Taking a brief look at the LAW OF THE ORDINANCES
These Scriptures are referring to the Ten Commandments which is the most powerful doctrine in the Bible.
1st John 3:4, Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Romans 7:7, What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
The Ten Commandments were written by God on tables of stone and were given to Moses to be placed inside the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant was a rectangular shaped box made from shittim wood and overlaid with gold. On top of it was the Mercy Seat. The laws written by Moses which are called the Laws of the Ordinances were written in a book and placed in the side of the Ark on the outside.
The Ten Commandments are different from the laws written by Moses which are called the Laws of the Ordinances. The Ten Commandments were given to every human and God expects everyone to live in total obedience to them. The Ten Commandments are also called The Law of Liberty, The Royal Law and The Moral Laws. These Laws were instituted by God as way marks and guidelines for Believers. If we obey them we are assured of everlasting life. Revelation 22:14 states, Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
From the Laws of the Ten Commandments, we get knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20 tells us that by the law is the knowledge of sin. In Psalm 119:142 and 172 we are told that the Commandments are righteousness and truth. Psalm 111: 7-8 tells us that God’s Laws will live forever and ever. James 2:10 reminds us that if we break one, we are guilty of all.
The Law of the Ordinances which were added because of man’s disobedience to God’s Ten Commandments includes the laws of rituals and sacrifices. The sacrifices include animal sacrifices which were used to atone for sins. The blood of animals could not perfectly atone for the sins of humanity. Therefore, Jesus came and died on the cross so that His perfect sacrifice could atone and redeem us from our sins.
Hebrews 7:23-27 tells us about the eternal and excellent priesthood and sacrifice of Jesus. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
But this Man, because He continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.
For such an High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for His own sins, and then for the people's: for this He did once, when He offered up Himself.
Yes, Jesus became our High Priest; therefore, we have no need of an earthly priest to make sacrifices for us. We have no further need for the blood of animals or any other sacrifice to connect us to God, our Father. You don’t have to slay the lamb anymore, You don’t have to put the blood on the door, Someone has taken the place of the lamb, Jesus the Great I am.
Yes, Jesus put an end to the Laws of Ordinances which were a burden to us. Whereas 1st John 5:3 tells us, For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
Colossians 2:14 tells us that the Laws of the Ordinances were against us.
When Jesus was dying on the cross the curtain in the Temple which separated Holy Place (the Sanctuary) from the Most Holy (the part of the Sanctuary where atonement was made annually) was torn in two. For the first time every eye could behold what was behind the curtain. Matthew 27: 51 says, And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent. Animal blood could no longer atone for sins.
Let us examine a few Scriptures which will educate us about the Laws of the Ordinances.
God wrote the Ten Commandments twice, the first time He hewed the stone Himself and wrote on it. When it was broken by Moses, He told Moses to hew the stones and take it to Him.
Deuteronomy 10:1-5 At that time the Lord said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto Me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood.
And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark.
And I made an ark of shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand.
And He wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the Ten Commandments, which the Lord spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the Lord gave them unto me.
And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the Lord commanded me.
Moses wrote the Laws of the Covenant as He was inspired or told by God.
Deuteronomy 31;9-11,24-26, And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and unto all the elders of Israel.
And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the Feast of Tabernacles,
When all Israel is come to appear before the Lord thy God in the place which He shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing.
And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished,
That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, saying,
Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.
What is Said About The Laws of the Ordinances?
Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace; Ephesians 2:15
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross; Colossians 2:14
And they removed the burnt offerings, that they might give according to the divisions of the families of the people, to offer unto the Lord, as it is written in the book of Moses. And so did they with the oxen. 2nd Chronicles 35:12
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: Galatians 3:13
Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. Galatians 3:19
And He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me. Luke 24:44
If a man on the Sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day? John 7:23
Galatians 3:24-25 -Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Yes, some of the laws which Moses wrote in a book were oppressive and strict. It was so restrictive that it did not show the awesome love and mercy of God. Jesus came and tore away this bondage and gave us freedom. We are now able to enjoy the peace and joy that comes from knowing Christ.
Christ did not come to put an end to the Moral Laws; He came to put an end to the laws which did not give true spiritual freedom. Many are confused and are unable to differentiate between the Ten Commandments and the Laws of the Ordinances. They believe that both are the same and Jesus had put them aside and there is no need to obey any of them especially the weekly Sabbath. This is a great deception because God expects us to show our love and obedience to Him by obeying the Ten Commandments.
Man says Jesus put aside the Laws of God but Jesus said, For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
The Ten Commandments are binding but the Laws of the Ordinances which had the people in bondage were done away with through Jesus Christ. If you believe this and live in obedience then you shall obtain life everlasting but if you know the truth and reject it you shall be dammed.
Writer - A. E. Fisher
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