We cannot surely have the least difficulty in assigning a character to the next period, which is from Moses to Christ. We term it the reign of law.
In Abram we have life, in Moses we have responsibility, but in Christ the union of both, hence the next stage of our journey will bring us to the long-delayed meeting of life and responsibility centering in Christ. In Abram we have life, in Moses responsibility, while in Christ both unite. Here, then, during the Jewish period of fifteen centuries we have a formal proof submitted by God Himself, that the responsibility-tree can only yield, to a sinner, the fruit of condemnation and death. Theology has wrought sad havoc here. Learned D.D.'s, men otherwise able and competent, have made mistakes such as would cover a school-boy with confusion. Systematic theology is not only destructive to the vitality of Divine truth, but has done an incalculable amount of mischief in pressing the mind into a narrow ecclesiastical groove, and in blinding the spiritual judgment to the perception of some of the clearest statements of holy Scripture. Thus it is said that the law was given to mankind—to the race. Yet the time, place, and people to whom the law was addressed, marks its specialty; a redeemed people out of Egypt (Exod. 20:22I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. (Exodus 20:2)), and not the Gentiles, before or after Moses (Rom. 12-14; 5:13, 2013(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. (Romans 5:13)
20Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: (Romans 5:20)) had the law given them as their peculiar heritage. It is further affirmed that Christians are under the law as a rule of life and duty'—the measure of Christian responsibility, and this in face of plain and distinct Scripture to the contrary, "Ye are not under the law, but under grace;" "Ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ;" "Now we are delivered from the law." Death to the law there must be if acceptable fruit is to be borne unto God (Rom. 7:4). Romans 4 does not more effectually dispose of the law as ground of justification, than does chapter 7 set it aside as the measure of walk. If married to the law and to Christ, you have committed spiritual adultery. How, then, can we be undividedly for Christ? Is it by setting aside the law, nay, but by dying to its claims and authority. The law is not dead, but "ye are dead" (Rom. 7.)
Then, we are treated to any number of theological distinctions. We are told, for instance, that the moral law is obligatory on the Christian, while the ceremonial law was ended in the death of Christ; that the believer is not under it for justification, but for the guidance of His life. Where does the Word of God warrant such metaphysical subtitles! "As many as are of the works of the law are under the curse." It is invariably spoken of as a concrete thing, as a whole. According to Scripture, and according to the signification of law, it must have a certain result to all under it, no matter who the persons may be, and that effect is declared to be death and condemnation; the only exception was the Lord Jesus, because in Him there was nothing to condemn, nothing in Him but what delighted in the law. "In Christ" risen from the dead, as having ended in His death Adamic life and responsibility for the believer, is the ground of all Christian duty, and the life of Christ on earth, the measure of walk and life (1 John 2:66He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. (1 John 2:6)). We are further and very gravely informed too, that Christ's law fulfilling was substitutionary—was for us, and that it constitutes our righteousness before God, and this is distinguished as active obedience, from His death, which is termed His passive obedience; positive gain is said to be ours, as the result of the former, while negative results are the effect of the latter. These statements are destructive of true Christianity and of the grace of God. Where is the Gospel if these statements are true? Where the peace and rest of our souls? Is it anywhere said, that Christ fulfilled the law for any, even for the Jew I No, He was made the law's curse for the Jew: in His life? Nay, but on the tree (Gal. 3:1313Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: (Galatians 3:13)). He was also made sin for us: Gentiles are here especially regarded (2 Cor. 5:2121For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)). But that the law was substitutionary at all, is a statement without a particle of Scripture to support it. Besides which, if life and righteousness could have been produced on the principle of law-keeping, it would not have been divine life and the righteousness of God, but human life and legal righteousness; but neither, argues the apostle, are the fruit of law-keeping, nor could they be. It is not true, moreover, that the death of Christ is merely negative in its effects. Does 1 Peter 3:1818For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18); Col. 1:2020And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. (Colossians 1:20); Isa. 53, etc., present positive or negative results? Lastly, it is affirmed that the conditional promise of life by the law (Lev. 18:55Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 18:5)), was the ground on which Adam stood in innocence. Nothing could be more false. "Do this and live," was not the language of paradise; rather was it, "do and die," instead of "do and live." He did live, and had not to do anything in order to live. The tree of life was not fenced round, or guarded, or access denied to it, or conditions attached to it, in anywise previous to the fall; it was absolutely free, but yet it was left un touched by the man; then, after he sinned, God guarded all access to it, as then partaking of its fruit would We rendered the man immortal in misery, and turned earth into hell. Life is ever the gift of God (Rom. 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)), but if fettered by conditions, it would cease to be so. It was given us in Christ Jesus in eternal purpose; promised, too, before the world began, and hence entirely independent of the course and issue of creature responsibility (Titus 1:22In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; (Titus 1:2); 2 Tim. 1, 9).
