Sermon Notes PDF Moses summoned all Israel and said: Herar, Israel, the decrees and laws I declare in you hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them. (Deut. 5:1) The Beauty of Law Rule of law is one of the greatest political blessings in history, since good laws protect us from arbitrary treatment, hold back those who would exercise unjust power over us, provide us with a path to dignity, and set us free. Good laws form . God’s laws are holy, just and good (Rom. 7:12), so we are encouraged to delight in them (Psalm 119:77). But OT laws can seem strange and counter-intuitive today. How do we delight in OT law? Moses Begins his Second Sermon (Deut. 4:44-5:33) Deut. 4:44-49. Moses starts his second farewell sermon near Baal Peor under Mt. Nebo. 5:1-5. Moses presents God’s law to all the people, admonishing them to learn and obey God’s command. But with us: The commandments were written to ancient people, but for all people. Moses wants us to know that the Word of God is for us. 5:6-21. The Ten Commandments. The first three teach us to honor God; that last seven teach us to honor one another. These commandments form the basis for all other commands. In Hebrew, the commands are in the singular “you.” They are to be and not just social policies. 5:9. Punishing the children. Though each of us is responsible for our own sins, the effects of our sins last for generations. 5:15. Remember you were slaves. Note that receiving God’s law is the opposite of being a slave. God’s commands are not a burden; rather, they are good for us, and set us free! (cf., 1 John 5:3) 5:17. You shall not murder. Other OT texts make it clear that not all killing is wrong, but, rather, the taking of innocent human life. 5:25. Why should we die? A common ancient belief held that if one saw God, he/she would die. 5:33. Obedience to God brings prosperity and long life. Precept and Statute: Understanding OT Law The OT is built on timeless spiritual truths grounded in the very character of God. Behind the written law, then, are spiritual precepts (Latin: “to grasp beforehand”) that are always true. But these precepts must be expressed in temporal, local, and culture-specific statutes (Latin: “standing position”) in order to govern real-life activities. Precepts are ; statutes are . Example: A statute in a swampy area requires that dams be maintained. A statute in a desert area requires that dams be broken down. Both statutes, though in conflict, are based on the exact same precept: You cannot handle water in such a way as to harm others. Maintaining a dam in swampy areas protects a neighbor’s property from flooding; breaking a dam in a desert area provides necessary water for a neighbor. Opposite statutes, exact same precept. The statutes of the OT strike us as foreign because our culture is radically different from that of the Israelites. But these statutes were never intended to be timeless and universal—rather, as the Hebrews writer says, they are of spiritual realities (10:1). We are not bound by the statutes of the OT which were for another time. We do, however, live in its precepts. In its historical context, every OT statute expresses a just and beautiful precept. Discover the precept and delight in it. How Christians Read the Old Testament Uncover what the Old Testament meant in its historical, grammatical, and literary context. At its most basic level, a text is a written set of instructions for constructing a . So, a text means what its author intended it to mean. Understanding a text, therefore, involves constructing the mental image the author intended you to construct. To do this, we use whatever helps: historical, linguistic, literary, theological data, etc. Uncover the spiritual precept of any the text. Every text of the OT was written for spiritual reasons. So, behind every law, story, poem, or prophecy is a spiritual truth. Learn to perceive the spiritual truth behind every OT text. Bring the spiritual precept to Jesus for its full meaning. The OT only finds its full meaning in Jesus (He “fulfills” the OT). Bring each spiritual truth in an OT text to the NT, where you’ll find that truth explained and applied to you. Ex: caring for your cattle in the OT is spiritualized in the NT to mean caring for ministers. (1 Cor. 9:9-10) Circumcising the flesh in the OT is interpreted in the NT as having receptive hearts for the Word of God. (Rom. 2:28-29) Obey what you learn. You can’t fully understand the Bible until you obey it. The guy who can read a verse in every language in the world knows less about that verse than the guy who simply obeys it. Until you obey a text, . The Ten Commandments: A Bill of Rights* The Lord has the right to your exclusive loyalty. The Lord has the right to have His name honored. The Lord has the right to have sacred things honored, and everyone has the right to rest from their work. Parents have the right to be respected by their children. The next person has the right to live. The next person has the right to live sexually pure. The next person has the right to his/her property. The next person has the right for the truth to be told. The next person has the right to a secure marriage. The next person has the right to enjoy his property without worrying about you wanting it. *Adapted, Daniel Block, The Gospel According to Moses, p. 146. Faith and Law The whole OT is inspired by God and, therefore, flawless. (Psalm 19:7-14; 2 Pet. 1:20-21) The OT was written for Christians. (1 Cor. 10:11) It is our book, able to equip us for maturity in Christ. (2 Tim. 3:17) Jesus is the God of the OT. What other God would Jesus be? The statutes of the OT were for the Israelites, but the precepts behind these statutes are for all: they are holy, right, and good. (Rom. 7:14) The OT points to Jesus Himself, who fulfills (or fills full) the Law. Jesus embodies the precepts of the OT. (Matt. 5:17; Rom. 10:4) The statutes of the OT were nailed to the cross, though its precepts remain timeless. (Eph. 2:14-16) So, when we put our faith in Jesus, we uphold the Law, embracing its precepts even though we’re not bound by its statutes. (Rom. 3:31) Your notes: