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Acts 6

How Many “Peoples” Does God Have?

How Many “Peoples” Does God Have?

by Kraig and Anne Elliott

Let’s review what we’ve learned so far. Popular theology says that either

  1. The Church has replaced Israel, or
  2. The Church and Israel are both people of God, completely separate from each other in God’s plan,

Scripture has a consistent message throughout, however. God has only one chosen people, which is Israel, but He invites people from all nations to join themselves with His people.

While not an exhaustive list, the following passages seem to make this especially clear.

There is one flock, one shepherd.

And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd (John 10:16).

This couldn’t be any clearer. Most theologians interpret this verse to say that Jesus is bringing both Jews and Gentiles into a new people of God, called “the church.”

However, if this is what Jesus meant, it would be a direct contradiction of the words of YHVH in Ezekiel 34. In this passage, YHVH speaks a word of judgment “against the shepherds of Israel” (Ezekiel 34:2) because they did not take care of His flock.

7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of YHVH;

8 As I live, saith YHVH God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;

9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of YHVH;

10 Thus saith YHVH God; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.

11 For thus saith YHVH God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.

12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. (Ezekiel 34:7-13).

It is very clear who the sheep are in this passage: Israel alone fits this description.

A few verses later, you will see a Messianic prophecy which was fulfilled in Jesus.

23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.

24 And I YHVH will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I YHVH have spoken it. (Ezekiel 34:23-24).

Therefore when Jesus, the Son of David and promised Messiah (Acts 2:14-36), says the following, we know that He is speaking in fulfillment of the prophesy in Ezekiel 34 and that the flock He is referring to is none other than Israel.

11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. (John 10:11-16).

One Way, Only Through Jesus

In all this discussion of “who is Israel,” let us not forget for a moment that there is only one entrance into Israel, and that is through Jesus the Messiah! As we saw in Ezekiel 34, there are false shepherds, even among the nation of Israel.

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?

10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. (John 14:6-10).

The Goal of Unity

The express pray of Jesus was that all those who were included in Israel would be only one body. It was never His intention for there to be both a Northern Kingdom of Israel and a Southern Kingdom of Judah. However, because of sin, the nation was divided.

Nor has it ever been His intention for there to be two ways to worship the Father: The way of Judah, which recognizes the words of the Father but does not accept His Son Jesus as their Messiah, and the way of Christianity, which shares the gospel of Jesus but will not submit to the commands of the Father.

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:20-23).

The Son and the Father are one. Jesus does not have a separate “people” (the Church) from the people of His Father (Israel). No, they are one. They speak the same words.

The Gospel Given to All

The gospel of the Kingdom, through faith in Jesus the Messiah, was preached to all people. Here are some brief quotations from Peter’s words when he addressed the crowd in Jerusalem at the feast of Shavuot (Pentecost) several weeks after the resurrection of Jesus. (See Acts 2.)

And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh (Acts 2:17).

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved (Acts 2:21).

Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call (Acts 2:39).

Notice that the promise was “unto you, and to your children.” Who is Peter talking to? Who was in the crowd that day?

5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,

10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? (Acts 2:5-12).

Therefore, the promise was for Jews, proselytes to Judaism, their children — and all who are afar off.

God says clearly that He cannot reject His own people, so the only conclusion that makes sense is that Gentiles and all who are afar off will be included with His people Israel.

For YHVH will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance (Psalm 94:14).

Yes, at times, He set some of them aside because of their disobedience, but He never rejected them entirely. In fact, we can see even in this passage that some of the Jews (many, in fact!) believed in Jesus and accepted the message preached by Peter. (See Acts 2:47, Acts 6:7.)

Members of One Body

The disciples of Jesus continued to teach the same message.

Note: Remember that the word Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Mashiach, which always refers to the anointed king of Israel.

Paul writes to the believers in Rome:

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. (Romans 12:3-5)

Paul writes to the believers in Galatia:

26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:26-29).

Paul writes to the believers in Ephesus:

9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him (Ephesians 1:9-10).

What is the definition of the “mystery” Paul refers to here?

That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel (Ephesians 3:6).

Paul also says that Gentiles can be fellow citizens in Israel:

11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.1While I have cut out Ephesians 2:14-18 at this time, I will cover these verses in another article.

18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit (Ephesians 2:11-22).

Paul writes to the believers in Colossae, calling them the “elect,” or chosen, of God, a term used exclusively of Israel.

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering (Colossians 3:12).

The author of Hebrews quotes the prophet Jeremiah and includes the believers in Jesus in the covenant given exclusively to the “house of Israel.”

8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith YHVH, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith YHVH.

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith YHVH; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know YHVH: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more (Hebrews 8:8-12, quoting from Jeremiah 31:31-34).

