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| Vol. 16 No. 6 June 2014 | Page 15 |
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| Vol. 16 No. 6 June 2014 | Page 15 |
Ed Benesh
There are approximately 613 different laws that make up what we commonly call the “Law of Moses.” Few if any, save a limited number of devout orthodox Jews, have them memorized or could even list a fraction of them. Most would struggle to get through the Ten Commandments, which are really kind of a prelude or introduction to the Law.
Have you ever wondered why God gave the Jews so many laws? I guess there are a number of answers one could give. Some might say, for instance, that the ancient Jewish people lived under what you might call a limited Theocracy, where God is not only the spiritual leader, but the civil, governing body as well. Thus, He gave them not only a spiritual law, but a civil law, too.
Yet, I think another very strong argument that we could make, and perhaps one that is a little more practical and maybe not fraught with some difficulties, is the simple fact that God went out of the way to give us abundant evidence for the need of a Savior. Consider those 613 laws in light of what Paul would say in Galatians 3:24-25. “So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now faith that is come, we are no longer under a tutor.”
The Law of Moses pointed to something. It pointed to the same fact that you and I face every day. We have been sold to sin and fall short at every turn. Yet, we have a Savior who lived and died for us so that our failure to uphold the law may be turned into victory. The laws are so numerous perhaps because He understood the necessity of holding our hands and walking us through it in detail. It was needed and served its purpose. Today His expectation is greater. In this day let us remember just how much of a debt we owe and thank our great and gracious God for the sacrificial Son that He gave for our weaknesses.
Chad Ezelle
“Life is a series of choices between the bad, the good, and the best. Everything depends on how we choose” (Vance Havner). Every day of your life is a progression of choices. When you wake up, there are choices, and throughout the day, the decisions never stop. What will you eat? What will you wear? How will you respond to the difficult guy at work? Probably, there are already a host of things on your mind (even if you read these the first thing in the morning). You can already see that your day will be filled with choices, can’t you? Further, the sum of those decisions will decide the quality of your day. The sum of your days will determine the quality of your life. It starts with your choices. Today, will you make choices that are pleasing to God? Will you make choices that improve your life? How?