Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 12/17/2008

Question
the bible shows that there was 2 kinds of laws one Moses wrote with his finger, which were considered ceremonial laws and the other was written with God's own hand on tablets
THE TWO KINDS OF LAWS IN THE BIBLE

There are two kinds of law talked about in the bible. One is moral and is expressed in the Ten Commandments. The other is of a ceremonial type concerning rituals and drink and matters of that kind.

2Kings21:8 Neither will I make the feet of Israel move anymore out of the land which I gave  their fathers only if they will observe to do according all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.

NOTICE HE Says I COMMANDED LAW AND MY SERVANT MOSES COMMANDED LAW.

SOME GOD GAVE DIRECTLY AND SOME GOD GAVE THROUGH HIS SERVANT MOSES. SO HE SAYS THAT THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT LAWS

Exodus 31:18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had  made an end of communing with him upon MT Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the FINGER OF GOD. BASED ON THIS VERSE GOD WROTE THIS LAW

GOD’S LAW


1.   WRITTEN BY GOD
2.   WITH Gods FINGER
3.   WRITTEN ON STONE

Deuteronomy 10:1  At that time the Lord said unto me, Hew (carve thee)  two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an art of wood. And I (Jesus) will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and you shalt put them in the ark.

Deuteronomy 10:4 and he (Jesus) wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the Ten Commandments which the Lord spake unto you (Moses) in the mount. out of the midst of the fire in the day of assembly; and the lord gave them unto me  (Moses).

Deuteronomy 10:5 And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be as the Lord commanded me.

So this law was placed in the ark!  This doesn't mean it was put in Noah are. It was put in the art of the covenant, a special piece of furniture.
           SUMMARY



Gods LAW                MOSES LAW/CEREMONIAL

WRITTEN BY GOD            WRITTEN BY MOSES
WITH Gods FINGER         WITH HANDWRITING
ON STONE               IN A BOOK/SCROLL
PLACED IN THE ART          PLACE IN THE SIDE OF
CALLED THE                                               OF THE ART
10 COMMANDMENTS                                CALLED THE BOOK OF THE LAW
REMEMBER THE SABBATH      AGAINST THE PEOPLE
PERMANENT            PASSOVER
                 MEAT AND DRINK OFFERING/
                 SABBATHS – THERE WERE MORE
                 THAN ONE SABBATHS CELEBRATION
                 TEMPORARY



Moses Law – What happened under this law

Deuteronomy 31:9 And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, and unto all the elders of Israel.

Deuteronomy 31:24 And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book until they were finished, That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying, take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the art of the covenant of the Lord your God. That it may be there for a witness against thee (you/everyone).

Moses law was done with handwriting; HE WROTE IT OUT HIMSELF. HE DIDN’T DO IT WITH ONE FINGER LIKE GOD DID, AND IT WAS PLACED IN A BOOK. And it was placed in the side of the ark; so the ark had side compartments. The Ten Commandments were placed on the inside of the ark and the scroll was placed on the side of the ark. It was called the book of the LAW. A different name was given to it and it was spoken of as being against the people.

Leviticus 23:5-11 In the fourteenth day of the fist month at even is the Lord’s Passover.  And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleaven bread unto the Lord; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. In the first day you shall have an holy convocation (Holy gathering) you shall do no servile work therein, but you shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord seven days;  in the seventh day is a holy convocation; he shall do no servile work therein.  And the Lord spoke unto Mosses, saying speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, when you be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then you shall bring a sheaf of the first fruit of your harvest unto the priest; and he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you; on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.

So here we find some very special holy days that were required to be obeyed in Moses ceremonial law.  One we find the Passover and another one we find the waive sheaf offering

Leviticus 23:13 And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the Lord for a sweet savor; and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin.

