. Some
of the same commandments may appear in those
different codes. But when the new code
becomes operative, the old one is done away.
So, it was with
the Mosaic Law when our Lord became the end
of the Law for righteousness to all who
believe.”
[7]
The purpose of
the law was to demonstrate our inability to
fulfill God's standard of righteousness.
(See: Romans 3:20; 5:20; 7:7;
Galatians 3:19; 3:24; 1 Timothy 1:9)
God's laws change
depending on the covenant you live under. If
you want to know what law the Christian is
to "keep" you have to read the terms of the
covenant they live under. Not one of the
covenants that came before it.
A Covenant is a
legally binding agreement, or contract. Just
like today, each covenant has special rules
that must be followed. The First or Old
Covenant was written down in five books and
given through Moses. The New Covenant terms
were given to the Apostles and Prophets who
wrote the twenty-seven New Testament Gospels
and Epistles.
The Mosaic
Covenant had 613 laws designed to govern
every aspect of Hebrew life. The New
Covenant Has its own law called the Law of
Christ and is based on the principles of
loving God and your fellow man, supremely.
One list of New Covenant laws totals 1,050.
[8]
Rather than
memorize all the 613 laws of the Old
Covenant, we are to love and follow Jesus
Christ as our LORD and Savior. When we focus
on him, we will naturally strive to do the
right thing out of love. We need to be
Christ-focused rather than law-focused,.
The New
Covenant Is the Last Will and Testament of
Jesus Christ!
Hebrews 9:15-17
says,
Therefore he is
the mediator of a new covenant, so that
those who are called may receive the
promised eternal inheritance, since a death
has occurred that redeems them from the
transgressions committed under the first
covenant. For where a will is involved, the
death of the one who made it must be
established. For a will takes effect only at
death, since it is not in force as long as
the one who made it is alive.
In the New
Testament, only the Book of Hebrews makes
covenant a central theological theme. The
emphasis is on Jesus, the perfect High
Priest, providing a new, better, superior
covenant (Hebrews 7:22; 8:6). Jesus
represented the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s
new covenant promise (Hebrews 8:8, 10; 10:16). Jesus was the perfect covenant
Mediator (Hebrews 9:15), providing an
eternal inheritance in a way the old
covenant could not (compare with Hebrews 12:24).
Jesus’ death on
the cross satisfied the requirement that all
covenants be established by blood (Hebrews 9:18, 20) just as was the first covenant
(Exodus 24:8). Christ’s blood established an
everlasting covenant (Hebrews 13:20). If
Israel suffered for breaking the Sinai
covenant (Hebrews. 8:9-10), how much more
should people expect to suffer if they have
“counted the blood of the covenant,
wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy
thing” (Hebrews 10:29).”
You
cannot live under two competing covenants at
one time!
“Jesus was fully
aware that the Old Covenant was binding
while he lived. Jesus lived and died under
the Law of Moses. Thus, he said, “Do not
think that I came to abolish the Law or the
Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to
fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17) This accounts for
Jesus keeping the Sabbath day and other
parts of the Law of Moses, such as observing
the Passover that we no longer have to keep
under the New Covenant (Matthew 26:17-26).”
[9]
Here are
some terms about the Law and the end of the
Old Covenant:
• The law came to
an end (Romans 10:4).
• The law
imprisoned us (Galatians 3:19).
• The law was our
guardian (Galatians 3:24-25).
• The letter of
the law kills (2 Corinthians 3:6).
• The law was a
ministry of death (2 Corinthians 3:7).
• The law was a
ministry of condemnation (2 Corinthians 3:9).
• The law had no
glory at all (2 Corinthians 3:10).
• The law was
brought to an end (2 Corinthians 3:11).
• There was a
change in the law (Hebrews 7:12).
• The law was
abrogated (Hebrews 7:18).
• The law is now
obsolete (Hebrews 8:13).
• The law was
abolished (Hebrews 10:9).
Many
things from the Law have plainly changed.
Under the New Covenant, where is anyone
commanded to keep:
• The Seventh-day
Sabbath?
• Circumcision?