Life and responsibility were the earliest questions raised by God, and in the course of ages innumerable attempts have been made to unite the two principles, in other words, to obtain life by satisfying responsibility. But, see: the shores of time are strewn with the wreck of every ship launched for such a purpose. Adam fell in the presence of divine goodness, and then God would turn the hopes of man to the seed of the woman, who, as the Second Man, would replace (not represent or set up anew) the first before God. But the mass of mankind refuse to found their hopes on God's promised object of faith-which, if believed on, would be life and salvation to them. Desperately they cling to the sinking vessel. Ah! it is useless. Conscience and responsibility cannot be met by a ruined sinner, and even if it could, it would still leave untouched the question of eternal life; that is the gift of God. The race immediately succeeding Adam plunged into sin, and covered the earth with corruption and violence, and so God swept it away in judgment. Again, the world was set up in responsibility, but quickly gave up the knowledge of God (in tradition, sacrifice, etc.), perverted the testimony of creation to His power and God-head, and turned to idols-giving Satan that place of reverence, fear and worship due alone to God.
Then we come to the call of Abram. He is to separate himself from country, kindred, and the strong associations of nature, and to be a testimony against an idolatrous world while passing through it as a stranger, thus not of it, and as a pilgrim, for he is journeying to a heavenly country. In the garden God spoke of deliverance for man through the woman's seed. It was but dimly announced however (Gen. 3:1515And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)); now it is distinctly declared to Abram “In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 12: 3), and confirmed to Christ (chapter 22.), who is thus shown to be the seed of the woman, and the seed of Abram. These promises whether to or of the Second Man—the repairer of the breach and the fountain of life—are absolutely unconditional and so do not raise the question of righteousness for God, nor of man's responsibility at all. The solid and imperishable foundation of blessing for all, and for eternity, is thus shown to be apart from any question whatever of the creature or of His doings, and is founded solely on what God is and on what He has done. To the saints of old it was promised; to us it is accomplished fact (Rom. 4:16-2516Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 17(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 18Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: 20He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:16‑25)).
Having had the tree of life witnessed to, in the rich and unlimited grace deposited in Abram, we have, 430 years after, the other tree to which responsibility was attached. Now the question of human righteousness will be raised and settled. Will man's responsibility under the law earn life I Will God, nay, will natural conscience even be satisfied with the measure in which that responsibility is met? A law is given holy, just and good. It was a perfect rule for man on earth. It was not at all a revelation of God, of His character, or what He is to man; that would be to confound law and gospel. "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." Had the law been accomplished by Israel, it would have secured a legal righteousness, long life, and a certain amount of blessedness on earth. But redemption, God in grace revealed, eternal life, Heaven, God known and loved, and His Son believed on, with a standing in the glory of God in divine righteousness, would have been truths and blessings utterly unknown. The law addressed itself to a sinful man; it supposed lusts and will, and forbade them. It took up man as a failed responsible creature in all the relations in which he had been set. Now the historical account by Moses, as well as the doctrinal statements of Paul, conclusively prove that man could not, and would not, fulfill the righteousness demanded by the law. Measured by that perfect rule he was found sadly wanting. The law was prohibitory in its character save the fourth commandment; the word "not" occurs eleven times in the ten words.
