The first thing that must be understood is the Law, The Law of Moses. This was the old covenant that God made with the children of Israel.
The Law included directions for the tabernacle, instructions for the altar, instructions for Levitical Priests, animal sacrifices, the tithe, and more. Exodus 25-31 and pretty much all of Leviticus explains and covers it all. The important point to remember is that this is the Law & covenant that God gave to the children of Israel. It was only meant for the Jews, so only if you are a descendent of one of the 12 tribes of Israel or you have converted to Judaism should you refer that you are under the Law. That’s a very big point to understand at the simplest form of law vs. grace. Only Jews can argue whether they are under the Law.
Now there is nothing wrong with the law. The Law is perfect because it comes from God. The only problem is that man could not keep the Law. The Law is the standpoint of right and wrong. If there was no speed limit, you wouldn’t know you were speeding. If there was no judge of right or wrong, you’d never know if you’re doing things right or wrong. The Law is now for the unbeliever a guideline to show them that they are a sinner.
The Law allowed God to judge man completely by his or her works. It was very strict. There was normal sacrificing of animals to atone for one’s sins. There was bringing tithes not to the pastors, but to the Levitical Priest. There were animal sacrifices needed for atonement and cleansing of one’s soul (Leviticus 16).
As Israel conquered land they mingled with the occult. After Solomon, Israel & Judah broke apart, the many Kings of Israel, and Some of the Kings of Judah did wrong in the sight of The Lord. This is how all 12 tribes were conquered and the land of Israel was taken. They mingled and worshipped the things of the accursed and practiced idolatry. Later on there was prophecy that God was going to send a Savior for them. The prophecy was Jesus. But He did not come only for the Jews. He came for us all!
This was obviously not accepted by the Jews at large, which is why they still live by the Law. They did not accept the new covenant made through the blood of Christ. If you are a Jew, you are the only one that could be judged by the law. Judea law is now just a moral compass of our society. It’s a gauge that shows the boundaries of man. It is not what God will judge humanity in whole (Gentiles) by.
Christians are not under the Law. They live by grace. Please go to the next article about The New Covenant: Grace – Part 2
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In the beginning God created everything……and on the seventh day he rested. I don’t keep the sabbath because it’s in the Ten Commandments or the law. I’m trying to keep the sabbath because on the very beginning before everything GOD made it holly. GOD doesn’t change we do. The law was never abolished. Jesus kept the law and obeyed it. And he says :fallow me! So simple but we try to make everything so complicated so we can adjust by our needs
Good morning my brother, I have a few questions because I am trying to get a good understanding of this. First, I would like to say I don’t belong to a denomination, for I don’t believe in religion. and I don’t belong to no Black Hebrew Israelite group. I am just a Bible believing believer who is a sinner who strives to be righteous in the eyes of Yahweh while trying to be open to be lead by the Holy Spirit.
Now, from me studying the word of the Most High, and correct me if I am wrong, the term Jew was used to describe anyone from the tribe of Judah or the Southern Kingdom. the term Jew was never used to describe Israel as a whole before the death of Solomon. The Hebrew noun “Yehudi” (“Jew” in English; Strongs #3064) is derived from the name Judah, who was one of Jacob’s twelve sons. Judah was the ancestor of one of the tribes of Israel, which was named after him. “Yehudi” occurs 76 times in the following books of the Old Testament:
-11 times in Jeremiah (written about 600BC), where it describes Judeans,
-Twice in 2 Kings (written about 550BC), where it describes Judeans who lived about 750BC and 590BC,
– Once in Zechariah (written about 520BC), where it may describe both Judeans and Israelites,
– 52 times in Esther (written about 460BC), where it describes those dispersed after the Babylonian invasions and living in the Persian kingdom, including Mordecai a Benjaminite (Est. 2:5; 5:13), and
– 10 times in Nehemiah (written about 430BC), where it describes exiles who returned to Jerusalem.
A related word “Yehudain” (Strongs #3062) only occurs in the books of Daniel and Ezra (written about 530BC and 440BC respectively). So the most robust answer to our question, “When did the Hebrews or Israelites become known as Jews?” is from about 600BC.
Originally, the word referred to members of the tribe of Judah, but later it described anyone from the kingdom of Judah. This would include those from the northern kingdom of Israel who moved to Judah, including Mordecai’s ancestors. Also, as those who returned after the exile settled in Judea, they were called Jews regardless of their ancestral tribe. In the New Testament, the words, “Hebrews”, “Israelites”, and “Jews” are used interchangeably to describe the descendants of Jacob (Jn. 4:9; 2 Cor. 11:22). And this is the case today – the words “Hebrews”, “Israelites”, and “Jews” are used as synonyms.
Now, you stated that, “The important point to remember is that this is the Law & covenant that God gave to the children of Israel. It was only meant for the Jews, so only if you are a descendent of one of the 12 tribes of Israel or you have converted to Judaism should you refer that you are under the Law.”
If you go back to Exodus 12:38 you will se that not all who left Egypt were Israelites. A small group of Egyptians (verify in Lev. 24:10-11) left with them. God no longer looked at them as foreigners but as apart of Israel (Exodus 12:49;Leviticus 24:22; Numbers 15:15-16). So, from the understanding that I received from the Holy Spirit, when a gentile is willing to follow Yeshua through faith and obedience, is he not no longer a gentile but grafted into Israel? Which I have to ask if a gentile becomes a believer through faith and obedience in Yeshua and become a part of Israel, does that mean he is under the Law of God through grace? I know that we are not saved by the law, but shouldn’t we obey the law because we are saved and not to be saved? If you find anything I am saying that may be incorrect please correct me. May Yahweh continue to bless you!
You are on the right path Katoe sc
You hit the nail on the head! But the question is, did the New Testament really do away with the Laws of God or did it do away with A Particular Law? It was the Law of Animal sacrifices that have been done away with now that Christ, which is He that is perfect and eternal has come and died. The animals could not do for us in cleansing our sin what Christ did for us once and for all. (Galatian 3). This is what Paul means when He says we are no longer under the law, but are under grace. We are no longer justified by sacrificing bulls and goats (to be honest, we were never justified through the animals, they were there as a “school master” to teach us something critically important about the wages of our sin … and that when we sin, something has to die), but with the blood of Christ alone. The laws of animal sacrifice Paul says were added 430 after the promise of God to Abraham so God would not have to kill all of Israel, which would have voided the promise He made! Those animals were never His will for Israel anyway, see Jeremiah 7:21-28
We do not throw out the laws of God, for they are eternal and and are forever fixed in Heaven, Psalms 119:89. We also know, that when Christ returns, He agains reestablishes His law from Jerusalem, Isaiah 2:1-4. The only way to enter into eternal life, which is His kingdom, you must keep the Commandments of God AND have the testimony of Christ (His blood) Rev 14:14, Matt 19:16-17, Rev 22:14-15! This is why our Lord says, “IF YOU LOVE ME … KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS!”
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