• The dietary
restrictions of Leviticus 11?
• New Moons
Celebrations?
• Holydays?
• Annual Feasts?
• The Levitical
Priesthood?
• Animal
Sacrifices?
If you do not
still offer animal sacrifices, then the Law
DID change!
You have
to choose which covenant you want to live
by!
Paul says that
those who want to live by the (Mosaic) Law
are like Hagar, who represents Mt. Sinai
(Slavery to the Old Covenant law including
the 10 commandments).
Galatians 4:21-24
says,
Tell me, you who
desire to be under the law, do you not
listen to the law? For it is written that
Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman
and one by a free woman. But the son of the
slave was born according to the flesh, while
the son of the free woman was born through
promise. Now this may be interpreted
allegorically: these women are two
covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing
children for slavery; she is Hagar.
Galatians 4:30-31
But what does the
Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and
her son, for the son of the slave woman
shall not inherit with the son of the free
woman.” So, brothers, we are not children of
the slave but of the free woman.
Keeping
the Law was an “all or nothing”
responsibility.
Deuteronomy 27:26
‘Cursed be anyone
who does not confirm the words of this law
by doing them.’ And all the people shall
say, ‘Amen.’
Deuteronomy 28:15
“But if you will
not obey the voice of the LORD your God or
be careful to do all his commandments and
his statutes that I command you today, then
all these curses shall come upon you and
overtake you.
Romans 2:23-25
You who boast in
the law dishonor God by breaking the law.
For, as it is written, “The name of God is
blasphemed among the Gentiles because of
you.” For circumcision indeed is of value if
you obey the law, but if you break the law,
your circumcision becomes uncircumcision.
Galatians 3:10-12
For all who rely
on works of the law are under a curse; for
it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does
not abide by all things written in the Book
of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident
that no one is justified before God by the
law, for “The righteous shall live by
faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather
“The one who does them shall live by them.”
James 2:10
For whoever keeps the
whole law but fails in one point has become
accountable for all of it.
If you
want to live by the Old Covenant law, you
will fail miserably.
Seventh-day
Adventists are like those who lived in
Galatia that Paul warned about. Keeping
certain days has nothing to do with our
salvation. In fact, those who teach that we
must keep the Sabbath and the Holydays of
Judaism, "labor in vain".
Galatians 4:10-11
says,
You observe days
and months and seasons and years! I am
afraid I may have labored over you in vain.
This describes
the Seventh-day Adventist’s attempt to keep
the law - perfectly.
The
Mosaic Covenant was always conditional upon
Israel’s faithful response to keep the
covenant.
Exodus 19-24 is
key to understanding both redemptive history
and the history of Israel as a nation. the
Mosaic Covenant was a conditional covenant,
with conditional promises that were
dependent on the peoples’ response to the
law He gave through His servant Moses.
Exodus 19:5-6
"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; 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."
God tells Moses
that if Israel obeys, they will be His
chosen people, His treasured possession.
Ultimately, these blessings were to be
extended to all people. These conditional
promises were meant to bring Israel closer
to realizing the promises God made through
the Abrahamic Covenant.
The
Mosaic Covenant had very specific blessings
and curses laid out for them in Leviticus 26
and Deuteronomy 28-30.
Ultimately,
Israel broke covenant with God and they
received the full curses of the covenant.
After their captivity in 586 BC, Israel was
restored with national territorial
boundaries (Deuteronomy 30:1-3). Israel once
again broke covenant with God and received
the ultimate curse. Israel was destroyed as
a nation and God brought the Old Covenant to
an end (Jeremiah 12:14-17; 18; 26:1-6; Daniel 9:26-27; Matthew 21:43-45; 23:27-39; Luke 21:1-28).
Because
Israel rejected their messiah, Jesus
instituted the New Covenant with his church,
made up of both Jewish and Gentile believers
the night before he died.
The book of
Hebrews says that the New Covenant is a
better” covenant. It has a better
priesthood, a better sacrifice, a better
rest. The purpose of the New Covenant is for
all of God’s people to enter into divine
rest, “Today”.
