Defining the Relationship: God the Law and the People of God

Intro: Good morning FE, weather you are here in person or joining us online, we are glad that you are here with us today.

We have been going through the book of Exodus, and we have seen the Lord call Moses to deliver the people of Israel from Pharoah. we have seen the Lord harden the heart of Pharoah and the judgement of God fall upon Isreal, with a mighty hand of God using Moses and Aaron to proclaim judgement. After the 10th and final plague, the people of Israel are driven out of Egypt, but the Lord hardens the heart of Pharoah and the people of Egypt and they come after him. The people come to the Red Sea and they are afraid because they see the army of Pharoah coming after them. They went to Moses in fear and Moses goes to God, and God says “Why are you crying to me? Keep going forward. Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, so that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground”. The pillar of cloud that was in front of them moved behind them and came betwen the people of Egypt, allowing them to cross the Red Sea, when the Israel crossed Egypt followed them and the Lord closed the sea on the Egyptians, saving the people of Israel. Remember, God called Moses to deliver Israel to bring them into the wilderness, to worship the Lord. As we seen last week, as they were traveling the Lord began to test them, we have three tests and three failures. The people of Israel, after have seen the plagues, have seen the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of Fire by night, they have seen the Red Sea open and they crossed on dry ground and closed up on the Egyptians. Yet they still doubted the Lord. They have seen the Lord move, they have seen his miracles, yet they have not seen the Lord. The people of Israel are having a disciple Thomas experience, The disciple of Jesus known as Thomas, when he heard of Jesus’ resurrection, couldn’t believe, he had to see it and touch it, which he did when Jesus appeared to him, and what did Jesus say, blessed are those who have not seen, yet still believe.”

The Israelites arrive to the wilderness of Sinai and the encamp around the Mount Sinai, and it is here when the people get to see a manifestation of the Lord’s presence, it is here where the Lord defines the relationship between the people of Israel, The Lord by establishing a covenant with them and giving them what we know now as the ten commandments and the Mosaic Law.

Some truths we need to remember as we come to our passage today.

1. The commandments revealed is and expression of God’s grace towards Israel and us.

2. The commandments are an expression of freedom, not a return to slavery.

This is an important point here especially in our culture. Ever since the fall of man, humanity and creation has been in chaos, sin has been progressing. We have to recognize this is not good, this is not how we were created to live. When God gives the people the ten commandments it is a return to how we were intended to live, it is God bringing order to chaos. I love aquariums and watching fish swim, but if we were to take a fish out of the war so they can be free to live on land, what happens to the fish?

It will die. We were created to be in relationship with God, we were designed by God to worship and live for him. But because of sin, like the fish, we are dead, because we are taken out of our natural habitat of relating and worshipping God. God with the ten commandments is giving man the an opportunity to return to this freedom.

As we come to this passage, there are many questions we can ask, but here are a few we can address today; Was Israel saved by the law? What is the purpose of the law? Why is the law important today?

I. Was Israel Saved By The Law?

Some of us may think or believe that the people of Israel was saved by obedience to the law. Is this true? When they come to Mount Sinai, we read in

Exodus 19:3–6 (ESV)

while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves 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, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

When you read this passage, what comes first salvation or obedience?

Salvation, listen to the words of the Lord, “You yourselves seen what I did to the Egyptians, how I bore you on eagles wings and brought you to myself” This is nothing but the grace of God on the people of Israel, the Lord delivered them from Egypt, the Lord has saved them, he chose them, he brought them to himself. The people of Israel were saved by the grace of the Lord and nothing else.

The Lord is bringing them to this mountain to reveal himself to them. The Lord brings the people to the mountain so that he can began to reveal himself to the people of Israel. Look at what the Lord tells Moses to tell the people

Exodus 19:9–13 (ESV)

And the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever.”

When Moses told the words of the people to the Lord, the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments and be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. And you shall set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death. No hand shall touch him, but he shall be stoned or shot; whether beast or man, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.”

The Lord wanted to show the people his holiness, his grandeur, his greatness, and his glory. But in order to do this the people had to consecrate themselves, they had to wash their clothes, they had to set limits they could not cross or they would die before the presence of the Lord. The Lord saved them by grace and now he is going to define the relationship between the Lord and His people by giving them the Law and establishing a covenant with them. The Lord saves by his grace and then transforms the life, this is always how it has worked, no one has ever been saved by the law or by doing good works.

Galatians 2:16 (ESV)

because by works of the law no one will be justified.

When Moses was given the law, he was given two tablets, do you know why two tablets? In the ANE, when two nations entered in a covenant together, they each recieved a copy of the covenant. When God created the two tablets one was for the Lord the other for the people of Israel, Where did the Lord instruct Moses to put the two tablets in the ark of the covenant and what was on top of the ark of the covenant, the mercy seat. The Lord knew the people would not be able to fulfill the covenant, and instructs moses to put both tablets and place them in the ark, it is through my mercy and grace and I will be responsible to one day fulfill this covenant.

II. So why did God give the law? If we are not saved by the law, then what is the purpose of the law?

I do not want to assume we all know the 10 commandments, so before we look into this question lets read

Exodus 20:1–17 (ESV)

And God spoke all these words, saying,

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

“You shall have no other gods before me.

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

“You shall not murder.

“You shall not commit adultery.

“You shall not steal.

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

Every law created in the Torah, which is the books of the law, the first five books of the Bible which we call the pentateuch, the root of all those laws are from these 10 commandments. The people of Isreal had dietary laws, they had ceremonial laws, they had civil laws and all of those laws have their root in one of these ten commandments. When you read Exodus chapters 21-23, you read various laws concerning various situations, these laws are given, help govern the civil, social and religious life of the nation of Israel. From here on out when I speak about the law, I am not talking about the ceremonial laws, which are the sacrifices and feasts, I am also not talking about the dietary laws, we no longer sacrifice animals for sin because Jesus is our sacrificial lamb, we know longer follow the dietary laws because the Lord has made them clean Acts 10. From now on when I speak about the Law I am speaking about the moral law of God given in the 10 commandments.

Why did God give the law?

The Law Helps Keep Sin Under Control

One of the reasons the law was given is it helps keep sin under control through fear of the consequences you may receive for breaking the law. For example, you are driving down the highway, the speed limit is 65, but you are driving 80, in the distance you see a state trooper just sitting on the side of the road, what do you do? Right! You slow down to the speed limit in fear of the consequences.

This is one of the reasons God gives the law, to help keep sin under control. Does the law do anything to change the heart of man? No, absolutely not this is Paul’s argument in Romans 1-3. That the Gentiles do not have the law, but based on their conscience do some of the things written in the law

Romans 2:14–15 ESV

For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them

and yet the Jews who had the law did not keep the law. Why? because we are all sinners and we all far short of the glory of God. The law couldn’t change our hearts, but one of the reasons it was given is so we could try and control or restrain sin in fear of the consequences. Do you think someone thought twice of committing adultery if they were caught they would be stoned to death? Do think someone thought twice about dishonoring their parents if they knew they would be stoned to death if they did? Yes! that is one of the purposes of the law here and one of their purposes of having laws in every society to help keep the sin of man in check.

The Law is a Mirror Which Reveals Sin

We know the law can not change the human heart, but what the law does do, is reveal we are sinners.

James 1:22–25 ESV

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

Why do we look in the mirror? Because we do not want to go out in public looking crazy. When I was a driver, my house was on the route I worked and I used to go home from lunch. Well one time when I went home, I ate and took a nap. When it was time to go back to work I left and a few hours later I was driving and my finger nails caught my eyes, they were real shiny. I started to realize that my girls painted clear nail polish on my finger nails. When I focused on the I discovered what they did. It is the same with the law of God, when we filter our lives through the law of God, it reveals the sin in our lives, it reveals we are sinners in need of a saviour. You may think, but Josh I am a good person. But you know what James says,

James 2:10 ESV

For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.

If you keep the whole law but tell a lie, you are guilty of breaking all of it. If you keep the whole law but covet something your neighbor has, you are guilty of breaking all of it. When the Bible says there is no one righteous, it speaks truth and the reason we know it speaks truth is because of the Law of God that he has given proves we are sinful people.