And at the end of the famous “Faith Chapter” (Hebrews 11), after the listing of the faithful heroes of Israel, the author of Hebrews writes,

God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect (Hebrews 11:40).

Finally, Peter writes “to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father” (1 Peter 1:1-2),

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10).

Conclusion

God has only one chosen people.

People from every tribe and nation (ie. Gentiles) have been “called out” of darkness by faith in Jesus Christ and “made fellow citizens with God’s people” (Israel). All of these comprise the ecclesia, the “called-out ones.”

Although salvation was originally offered to Abraham’s seed, God extended that invitation to all who would believe.

The literal promises to Israel of a land and future King still apply, and every prophesy regarding the nation of Israel will be fulfilled, just as every promise regarding the Messiah of Israel will also be fulfilled.

Of course, the logical conclusion is that the commands and promises made to Israel would also then apply to us today.

If Israel’s commands apply to us today, we need to be sure we know what God’s instructions are.

Continue

References[+]

References
↑1 While I have cut out Ephesians 2:14-18 at this time, I will cover these verses in another article.

Filed Under: Definitions Tagged With: 1 Peter 1, 1 Peter 2, Acts 2, Acts 6, Colossians 3, Ephesians 1, Ephesians 2, Ephesians 3, Ezekiel 34, Galatians 3, Hebrews 11, Hebrews 8, Jeremiah 31, John 10, John 14, John 17, Psalm 94, Romans 12

What Is the Law of Moses?

What Is the Law of Moses?

by Kraig and Anne Elliott

As we have seen, almost universally the Torah refers to the law of Moses, written down in the Bible’s books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. It is sometimes called the “Pentateuch,” which is a Greek word meaning “five” (penta) and “scrolls” (teuchos).

Tradition tells us that the first five books of the Bible were written down by Moses. However, does this mean that Moses was the inventor and originator of all the things written in these books, or was he merely the “scribe,” so to speak, or the secretary, who “took dictation” of the words of these books, all of which were spoken from the mouth of God Himself?

Whose law is it really?

Is it the “law of Moses,” or is it the law of God, written down by Moses His servant? Let’s see what Scripture says.

Given at Sinai

Moses himself tells us that the commands and laws were given directly by God Himself.

“And Moses went up unto God, and YHVH called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel” (Exodus 19:3).

“And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which YHVH commanded him” (Exodus 19:7).

In Exodus 19, we find the children of Israel camping in the Desert of Sinai (Exodus 19:1), three months after leaving Eqypt. In this chapter, God prepares the people to receive His covenant, and in Exodus 20, God begins the covenant by giving what we call the “Ten Commandments.”

“And God spake all these words, saying,

I am YHVH thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I YHVH thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Thou shalt not take the name of YHVH thy God in vain; for YHVH will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of YHVH thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days YHVH made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore YHVH blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it

Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which YHVH thy God giveth thee.

Thou shalt not kill.

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Thou shalt not steal.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s” (Exodus 20:1-17).

So who was the author of the Ten Commandments? It clearly says, “And God spake all these words.“

What was the response of the people?

And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

And YHVH said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel… (Exodus 20:18-22).

They were terrified, and they begged for God to speak through Moses, rather than speaking to them directly.

So this is what God did!

“[And YHVH said unto Moses], Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them” (Exodus 21:1).

So what happened after YHVH spoke to Moses and gave them judgments to set before the people of Israel?

“And Moses came and told the people all the words of YHVH, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which YHVH hath said will we do. And Moses wrote all the words of YHVH… (Exodus 24:3-4).

What did YHVH ask Moses to do with the commands He spoke? He asked Moses to teach them to the people.

“And YHVH said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law (torah, or instruction), and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them” (Exodus 24:12).

The next chapters of Exodus continue with “The YHVH spake unto Moses, saying…” (Exodus 25:1). The rest of the book of Exodus continues, time and again, by telling us the words and instructions (covenant, law or torah, and commandments) of YHVH.

“And YHVH said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel. And he was there with YHVH forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments” (Exodus 34:27-28).

As we continue through Exodus 35 to 39, we see that Moses directly commands the people what YHVH has commanded. Whatever Moses told them, they obeyed. Did they obey because they were the words of Moses? No, they were obeying YHVH Himself.

“Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that YHVH commanded Moses, so did they… According to all that YHVH commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work. And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as YHVH had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them” (Exodus 39:32, 42-43).

The final chapter of Exodus emphasizes this!

Thus did Moses: according to all that YHVH commanded him, so did he (Exodus 40:16).

And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as YHVH commanded Moses (Exodus 40:19).

And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as YHVH commanded Moses (Exodus 40:21).

