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THE LAW OF GOD

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International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · May 20, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 19.

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THE LAW OF GOD.

Perpetuity of the Law.

(Lesson 7.—Sabbath, June 5, 1886.)
1. GIVE as much proof as you can that the law existed before God spoke it from Sinai.
(a) "Sin is the transgression of the law," and "is not imputed when there is no law." But sin was imputed to Cain (Gen. 4 : 7), to the Sodomites (Gen. 13 : 13), and to the Amorites (Gen. 15 : 16), as well as to others. Therefore they must have had the law.
(b) Death is the result of sin (Rom. 5 : 12); "sin is not imputed when there is no law" (Rom. 5 : 13); therefore the presence of death is evidence of the existence of the law. "Death reigned from Adam to Moses" (Rom. 5 : 14); therefore the law must have been in existence during that time.
(c) The law is the righteousness of God, as has been shown from Isa. 51 : 6, 7. God's righteousness cannot be separated from him, and therefore must have existed as long as God has existed. But God is "from everlasting to everlasting" (Ps. 90 : 2); therefore the law of God must have existed even from the days of eternity.
2. What relation do the ten commandments sustain to the throne of God? In the last lesson it was shown that the ark in the earthly tabernacle, having above it the cherubim between which the glory of God appeared, was a figure of the throne of God in the temple in Heaven. And since the ten commandments were underneath the cherubim in the figure, they must also be underneath the covering cherubim in the reality; therefore they may properly be said to be the foundation of God's throne.
3. From this, what must we conclude as to the extent of their jurisdiction? A throne is the symbol of government. The throne of God represents the Government of God. Therefore when we say that the ten commandments are the foundation of God's throne, we mean that they are the foundation of his Government. That is, the ten commandments are the law of the Government of God. But if the ten commandments are the law of God's Government, then they must be in force wherever God's Government extends.
4. How long is God's kingdom to endure?
"How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation." Dan. 4 : 3. "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him." Dan. 7 : 27.
5. Since God is to reign forever, and the ten commandments are the foundation of his throne or Government, how long must they endure?
6. In what words does the psalmist corroborate this?
"Thy word is true from the beginning; and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever." Ps. 119 : 160.
7. To what would a change in the law be equivalent? To a change in the Government of God.
8. What strong language did Christ use concerning the law of God?
"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Matt. 5 : 17, 18.
9. Can you refer to a noted prophecy that has not yet been fulfilled? Ps. 89 : 20-37; note especially verses 29, 36, 37.
10. How long will it take for this prophecy to be fulfilled? As long as the days of Heaven, or to all eternity.
11. Then how long will the ten commandments exist unchanged?
Christ said that not one jot or tittle should pass from the law "till all be fulfilled." Matt. 5 : 18. From the preceding verse it appears that he had reference to the prophets, meaning that nothing should pass from the law until all the sayings of the prophets were fulfilled. In Ps. 89 : 20-27, we have a prophecy concerning Christ. To fulfill this prophecy will require all "the days of Heaven," that is, all eternity. Therefore Christ's words are equivalent to the statement that the law will exist unchanged to all eternity.
12. Quote a direct statement of the psalmist concerning the stability of the commandments.
"The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. They stand fast forever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness." Ps. 111 : 7, 8.
13. What have we already found the ten commandments to be?
"My tongue shall speak of thy word; for all thy commandments are righteousness." Ps. 119 : 172.
14. Whose righteousness are they?
"Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner; but my salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished. Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings." Isa. 51 : 6, 7.
15. What does God say of his righteousness? Isa. 51 : 6, last part.
16. How long must the righteousness of God endure? As long as God himself endures.
17. What does the psalmist say of the existence of God?
"Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." Ps. 90 : 1, 2.
18. Then what must we still conclude as to the length of time the ten commandments will exist? That there cannot by any possibility be any end to their existence.
19. In making a direct address to the Jew, what does Paul say that he knows?
"Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law." Rom. 2 : 17, 18.
20. How does it happen that he knows God's will.
When Paul says that the Jew knows the will of God, he adds, "Being instructed out of the law." That is, the Jew knows God's will because he is instructed out of the law. It therefore follows that anybody who is instructed out of the law of God will know God's will. From which we must conclude that the law of God is the expression of his will.
21. Since "being instructed out of the law" causes one to know God's will, of what must the law be a statement? It must be a statement of God's will.
22. What scripture further establishes the conclusion that the law of God is his will?
"I delight to do thy will, O my God; yea, thy law is within my heart." Ps. 40 : 8.
23. Is God's will changeable.
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1 : 17.
24. In view of these different lines of argument, what must we conclude in regard to the law of God?
"It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail." Luke 16 : 17.