“And of HIS fulness have all we received, and GRACE FOR GRACE. For the LAW was given by Moses, BUT GRACE AND TRUTH CAME BY JESUS CHRIST… John 1:16-17 KJV, (Emphasis mine).
In the previous edition, the Law was defined as the system of rules which a particular country or community recognizes as the regulating actions of its members and which it may be enforced by the imposition of penalties. Biblically, the Law is a set of instruction or commandments given by God defining the moral, ceremonial and judicial standards of his people. The usual Hebrew term translated as “law” is “Torah” which is used 220 times in the Old Testament, more specifically means “instruction.
We looked at the three dimensions of the Torah which were the Natural law, Ceremonial law and the Judicial law. We established that the Natural law relates to the moral ideals of humanity. The Ceremonial law deals with procedures of worshipping God and the surrounding rituals involved. Which were ordained to divine worship for a particular dispensation and to be the foreshadowing of Christ. And finally, the Judicial Law which deals with the civic procedures.
We also established that the entirety of the Old Testament is not obsolete likewise the law. Rather, a particular section of the law, which has to do with the ceremonial law was amended. Since they were the shadows or replica of the things to come of which the reality is Jesus. Before we delve into the crux of the main subject, I would like to throw a little light on the three biblical passages used yesterday.
“The PLACE WHERE THEY SERVE (the WILDERNESS) is a COPY AND SHADOW OF WHAT IS IN HEAVEN. This is WHY MOSES WAS WARNED when he was about TO BUILD THE TABERNACLE: “See to it that you MAKE EVERYTHING ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN(MODEL) SHOWN you on the mountain…”Hebrews 8:5 BSB (Emphasis & Insertion mine).
When God wanted to settle in the midst of the Israelites in the wilderness, He instructed Moses to build a replica of His throne and its surrounding architecture including the furniture. This was a temporary dwelling place of God since the Israelites were still in migration and had not settled. So, He specifically warned Moses to make sure to build the tabernacle according to the pattern shown him on the mountain by revelation. Therefore, the Mosaic Tabernacle which lasted throughout the generations till the advent of Jesus was just a shadow or a replica. Even though, two other tabernacles were introduced at some point, namely the Tabernacle of David and Solomon but what both the spiritual and political leaders focused on, was the Mosaic Tabernacle.
“For the LAW is ONLY A SHADOW of the good things to come, NOT THE REALITIES THEMSELVES. IT (the LAW) CAN NEVER, by the SAME SACRIFICE S(ANIMALS) offered year after year, make PERFECT THOSE (WORSHIPERS) who draw near TO WORSHIP” … Hebrews 10:1, BSB (Emphasis & Insertion mine).
In the Mosaic tabernacle, animal sacrifices were introduced for atonement. The High Priest will have to constantly sprinkle blood on the Mercy Seat to temporary minimize the wrath of God. Permit me to digress a little. The Mercy Seat is the cover of the Ark of the Covenant. Inside the Ark, contained the entirety of the Law. So, when God see the transgression of men, He turns to look at the Law which has been transgressed inside the Ark to enable him to execute judgement. But because of the blood of the animals sprinkled on the Mercy Seat, it temporary obscures His vision thereby engineering forgiveness.
The High Priest must constantly sprinkle blood on Mercy Seat and ensure that, the blood doesn’t dry up. For how long can this practice go on. The sacrifices of animal blood were just a temporary measure. Therefore, God himself provided a lamb whose blood can never dry and become a permanent solution for the forgiveness of sin and atonement out of the love He has for humanity not just Israel as a nation. And this lamb is in the person of Jesus Christ. His blood that was shed on Calvary become that eternal blood to redeem all humanity irrespective of tribe, ethnicity or race. In effect, the above scripture suggests, the animal sacrifices which was part of the Ceremonial Law has been amended.
“Therefore LET NO ONE JUDGE YOU by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. THESE ARE A SHADOW of the things to come, but the BODY THAT CASTS IT (the REALITY) BELONGS TO CHRIST… BSB (Emphasis & Insertion mine).
As part of the Ceremonial Law, certain foods and drinks were to be abstained from. The celebration of feasts such as the New Moon, including the Sabbath were to be observed. What the above text suggests is that, it is not necessarily those practices that make us saved or unsaved, since our worship of God is no longer based on the Old Ceremonial Law. The old ceremonial law was based on the flesh but the new is based on the spirit through faith. For instance, the Sabbath was observed on weekly basis and geographically limited. But our spiritual worship is observed daily without limitation. Let’s consider John 4:20-24 to buttress this point.
“Our ancestors WORSHIPED ON THIS MOUNTAIN, but you Jews claim that the place where WE MUST WORSHIP IS IN JERUSALEM.” “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, A TIME IS COMING when you WILL WORSHIP THE FATHER NEITHER ON THIS MOUNTAIN NOR IN JERUSALEM. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. YET A TIME IS COMING AND HAS NOW COME when THE TRUE WORSHIPERS WILL WORSHIP THE FATHER IN THE SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH, for they are the KIND OF WORSHIPERS THE FATHER SEEKS. GOD IS SPIRIT, and his worshipers MUST WORSHIP in the SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.” NIV (Emphasis mine).
See how Jesus revealed the amendment of the Ceremonial Law in his discourse on the mountain with the woman at the well. If the Ceremonial Law was not amended, today, we will all have to go to Jerusalem to go and worship and observe the Sabbath each week.
Beloved, in closing, let us desire and make every effort to become spiritual worshipers without limitations. They are those who God is seeking and not the self-centered ego theistic worshipers. Now that the stage is set, tomorrow God willing we will delve into Kingdom righteousness looking at the Law in the eyes of grace. God bless us all. Shalom!
PRAY WITH ME
Lord Jesus, I thank you this day for my life. From this day forward, I have resolved to become a spiritual worshipper. Holy Spirit, please give me insight, guide me and help me to achieve this. This I pray in the precious name of Jesus! Amen!
Author: REV. SOLOMON KWAME LUTTERODT