The Mosaic Covenant (Continued)
The Giving of the Law was for Israel, God’s new ‘house rules’
Since the nation’s period of slavery had left them ill-prepared for nationhood. God set about providing them with leadership, and a moral and ethical code by which to live, and government that would produce discipline and order. The nation was to be ordered as a theocracy so the code by which they were to be molded would be issued from the throne of heaven. These regulations were to be His house-rules. They would not be an end in themselves – they would be preparatory for a further outworking of the purposes of their divine Author. Moses was called into the presence of God, where an offer of a covenant was made. “And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’” (Exod. 19:3-6) To this offer they unanimously replied, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.” (Exod. 19:8)
But it would be necessary for every individual Israelite to understand that these regulations were authored by the Lord and not by Moses. Therefore the initial communication of the house-rules would be by direct communication from above. The Decalogue on which the Law was to be based would first be audibly communicated by God Himself, then written with His finger on tablets of stone while attended by some of nature’s most awesome and violent events. The unfolding drama that was the offering of the covenant took place on and around Mount Sinai, and more than two million witnessed it. Thunders, lightening and earthquakes attended the descent of the Lord on to the pinnacle of Horeb. With such evident manifestations of the presence and mind of God, everyone was clear about one thing - this code was to be non-negotiable – there would be no modifying of its requirements: either obey it, or face the Omnipotent and explain why!
The code under which they would serve would teach them to differentiate between holy and unholy, between clean and unclean. Since the issuing of the code coincided with the time of the nation’s liberation from slavery, and it might appear to the uninitiated that they exchanged one form of slavery for another - they were now to be under the bondage of the Law. But these regulations were accompanied by great and majestic promises of blessing and peace and happiness. Only by submitting to theocratic rule from above could they know true freedom and prosperity. As Matheson wrote, “make me a captive, Lord, and then I shall be free”.
So Israel, from the dark womb of Egypt, was brought to birth as a nation, and called the firstborn of the Lord. ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn”. (Exod. 4:22) Here, it is clear that the Mosaic covenant was established between Israel and the Lord. No other nations are involved, no other combination of peoples are involved. Moses repeats this truth, when he addresses the nation at the end of his life. “For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?” (Deut. 4:7,8) This is repeated in the ‘writings’; “He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and His judgments to Israel. He has not dealt thus with any nation; And as for His judgments, they have not known them. Praise the Lord!” (Ps. 147:19,20) and the prophets, “Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, With the statutes and judgments”. (Mal. 4:4)
More Next Time
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