21. Other Mosaic Covenant Questions Series

[IN GOD’S IMAGE 21 – OTHER MOSAIC COVENANT QUESTIONS]

This message is part of a series of 90 sermons based on the title, “In God’s Image – God’s Purpose for humanity.” This series of free sermons or the equivalent free book format is designed to take the reader through an amazing process beginning with God in prehistory and finishing with humanity joining God in eternity as His loving sons and daughters. It is at times, a painful yet fascinating story, not only for humanity, but also for God. As the sermons follow a chronological view of the story of salvation, it is highly recommend they be presented in numerical order rather than jumping to the more “interesting” or “controversial” subjects as the material builds on what is presented earlier. We also recommend reading the introduction prior to using the material. The free book version along with any graphics or figures mentioned in this series can be downloaded at www.ingodsimage.site - Gary Regazzoli

Last time we learned a few very important principles we need to keep in mind when we study the Mosaic or Old Covenant.

1) When we read the Old Testament, we need to view everything through the prism of Jesus Christ as He is the fulfilment of all the Old Covenant pointed to.

• He was the one who came to fulfil all that the Law, Prophets and Psalms pointed to - the sacrifices, the priesthood, the temple – all pointed to Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:17).

• He also fulfilled the law in that he obeyed it perfectly.

• The focus was never intended to be on the law, but on Jesus Christ.

2) Even though some aspects of the Ten Commandments were set aside, they did not cancel the higher law of love which are a reflection of God’s holy character and nature.

• These exist throughout eternity.

3) The Mosaic Covenant although glorious had serious limitations in developing holiness in God’s people, so it was replaced with a more glorious Covenant that addressed this shortcoming.

4) As we saw with the Sabbath rules, we need to be very careful focusing on the details doesn’t side track us and miss the higher spiritual intent.

• This is the advice Jesus gave the Pharisees when he criticised them for their hypocrisy for tithing of their herbs and missing the weightier matters of the law (Matthew 23:23).

• It wasn’t just with herbs where the Pharisees missed the point. They had endless regulations on what was lawful on the Sabbath while standing in front of them was the One offering them “spiritual rest.”

Before we leave the Mosaic Covenant and move on to the New Covenant, we need to clear up a few loose ends regarding the Old Covenant.

Changing Dietary Laws.

• One of the peculiar aspects of the various covenants we looked at earlier is the change to the dietary laws depending on the particular covenant.

• Under the covenants with Noah and Abraham, all foods are allowed while under the Mosaic covenant the Israelites are restricted to only “clean foods.”

• And the question has to be asked, “Why would God find it necessary to change this law”?

• Prior to the Mosaic Covenant, we read as part of the Covenant with Noah that there was no restriction on food.

• Genesis 9:3 Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.

• Yet we read two separate sets of animals were taken onto the ark, both clean and unclean animals.

• Genesis 7:1-2 The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. 2 Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate.

• There was no way Noah had the resources to round up all these creatures and herd them onto the ark, so God caused the animals to come. (Genesis 7:7-9).

• We need to remember Moses who was very much aware of clean and unclean animals wrote Genesis in hindsight.

• Whether or not Noah knew any distinction prior to the animals showing up to the ark is unknown, but if he didn’t he must have been quite curious as to why.

This is another of those instances where we see the hand of God working behind the scenes of history to bring about His intended purpose.

• And again this is another of these instances where we can get side tracked on issues of health or get caught up in the specifics and miss the higher spiritual intent behind the event.