Topical Bible: The Law of Moses: The Jews: Broke It Themselves

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The Law of Moses, also known as the Mosaic Law, is a central element of the Old Testament, given by God to the Israelites through Moses. It encompasses moral, ceremonial, and civil laws intended to guide the Israelites in their covenant relationship with God. Despite its divine origin and purpose, the history of Israel as recorded in the Bible reveals a pattern of disobedience and failure to uphold the Law.

Biblical Evidence of Breaking the Law

The Israelites' failure to adhere to the Law of Moses is a recurring theme throughout the Old Testament. One of the earliest instances is found in the wilderness, shortly after the Law was given. In Exodus 32, while Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the tablets of the Law, the people constructed a golden calf and worshiped it, violating the first and second commandments. God expressed His anger, saying to Moses, "They have quickly turned aside from the way I commanded them" (Exodus 32:8).

The period of the Judges further illustrates Israel's repeated disobedience. Judges 2:11-12 states, "And the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals. They forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt." This cycle of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance characterizes the era, highlighting the Israelites' inability to consistently follow the Law.

During the monarchy, both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah frequently strayed from the Law. The prophets, such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Hosea, were sent to call the people back to obedience. Isaiah 1:4 laments, "Oh, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children of corruption! They have forsaken the LORD; they have despised the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him."

Consequences of Disobedience

The breaking of the Law had severe consequences for the Israelites. The blessings and curses associated with obedience and disobedience are outlined in Deuteronomy 28. When the Israelites failed to keep the Law, they experienced the curses, including defeat by enemies, exile, and destruction of their land. The Babylonian exile is a significant event that resulted from persistent disobedience, as prophesied by Jeremiah and others.

Jeremiah 25:8-9 records God's warning: "Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts says: 'Because you have not obeyed My words, I will summon all the families of the north,' declares the LORD, 'and I will send for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, whom I will bring against this land and against its residents and against all the surrounding nations.'"

The Role of the Prophets

The prophets played a crucial role in addressing the Israelites' failure to keep the Law. They called the people to repentance and reminded them of God's covenant promises. Despite the people's unfaithfulness, the prophets also spoke of God's enduring mercy and the hope of restoration. Ezekiel 36:26-27 promises, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances."

The New Covenant

The persistent failure of the Israelites to keep the Law of Moses pointed to the need for a new covenant, one that would be fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jeremiah 31:31-33 foretells this new covenant: "'The days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers... I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.'"

This new covenant, established through the death and resurrection of Jesus, offers forgiveness and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, enabling believers to live in obedience to God. The Law of Moses, while revealing the holiness of God and the sinfulness of humanity, ultimately points to the need for a Savior and the transformative power of the Gospel.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

John 7:19
Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keeps the law? Why go you about to kill me?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Jewish Rebellions
... worship, and their own customs, and their law of Moses, and to ... will submit to be
massacred rather than break our law;' and at ... Those Jews who did not believe St ...
/.../kingsley/discipline and other sermons/sermon xv the jewish rebellions.htm

(On the Passion, vii. )
... which had been divinely ordained through Moses about the ... II. The leading Jews broke
their own Law, as well as ... to Jesus, the teachers of the law put themselves ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/sermon lviii on the passion.htm

The Destruction of Jerusalem
... These explanations, all collected together, are called 'The Talmud.' Now the learned
Jews grew so fond of their Talmud, that they ... 'The law of Moses is like ...
/.../duff/the bible in its making/chapter ix the destruction of.htm

Faustus Rejects Christ's Declaration that He came not to Destroy ...
... saying that He came not to destroy the law and the prophets, referred to no other
law than that of the Jews. ... For "the law was given by Moses, but grace ...
/.../faustus rejects christs declaration that.htm

The Scattering of the People
... Hardly could the Jews believe that they were in their own dear city once again. ... spake
unto Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the ...
/.../duff/the bible in its making/chapter v the scattering of.htm

Moses
... from his own writings, especially that part called Moses' law. ... the time was ready;
when the Jews were ready ... when Pharaoh was ready; when Moses himself, trained ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon ix moses.htm

John vii. 9, 10
... "Did not Moses give you ... and yet none of you keepeth the Law? ... some one, "has this,
or what has this to do with what was said before?" The Jews brought against ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homily xlix john vii 9.htm

At the Feast of Tabernacles - First Discourse in the Temple
... [3971] It is exactly the mode in which a Jew would argue with Jews, only the substance
of the ... Moses gave the law of circumcision - not, indeed, that it was ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter vi at the feast.htm

Moses the Type of Christ.
... him still more expressly, "The Lord spake unto Moses face to ... received from God the
revelation of the Law, and the ... of the holy services which the Jews were to ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol vii/sermon ix moses the type.htm

Messiah Suffering and Wounded for Us
... And it was typified under the law of Moses (Deuteronomy 21:23 ... symbols], how exactly
was all fulfilled, and how wonderful was it that the Jews should be led ...
/.../newton/messiah vol 1/sermon xix messiah suffering and.htm