Law: The Covenant with Israel at Sinai
The fifth dispensation, Law, is a critical period in God's plan for humanity. Following the promises made to Abraham, the descendants of Abraham, particularly the nation of Israel, enter into a unique covenant relationship with God. This dispensation begins with the giving of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai and lasts until the death of Jesus Christ. It is a time in which God sets forth clear moral, civil, and ceremonial laws to guide the life of His people. The Law reveals God's holiness, the severity of sin, and humanity's need for a Savior.
The foundation for the Law dispensation is laid in Exodus, where God delivers the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. After their miraculous escape, they find themselves at Mount Sinai, where God calls Moses to the top of the mountain and gives him the Law. The Law, which consists of 613 commandments, encompasses moral, civil, and ceremonial laws. The most well-known of these laws are the Ten Commandments, given to Moses in Exodus 20, which serve as the moral backbone of the Law.
The Ten Commandments provide a summary of how God desires His people to live in relation to Him and to one another. The first four commandments focus on honoring and worshiping God, emphasizing the importance of monotheism, the proper worship of God, and the keeping of the Sabbath day holy. The remaining six commandments govern interpersonal relationships, including prohibitions against murder, adultery, theft, lying, and coveting. These laws, although specific to the people of Israel, reflect God's unchanging moral standard and His desire for justice and righteousness.
Beyond the Ten Commandments, God also provides numerous other laws that address various aspects of daily life. Civil laws were given to govern the social order of Israel, regulating matters such as property rights, restitution, and punishment for crimes. These laws were intended to ensure justice and equity within the community. Ceremonial laws, on the other hand, provided a system of sacrifices, rituals, and festivals designed to maintain the Israelites' relationship with God and atone for sin. The sacrificial system was a temporary measure to deal with sin, pointing forward to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
The Law dispensation reveals several important truths. First, it highlights God’s holiness and His desire for His people to live in holiness as well. The Law made it clear that God is righteous, and humanity, in its sinfulness, falls short of His standards. The Law also demonstrates the need for atonement, as the sacrificial system provided a means for the Israelites to seek forgiveness for their sins. However, the Law also reveals that no one can fully keep God's commandments, as evidenced by Israel's repeated failure to live up to God's standards.
In the Law dispensation, the Israelites were expected to obey God’s commands, but the Law was never intended as a means of salvation. In fact, Paul writes in Galatians 3:24, "So the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith." The Law, in its perfection, pointed to the need for a Savior, someone who could fulfill the Law on behalf of humanity. This foreshadowed the coming of Jesus Christ, who would perfectly obey the Law and offer Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for sin.
Throughout this period, Israel’s repeated disobedience demonstrated that the Law could not save; it could only convict. The sacrifices were never a permanent solution, but a temporary covering for sin. Ultimately, the Law dispensation sets the stage for the coming of Christ, who would bring about the fulfillment of the Law and offer the gift of grace to all who believe in Him.
In conclusion, the Law dispensation is crucial for understanding God’s holiness, the gravity of sin, and the necessity of a Savior. It shows that God’s moral standard is unchanging and that humanity’s efforts to earn righteousness through obedience to the Law are futile. The Law pointed forward to Christ, who would fulfill it and provide salvation by grace through faith. As such, the Law dispensation is both a revelation of God’s righteousness and a testimony to humanity’s need for redemption.