And he set the bread in order upon it before YHVH; as YHVH had commanded Moses (Exodus 40:23)

And he lighted the lamps before YHVH; as YHVH commanded Moses (Exodus 40:25).

And he burnt sweet incense thereon; as YHVH commanded Moses (Exodus 40:27).

And he put the altar of burnt offering by the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation, and offered upon it the burnt offering and the meat offering; as YHVH commanded Moses (Exodus 40:29).

When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed; as YHVH commanded Moses (Exodus 40:32).

When Moses wrote all these things down for us, do you think he was trying to make it extremely clear whose commands these were?

Mount Sinai (Ron Wyatt)
Mount Sinai — Image copyright Ron Wyatt http://wyattmuseum.com/

Spoken from the Tabernacle

The book of Leviticus picks up the same theme, but this time the Tabernacle has been built (according to the instructions of YHVH to Moses), and now YHVH speaks from there instead of Mount Sinai.

“And YHVH called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying…” (Leviticus 1:1).

“And YHVH spake unto Moses, saying…” (Leviticus 4:1).

“And YHVH spake unto Moses, saying…” (Leviticus 5:14).

Moses remembers to tell us that these are the commands of God, not his own words.

“And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of YHVH; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity” (Leviticus 5:17).

We find the phrase “the Lord spake unto Moses” 120 times in the Pentateuch! 1https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?qs_version=KJV&quicksearch=the+Lord+spake+unto+Moses&begin=3&end=3

Hear the conclusion of the book of Leviticus:

“These are the commandments, which YHVH commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai” (Leviticus 27:34).

Continued in the Second Year

And so it continues into the book of Numbers:

“And YHVH spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying” (Numbers 1:1).

“And the children of Israel did according to all that YHVH commanded Moses…” (Numbers 2:34).

YHVH required obedience to Moses and had a very special relationship with him, to be sure, speaking with him directly.

“Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I YHVH will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of YHVH shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” (Numbers 12:6-8).

Even though Moses was privileged to be in the presence of YHVH and speak directly with Him, Moses concludes the book of Numbers by saying,

 “These are the commandments and the judgments, which YHVH commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho” (Numbers 36:13).

Declared and Written Down

The book of Deuteronomy has a different style from the other books. In this book, Moses himself talks to the people of Israel before they enter the Promised Land. Of all the books of the Pentateuch, Deuteronomy could most easily be called “the law of Moses.”

These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab.

(There are eleven days’ journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadeshbarnea.)

And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that YHVH had given him in commandment unto them;

After he had slain Sihon the king of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei:

On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying…” (Deuteronomy 1:1-5).

Even here, though, we see that Moses “declared” the law, “according unto all that YHVH had given him in commandment unto them.”

To “declare” (Strong’s #874) means to make it plain or distinct.

Whose commands did Moses “declare”?

“Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which YHVH God of your fathers giveth you.

Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of YHVH your God which I command you” (Deuteronomy 4:1-2).

“Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as YHVH my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it” (Deuteronomy 4:5).

Notice that Moses said “he added no more” to the words spoken by YHVH.

“These words YHVH spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me” (Deuteronomy 5:22).

Notice also that any prophet — not just Moses — who claimed to speak the words of YHVH would never add his own words to what he spoke, but he was to only speak the words of YHVH.

“I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee [Moses], and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him… But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die (Deuteronomy 18:18, 20).

Notice also that Moses was careful to write down everything YHVH said.

“If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of YHVH thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law…” (Deuteronomy 30:10).

“And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of YHVH, and unto all the elders of Israel” (Deuteronomy 31:9).

“When all Israel is come to appear before YHVH thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing” (Deuteronomy 31:11.)

“And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished…” (Deuteronomy 31:24).

So while we know that Moses commanded the law, all the things he gave us were the words of YHVH Himself.

“Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words. Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob” (Deuteronomy 33:3-4).

Remembered by Israel

Joshua clearly remembers that the words of Moses were the direct commands of YHVH and that they had been written down in their entirety.

“Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success” (Joshua 1:7-8).

“And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them” (Joshua 8:34-35).

Of course, we know the history of Israel, that by the next generation, the laws of YHVH given to Moses would start to be forgotten. Even through the times of the kings, only a very few actually listened and obeyed.

“And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of YHVH, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses” (Judges 3:4).

“And keep the charge of YHVH thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself” (1 Kings 2:3).

“For [Hezekiah] clave to YHVH, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which YHVH commanded Moses” (2 Kings 18:6).

“Because they obeyed not the voice of YHVH their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of YHVH commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them” (2 Kings 18:12).

“Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them” (2 Kings 21:8).

