We learn more about the lamp of God's Word, shining on the path to Light.
Abraham's spiritual calling and covenant were aimed at producing a spiritual result. However, the path lay through worldly symbols of spiritual truth. This is the fundamental nature of revelation on this earth. Abraham was promised a nation would rise from his one legitimate heir, Issac. Several generations later we find them prospering in a far away land. They must be brought back to the land given to Abraham. To drive them out required a change of dynasty which would enslave them for a time. Their actual departure came after the rulers of the land are humbled, ruined and broken. The people wandered along the wilderness to regain the life of Abraham. But an entire nation could not be simply given Abraham's spirit.
In the process of their travels, they stopped at a place where God did reveal something of Himself. It would be impossible to explain all the implications of what transpired there, and what was given to them. What is important here is recognizing the Covenant of Moses, also known as the Covenant of the Law, was merely earthly. This was not a spiritual law, but a very earthly law, with very earthly promises. All of these things pointed to a spiritual reality, but did not lead directly to it.
In that sense, the Law of Moses was an extension of the Law of Noah. It was God's command for civil government, the behavior code of a people under human government. The promises are summed up in the word shalom, representing the results of having a good, solid natural order. Thus, the Law of Moses would call forth a limited response from God's Creation, because it required men to walk according to the bare essentials of Creation's fundamental nature. The promises were essentially good weather, a good harvest, protection from plagues and from external human enemies. If this new nation would walk according to the Law of Moses, they would have all the things men seek, in the sense they would have all they needed for a good life in this world. It was as close to Eden as fallen man could get. The Law of Moses exemplified the fullest implications of the Law of Noah, as implemented for this particular people, in a particular land grant, at that particular time in history.
This earthly kingdom and law would point the hearts of men to a transcendent kingdom ruled under a spiritual law. That was a part of the purpose for this covenant. The Law was entirely within human reach; it assumed most would fail in some measure, and made allowance for failure. The promises still stood and were historically granted with a high degree of indulgence from God. The only way to fail utterly was to stop trying. Thus, it pointed to a holy desire as the key to holiness, both on the worldly and spiritual level. Should anyone rise to the faith of Abraham, the purpose of the Law was fulfilled.
Clearly, it did not happen on either level. Israel as a nation drew farther and farther away from observing the Law, whether in letter or in spirit. All the various missions included in this covenant failed, particularly bringing the truth to other nations. The Law was prepared for that failure, too. Hidden in the Law was the promise of a Messiah to come, once and for all, to clarify the demands of holiness. While the Law aimed at pointing symbolically to the Spirit, the Law could not take you there. Obeying the Law could not bring you spiritual birth. All those ritual sacrifices were unable to remove the consciousness of sin burned into the soul of every human since the Fall. Only a spiritual sacrifice could do that. Someone had to fulfill all the missions the Nation of Israel, bring the Law to a close, and inaugurate the Nation of Heaven.
What the Law did manage to accomplish was provide the proper setting for this Messiah to come and reveal once and for all what it had all meant. The Law of Moses was a temporary measure, with an expiration set for the day of the Cross. That was the final Day of Atonement when all the world was welcomed into the presence of God Almighty. That welcome mat was Jesus Christ. No other route was possible. The Law had to die on the Cross, the Covenant of Moses had to end, the Law was fulfilled in its purpose and design. No longer would men care about the ephemeral blessings of this world, but would seek the eternal rewards the Law could only foreshadow. The end of the Law was an extension of the Covenant of Abraham, for in his descendants would all humanity be blessed.
To imagine somehow it was not all finished at the Cross is to insult the Blood of Jesus. Israel was disbanded by their rejection of the Messiah, rejection of including the rest of the world. The people of that earthly nation might well cling to the best they knew, but Jesus made it clear that what they had by His time was not even proper observance of the Law, never mind spiritual issues. Once He made that final sacrifice for all sin since the Fall, there was no more place for the rituals of the Law. The Temple Veil was torn open, and the rituals were finished. The only "People of God" are those who follow Christ.
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By Ed Hurst
11 March 2009
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