THE TEN COMMANDMENTS *And* THE BOOK OF THE LAW
WERE THE TWO LAWS GIVEN IN THE
WILDERNESS TO
1. The Book of the Law ABOLISHED In
Ephesians 2:15
Having abolished in his flesh the
enmity, [even] the law of
commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of
twain one new man, [so] making peace;
2.
The Ten Commandment Law ESTABLISHED in Romans 3:31
Do we then make void the law
through faith? God forbid: yea, we
establish the law.
Can the same law be abolished by
Christ and at the same time be
established by faith in Christ? Of course
not!
The New Testament scriptures show
that there were definitely two laws
recognized at that time -
One Law having fulfilled its purpose ended at
the death of Christ,
(The Mosaic Law) while the other
Law (The Ten Commandments)is still,
as Paul stated, "holy, just and good" and gives us the
knowledge of sin:
Romans
justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin.
The one is a perfect law (The Ten
Commandments) by which we are judged :
James 2:10-12 For whosoever shall keep the whole
law, and yet offend
in one [point], he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do
not commit
adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet
if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye,
and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
A law of liberty
James 1:23-25 For if any be a hearer of the word,
and not a doer, he
is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he
beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what
manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of
liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a
forgetful hearer,
but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
The other (The Mosaic Law) was
called a yoke of bondage :
Galatians 5:1-5 Stand fast therefore in the liberty
wherewith Christ
hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of
bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised,
Christ shall profit you
nothing. For I testify again to every
man
that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ
is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the
law; ye are fallen from grace. For
we through the Spirit wait for the
hope of righteousness by faith.
Paul does not contradict himself,
but recognized that there were two
laws given, one at
the voice of Yahweh and the other by Moses.
The perfect law of liberty is the
TEN COMMANDMENTS. It is a
Satanic deception to teach that
Jesus abolished the Ten Commandments.
Many honest souls have been taught
this error. The purpose of this
writing is to show that it was the "law of commandments, contained in
ordinances" found in the Book of the Law of Moses, and NOT the Ten
Commandments, that were abolished.
TWO LAWS GIVEN
First let us establish the fact
from the Bible that there were two
separate laws given in the time of Moses. Let us deal
with the Ten Commandments first.
Facts about the Ten Commandments:
1. God declared these precepts with
a great voice and all the assembly
of
Deuteronomy
fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only [ye
heard] a voice.
Deut
you to perform, [even] ten commandments;....
Deuteronomy
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....
2. God wrote the law on two tables
of stone with the finger
of God.
Exodus 31:18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had
made an end of
communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables
of stone, written with the finger of God.
Deut
you to perform, [even] ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two
tables of stone.
Deuteronomy
delivered them unto me.
Deuteronomy 9:9
When I was gone up into the mount
to receive the tables of stone,
even the tables of *THE COVENANT* WHICH THE LORD MADE WITH YOU,
then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither
did eat bread nor drink water:
(KJV)
Deuteronomy
written with the finger of God; and on them [was written] according to
all the words, WHICH THE LORD SPAKE with you in the mount out of the
midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.
Deuteronomy 10:1-5 At that time the LORD said unto me,
Hew thee two
tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the
mount, and make thee an ark of wood. And I will write on the tables
the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest,
and thou
shalt put them in the ark. And I made
an ark [of] shittim wood, and
hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the
mount, having the two tables in mine hand.
And he wrote on the
tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which
the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of the
midst of the fire in
the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave them unto me.
3. These ten precepts were a
complete Covenant - God "added no more";
Deuteronomy
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.
Exodus 24:12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up
to me into the
mount, and be there: and I will give thee [1] tables of stone,
[2]and a
law, [3] and commandments which _I have written_;
that thou mayest teach them.
4. Moses himself placed this law
covenant, written on two tables of
stone by the finger of God, "in the Arc'
Deuteronomy 10:1-2 At that time the LORD said unto me,
Hew thee two
tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the
mount, and make thee an ark of wood. And I will write on the tables
the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest,
_and thou
shalt put them in the ark_
Let us summarize the FACTS about
the Ten Commandments before we go on
to the other law covenant given at that time.
