REMEMBER YE THE LAW OF MOSES
USA
The anarchist declares governments are unecessary, for he regards the restraints imposed upon him by the administration of law tyrannical. But opposition to the administration of law is not confined to the anarchists for there are many Christians who are in rebellion to Divine Law. While they admit the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount embody the ultimate ideal for Christian conduct, in actual practice they deny the need of strict obedience to the Law of the Lord which God enjoined His Kingdom people to administer. These are the perfect laws of righteousness which Israel received as their national constitution at Mount Sinai. Despite the prattle of those who, in one way or another, undertake to do away with the law, there will be no righteousness in any nation where the provisions set forth in the commandments, statutes and judgments of the Lord are ignored. No nation is free from the possibility of oppression and tyranny, where the principles expressed in His law, are ignored.
Just as it is essential for men to observe the God given laws of moral conduct, so, too, it is imperative for a nation to observe the statutes and judgments of the Lord if there is to be righteousness in administration. Because these laws will never execute themselves, God organized His kingdom at Mount Sinai with a government whose primary purpose was the administration of His laws. A full discussion of the organization of this Kingdom, its laws and their administration is given in the book Digest of the Divine Law* but because there are those who, though they believe in the proclamation of the Gospel of the Kingdom, are now teaching against its laws, attention is once more being called to the need of giving heed to His commandment. The very fact that the Gospel of the Kingdom now being proclaimed is in itself evidence that the call is going out: “Remember ye the law of Moses!” The continuity of the Kingdom itself is predicate upon the administration of the commandment statutes and judgments of the Lord.
We can understand the opposition of theologians and ecclesiastical leaders to these great truths of Scripture, for they are blind to its fundamental tenets concerning His Kingdom and the people of that Kingdom, as well as their identity and responsibility. However, in the light of the plentiful Scriptural declarations which maintain that the administration of His laws is essential to the establishment of righteousness in His Kingdom, it is difficult to understand the mental quirk of those who, knowing the people of the Kingdom, fail to recognize their responsibility to administer these laws of righteousness. Such men are treading upon very dangerous ground for, having come into a knowledge of the Kingdom and its functions, they may be found to be fighting against God in their opposition to the restoration of the administration of its laws.
There are four great bodies of law given in the Bible. They are laws contained in commandments, laws set forth in statutes, laws governing judgments and laws contained in ordinances. The ordinances, which were confined to the laws of sacrifice for sin and atonement, were all fulfilled in the sacrificial death on Calvary’s cross of Jesus Christ, who carried out their requirements in full. Nevertheless, no man or nation is set free from keeping the commandments, statutes and judgments of the Lord.
As there can be no justice apart from the law, so, too, there can be no righteousness without justice, for righteousness is the justice of the law. Jesus looked forward to the day when the righteousness of the – administration of t e Kingdom laws would bring the promised blessings when He said:
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)
Those who advocate the abolition of the law forget that if there is no law sin cannot exist, “for sin is the transgression of the law” (I John 3:4). In his rendering of this passage Ferrar Fenton shows that sin is broken law. Because this is so, Jesus condemned all who would teach disobedience to the law:
“Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:19)
Moffatt gives a most interesting rendering of this and the preceding verse:
“I tell you truly, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a comma, will pass from the Law until it is all in force. Therefore whoever relaxes a single one of these commands, were it even one of the least, and teaches men so, he will be ranked least in the Realm of heaven; but whoever obeys them and teaches them, he will be ranked great in the Realm of heaven.”
Not only did Jesus assert the need of keeping even the least of the laws if we want to occupy a place of greatness in the Kingdom, but the whole theme of the prophets was the expectancy of the great day of the restoration of Israel, at which time one of the major objectives would be the observance of all His laws. Then will be fulfilled:
”And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off.” (Micah 4:2-3)
This pictures a condition in the time of restoration far removed from the conditions which would prevail if the pronouncements of those who declare the Law of the Lord is of no use now were to prevail. When the Law of the Lord is administered from Zion, the nations will come to the House of Jacob to be taught its precepts in order that they may learn the ways of righteousness and walk in the paths of peace. If obedience to God’s laws will bring peace to heathen peoples in the Kingdom of God, why should anyone suppose for a moment that it will accomplish less than that now, as well as later, for the people of His Kingdom?
When Israel is cleansed of all their filthiness and from their idols, and a new heart is given them, the Lord declares:
”And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” (Ezekiel 36:27)
When the antagonists which have been responsible for the divisions among His people are at last removed, and all Israel joins together to obey His laws, the Lord declares He will be their God:
”And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.” (Ezekiel 37:24)
It was because Abraham obeyed the voice of the Lord, kept His charge, His commandments, statute and laws that the covenant was passed on to Isaac (Genesis 26:5). This was long before Israel received the commission as His Kingdom at Mount Sinai. God has never abrogated the law and the commandments are just as much in force today as they were in Abraham’s day. The penalties for law violation have continued to operate whether Israel administered the law or not. Any man who today violates the provisions of the law, as set forth in the ten commandments, suffers from the resulting penalty. Today, our national violation of the statutes and judgments of the Lord is responsible for our present economic problems and national  troubles.
