- Jun 29, 2019
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First, some things may have to be put in perspective. Genesis 12:7 says, “...the LORD appeared to Abram [whom God later calls “Abraham”] and said, ‘To your offspring I will give this land.’...” At this point in the Bible, “offspring” refers to Abraham’s descendants. This is before Lord Jesus comes on the scene, and it is even before the Law God crafted for the Hebrews who come into the land God promises to their forefather Abraham. At this point in time, God gives Abraham and his descendants a low bar of discipline, as if Abraham’s descendants would place their faith in God as Abraham did.
Compared to the Hebrews, Abraham did not have to do much to show that his faith in God exists, since he merely had to show that he was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac to prove his faith in Him, as implied by James 2:20-21. God, upon seeing that Abraham would go that far, or, to the point of some, upon SHOWING ABRAHAM THAT ABRAHAM WAS WILLING TO GO THAT FAR, to show his faith in Him, effectively anoints Abraham and his offspring to carry God’s banner in their faith in Him, and in return they get land to settle on, amidst people who may be hostile to them, and they will be blessed.
By the time the Book of Exodus comes along, God sees that Abraham’s offspring the Hebrews have strayed from their faith in Him, and He’s seen enough. So, when they are enslaved in Egypt and cry up to Him, He makes a decision. He frees the Hebrews from Egypt, but in exchange He requires that they abide by 500 some-odd Laws, with the most important being the Ten Commandments. In a sense, abiding by the Law is a function of works. Considering at this point how far Abraham’s offspring have strayed from God, that it would require more than just offering up their first-born sons as sacrifices to Him to show their faith, such works have now been expanded to abiding by hundreds of Laws to show their faith and to focus their faith on Him.
In another sense, the Laws may be seen as a form of discipline for the Hebrews so as to not go astray from God. Which brings us to the Marines. What are some things you first have to do to show you’re a marine and stay poised as a marine? You are required to wear the uniform, keep your shoes shined, your bed made, march, master obstacles course, salute to your superiors and do whatever else you’re told. So, just as you are required to do these things to show you’re a marine, the Hebrews were required to abide by the Laws, every which one however insignificant they may appear to be, to show their faith in God. Just as in the Marines you’re required to do things like make your bed, however insignificant you may believe this is to show you’re a marine, the Laws to the Hebrews, just like the rules to the marines, were to be complied with in total, and not to pick and choose the ones to abide by.
The comparison to the marines may not be farfetched, for are we not an army of God, whom we abide in and stand against the evil in the world with God as our sword and shield?
But God saw the Laws were not enough to keep the faith of the Hebrews in Him to his liking. And perhaps He may have been disappointed that His Word had not spread beyond the Hebrews, for does not the Bible say the heavens declare God’s Glory, and does not Leviticus 19:34 say to love strangers as we move ourselves, implying that those strangers would believe in God as Abraham’s offspring would?
So God, seeing that under his rules the mankind he created was in danger of never dwelling in His House, sends Lord Jesus to save the world. Jesus says he has come to fulfill the Law, and he comes to spread the word to other people, that all may be saved. He takes it upon himself to fulfill the 500 some-odd Laws, so we don’t need to. But, perhaps, to ensure that our faith in God is established among all people and doesn’t waiver, and maybe in recognition that people need some form of discipline, he gives us two commandments to abide by...that we love God with all our heart, soul and mind and we love eachother as we love ourselves. And he establishes through his disciples that the Promise God made to Abraham was meant not just for his lineage, but for all who would have faith in God. So by virtue of Galatians 3:29, anyone who is in Christ are heirs according to the Promise God made to Abraham. In that sense, Lord Jesus accomplishes what Leviticus 19:34 could not, which was to extend the faith in God to strangers the world over.
As for the marines, just as each marine establishes themselves as such through their valor in war, bringing them beyond the requirements such as shining their shoes and making their beds, our faith in God was meant to go beyond abiding by all the Laws of the Old Testament, to the point where our faith in Him, and the valor that that faith would imply, is no longer in need of discipline. Revelation 22:3-5 says “No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. THEY WILL NEED NO LIGHT OF LAMP OR SUN, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”
Compared to the Hebrews, Abraham did not have to do much to show that his faith in God exists, since he merely had to show that he was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac to prove his faith in Him, as implied by James 2:20-21. God, upon seeing that Abraham would go that far, or, to the point of some, upon SHOWING ABRAHAM THAT ABRAHAM WAS WILLING TO GO THAT FAR, to show his faith in Him, effectively anoints Abraham and his offspring to carry God’s banner in their faith in Him, and in return they get land to settle on, amidst people who may be hostile to them, and they will be blessed.
By the time the Book of Exodus comes along, God sees that Abraham’s offspring the Hebrews have strayed from their faith in Him, and He’s seen enough. So, when they are enslaved in Egypt and cry up to Him, He makes a decision. He frees the Hebrews from Egypt, but in exchange He requires that they abide by 500 some-odd Laws, with the most important being the Ten Commandments. In a sense, abiding by the Law is a function of works. Considering at this point how far Abraham’s offspring have strayed from God, that it would require more than just offering up their first-born sons as sacrifices to Him to show their faith, such works have now been expanded to abiding by hundreds of Laws to show their faith and to focus their faith on Him.
In another sense, the Laws may be seen as a form of discipline for the Hebrews so as to not go astray from God. Which brings us to the Marines. What are some things you first have to do to show you’re a marine and stay poised as a marine? You are required to wear the uniform, keep your shoes shined, your bed made, march, master obstacles course, salute to your superiors and do whatever else you’re told. So, just as you are required to do these things to show you’re a marine, the Hebrews were required to abide by the Laws, every which one however insignificant they may appear to be, to show their faith in God. Just as in the Marines you’re required to do things like make your bed, however insignificant you may believe this is to show you’re a marine, the Laws to the Hebrews, just like the rules to the marines, were to be complied with in total, and not to pick and choose the ones to abide by.
The comparison to the marines may not be farfetched, for are we not an army of God, whom we abide in and stand against the evil in the world with God as our sword and shield?
But God saw the Laws were not enough to keep the faith of the Hebrews in Him to his liking. And perhaps He may have been disappointed that His Word had not spread beyond the Hebrews, for does not the Bible say the heavens declare God’s Glory, and does not Leviticus 19:34 say to love strangers as we move ourselves, implying that those strangers would believe in God as Abraham’s offspring would?
So God, seeing that under his rules the mankind he created was in danger of never dwelling in His House, sends Lord Jesus to save the world. Jesus says he has come to fulfill the Law, and he comes to spread the word to other people, that all may be saved. He takes it upon himself to fulfill the 500 some-odd Laws, so we don’t need to. But, perhaps, to ensure that our faith in God is established among all people and doesn’t waiver, and maybe in recognition that people need some form of discipline, he gives us two commandments to abide by...that we love God with all our heart, soul and mind and we love eachother as we love ourselves. And he establishes through his disciples that the Promise God made to Abraham was meant not just for his lineage, but for all who would have faith in God. So by virtue of Galatians 3:29, anyone who is in Christ are heirs according to the Promise God made to Abraham. In that sense, Lord Jesus accomplishes what Leviticus 19:34 could not, which was to extend the faith in God to strangers the world over.
As for the marines, just as each marine establishes themselves as such through their valor in war, bringing them beyond the requirements such as shining their shoes and making their beds, our faith in God was meant to go beyond abiding by all the Laws of the Old Testament, to the point where our faith in Him, and the valor that that faith would imply, is no longer in need of discipline. Revelation 22:3-5 says “No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. THEY WILL NEED NO LIGHT OF LAMP OR SUN, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”