The FACTS concerning the TEN
COMMANDMENTS are:
1. God declared (spoke) and ALL
law.
2. God wrote this Law with HIS own
finger on two tables of stone.
3. the ten commandments were a
complete law, for God "added no more'
4. Moses broke the first tables,
but God wrote the SAME words on the
SECOND tables of stone.
5. Moses placed the second tables
of stone in (inside) the Arc as God
commanded him.
There we have one law, the Ten
Commandments, placed in the
hand of Moses after being spoken and then written by God Himself on
two tables of stone.
Having established the fact that
the Ten Commandments were given by
God without a mediator, that is, He
declared them with His own voice
and wrote them on tables of stone, we are ready to give Bible proof
that
"the
law of Moses" is a separate and
distinct law "ADDED because of
transgression,"
(or sin) of the Ten Commandments.
THESE ARE THE FACTS CONCERNING THE
LAW OF MOSES
Galatians
of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was
made; [and it was] ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
What law was given by Moses?
2Chronicles 34:14 And when they brought out the money
that was
brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the
priest found a _book
of the law of the LORD [given] by Moses_.
This is positive proof that it was
the "Book of the law" and not the
Ten Commandments,
that was given by Moses. The "added' law in Gal
is called "the BOOK of the law" in Gal 3:10.
Galatians
the curse: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that continueth
not in all things which are written in the _book of the law_ to do
them.
Deut 27:26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of
this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.
This "Book of the law"
which was "given by Moses" is referred to
throughout Paul's letter to the Churches of
this "Book of the law", and NOT the ten Commandments, that Paul
was
speaking of in his rebuke for going back to the "works of the law".
Galatians 3:2 This only would I learn of you,
Received ye the Spirit
by the _works of the law_, or by the hearing of faith?
Galatians
under the curse:.......
This "added" law, called
"the book of the law" was called "a
schoolmaster".
Galatians 3:23-25 But before faith came, we were kept
under the law,
shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore
the _law was our schoolmaster_ [to bring us] unto Christ, that we
might be justified by faith. But
after that faith is come, we are no
longer under _a schoolmaster_.
Did God give a law by the hand of
Moses? Yes, He did.
The SECOND Covenant Yahweh made
with
original Ten Commandment Covenant.
The Mosaic law
was a second covenant
(with a
second set of tablets) which was made
with
Deut 29:1
These are the terms of the covenant the LORD
commanded Moses to make with the Israelites
in
with them at Horeb.
"...the covenant...in
There were TWO covenants made with
the first was the Ten Commandments "and he
added no more". The second was
made in Moab
and included the 613 commandments, judgments
and statutes of the Mosaic law.
After they worshipped the idol,
Yahweh was going to
destroy the Israelites, but Moses begged the Lord
for their forgiveness and the nation was allowed
a reprieve, but with a much stricter set of rules
designed to keep their minds on obedience to
Yahweh's law. This second covenant was the
"yoke
of bondage."
Deuteronomy 31:9-11 And _Moses wrote this law_, and delivered it unto
the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of
the LORD, and unto all the elders of
saying, At the end of [every] seven years, in the solemnity of the
year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, When all
come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall
choose, _thou shalt read this law_ before all
Deuteronomy 31:24-26 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, That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the
covenant of the LORD, saying, Take this
_book of the law_, and _put
it in the side of the ark_ of the covenant of the LORD your God, that
it may be there for a witness against thee.
This "book of the law"
containing precepts, stautes and law," was
given by the hand of Moses.
2Chronicles 34:14 And when they brought out the money
that was
brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the
priest found a _book
of the law of the LORD [given] by Moses_.
John
Let us sum up the FACTS that have
been found concerning this Book of
the Law.
1. It was declared or spoken to
(Ex 24:3, Deut 4:14, Gal 3:19)
2. It was written by Moses himself
in The Book of the Law".
Deut 31:9, 24-26)
3. At the
command of Moses, the Levites placed the "Book of the Law"
in the _side_ of the Arc of the covenant. (Deut 31:25,26)
Note: this is rendered "by the
side", "beside" the arc in other
versions of the Bible. What it means is the book was _not placed
inside_ the Arc as the Ten Commandments were, but were placed
somewhere along the outside of the arc.
