Topical Bible: Word of God: Called: Book of the Law

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The term "Book of the Law" is a significant designation for the Word of God, particularly in the context of the Old Testament. It refers primarily to the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, traditionally attributed to Moses. These books—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy—contain the foundational laws and commandments given by God to the people of Israel.

Biblical References:

1. Deuteronomy 31:24-26 : "When Moses had finished writing in a book the words of this law from beginning to end, he gave this command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD: 'Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, so that it may remain there as a witness against you.'"

This passage highlights the completion of the law as written by Moses and its placement beside the Ark of the Covenant, signifying its sacred and authoritative status.

2. Joshua 1:8 : "This Book of the Law must not depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in all you do."

Here, the Book of the Law is emphasized as a guide for living a life pleasing to God, with the promise of prosperity and success for those who adhere to its teachings.

3. 2 Kings 22:8 : "Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, 'I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD.' And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, who read it."

This discovery during the reign of King Josiah led to a significant religious reform, underscoring the Book of the Law's role in guiding the spiritual and moral direction of the nation.

4. Nehemiah 8:1-3 : "All the people gathered as one man in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel. On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could listen and understand. So Ezra read it aloud from daybreak until noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men and women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law."

This public reading by Ezra illustrates the communal and instructional role of the Book of the Law, as it was read aloud to the people, reinforcing its importance in the life of the community.

Theological Significance:

The Book of the Law is not merely a collection of legal codes but is seen as the divine instruction given by God to His chosen people. It encompasses moral, ceremonial, and civil laws that were intended to set Israel apart as a holy nation. The Book of the Law serves as a covenantal document, outlining the relationship between God and Israel, with blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.

In the broader biblical narrative, the Book of the Law points forward to the coming of Christ, who fulfills the law (Matthew 5:17). It establishes the need for a savior, as it reveals humanity's inability to fully adhere to God's standards, thus highlighting the grace and redemption offered through Jesus Christ.

The Book of the Law remains a vital part of Christian theology, providing insight into God's character, His expectations for His people, and the overarching account of redemption that culminates in the New Testament.

Nave's Topical Index

Nehemiah 8:3
And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.
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Galatians 3:10
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
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Library

Why Jesus Called them an Adulterous Generation. The Law as Husband ...
... when the Pharisees and Sadducees left that which is figuratively called man, the
word of truth ... spiritual"is man, to whom the soul was given by God as wife ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of matthew/4 why jesus called them.htm

Moses and his Writings
... of the precious Book, and, 'There was not a word of all ... these words in the Book of
the Law of God.' (Verse 26 ... part, at least, of the Book that is called by his ...
/.../duff/the bible in its making/chapter iii moses and his.htm

The Attack on the Book of Leviticus.
... i.1: "The Lord called unto Moses, and spake unto him ... the lawgiver, the leader the
actor, and under God the author ... A further word concerning the date of Leviticus ...
/.../concerning the assumptions of destructive criticism/v the attack on the.htm

Was Moses "A Literary Fiction"?
... Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel ... "Moses
called for all ... And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses ...
/.../iii was moses a literary.htm

The Author Returns to his Former Argument, and Shows that There ...
... prophets as the living God, He is the God of the living; and His Word is He ... For if
He be not the God of the dead, but of the living, yet was called the God ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter v the author returns to.htm

Two Famous Versions of the Scriptures
... yet all this made no difference; without the written Word of God, they could ... entirely
themselves, although their Greek Bible is still called the 'Septuagint ...
/.../duff/the bible in its making/chapter vii two famous versions.htm

Moses Rightly Called a Divine Legislator, And, Though Inferior to ...
... The Stromata, or Miscellanies: Book I Chapter XXVI."Moses Rightly Called a Divine ...
For the Word is "the power and the wisdom of God." [2113] Again, the ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xxvi moses rightly called a.htm

The Destruction of Jerusalem
... These explanations, all collected together, are called 'The Talmud ... so little the
true meaning of God's Book, they guarded ... before you copy a single word you must ...
/.../duff/the bible in its making/chapter ix the destruction of.htm

The Scattering of the People
... We have called the Bible the oldest Book in the world; we have seen that it tells
about nations ... 'This is a living Book,' they say ... God's Word can never grow old ...
/.../duff/the bible in its making/chapter v the scattering of.htm

The Greeks but Children Compared with the Hebrews.
... For God is called Theos, from thesis (placing), and order or ... Peter you will find
the Lord called Law and Word. ... 2141] Referring to an apocryphal book so called. ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xxix the greeks but children.htm