From the deliverance out of judgment by the blood of the Lamb, till Mount Sinai is reached, the people were the subjects of pure grace. They feared on the western banks of the Red Sea, and God stilled their fears by cutting a passage through death itself, and leading them on in triumph to the other side; there the first song recorded in the annals of all history was sung by the emancipated host. After the first song comes the first lesson of the wilderness. The people murmured for water: the Lord in grace showed Moses a tree, the cross of Christ surely, which sweetened the bitter waters of Marah (Exod. 15). But again they murmured, and charged God with bringing them into the wilderness to kill them with hunger (chap. 16.); nay, "He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna" (Deut. 8:33And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live. (Deuteronomy 8:3)). He suffered them to hunger that His love might provide a feast for them in the wilderness. Angels' food (Ps. 78:25), the bread of God too in figure (John 6:3333For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. (John 6:33)) was supplied to the hungry, murmuring host of Israel. Once more the people complain; before at Marah, now at Rephidim, saying, "What shall we drink?" Moses, perhaps in some irritation of spirit, resents the chidings of the people, but God in patient grace answered their murmurings, by causing the rock of Horeb to send forth its gushing streams (Exod. 17.): this was followed by conflict with Amalek, in which Israel was victorious, so long as intercession was carried on; this is accomplished for us on high by a power which never fails. Then comes the beautiful picture of the millennial days (Exod. 18.) into which we do not now enter.
In the third month of deliverance, the people encamped before the mountains of Sinai, and then God proposed to bring the people into special favor and nearness to Himself, and accomplish their greatness as a nation on the ground of their obedience. The terms were accepted—the people three times pledging themselves to full and unqualified obedience. Then the blood—the solemn witness of death—is brought in to sanction the claims of the covenant upon man, while God in covering the scene with glory intimated that all was secured on His side (chap. 24.) Alas! the people were not ready, and so the blessing was postponed. Christ has met the ruined responsibility of His people, and will bring them into favor under the Abrahamic covenant, which is one of pure promise—of absolute grace. O what an answer to the claims of God! what a rebuke to their own self-sufficiency, is witnessed in the naked people dancing around the golden calf, the witness of their shame and idolatry. Pure, unmixed law never entered the guilty camp. Would it have been a time or place to have published, "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me," to that idolatrous throng? Why, the terms of relationship which the people had so eagerly promised to fulfill are all broken already, and hence the mediator brake the tables of stone, and on the intercession of Moses the people are governmentally pardoned. The law is given anew, and the name of the Lord revealed—law and grace combined (chap. 34.) The second tables of stone are hidden away in the ark—the word hid in the heart of Jesus (Ps. 119:11) and God is concealed behind the veil. The patterns of heavenly things were also revealed, so as to sustain the faith of any broken-hearted Israelite till God's Lamb would replace all by His person and work. The first tables found a nation of idolaters, and brought them under the ban of Jehovah's displeasure. What was the effect of the second tables of testimony? The apostle tells us that they proved a ministry of death and of condemnation (2 Col, 3:7, 9). Nothing could be more plain, nothing more decisive, on a comparison of chapter 34. of the Book of Exodus with the third chapter of Paul's Second Epistle to the Corinthians than the following:—1. Life cannot be gained by man on the ground of responsibility. 2. Righteousness is equally unattainable. 3. Man cannot bear the glory of God even when reflected from the face of Moses. God has now set His glory in the face of Jesus, and from yonder risen man the Spirit is ministering life, righteousness and glory.
The law has clearly demonstrated the impossibility of man satisfying the requirements of God's holy law. Man has been fully proved. The question has been openly raised, and with a people—the best sample of humanity producible —can a sinner work himself into life? Can he accomplish a righteousness for God? Assuredly not. There are four things produced by the law: death, condemnation, transgression, and knowledge of sin. The law laid bare the heart of man; it uncovered the roots and sources of evil; it was the strength of sin and death to the conscience (Rom. 7) It could not correct or improve, but only condemn, much less could it impart a new nature, man's absolute need for God and the Kingdom.
But let us briefly pursue the history.