Israel was carried away into Assyrian captivity because they had rejected His statutes and the covenant which God had made with their forefathers (II Kings 17:15-16). This is Israel’s sin and, as long as the people continue in their refusal to obey all His laws, they are a sinful people. Because this is so, Isaiah declares:
“Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” (Isaiah 58:1)
What are our national transgressions and sins? Are they not our departure as a people from the observance of all His laws? The following is quoted from Digest of the Divine Law, pages 11-12:
“It has been the continued uninterrupted operation of the immutable laws of life that has made possible the existence of the human race. In fact, law is so essential to our very existence that life itself came into being as the result of the operation of law. But the operation of law is not confined to physical existence alone. Our very health and prosperity, with every act and need of man, individually, and socially, are all governed by Law; and if we keep and observe these laws, all their benefits will accrue to us, while if we violate them, here will follow inevitable retribution and suffering.
When men come to a full realization of these facts they will willingly apply themselves to understanding these laws so that in the knowledge of their operation and in obedience to them they may secure a blessing.
The many and varied problems of administration which has so troubled and perplexed mankind will find a solution in their observance.
Chaos in the physical, spiritual and economic life of man is evidence that there has been a failure to observe and keep the orderly laws of peace. A perusal of both past and present records of human history reveals chaotic conditions, with mankind afflicted with crime, violence and war; while revolution, famine and disease have taken their toll of life. Such evil conditions can only exist where there has been a violation of the perfect laws of life, the keeping of which will bring results far from chaotic.
Creation is an orderly process, while chaos results from the failure of man to observe and keep the way of peace. Life at its best, with all the blessings of peace, results from keeping the positive commands of God and refraining from violating the negative injunctions.
The law of the Lord was made known to man from the very beginning of human history. This was so or else man would have had no guide to prosperity and peace. All the evidence of history and every factor of life continually demonstrates that the keeping of perfect laws is the very essence of a happy and enduring existence. And so it behoves us, if we would have perfection in living, to know them!”
A perusal of the above book will clearly demonstrate to the mind of an unprejudiced and truth seeking individual, the absolute need of the restoration of the administration of the Divine Law if righteousness is to be established upon earth.
Malachi declares:
“Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes andjudgments.” (Malachi 4:4)
The proclamation which follows this statement is a clear indication that the Elijah message is a call for the restoration of the law and its administration. This call was to go out just before the events of the great and terrible Day of the Lord. Personally, we would not want to be in the position of those who today advocate ignoring the law as non-essential. Those of that inclination can be classified with the modern false prophets who purport to speak in the name of the Lord whereas He has not sent them to His people with any such message. Their contentions are contrary to the testimony of all the prophets and out of line with the declaration of the Psalmist:
“I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” (Psalm 119:16-18)
This entire Psalm is devoted to the need of keeping the Law of the Lord. The very first Psalm demonstrates the blessing that will come to those who keep His laws:
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful, But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”
Turning to the nineteenth Psalm we read:
“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.” (Psalm 19:7-11)
There are those who know we are Israel, yet who are deliberately refusing, as Israel refused of old, to recognize our great national sin, the failure to obey the commandments, statutes and judgments of the Lord. They are willing to give up the “great reward ” of which the Psalmist was speaking and to which Jesus referred when he admonished that even the least of the laws must be kept if one would receive the blessing of occupying a place of greatness in the Kingdom .
Let those who are today teaching against the law reconsider the entire subject in the light of the utterances of Jesus and the prophets. May they give due consideration to Scriptural doctrines concerning the Kingdom and the administration of its laws that they may not find themselves in the unfortunate position of those of whom Gamaliel was speaking when he said:
“But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.” (Acts 5:39)
When the Kingdom was organized at Mount Sinai, its very existence and continuity rested upon the administration of the Divine Law and in the day of its restoration the perfection of its operation will again rest upon the faithful administration of that law.
PREPARATIONS FOR RULERSHIP
As a result of the rejection of the Lord by the Nation of the Jews, Jesus founded His Church during His ministry upon the earth, the members of which were to become a light to divorced Israel (the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” – Matthew 10:6) to prepare the way for the acceptance of the redemption wrought for them and their reinstatement in covenant relationship with their God.
Ultimately, Israel will again be entrusted with the righteous administration of the affairs of the Kingdom, for a full demonstration of the perfection of the Law of the Lord will be made during the millennial age. The question arises: In what way will all this come to pass?
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