Learning the Law

INTRO: When you hear the phrase “Old Testament Law,” what comes to mind?

Maybe you think of something restrictive, harsh, or outdated. Maybe your eyes glaze over at the idea of reading rules from thousands of years ago. Or maybe you think, “That’s for someone else—maybe a scholar, a lawyer, or a Bible nerd.”

But let me ask you to look at it a little differently.

Yes, there are a lot of rules in the Law. And sure, some of them sound strange. But before we roll our eyes or skip past them, consider this: God’s Law is not just about control. It’s about care. It’s not about tying people down—it’s about setting people apart.

Illustration: Think about some of the laws you’ve had to create as a parent or teacher. “Don’t eat glue.” “Don’t lick the shopping cart.” “No boogers on the couch.” These laws might sound silly—but they’re born out of love. Out of a desire to protect, shape, and help our children flourish.

That’s what we’re looking at today.

We’re zooming out to take a 30,000-foot view of Exodus 21–24. We’re going to look at why God gave these laws to Israel—and what we are to learn from them in 2025.

Let’s read Exodus 24:1-8 together. (READ/PRAY)

Exodus 24:1–8 NASB95

Then He said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall worship at a distance. “Moses alone, however, shall come near to the Lord, but they shall not come near, nor shall the people come up with him.” Then Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the Lord and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the Lord has spoken we will do!” Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. Then he arose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. He sent young men of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the Lord. Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!” So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

In Exodus 24, Moses confirms the covenant. He reads the “Book of the Covenant”—everything from Exodus 20–23—and the people say, “All the words the Lord has spoken, we will do.” Then, a covenant ceremony seals the moment with blood and worship.

That “Book of the Covenant” includes all kinds of laws—some about how to treat your neighbor, some about worship practices, and others that reflect deeper moral truths.

As we walk through this, we’ll break the Law into three main categories:

Civil Law

Ceremonial Law

Moral Law

Each has a specific function. But all of them are part of God's design to shape His people for His purposes. You see, God is preparing Israel for the promised land- He’s going to bring them into a land as His people, so He is taking this time to prepare them- to get Egypt out of them and develop them before they get into the Promised Land. (23:7-14)

So, take out your bulletin and use your sermon guide to follow along. The message is titled “Learning the Law”

1. Civil Law Directed Order (Exodus 21–23)

Civil laws were given to maintain justice and order in society. These were specific to the Israelite community, helping them live together in a way that honored God and treated others fairly.

“These are the ordinances that you are to set before them…” (Ex. 21:1)

These laws include how to deal with violence, property disputes, responsibility for animals, and how to treat servants.

Let’s look a few of them:

Exodus 21:23–24 NASB95

23 “But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

Exodus 21:33–34 NASB95

33 “If a man opens a pit, or digs a pit and does not cover it over, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34 the owner of the pit shall make restitution; he shall give money to its owner, and the dead animal shall become his.

Exodus 22:6 NASB95

6 “If a fire breaks out and spreads to thorn bushes, so that stacked grain or the standing grain or the field itself is consumed, he who started the fire shall surely make restitution.

Exodus 23:6–7 NASB95

6 “You shall not pervert the justice due to your needy brother in his dispute. 7 “Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent or the righteous, for I will not acquit the guilty.

There are more. Not the most exciting bedtime reading—but incredibly practical.

Illustration: Think of those old westerns. There’s a dusty town with no sheriff—people taking what they want, no protection for the weak, justice for sale. But when a sheriff rides into town and upholds the law, things change. The law wasn’t just about punishing people—it was about protecting people.

Do you remember how we spoke of Israel’s need for order? Moses had to adjudicate all these disputes and then Jethro counseled him to teach the people God’s values and train other leaders. Here, God was giving Moses a law that would reflect His desire for truth and justice.

That’s what the civil law did for Israel. It provided a framework for fairness and peace in a time and culture where that was rare. Order from chaos.

Today? While these specific laws may not apply to us directly, they reflect God’s heart for justice. They show us that how we treat others, how we conduct business, how we pursue fairness—all of that matters deeply to God.

In fact, much of the civil laws in America reflect these same ideals, and we even have some very specific laws that may not make sense in different contexts. But civil law brings order.

Micah 6:8 “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?”

