To be clear from the beginning, the fact that God annihilated the Mosaic Covenant does not mean that God gave the okay to commit murder, or to covet our neighbors goods.
The fact is that God replaced the Mosaic Covenant with a much better Covenant, The New Covenant, that all who enter will be redeemed by the the Blood of Jesus and will receive the indwelling Holy Spirit (God in me) and thus we have a personal loving relationship and fellowship with God, whereby we will be transformed by Him to do the good that He created us to do. We have been saved solely by the Faith of Jesus our Lord, our paschal unblemished Lamb, through His atoning blood that washes away all our sins for all time.
At the Council of Jerusalem, James, the brother of Jesus, says about the early Jewish believers in Jerusalem, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law.” Acts 21:20
Yet these same Jews sought to put Paul to death or into Prison, because he was in Violation of the Laws of Moses.
Here is Paul’s own comments about these Jews who were zealous for the Mosaic Law:
Paul addresses what happened at the The Council at Jerusalem:
Paul writes: Gal 2:1-12
Then after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. It was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain. But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, he was compelled to be circumcised. But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty that we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. But from those who were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality) — well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me. But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas [Peter] and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. They only asked us to remember the poor — the very thing I also was eager to do."
11 But when Cephas [i.e. Peter] came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, "If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?
15 "We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; nevertheless knowing that A MAN IS NOT JUSTIFIED BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW BUT THROUGH FAITH OF CHRIST JESUS, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith OF Christ and not by the works of the Law; since BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW NO FLESH WILL BE JUSTIFIED. But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be! For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith OF THE the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."
If the above is true, then why should I give any thought to any of the 613 Mosaic Laws.
And what about these versus in Matthew:
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Mt 5:17-19)]
Yes, Jesus did say this, but this was said by Jesus to His fellow Jews under the Mosaic Covenant, which remained in effect until His death on the cross. And Jesus never preached to the gentiles during his ministry on Earth, to do so would have been a violation of the mosaic Law, and Jesus never preached the New Covenant prior to His crucifixion, Nor did he ever preach or seek out gentiles for salvation. To do either would have been a violation of the Mosaic Covenant, and that would have eliminated Jesus as the unblemished Lamb. In fact, Jesus referred to Gentiles as dogs, unworthy of the bread God has for His children, born offspring of Israel.
Paul wrote about the failure of Mosaic Laws:
Ro 5 1-17
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned — for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. NASU
SO THE EFFECT OF THE MOSAIC LAW WAS TO CAUSE SIN TO ACTUALLY INCREASE. And this is true because life is like riding a bicycle or motorcycle, where you look is where you go, and the Law set peoples minds continuously on sin.
Paul went on to explain why in Romans 7:4-13:
Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.
7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, "YOU SHALL NOT COVET." But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead. I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; AND THIS COMMANDMENT, WHICH WAS TO RESULT IN LIFE, PROVED TO RESULT IN DEATH FOR ME; FOR SIN, TAKING AN OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THE COMMANDMENT DECEIVED ME, AND THROUGH IT KILLED ME.
12. So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.
And, Gal 3:1-14
3.1 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain — if indeed it was in vain? So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
6 Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU." So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.
10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM." Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, "THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, "HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us — for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE" — in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
And from - Gal 3:15-29
Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man's covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it. Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to one, " And to your seed," that is, Christ. What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.
19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor [the Mosaic Laws]. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise.
And from Gal 4:21-26
Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.
Gal 5:1-8 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision [in accord with Mosaic Law, thus lacing oneself under the Mosaic Law], Christ will be of no benefit to you.
3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace, for we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.
7 You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you.
Our eternal Salvation is a gift from God to all who accept the Blood atonement that Jesus shed on the cross, having kept all the Mosaic Laws on our behalf from his birth until his death on the cross, at which moment, ALL HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED, UPON JESUS’S DEATH – then what was predicted by Zechariah occurred, God annihilated The Mosaic Covenant, As written in Zechariah 11:7-14
7 So I pastured the flock doomed to slaughter, hence the afflicted of the flock. And I took for myself two staffs: the one I called Favor and the other I called Union; so I pastured the flock. Then I annihilated the three shepherds in one month, for my soul was impatient with them, and their soul also was weary of me. Then I said, "I will not pasture you. What is to die, let it die, and what is to be annihilated, let it be annihilated; and let those who are left eat one another's flesh." I took my staff Favor and cut it in pieces, to break my covenant that I had made with all the peoples. So it was broken on that day, and thus the afflicted of the flock who were watching me realized that it was the word of the LORD. I said to them, "If it is good in your sight, give me my wages; but if not, never mind!" So they weighed out thirty shekels of silver as my wages. Then the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter, that magnificent price at which I was valued by them." So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the LORD. Then I cut in pieces my second staff Union, to break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. NASU
In the Old Testament, God made only one bi-lateral Covenant (i.e. contract) with the peoples of the Exodus Covenant (contract) that He made with the peoples, The Mosaic Covenant. All other covenants God made were unilateral. And so it was the Mosaic Covenant that God annihilated as predicted in Zechariah, Chapter 11.
When did God annihilate the Mosaic Covenant? Jesus tells us when.
[Mt 5:17-19
17 "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”]
The question is: When was, or is, all accomplished? It is clear that Jesus kept the entire Mosaic Covenant during His lifetime, and upon His death, Instead of receiving the blessings written in the Mosaic Covenant, Jesus took upon Himself the curses written in the Mosaic Laws, in our place, so that we who accept Jesus atoning blood are saved and have eternal life, the good life, the life abundant, Jesus blood as the perfect one time atonement washing all our sins (past, present, and future) away. One merely needs to read John 1 1- 10, as well as the gospel of John 3:12-16.
