Moses
and the Old Testament Law Pentateuch
part 3: Exodus, God gives Moses the Law Anchor command. “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the
Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all
your might.” Deuteronomy 6:4-5 Anchor story. Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai, Deuteronomy
5:1-21. Anchor verse. “The Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were
realized through Jesus Christ.” John 1:17 Learning goal. Know the basis of
the Old Covenant that God made with the nation of Israel. Growth goal. Appreciate how
God’s Law prepared the nation of Israel for the coming of Messiah. Skill goal. Explain the Old
Testament law in a way that people do not embrace it as a system for
today. Outcome goal. Believers discern which parts of the Law
applied only to the nation of Israel before Christ came, and which
parts apply today to us who follow the New Testament. Dear Lord,
help us understand the present purpose of your commands to ancient
Israel. Basic
Study The
Ten Commandments
(abbreviated)
Background After escaping from slavery in
Egypt, God gave the Israelites the Torah, the Old Testament Law for the
nation of Israel, through Moses. The Ten Commandments where the
foundation of the Old Testament Law. God told Moses to have the
people wash their garments, consecrate themselves and approach Mount
Sinai. They were not to touch the mountain, or they would be put to
death. Moses went up the mountain, which was quaking in smoking, with a
loud sound like a trumpet. God himself wrote the Ten
Commandments on two stone tablets. When Moses did not come back down
right away, the people thought he had perished, and asked his brother
Aaron to make them a god that would lead them to the Promised Land. The
people gave Aaron jewelry of gold, and he fashioned it into a molten
calf. When Moses came down with the
two tablets he saw the calf and the revelry of the people, he foolishly
threw the tablets down and they shattered. God told Moses that he would
destroy the people, but Moses interceded for them; God spared them and
later replaced the tablets. Some of the people opposed Moses, and 3000
men died a violent conflict. The entire story can be found in
Exodus chapters 19 and 20, chapter 32, and Deuteronomy 5. Find in
Deuteronomy 5:1-3… With whom God made his covenant
in the form of the Ten Commandments. 5:1-3 Why the people were afraid. 5:4-5 The evil that God warn against
in the first of the Ten Commandments. 5:6-10 All of the Ten Commandments are repeated as
commands in the New Testament except that of the seventh day of rest
(Sabbath). Find in Acts 20:7 on what day of the week, also
called “the Lord’s day,” the disciples celebrated the Lord’s Supper. During
the week.
If any believers are confused by the Old Testament laws,
visit them and explain the truths given in this study. Explain that
Christian believers now live under the New Covenant of grace. The minor
details of Christians’ lives are not controlled by written laws; the
Holy Spirit guides Christians through the law of liberty as we obey the
law of love. During
worship Tell the story of how God gave
the 10 commandments, and ask the above questions. Urge the believers to
discuss the answers. Ask the children to present what
they have prepared. Memorize together John 1:17: “The Law was given through
Moses but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
Advanced Study
1.
Find basic truths about the Old Testament Law…
2.
Historical facts about the Old Testament Law:
But before faith came, we (Israelites) were kept in
custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be
revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ,
so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we
are no longer under a tutor.
3.
God has replaced the Old Testament law with the New
Testament covenant of grace. ·
Since Jesus introduced the New Covenant by His blood, the
New Testament reveals a new kind of law for believers to follow. It is
called the law of Liberty (James 2:13), the law of faith
(Romans 3:27-28), the Law of Love (Galatians 5:14) and the Law
of the Spirit; (Romans 8:2-4). The more glorious and eternal
‘ministry of the Spirit’ replaced the old ‘ministry of death,’ which
was the old law that ‘faded away’ (2 Corinthians 3:7-11). ·
The Old Testament law brought death, because nobody could
keep all of its commands. Its purpose was threefold: 1)
It defined civil and military rules for ancient Israel,
so that the elders could judge wisely; 2)
It brought knowledge of sin (Romans 3:19-20); 3)
It served as a ‘tutor’ and ‘shadow’ of better things to
come, to lead sinners to Christ who cancelled our debt to the decree
that caused our death, by ‘nailing it to the cross’ (Galatians 3:24-25;
Colossians 2:14-17). 4.
Plan what believers will do next week to help each other
be guided by the Holy Spirit rather than by the ‘letter of the law’. ·
If believers feel bound to follow the Old Testament
rules, then pray for their liberation from the bondage of the law. Help
them to memorize Romans 6:14, “Sin is no longer your master, for you
are no longer subject to the law, which enslaves you to sin. Instead,
you are free by God's grace.” ·
If believers still want to follow old rules instead of
obeying the commands of Jesus in love, then read to them Colossians
2:16-17: “Do not let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or
for not celebrating certain holy days or new-moon ceremonies or
Sabbaths. For these rules were only shadows of the real thing, Christ
himself.” 5.
Plan together with co-workers the activities for the next
worship. ·
Explain the historical facts about the Old Testament Law
(#2, above). ·
Explain how God replaced the Old law with the New
covenant of grace (#3, above). ·
Explain the plans you made with co-workers to visit
people who struggle with the old law. ·
To introduce the Lord’s Supper, read Colossians
2:13-14. Explain that Jesus’ blood freed us from the curse of the law
of death, and that the Lord’s Supper celebrates His blood sacrifice. ·
Pray and help one another in groups of two or three.
Confirm plans to help people who struggle with keeping old laws that
God no longer requires for New Testament believers. · Those who teach children should read study #32 for children. |