THE LAW OF GOD | AdventAI

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 19, 1857

THE LAW OF GOD.

God spake the Ten Commandments in the hearing of the people, and wrote them with his finger on two tables of stone. "And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice. And he declared unto you his covenant which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone." Deut. iv, 12, 13; v, 22; Ex. xx, 1; xxiv, 12; xxxi, 18; xxxii, 15, 16; Neh. ix, 13.

Knowledge of the principles of the Ten Commandments has existed from the Creation. Gen. xxxv, 1-4; Gen. xxxi, 19, 34, 35; xxxv, 2, 4; Lev. xviii, 3, 21, 24, 27. Gen. ii, 1-3; Mark ii, 27; Gen. viii, 10, 12; xxix, 27, 28; Ex. xvi, 4, 22, 23, 25-30. Gen. ix, 20-25; Gen. iv, 8-11, 23, 24; ix, 5, 6. Gen. xx, 5-9; xxxviii, 24; xxxix, 7-9; Gen. xxx, 33; xxxi, 19, 30, 32, 39; xliv, 8. Gen. xxxix, 7-20. (10) The fact that the transgression of the tenth commandment must precede the violation of the eighth, and that the eighth was known, and its violation considered worthy of death, is sufficient evidence that the principle of the tenth commandment was known before the law was given at Sinai. Also, no mention is made of the violation of the third commandment in the book of Genesis; but profanity was among the sins of the nations living in Canaan before the law was given at Sinai. If those nations were ignorant of the matter of the third commandment, then profanity was not an abomination in them; for "sin is not imputed when there is no law." Rom. v, 13.

1. The Law of God a Rule of Action. "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." Eccl. xii, 13; Deut. xi, 18, 19; Ps. xxxvii, 30, 31; Matt. xix, 16, 17; Rom. ii, 13; iii, 19; vii, 7; James i, 25; ii, 8-12; 1 John iii, 4; Rev. xxii, 14.

2. It is Perfect. "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether." Ps. xix, 7-9; cxix, 138, 142, 151; Isa. xlviii, 18; Rom. vii, 12, 14, 22, 25.

3. Unlimited in its Duration. "The works of his hands are verity and judgment: all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name." Ps. cxi, 7-9; Deut. vii, 4; 1 Chron. xvi, 15-17; Ps. lxxxix, 27-34; cv, 8; cxix, 144, 152, 160; Matt. v, 18.

4. Ratified by the teachings of Christ and the Apostles. "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. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Matt. v, 17-19; xxii, 35-40; Rom. iii, 31; 1 Cor. vii, 19; 1 John ii, 4; v, 23; Rev. xii, 17; xiv, 12; xxii, 14.

THE SABBATH.

The word Sabbath is found in the Scriptures (in its singular and plural form) 166 times; 106 times in the Old Testament, and 60 times in the New Testament. In the Old Testament the word refers as many as 81 times to the weekly Sabbath, called the Sabbath of the Lord, and the remaining 25 times it is used in reference to festival days, and sabbaths of the land.

In the New Testament the Sabbath of the Lord is mentioned 59 times, and those local sabbaths which expired by limitation, and ceased at the cross, are mentioned once.

THE SABBATH OF THE LORD.

Old Testament. Ex. xvi, 23, 25, 26, 29; xx, 8, 10, 11; xxxi, 13, 14, 15, [twice,] 16; [twice,] xxxv, 2, 3; Lev. xix, 3, 30; xxiii, 3, [twice,] 11, 15, [twice,] 16, 38; xxiv, 8; xxvi, 2; Num. xv, 32; xxviii, 9, 10; Deut. v, 12, 14, 15; 2 Kings xi, 5, 7, 9; [twice,] xvi, 18; 1 Chron. ix, 32; 2 Chron. xxiii, 4, 8; [twice,] Neh. ix, 14; x, 31; [twice,] xiii, 15, [twice,] 16, 17, 18, 19, [thrice,] 21, 22; Isa. lvi, 2, 4, 6; lviii, 13; [twice,] lxvi, 23; Jer. xvii, 21, 22, [twice,] 24, [twice,] 27; [twice,] Eze. xx, 12, 13, 16, 20, 21, 24; xxii, 8, 26; xxiii, 38; xliv, 24; xlv, 1, 4, 12; Amos viii, 5.—Total 81.

New Testament. Matt. xii, 1, 2, 5, [twice,] 8, 10, 11, 12; xxiv, 20; xxviii, 1; Mark i, 21; ii, 23, 24, 27, [twice,] 28; iii, 2, 4; vi, 2, xv, 42; xvi, 1, Luke iv, 16, 31; vi, 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9; xiii, 10, 14, [twice,] 15, 16; xiv, 1, 3, 5; xxiii, 54, 56; John v, 9, 10, 16, 18; vii, 22, 23; [twice,] ix, 14, 16; xix, 31; [twice,] Acts i, 12; xiii, 14, 27, 42, 44; xv, 21; xvi, 13; xvii, 2; xviii, 4.—Total 59.

Note.—It appears from the above that the New Testament writers speak of the Sabbath of the Lord as existing in the present dispensation, as really as the Old Testament writers speak of its existing in the former dispensation.

CEREMONIAL SABBATHS.

Old Testament. Lev. xvi, 31; xxiii, 32; [twice,] xxv, 2, 4, [twice,] 6, 8; [twice,] xxvi, 34, [twice,] 35, 43; 2 Kings iv, 23; 1 Chron. xxiii, 31; 2 Chron. ii, 4; viii, 13; xxxi, 3; xxxvi, 21; Neh. x, 33; Isa. i, 13; Lam. ii, 6; Eze. xlv, 17; xlvi, 3; Hosea ii, 11. Total 25.

New Testament. Col. ii, 16. The "days," mentioned in Rom. xiv, 5, 6, are annual feast-days. Compare with Lev. xxiii, 24-40.

(To be Continued.)