A The delivery of the Law:

❖ The receivers of the Law (Exodus 19:1-8)

— Why had God brought Israel out of Egypt? To serve him (Ex. 5:1; 7:16; 8:1, 20; 9:1,
13; 10:3). In doing so, they would receive great benefits (including the land of
Canaan).
— In the third month after their departure from Egypt, they camped near Mount
Sinai. There the foundations for the creation of the nation of Israel were laid. God
proposed a covenant with them, and they accepted (Ex. 19:1-8).
— By accepting the covenant, what would Israel become (Ex. 19:5-6)?
(1) HOLY PEOPLE: They would dedicate themselves to God, and reveal His
character
(2) KINGDOM OF PRIESTS: They would connect other people with God, and
teach them his laws
(3) A SPECIAL TREASURE FROM GOD: God would make Israel a channel to
enlighten the world with knowledge about Him
❖ The Law Giver (Exodus 19:9-25)
— The presentation of God's Law at Sinai was something magnificent and terrifying
(Heb. 12:18-21). No one is prepared for something like that. Therefore, the
people needed to purify themselves in advance and maintain the appropriate
distance so as not to be consumed by divine glory (Ex. 19:10-12). Why was such
a staging necessary?
— The words God was about to address to them were a manifestation of His own
character. To obey them is life; to disobey them is death. Israel had to be fully
aware of the seriousness and significance of “the words of the covenant, the Ten
Commandments” (Ex. 34:28).
— Although it may seem frightening in its presentation, the Law reflects the best of
God's character: love (Rom. 13:10).
❖ The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17)
— God introduces the Law by making its primary function clear: “I have redeemed
you from sin, therefore, this is what you must do from now on” (Ex. 20:2).
Observing the Law is, for us, the response to Redemption. It is a response of love
to the love received.
— “love is the fulfillment of the law” (Rom. 13:10)
(1) Loving God (Deut. 6:5; Exod. 20:3-11): Honoring and venerating God by giving
Him first place in our lives; honoring God without replacing Him with any idol;
revering God's name, reputation, and character; honoring His day of rest and
worship, the Sabbath
(2) Love your neighbor (Lev. 19:18; Ex. 20:12-17): Respect your parents; respect
life; respect marriage; respect people's property; respect the reputation of
others; respect yourself so that no selfish desires stain your character.
B The meaning of the Law:
❖ The function of the Law.
— What are some of the functions of the Law? It keeps us from evil (Ps. 119:104); it
gives us wisdom (Deut. 4:6); it gives us freedom (James 2:12); it gives us peace
(Ps. 119:165); it gives us prosperity (Josh. 1:8); it points out sin
(Rom. 7:7); it leads us to Christ (Gal. 3:24)
— Salvation is not among its functions (Gal. 2:16). The Law is like a mirror in which
our sins are reflected (James 1:23-25).
— Breaking the mirror doesn't remove the stains; ignoring it doesn't either. But
without the “mirror” [the law] we wouldn't know we were stained [with sin], and
that we needed the “handkerchief” [Christ] to cleanse us.
— The Bible is clear: The Law is good (Rom. 7:12); meditating on it is a delight
(Ps. 1:2). “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long” (Ps. 119:97).
❖ The Law as a promise.
— “And he declared to you his covenant which he commanded you to do, THE TEN
WORDS, and wrote them on two tablets of stone” (Deuteronomy 4:13, original
Hebrew)
— In Hebrew, the three times the Ten Commandments are mentioned, they are
called “the ten words” (Ex. 34:28; Deut. 4:13; Deut. 10:4).
— Let's think about this. What do we mean when we say to someone, “I give you my
word”?
— In reality, we're not giving you anything; we're making you a promise. We're
reassuring you that we're going to do something concrete.
— Thus, the Hebrew root “dabar” can be translated as “word” or “promise.”
Example: “There has not failed one word [dabar] of all His good promise [dabar],
which He promised through His servant Moses” (1 Kings 8:56).
— The Ten Commandments are ten promises God makes to us, intended to guide
us on the right path.
❖ The Law as an end.
— The word “end” applied to the law by Paul in Romans 10:4 is “telos.” What is the
meaning of this word?
— The primary meaning is: the point indicated as a limit or purpose.
By implication (secondary meanings): the conclusion, the termination, the
result, the purpose. Its specific meaning must be determined by the sentence in
which it is used.
— If we translate this as “Chirst is the termination of the law,” there is no longer
any law since Jesus' death. Therefore, there is no sin. Paul would be
contradicting himself (Rom. 7:7).
— If we translate “Christ is the point to which the law points,” Paul is consistent,
because the law is still in force, and leads us to Christ (Rom. 3:31; Gal. 3:24).