Let us sum up the FACTS that have
been found thus far about these two
laws in contrast.
Israel was required to obey TWO
laws, the Ten Commandments, "Do
according to all that I (God), have commanded them" and the Book of
the Law, "According to all the law that my servant Moses commanded
them".
2Kings 21:8 Neither
will I make the feet of
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_
Moses placed two tables of stone
with the Ten Commandments in the arc
of the covenant (Duet 10:1-5) and the Levites placed the Book of the
Law in the side of the arc of the
covenant.
The two tables of stone were to be
kept within the arc always, but the
Book of the Law was to be read to
"all
the feast of Tabernacles (Deut 31:10-13). Moses was the mediator of
the Old Covenant (Ex 24:1-12) and
Commandments and the law of their
mediator (Book of the Law), but we
are under the New Covenant, and we no longer have to obey the Law of
Moses; but we have to obey the law
of our Mediator, Jesus Christ. We
obey the commandments of God and the testimony or teachings
of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 12:17 And
the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to
make war with the remnant of her seed, which _keep the commandments of
God_, and _have the testimony of Jesus Christ_.
Revelation
_that keep the commandments of God_, and _the faith of Jesus_.
The questions that need to be
answered at this time are:
1. For what purpose was it given?
2. Why did it end at the cross of
Christ?
The Bible indeed does give the
answers.
Paul asked the question,
Galatians
This is what we want to know too --
For what purpose was it given?
Paul is speaking here of "The
Book of the Law"
Galatians
the curse: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that continueth
not in all things which are written in _the book of the law_ to do
them.
The purpose of the Ten Commandment
law is clearly given in the New
Testament:
Romans
justified in his sight: for _by the law [is] the knowledge of sin_.
1John 3:4 Whosoever
committeth sin transgresseth
also the law: for
_sin is the transgression of the
law_.
Romans 7:7 What
shall we say then? [Is] the law sin? God forbid. Nay,
_I had not known sin, but by the
law_: for I had not known _lust_,
except the _law_ had said, _Thou shalt not covet_.
Romans
just, and good.
So now why the Mosaic Law?
Paul goes on to answer his own
question AND ours also:
Galatians
the seed should come to whom the promise was made; [and it was]
ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
Here we have the key to the whole
matter in this one verse of
scripture. First note that this "Book of the Law" was added because of
transgression. Paul says in:
Romans
[there is]
no transgression_.
And John tells us in his letter:
1John 3:4 Whosoever
committeth sin transgresseth
also the law: for
_sin is the transgression of the
law_.
This law referred to here is the
Ten Commandments of God which a
transgression of, is sin; and Paul says that this "Book of the Law"
was added because the people were
transgressing God's law, or because
of sin. Remember too, that there could be no transgression if there
was no law. The FACT that this "Book of the Law" was added
because of
transgression is proof that the Ten Commandments were already in
existence and this "Book of the Law" was added because of that
transgression. This is another proof of the TWO laws.
Were they really transgressing the
Ten Commandments?
Yes: They made and worshipped an idol while Moses
was up on the
mountain with God (Ex
32:1-8).
Why did the Mosaic law end at the cross?
This law was given or added
"until the seed should come to whom the
promise was made"
Galatians
of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was
made; [and it was] ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
The promised seed of Abraham was Christ.
Galatians
saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed,
which is Christ.
This "Book of the Law"
was only to service until Jesus came. Its
purpose would be ended then. However, the Ten Commandments continue on
because they are still needed to define sin.
And it is sin
which breaks the Covenant in both the Old Testament and the New.
One series or code of laws in that
Book of the Law regulated the
Priesthood and the offering of
animal sacrifices for sin and other
offerings under the old covenant. Paul makes that clear here:
Hebrews
necessity a change also of the law.
Hebrews 7:27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up
sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this
he did once, when he offered up himself.
This law and system of animal
sacrifices for sin could not take away
sin, but was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ that we might be
justified by faith. That law, with the sacrifices, was a type and a
shadow of the one Sacrifice, or death of Jesus, that does take away
sin. When Jesus died the system of animal sacrifices had to end. It
was abolished at the cross.