Some argue that
the Ten Commandments are eternal. "First, it
cannot be shown that the decalogue (the Ten
Commandments) is purely "moral" in
character. We would argue that the Sabbath
has more of a ceremonial character to it.
Second, neither can it be demonstrated that
the supposed three-fold division of Mosaic
law: moral, civil, ceremonial is a
legitimate hermeneutical tool for the
understanding of the "abolition" passages of
the New Testament. Third, some of the New
Testament passages which speak of the
passing away of the Old Covenant speak
specifically in reference to the decalogue.”
(2 Corinthians 3)
The Old Covenant
tells us that God had plans to bring the
gentiles into covenant relationship with
him. Zechariah 8 is talking about that
possibility. When Israel failed to keep the
Old Covenant, God authored a new covenant
that would include all the gentile nations.
That is why the new covenant does not have
any of the specific ceremonial commands
given to the nation of Israel alone.
Zechariah 8:20-23
says,
“Thus says the
LORD of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even
the inhabitants of many cities. The
inhabitants of one city shall go to another,
saying, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the
favor of the LORD and to seek the LORD of
hosts; I myself am going.’ Many peoples and
strong nations shall come to seek the LORD
of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the
favor of the LORD. Thus says the LORD of
hosts: In those days ten men from the
nations of every tongue shall take hold of
the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with
you, for we have heard that God is with
you.’”
God will
fulfill his promises even though Israel
failed to keep the Old Covenant.
The Sabbath ended
with the Old Covenant. The Sabbath
anticipated the gospel rest enjoyed by all
who are in Christ, both now and in eternity
(Hebrews 4).” The scriptures clearly show
that the Sabbath was given to Israel alone
and ended with the Old Covenant. (Exodus 31;
Colossians 2:16-17; Galatians 4:10-11;
Ephesians 2:15) It was the position of the
Reformers, Luther and Calvin, that the
Sabbath found its complete fulfillment in
Christ Jesus (Colossians 2:17).
Martin Luther
said, "The Ten Commandments do not apply to
us Gentiles and Christians, but only to the
Jews." So the Sabbath--except in a single
passage where, classing it with the entire
law, he declares it has been totally
abolished. So the early Church held." [10]
The Law that was
placed beside the Ark was the entire legal
code: the Law of God. It was the covenant
that God made with Israel. That covenant has
been superseded by the much better, New
Covenant that Jesus Christ gave us. It is
superior to the Old Covenant in every way.
God has come to live inside us. We can know
him personally and intimately. It is a
better covenant, indeed!
Hebrews 8:13
says,
When He said, "A
new covenant," He has made the first
obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete
and growing old is ready to disappear.
When we mix
covenants and try to live by some of the Old
Covenant laws, we are rejecting the supreme
sacrifice that Jesus made for us.
Hebrews 10:29
says,
How much worse
punishment, do you think, will be deserved
by the one who has trampled underfoot the
Son of God, and has profaned the blood of
the covenant by which he was sanctified, and
has outraged the Spirit of grace?
Christians are to be led by
the Spirit and rest in the finished work of
Jesus Christ and the security He offers as
Lord and Savior. The New Covenant is
the only covenant that we are to live by
“today.”
References:
1. The Bible Knowledge Commentary:
Deuteronomy 31:24-29
2. Concise Bible
Commentary: Deuteronomy 31:1-34:12
3.
ibid
4. NIV
Study Bible: Deuteronomy 31:24
5. Concise
Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy 31:1-34:12
6. See: 10 False
distinctions between the 10 Commandments and
the ceremonial law exposed!
7. From:
Basic Theology: The End of the Law by
Charles Caldwell Ryrie.
8. 1,050 New
Testament Commands (pdf)
9. Matthew 5:
The Old Covenant was Fulfilled!
10. D.
M. Panton, cited in "Heresies Exposed",
Compiled by Wm. C. Irvine, pp. 165.
(Further reading:
One
Law:
The End of the Law:
Matthew 5: The Old Covenant was Fulfilled:
The People of God in History:
Jesus was a Jew: and
Is the Sabbath Still Required for Christians?)
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