The Law is a Map, it Shows us How to Honor a Holy God

The people of Israel are here before the mount Sinai and Moses and Aaron go up the mountain. The people are seeing the lightning, they hear the thunder, the mountain is smoking and shaking. They are experincing the presence of a holy God. It at this time the Lord speaks from heaven and what does he speak, the 10 commandments, he speaks the law. He gives the people of God a road map on how to please a holy God. So in essence, the law of God is holy and precious, go home and read Psalms 119 and you will discover what the Lord things about the law he has given.

There are some who may downplay the law of God because we are under grace. But what does Paul say in Romans 6, “should we sin more because we are not under the law but under grace? Absolutely not!” Did you know that every command except for the Sabbath is repeated in the New Testament? Grace doesn’t nullify the Law, grace compels us through the power of the Spirit to live in obedience to God’s holy law, to become servants of righteousness.

I like the way Jen Wilkin “When you are an unbeliever the Law points to your need for grace. When you are a believer grace points to your need for the law.” The law reveals our sin and our need for the saving work of Christ. When Christ saves us through grace, he empowers us through the Spirit to live holy lives by keeping the commands from the Scripture.

Jesus told us that Love the Lord and loving our neighbor are the two greatest commandments, but how do we love God and how doe we love our neighbor? The 10 commandments show us how.

Jesus also said

Matthew 5:48 (ESV)

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Jesus said this after speaking about some of the 10 commandments. He was showing that sin starts in the heart, anger unchecked can lead to murder, lust unchecked leads to adultery. If you can excuse it in your heart in mind, you are one step away from excusing the action. Then he said you must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Some take this word for perfection and say it means maturity, which depending on the context of the passage it can mean maturity. In this context, the context of the sermon on the mount and the law of God. I think Jesus is talking about moral perfection. He is telling those around him they must be morally perfect just like God. Jesus is telling us we must be morally perfect just like God. Why would Jesus say this knowing it is impossible?

Jesus says this because everyone listening would know and understand the impossibility of perfection like a holy God. Jesus wants them to recognize he wants us to recognize that we are sinners and unable to save ourselves, we need a saviour, our saviour is Jesus.

Just a few verses earlier Jesus said

Matthew 5:17–20 (ESV)

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus said I have not come to abolish the law, I have come to fulfill the law. This one of the greatest blessings of salvation in Jesus. Jesus fulfilled the law perfectly because we could not. Jesus’ obedience to the law becomes our obedience to the law, do you know how you can be perfect like your heavenly Father is perfect, by recognizing you are a sinner, repenting of your sins and trusting in Jesus. When you trust in Christ as your Lord and Saviour, his obedience, his righteousness becomes your obedience and your righteousness. You sins are forgiven and cleansed.

If you are a believer here today, When you come to the Lord the veil is removed and you are free, listen to what Paul says

2 Corinthians 3:16–18 (ESV)

But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Those of us who are following Christ, we can see the truth and we are free to follow Jesus, because we are liberated from sin like the Lord liberated Israel from Egypt. Paul continues to say we come with unveiled face beholding the Glory of the Lord and we see the glory of the Lord we are transformed from one degree of glory to another. God transforms us when we behold his glory. But how can we the people of God the church behold his glory today?

Peter was writing to some persecuted churches he tells them we are not making these stories up, we are not following myths, look I was an eyewitness of the Majesty of Christ on the holy mountain, I heard the voice of the father say “this is my beloved son” we were with Jesus on the mountain. After telling the churches this he says,

2 Peter 1:19–21 (ESV)

And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Are you listening to the words of God this morning? The words written by Moses, Paul, Peter through the Spirit of God, Peter says “we have the prophetic word more fully conformed, pay attention!” because God’s word is a lamp shining in a dark place, the words of God in this book is the glory of the Lord which more fully confirmed to us and when we read the glory of the Lord in this book, including the law we are transformed form glory to glory. Are you reading the glory of God or does it collect dust on your shelf?