To understand this, one must understand that this Mosaic Contract was only between God and the offspring of Israel, as well as Jewish converts. The Romans, The Greeks, The Japanese, The Chinese, and other gentiles were never under this Covenant. During His earthly life Jesus never reached out to the gentiles, He came as Jew to the people God made this Covenant, His fellow Jews. And during His entire life, Jesus sought out only His fellow Jews for salvation, under the Mosaic Covenant. There was no New Covenant until Jesus died.
Jesus Sermon on the Mount was strictly addressed to His fellow Jews. Jesus never reached out to the gentiles for their salvation, nor did He ever preach the New Covenant prior to His death. Had Jesus done so, Jesus would have been in violation of the Mosaic Covenant – a sin, and this would have eliminated Jesus as the unblemished Lamb, and eliminated Jesus from being the Perfect Sacrifice that takes away the sins of all peoples, who accept Jesus blood as a covering for all their sins.
Therefore, when Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount, and all His other speeches in the four Gospels prior to His death, they were strictly addressed to the Jews only, encouraging and teaching them to keep the Mosaic Covenant, just as a good Rabbi ought to be doing. Yes, He did healings for gentiles who came to Him by faith seeking mercy, and the very nature of God is to give mercy to anyone who comes to Him seeking His mercy. Just as YHWH gave Mercy to the Assyrian General who had leprosy, and who was told to dip himself 7 times in the river as God instructed through His prophet. The general was very skeptical of this and was prepared to go home, but his sons insisted he do as the Prophet of God instructed ‘hey, we came all this way for your healing, why not do what he says, what have you to lose.’ So he dipped himself in the river as instructed, and he was not only healed of Leprosy, His skin was like that of a newborn baby. Jesus did the same for gentiles who came to Him in faith
.
During His lifetime, Jesus was the Chief Rabbi to the Jews, teaching them to keep the whole Mosaic Covenant even as He was doing so, and teaching His fellow Jews to do the same. And Jesus did an excellent job of teaching the right approach to keeping the Mosaic Laws. Jesus never sought out the gentiles for salvation because God did not make the Mosaic Covenant with them.
When Jesus died on the cross, God annihilated thre Mosaic covenant:
Zec 11:7-14
7 So I pastured the flock doomed to slaughter, hence the afflicted of the flock. And I took for myself two staffs: the one I called Favor and the other I called Union; so I pastured the flock.
8 Then I annihilated the three shepherds in one month, for my soul was impatient with them, and their soul also was weary of me.
9 Then I said, "I will not pasture you. What is to die, let it die, and what is to be annihilated, let it be annihilated; and let those who are left eat one another's flesh."
10 I took my staff Favor and cut it in pieces, TO BREAK MY COVENANT WHICH I MADE WITH ALL THE PEOPLES. 11 So it was broken on that day, and thus the afflicted of the flock who were watching me realized that it was the word of the LORD. 12 I said to them, "IF IT IS GOOD IN YOUR SIGHT, GIVE ME MY WAGES; BUT IF NOT, NEVER MIND."
So they weighed out thirty shekels of silver as my wages.
13 Then the LORD said to me, "THROW IT TO THE POTTER , THAT MAGNIFICENT PRICE AT WHICH I WAS VALUED BY THEM. THROW IT TO THE POTTER."
So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the LORD. 14 Then I cut in pieces my second staff Union, to break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. NASU
There is only one Covenant in the Old Testament that was bilateral, and that is the Mosaic Covenant.
Let’s compare the Mosaic Covenant to the New Covenant.
In the Mosaic Covenant Jews were saved by keeping 613 Laws. Not all of these Laws pertained to all Jews. Some were for men, some just for women, some just for priests (Levis), some pertaining only to the temple and some to the Land.
If you wish to attempt keeping the Mosaic Laws, be prepared to pay everyone who works for you on the day they performed the work. If someone dies on your property, you must get a calf, and cut its’ throat to shed the calf’s blood on the spot where the person died to redeem their shed blood; Do not wear clothing containing two different types of cloths, must have a parapet built on your roof, If you catch two committing adultery, they shall be stoned to death and then hung upon a tree for all to see. etc. etc.
Under the New Covenant, God the Father keeps us through blood of His Son Jesus and in believing God for what He has done for us through the sinless life and shed atoning blood of His Son Jesus, to all who accept Jesus Blood as full atonement for all our sins, past, present, and future. There are just 3 laws.
I believe that God the Father sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, who rose from the dead, and I confess with my mouth and written word that Jesus is my Lord. I thank you Father for hearing this, my prayer to You, and for accepting me into your family, the Family of God, because I accepted the shed blood of Jesus my Savior, The Perfect unblemished Lamb, whose blood is the perfect covering of all my sins, sins past – sins present – and sins future. And I walk with Him and talk with Him, and have received the Holy Spirit who transforms my very nature over time to do the good You created me to do. This is a true gift from you God. Nothing I do earns it. I accept your gift Father, with great relief and thanks.
We lost fellowship with God through Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden. God dwelt inside the Holy of Holies in the Jewish Temple. The Heavy thick Curtain in the Jewish Temple, separated God and mankind. When Jesus died on the cross, that Veil in that separated us from God, was torn into two. In accepting Jesus blood atonement as covering of all our sins, we have regained fellowship with God, via the indwelling Holy Spirit. It is not we who perfect ourselves, it is God working in me via the Holy Spirit, who perfects me, that is His work, I simply believe Him and love Him. It is as if we were back in the Garden of Eden, we have fellowship with God, and the Holy Spirit transforms me. I know He is faithful to complete the work He started in me.
I make no claim of infallibility. These are simply my views and understanding of the scriptures with respect to redemption, salvation, and sanctification. I prefer living under God's mercy rather than His Judgement of all my imperfections.
ArtB
