At that time, God felt they couldn’t keep The Ten Commandments. Here is why He doubted them. “O that there were such an heart [desire] in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always. that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever” (Deuteronomy 5:29).
God made this statement after they worshipped the golden calf. Moses was gone forty days discussing God’s statutes and judgments. When he came back from talking to God, the people said, “we prefer you talk to God and we will obey” (paraphrased). They feared God but, still had a wrong heart (Exodus 20:19-20).
Fear And Love
As much as “fear” is a good motivator to obey God, it does not compare to the power of the desires in a person’s heart. That is exactly what God said after they sinned in Deuteronomy 5:29. Moses broke those tablets with The Ten Commandments and returned to God to rewrite The Commandments to apply to this new situation.
God felt the same and wanted to destroy them, but Moses made sense when he said that if he killed The Israelites it would give a wrong witness to the other nations. Moses was logical so God felt He had to change or rewrite the commandments and statutes with judgments.
Deuteronomy In Hebrews
This rewriting of The Law was different than what was, initially, given to Abraham. God did not write the commandments in stone because Abraham obeyed The Word of God “in faith.” “Because that Abraham obeyed my [God’s] voice [faith], and kept my charge [word], my commandments, my statues and my laws [Torah].” The Hebrew word “Torah” in English is “Law.” The Hebrew is therefore, “Torah” and not “Law.”
The Torah did not become codified (in stone) as a Law until four hundred and thirty years after Abraham (Galatians 3:17). Paul, also, said this Old Covenant with Israel came four hundred and thirty years later and, only, with Israel. It did not include Abraham as one of The Fathers. “The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers [Abraham], but with us [Israel], who are all of us here alive [that generation] this day” (Deuteronomy 5:3). This Law of Moses was different. How? “And Moses called all Israel, and said to them, Hear, O Israel [only for that generation], the statues and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that you may learn them and keep and do them” (Deuteronomy 5:1). Moses, not God, gave those statutes and judgments to Israel as The Israelites agreed to do. God agreed with Moses. “Deuteronomy” in Hebrew is actually, defined as “a rewriting of The Law.” To rewrite a Law includes rewriting “a second” Law of Moses. The Law in Exodus is different from the original agreement made by Moses with God.
God has decided not to destroy Israel. He was willing to keep them as His people. There was a very good reason, “And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend” (Exodus 33:11). Quite clear!
Just like Abraham always obeyed God’s voice, in faith, and God listened to Abraham concerning Sodom and Gomorrah. Moses was, also, faithful with his house (Hebrews 2:3). God spoke, personally, in the cloud with Moses and considered his human viewpoint because of His faith. Moses had faith like Abraham. God respected Moses, as a friend.
Deuteronomy is God’s “second” Law. This Law had differences in it just for Israel and no one else. This rewritten Law of Moses had distinct changes and purposes than “the first” Law directly given to Moses and The Israelites. This Covenant was only for Israel and no one else. This Law of Moses was to be their righteousness because they did not desire to obey God “in faith.” “And it [Law of Moses] shall be our righteousness [not Gods], if we observe to do all [perfectly] these commandments before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us” (I Deuteronomy 6:25). All this should be getting easier to understand.
God alters His way of teaching people according to the changes in their heart’s desires and the decrease or increase of their level of understanding.
Commandments, Statutes, Judgments
You are, now, at the place you must be sure you understand the definitions (in Hebrew) of what “commandments,” “statutes” and “judgments” actually mean.
“Commandments” are “of masculine gender” directly from God just as Adam, a man, was directly from God.
“Statutes” are “a feminine gender” like those born of a woman or human. Statutes are written by human thought with God’s approval. As an example is Eve, a human, born out of Adam, but created by God.
“Judgments” in Hebrew, “convey justice” or “what is fair.” It is a decree which is just. “Judgments” can “give forgiveness, mercy or curses.”
Christ And Curses
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse [full payment] for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree [like Christ]” (Galatians 3:13).
Christ, by dying on a tree, paid for your sins and removed the curse. What curse? There are so many opposing ideas taught of what “the curse” was. The Bible clearly tells you what curse Jesus redeemed you from. The Curse of The Law! It can’t be stated any simpler.
The Book of Deuteronomy, in detail, lists the curse of The Law and blessings. (Read Deuteronomy 28-29). This gives you the whole account of curses and blessings.
Israel lost the blessings since they continuously, sinned. Christ, by dying, redeemed you from all the curses of The Law. This was the added Law in Deuteronomy, as a second Law, only for Israel and only for that generation (Deuteronomy 5:3).
This Law of Moses plainly written by Paul was an added or second Law just till Christ came (Galatians 3:19). Paul asked why do Christians serve this added, second Law made, only, for Israel and, only, for that generation.
What was missing was “faith” by those Israelites. Christ came and by His death removed all the curses of The Law. By His death He redeemed you. Yes, Moses gave this added, second Law but Jesus brought grace (forgiveness) and truth. John, The Apostle validated this in John 1:17.
The Second Law Of Moses
What was given to Abraham (The Torah) and (the rewritten Law of Moses) was not the same thing.
First and foremost, the sign of The Sabbath was changed from Paradise, The Garden of Eden in The Promised Land to stand for another sign. A sign shows you the direction to get to a given point. A sign tells you where you are going.
God originally made The Sabbath as “a sign” of entering God’s rest − The Promised Land (Exodus 20:10-11). God wanted to kill them because of a wrong heart and their lack of faith (Hebrews 3). God in the second Law of Moses changed The Sabbath “sign.” The Seventh Day Sabbath’s “new sign” pointed to somewhere − but not Paradise.
Thoroughly read Deuteronomy 5:12-15. The “sign” of God’s Sabbath and doing no work is to remind them they came out of slavery and that generation had to be tested and proved in the wilderness for forty years (one generation).
No aliens can enter God’s Land without obeying The Law of Moses. Wow! That is just one change.
In The Garden of Eden, marriage − was forever, till death do them part. God’s marriage was eternal till death. “What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matthew 19:6). Moses wrote this statute (a human law) because they had a wrong heart as Christ said (Matthew 19:8).
This was a human statute administered by Moses with God’s approval. Read in detail Matthew 19:8. Divorce by God’s approval is condoned by those who have a wrong heart as God said, "It was better to divorce than kill each other." (Paraphrased).
The Law Of Moses
This rings clear as a bell. The Old Covenant Law of Moses was added as a second Law given by God to Moses until they were tested in the wilderness for forty years. This was the exact time for that generation’s lifetime. When Joshua led the new generation to The Promised Land they had to be circumcised with added Laws and statutes, as well.
Read The Book of Joshua. It was now added to The Old Law of Moses. This second writing of The Law was geared for the people to come out of slavery − looking forward, to being able to qualify to enter God’s Land.
