God’s Covenant and Law

MEMORY VERSE: “And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.” —Exodus 20:20

EXODUS 19:3-8, 16, 17; 20:18-20

GOD entered into a covenant with the Israelites at Mt. Sinai. The covenant was based upon the Law, as epitomized in the Ten Commandments. The Israelites agreed to keep this Law, which, as later developments indicate, they did only partially and intermittently. God’s part of the Law Covenant was two-fold. (1) He promised that those who kept the Law faithfully and inviolate would gain life. (Lev. 18:5) (2) God also promised that through obedience to the Law the nation of Israel would become a holy nation and “a kingdom of priests.”—Exod. 19:6

Because of their unfaithfulness and imperfection the Israelites failed to gain either of these rewards. In his foreknowledge God knew that they would fail, but this did not interfere with the outworking of his plan. Paul wrote, “The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ.” (Gal. 3:24) The Law demonstrated that no member of the fallen adamic race could keep God’s Law perfectly and thereby gain life, hence it taught the necessity of a Redeemer. A minority of the Israelites, beginning with Jesus and at Pentecost, learned the lesson which the “schoolmaster” taught, and by faith accepted the provision of life made for them through Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all.—I Tim. 2:3-5

Paul mentions another purpose served by the Law. We quote: “Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made.” (Gal. 3:19) While the Israelites failed to live up to the requirements of the Law it did serve sufficiently as a deterrent to sin to help preserve them as a people until the coming of Jesus, the true “Seed” of promise.

The Apostle John wrote concerning Jesus, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:11,12) In keeping with our memory verse, each generation of the Israelites was tested by the Law, and every generation failed. The final test came upon the generation of Jesus’ day, and again they failed; although in every generation there were faithful individuals who, through faith, received God’s approval. Those in Jesus’ day who received him became the nucleus of the house of sons of the Gospel Age.

Through Moses, the Lord said to the Israelites, “If ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.” (Exod. 19:5,6) Note that this promise was conditional upon obedience to God and to his Law. Because of their disobedience the Israelites as a nation failed to qualify for the high station in the divine plan which this promise outlines. Jesus said to the Israelites of his day, “The kingdom of God shall he taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.”—Matt. 21:43

The Apostle Peter identifies the “nation” to which the kingdom was given when it was taken from natural Israel. We quote, “Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; … which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”—I Pet. 2:9,10

Peter’s statement, “Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God,” identifies those of whom he is speaking as Gentiles, although there was a nucleus of Israelites among them; that is, those who accepted Christ and obeyed the Gospel. It is through faith that the Gentiles who are baptized into Christ become heirs of the promise made to Abraham.

QUESTIONS

What did God promise the Israelites under the Law?

What purposes were served by the Law?

What is the “nation” to which the kingdom was given when the Israelites proved unworthy?

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