Civil Law Directs Order: Next, we see that:

2. Ceremonial Law Developed Priorities (Exodus 23:10–19, others)

The ceremonial laws were about worship. They instructed Israel on how to relate to God—sacrifices, festivals, dietary laws, and cleanliness codes. Let’s read Ex. 23:10-19 (READ)

Exodus 23:10–19 NASB95

10 “You shall sow your land for six years and gather in its yield, 11 but on the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the needy of your people may eat; and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove. 12 “Six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you shall cease from labor so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female slave, as well as your stranger, may refresh themselves. 13 “Now concerning everything which I have said to you, be on your guard; and do not mention the name of other gods, nor let them be heard from your mouth. 14 “Three times a year you shall celebrate a feast to Me. 15 “You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the month Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. And none shall appear before Me empty-handed. 16 “Also you shall observe the Feast of the Harvest of the first fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field; also the Feast of the Ingathering at the end of the year when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field. 17 “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord God. 18 “You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread; nor is the fat of My feast to remain overnight until morning. 19 “You shall bring the choice first fruits of your soil into the house of the Lord your God. “You are not to boil a young goat in the milk of its mother.

Why all the rituals? Why all the structure?

Because God was retraining their hearts to prioritize Him.

Israel had just come out of Egypt, where gods were worshiped in all sorts of ways. God was forming a people who would worship differently. Worship that was holy, reverent, and centered on the one true God.

Further, the Law was a covenant. (24:7) Israel was God’s special possession and keeping these laws was Israel’s right & proper response to the holiness of God. Obedience demonstrated their love of God and their devotion to Him and their commitment to the covenant.

The feasts (Passover, Weeks, Tabernacles) reminded them of God’s provision and redemption. The Sabbath reminded them of God’s rhythm. The sacrifices reminded them of the cost of sin and the need for atonement.

Illustration: Have you ever had to reset your phone or computer because it was glitching? Sometimes, we need a hard reset—not just tweaks. The ceremonial law was Israel’s spiritual reset. God was aligning their hearts to know who He is and how to worship rightly.

Today? We no longer live under ceremonial law because Jesus fulfilled it (Hebrews 10:1-14). But the principles behind it remain.

Worship matters. Are you intentional about your worship? (3 feasts- week-long! It was a big deal!)

God deserves reverence. Jesus said, John 14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (How much more does God deserve than musicians, sports teams, etc.)

We still need rhythms of rest and celebration.

John 4:23 — “The true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.”

Our lives should reflect hearts centered on God. This is part of our great testimony as a people set apart. Our priorities reveal our worship. The civil law directed order, ceremonial law developed priorities, and finally:

3. Moral Law Defined Values

The moral laws, like the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20), transcend time and culture. They are rooted in God’s character and reflect how He wants us to live in relationship with Him and others.

Jesus said, when speaking of the Law in Matt. 22:36-40

Matthew 22:36–40 NASB95

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 “This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 “The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

We look at the moral law as the “do not steal,” “do not lie,” “do not commit adultery” kinds of laws. They are eternal truths.

Why are they still relevant? Because God doesn’t change. His heart for holiness, justice, and love doesn’t evolve with trends. These laws are not arbitrary—they’re an extension of His very nature.

Illustration: Imagine a carpenter building with a crooked ruler. Over time, every cut gets a little more off. That’s what happens when we don’t live by moral standards grounded in God’s truth.

These moral laws are for our good. They show us how to love God and love neighbor. But they are more than behavior guides, they are guides to reveal God’s character and heart. The apostle Paul explained that the Law is our tutor that leads us to see our need for a Savior because we can’t keep them perfectly.

Romans 3:20 “because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.”

Today? The moral law points us to Jesus—who not only fulfilled the law but also empowers us, by the Spirit, to walk in it.

Galatians 5:14 “For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.””

CONCLUSION:

So why does this matter in 2025?

Because God is still shaping a people who are set apart—who live differently, love deeply, and worship truly.

Civil law reminds us that justice matters to God- it must matter to His people.

The way we live among others

Ceremonial law reminds us that worship matters.

When we worship with the right priorities, we demonstrate our faith

Moral law reminds us that holiness matters.

We are sinful people and our dependence upon Jesus

And Jesus is the fulfillment of all three. He is the justice-bringer, the perfect priest, the sinless Savior.

So today, we don’t obey out of fear—but out of love. We don’t follow rules to earn salvation—but because we’ve been saved.

Let me close with this:

Exodus 24:7 — “All that the Lord has spoken, we will do, and we will be obedient.”

That was Israel’s response to God’s law. What will our response be?

Discuss: In what ways did the civil laws in Exodus 21–23 bring justice and order to Israel’s community? How do these laws reflect God's concern for fairness, protection of the vulnerable, and accountability?

Discuss: What was the purpose of ceremonial laws such as feasts, sacrifices, and cleanliness codes for the Israelites?

Discuss: How does the moral law reveal both God’s character and our need for a Savior?

Discuss: How does Jesus’ fulfillment of the law change the way you read and apply the Old Testament today?