We do see a gradual drift in terminology, however, as we move through the centuries. By 641-610 B.C., we see that the commands of God are simply called “the law of Moses.”2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josiah

And like unto [Josiah] was there no king before him, that turned to YHVH with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him (2 Kings 23:25).

Only one time is the Torah called the “law of Moses” in the writings of the prophets, but even here, the prophet is careful to equate the laws of Moses with the commands of YHVH.

“Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments” (Malachi 4:4)

From the time of the Babylonian exile and after, it became the norm in Scripture to simply refer to the Torah as the “law of Moses.” (See Daniel 9:11-13, Ezra 3:2, Ezra 6:18, Ezra 7:6, etc.)

But even Nehemiah is clear that the “law of Moses” is really just the law of YHVH which had only been written down by Moses.

“And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which YHVH had commanded to Israel” (Nehemiah 8:1).

Confirmed in the Gospels

In the centuries after the return from Babylon, we see that it became the norm to refer to “the Law” as “Moses.” In fact, it evens seems the sometimes people forgot that Moses was not the actual author of these laws.

  • The law of Moses – Luke 2:22
  • “Moses did write” – John 1:45
  • Law given by Moses – John 1:17, John 7:19

Yeshua referred to the laws of Moses, and we see that He upheld them and expected obedience to them.

“And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them” (Matthew 8:4). (See also Mark 1:44, Mark 10:3, Luke 5:14, John 8:5.)

“And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death” (Mark 7:9-10).

“And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?” (Mark 12:26).

“And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27)

“And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me” (Luke 24:44).

Most of all notice what Jesus said about the law of Moses in John 6.

“Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven” (John 6:32).

The “bread from heaven” is a direct reference to the Torah, as we see in these verses:

“And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of YHVH doth man live” (Deuteronomy 8:3).

“And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God” (Luke 4:4).

In other words, in John 6:32 Jesus is saying that it wasn’t Moses who gave the bread from heaven. The true bread from heaven came from the Father!

Used by the Apostles

In the first century, it was common to confuse the oral traditions of the various sects of Israel (Pharisees, Saducees, Essenes, etc.) with the original and written words of Moses. Because these oral traditions were based upon the laws of Moses, they were often all lumped together and called “Moses.” (We’ll discuss this more in a later post.)

“For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us” (Acts 6:14).

“And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1).

“But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses” (Acts 15:5).

Even though traditions of men and commands of God were often mixed and confused (Matthew 15:3-6, Matthew 23:23-24), the Apostles were careful to take these sticky situations and refer back to the written Law of God, as given to Moses. (You can see this specific discussion in a post here.)

We also see that the Apostles had a high respect for “Moses” and expected that the law of Moses would continue to be read, studied, and used to persuade men.

“For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day” (Acts 15:21).

“And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening” (Acts 28:23).

In their writings, the Apostles often quoted the Torah and used it as a source for their beliefs.

“For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them” (Romans 10:5).

“For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?” (1 Corinthians 9:9, just one example of many where Paul quotes directly from the Torah).

“But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart” (2 Corinthians 3:15).

The Apostles credited the words of Moses as being from God and not originating within himself.

“Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle” (Hebrews 8:5).

So when we see a reference to “Moses,” it is fair to be able to substitute “the Law of God” in its place.

“For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law” (Hebrews 9:19)

“He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses” (Hebrews 10:28).

To be continued…

References[+]

References
↑1 https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?qs_version=KJV&quicksearch=the+Lord+spake+unto+Moses&begin=3&end=3
↑2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josiah

Filed Under: Definitions Tagged With: 1 Corinthians 9, 1 Kings 2, 2 Corinthians 3, 2 Kings 18, 2 Kings 21, 2 Kings 23, Acts 15, Acts 28, Acts 6, Daniel 9, Deuteronomy 1, Deuteronomy 18, Deuteronomy 30, Deuteronomy 31, Deuteronomy 33, Deuteronomy 4, Deuteronomy 5, Deuteronomy 8, Exodus 19, Exodus 20, Exodus 21, Exodus 24, Exodus 25, Exodus 34, Exodus 39, Exodus 40, Ezra 3, Ezra 6, Ezra 7, Hebrews 10, Hebrews 8, Hebrews 9, John 1, John 6, John 8, Joshua 1, Joshua 8, Judges 3, Leviticus 1, Leviticus 27, Leviticus 4, Leviticus 5, Luke 2, Luke 24, Luke 4, Luke 5, Malachi 4, Mark 1, Mark 10, Mark 12, Mark 7, Matthew 15, Matthew 23, Matthew 8, Nehemiah 8, Numbers 1, Numbers 12, Numbers 2, Numbers 36, Romans 10

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