Lesson #09

Course in Biblical Doctrine
Lesson #09

• Ages, Dispensations, and Covenants — continued
• #5 THE AGE OF LAW, A DISPENSATION OF LAW (EXO 19:1-JOH 19:30)
• The largest period of Bible history is this period of law under the Law of Moses.
• This period of law begins with Moses and ends with the first coming of Jesus Christ.
• There are three covenants that God made during this Age of Law.
• =1= The Covenant with Moses (Exo 19-31)
• =2= The Covenant of the Land (Deu 30:1-9)
• =3= The Covenant with David (2Sam 7:13-16)

THE COVENANT OF MOSES (THE LAW OF MOSES)—(EXO 19-31)

• The Mosaic Law consists of 3 parts with a total of 639 ordinances:
• =1= Civil and Judicial
• These are the many laws that govern how man was to live with other men on a daily basis.
• They consist of settling offenses of a civil nature.
• =2= Religious and Ceremonial
• These are the laws that govern how man was to worship a Holy God.
• It includes the design of the tabernacle, the establishment of the priesthood, and the institution of specific animal sacrifices.
• =3= Moral
• These are the laws that are the moral character of holiness.
• They are the essence of the character of our Holy God, Jehovah.
• This covenant was a conditional covenant where both God and man were obligated to fulfill their parts.
• God said to the Israelites, “if you obey the Law, I will bless you.”
• God said to the Israelites, “if you do not obey the Law, I will curse you.”
• God’s attitude toward the Law:
• The Law is the expression of the mind of God in regards to what man ought to be. It is the Holy will of God that expresses His Holy character.
• The Law does not express any grace or mercy.
• The Law does not express any love.
• Therefore, you cannot mix Law and Grace together as some people attempt to do.
• To try to mix the two robs the Law of its majesty and its purpose.
• To try to mix the two robs grace of its mercy and love.
• The sinner’s needs are not met when the two are mixed together.
• It does not take faith to keep a list of rules, but God wants the believer to learn how to trust God by faith.
• God’s intent is not fulfilled when the two are mixed together.
• God intended that the Law point out personal sin and man’s inability to keep the law. If man thinks he can keep the Law, he will never see his need of God’s Son, Jesus Christ.
• Jesus’ attitude toward the Law (Mat 5:17-20)
• Read Mat 5:17-20
• The Law was of supreme importance.
• The Law explained God’s permanent standards.
• The Law was relevant to man and his relationship with a Holy God.
• The Law served God’s purpose.
• Paul’s attitude toward the Law and his explanation of it:
• Read Rom 7:7-14
• The Law reveals sin and lust (7:7)
• The Law gives sin a base of operation to stir up more lust (7:8)
• The Law requires death even though it could produce life if perfectly kept. (7:11)
• The Law was Holy, just, good, and perfect truth. (7:13)
• We can see these attributes of the Law in Psa 19:7.
• Read Psa 19:7-11
• Read Gal 3:24-26
• The Law was temporary.
• The Law was a “schoolmaster”
• The “schoolmaster” was not a schoolteacher.
• In the wealthy Roman household of Paul’s day, there was a servant or slave. When a child was born into that family, the parents appointed that servant to watch over that child. That servant took care of the child, disciplined him, and raised him until he went to school. Every day the servant took him to school. He made sure he arrived there and did not stray from the path. This “schoolmaster” servant constantly watched the child to make sure he did everything he was supposed to do. He taught him what was right and what was wrong until he went to school. Then the teacher continued the child’s education. When the child was in the school, he no longer needed the “schoolmaster” during the hours he was in school. He learned from the teacher.
• The Mosaic Law was the “schoolmaster”. It taught man what was right and what was wrong. The Law did not make man a sinner. It only revealed what was already in man’s heart. The Law made man to feel guilty every time he broke the law. In the same way, the child felt guilty every time the servant caught him breaking the law of the household. When Jesus Christ came, the Holy Spirit continued the education of the child of God, the believer. Therefore, the believer in Jesus Christ does not go back to the “schoolmaster” (the Law) for his guidance, because the Holy Spirit is now his guide.
• Read Gal 3:10-12
• The Law is a curse to those who try to live under it.
• The Law is not of faith.
• The covenant with Abraham was a covenant of faith and promise.
• The covenant with Moses was a covenant of performance and a curse.
• God’s purpose for the Law:
• God intended that the Law be like a mirror that helps man see his own filthy self. (Jam 1:22-25)
• The problem is that some people try to wash themselves with the mirror, when that is impossible.
• The mirror was intended only to point out sin and not to cleanse man of it.
• It revealed man’s sinful nature and man’s responsibility for personal sins.
• It revealed the hideous nature of sin.
• The mirror was intended to be in force until Christ came to cleanse man of sin.
• God intended that the Law be like a mirror to show man the holiness of God and His high perfection.
• God intended that the Law be a restrainer like the “schoolmaster”.
• The Law was to restrain the sinner until Christ came.
• The Law was to restrain sin for the moral protection of society in general.
• The duration of the covenant with Moses was to be temporary.
• This covenant of Law was to come in alongside the covenant made with Abraham. It was to be in force as long as Israelites were in the Promised Land.
• This covenant was to end with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as Jesus said that He came to fulfill the Law.
• The sign of the covenant with Moses was the tablets of stone.

THE COVENANT OF THE LAND (DEU 30:1-9)

• Read Deu 30:1-9
• This covenant was made with Moses.
• This covenant is an unconditional and unilateral covenant. ( Only one party has to fulfill his part.)

GOD’S PROMISES	MAN’S RESPONSIBILITIES
GOD WILL CAUSE THE ISRAELITES TO Return TO THE PROMISED LAND	OBEDIENCE WITH A NEW HEART
GOD WILL GIVE THE ISRAELITES THE PROMISED LAND THAT HE PROMISED TO ABRAHAM, ISSAC, JACOB, AND MOSES
GOD WILL GIVE THEM A CIRCUMCISED HEART (THE NEW BIRTH EXPERIENCE)
GOD WILL PROSPER EVERYTHING IN THEIR LIVES.

• The covenant of land will be fulfilled in the Millennial Kingdom of Christ.
• The Israelites will be given all the land promised to Abraham.
• The Israelites will receive Jesus Christ as their personal savior at the Second Coming of Christ. Therefore, they will serve God in the millennium with a new heart.
• The sign of this covenant is circumcision of the heart.

THE COVENANT WITH DAVID (2SAM 7:13-16)

• Read 2Sam 7:13-16
• This covenant was made with David.
• This covenant is an unconditional and unilateral covenant. (Only one party has to fulfill his part.)

GOD’S PROMISES	MAN’S RESPONSIBILITIES
GOD PROMISED DAVID A PALACE
GOD PROMISED DAVID AN ETERNAL THRONE
GOD PROMISED DAVID TO BE A FATHER TO HIM	DAVID WAS TO BE A SON
GOD WOULD CHASTEN DAVID FOR SIN	DAVID MUST ENDURE CHASTENING
GOD WOULD DEAL WITH DAVID WITH MERCY
GOD PROMISED DAVID AN ETERNAL LINEAGE
GOD PROMISED DAVID AN ETERNAL KINGDOM

• The promises of an eternal lineage, a throne, and a kingdom refer to Jesus Christ who came from the lineage of David.
• Therefore, the fulfillment of this eternal kingdom is in Jesus Christ, as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
• The promises of God in this covenant are eternal in Jesus Christ.
• The sign or symbol of this covenant is a glorious palace.
• The life span of man during the Age of Law is 70 years.