The ABOLISHED code of law found in
the Book of the Law
Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in
his flesh the enmity, [even] the
law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself
of twain one new man, [so] making peace;
This Book of the Law also contained
the governmental laws of Israel
and the promises under the old covenant. They were the administrative
laws enforcing obedience to the great constitution, or basic law, the
Ten Commandments under a death
penalty. Murder, adultery, idolatry,
dishonor of parents, Sabbath desecration and most willful violations
were punished by death under two or more witnesses. Deut 17:1-7; Deut
That is why Paul speaks of Moses'
ministration as the "Ministration of
death, written and engraved in stones"
2Corinthians 3:7 But
if the ministration of death, written [and]
engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of
not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the
glory of his
countenance; which [glory] was to be done away:
THE MOSAIC LAW COVENANT WAS GIVEN
IN ADDITION TO
THE TEN COMMANDMENT COVENANT:
Deut 29:1
These are the terms of the covenant the LORD
commanded Moses to make with the Israelites
in
with them at Horeb.
Deuteronomy 27:1 And Moses with the
elders of
people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this
day.
2 And it shall be on the day when
ye shall pass over
land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, that
thou shalt set thee up
great stones, and plaister them with plaister:
3 And thou shalt
write upon them all the words of this law, when thou
art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the
land which the LORD
thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the
LORD God of thy fathers hath
promised thee.
4 Therefore it shall be when ye be
gone over
set up these stones, which I command you this day, in
thou shalt plaister
them with plaister.
Deut 27:8 And
thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of
this
law very plainly.
Joshua
31 As
Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel,
as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole
stones, over which no man hath lift up [any] iron: and they offered
thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.
32 And he _wrote there upon the
stones a copy of the law of Moses_,
which he wrote in the presence of the children of
34 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_.
35 There was not a word of all that
Moses commanded, which Joshua read
not before all the congregation of
little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.
Moses' ministration came to an end
and Christ's ministration takes its
place. the change of administration did not,
however, change God's
perfect law, the Ten Commandments, which services as the great
constitutional law of both the Old and New Testaments. Moses enforced
obedience to the letter under a national penalty law of death. Jesus
enforces obedience from the heart under penalty of death, but
execution is at the judgment of God. (Rom
20:12-14;
For an example of the two
ministrations in comparison, read John
8:1-11. A woman
taken in adultery was brought to Christ by the Scribes
and Pharisees, who wanted to know if they should stone her as Moses in
the law commanded. "What sayest thou?"
The answer was, "He that is
without sin among you cast the first stone at her." The result was
that no stones were cast and all her accusers left. To the woman Jesus
said, "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and SIN NO MORE." Under
Moses'
law she would have died without mercy, but under Christ she received
forgiveness with the command to "sin no more." While having mercy and
granting pardon Jesus enforces strict obedience to the Ten
Commandments. "Go: and sin no more" recognized and enforced obedience
to the seventh commandment (ex 20:1-17).
Paul speaks of the Ten Commandments
as "holy, just and good" (Rom
7:7-12).
James calls them a perfect law of
liberty by which we are to be judged
(James 1:23-25; James 2:10-12).
THE TWO LAWS COMPARED
Ten Commandments
Book of the Law
1. Declared by God Declared by Moses
Deut
2. Written by God own finger Written by Moses
Deut
3. Written on two tables of
stone Written in a book
Deut
4. A complete law/nothing
added A
separate law
Ex 24:12 Deut
5. Placed in
at God's command at Moses command by
Levites
Deut 10:1-5 Deut 31:24-26
6. God says..'A law.... "The law that my
servant
which I have written Moses commanded them."
Ex 24:12 2Kings
21:8
7. Defines sin Added because
of sin or
transgression
Rom
8 . Established by
faith Abolished
through
obedience
Rom
9. Spiritual Carnal
Rom 7:7,14; 8:4, 14 Heb 9:9,10
10. A law of liberty A
yoke of bondage
James 2:10-12
Acts 15:1-11
Gal 5:1-5
written by Frank M. Walker (edited for
length
and content by Harold Kupp)