Leviticus 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, in the 7th month, in the first day of the month shall you have a Sabbath, a MEMORIAL of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation (assembly)

  23:27 also on the 10th day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation unto you;

  23:32 It shall be unto you a Sabbath of rest, and you shall afflict you souls; in the 9th day of the month at evening,

Why do we bring all this up! B/c in Moses law they had ceremonial SABBATH days. These days came once a year. Like your birthday and it could fall on any day of the week. Depending on what day of the year it is. Some days your birthday can fall on Sunday or Saturday. The same with these days; they came with a date on the calander, not necessarily a day of the week; but they did come once a year and they were ceremonial in nature and they were called Sabbath days

The bible shows us through sacrificial system: yearly Sabbaths, meat offerings, drink offering and etc…

Moses law was called ceremonial b/because it deal with ceremonial things

Col 2:14-17 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon or of the Sabbath days;

In the above passage it mentions MEAT/DRINK this was Moses law. The FEAST OF THE HOLY DAYS this was Moses feast days or the new MOON or the SABBATH DAYS (MORE THAN ONE SABBATH DAY) This is talking about various Sabbath days. The Old Testament ceremonial law had 7 annual Sabbaths and it is speaking plural here.

In lieu of all of the above, no disrespect, but i would like to know what bible you are reading. If you do a study on the two words in the dictionary/encyclopedia one will be able to see that God's Holy Sabbath (Saturday) was changed to Sunday. Finally, none of the preachers i hear mention the verse in Revelations: HERE'S THE PATIENCE OF THE SAINTS; THOSE THAT KEEP THE 10 COMMANDMENTS AND THIS INCLUDES THE 4TH; SO THIS IS SAYING THAT WHEN JESUS RETURNS THERE WILL BE A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WILL KEEP ALL OF HIS COMMANDMENTS EVER THE SABBATH WHICH IS SATURDAY NO SUNDAY. THE BOOK OF JOHN SAYS THAT SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW (10 COMMANDEMENTS); NOT MOSES LAW WHICH WAS THE CEREMONIAL LAW.

PLEASE HELP ME TO UNDERSTAND WHY FOR OVER 20 YEARS OF MY LIFE WE HAVE BEEN DISOBEYING GOD TO FOLLOW AFTER MAN'S TRADITIONS. JUST LIKE CHRISTMAS JESUS WASN'T BORN ON THIS DAY. SO WHAT'S THE OPPOSITE OF THE TRUTH? IT'S A LIE  

Answer
Hi Donnamarie,

Thank you for this passionate question/ statement.  Is seems as though you already have a strong conviction in this area, but I will try to answer the question as to why I believe that the Sabbath day is a ceremonial law in spite of the fact that it was included in the 10 commandments.  Let us not forget that every word of God comes from God!  It does not matter if it was written by His finger or if it was penned by His prophets... every word is pure and perfect, thus the writnings of Moses are on the same level as the ones coming from the Mountain, because God breathed ALL of scripture.

Psalm 12:6-7
6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.  
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

2 Timothy 3:16
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

2 Peter 1:21
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.  

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

The other thing to keep in mind is that I do not believe that the Sabbath was changed from Saturday to Sunday.  Catholics teach that, but the Bible does not.  In fact the Sabbath was not changed, it was nailed to the cross.  

I preached a message on this subject, so I will paste the notes from that message so that you can see from the Bible why I believe the way I do.  

__________

Lord of the Sabbath
Matthew 12:1-13
Preached Sunday Morning October 19, 2008

I.   The Sabbath is a ceremonial law, not a moral law.

A.   It was not known before Mt. Sinai

1.   The Israelites came to Sinai to receive God’s revelation through Moses.

Exodus 16:1
And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.

2.   They found out about the Sabbath at that time.

Exodus 16:23-30
23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. 24 And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. 25 And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field. 26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. 27 And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. 28 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? 29 See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.



Nehemiah 9:13-14
13 Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:  14 And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:

3.   They received the 10 commandments during that same time period.

B.   There is no record of anyone keeping the Sabbath before Exodus 16. -  This covers 2000 years of human history!

C.   The Sabbath Day was a special covenant between God and Israel.

Exodus 31:12-17
12 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. 14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.  16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

Ezekiel 20:12
12 Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.

D.   It is not written in the heart like moral laws are.

Romans 2:14-15
14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)   

E.   Enforcement was only possible in Palestine under Theocracy.

Exodus 35:2
2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.  

F.   The New Testament never commanded anyone to keep the Sabbath.
G.   Paul refers to this subject as a matter of personal preference between you and God.

Romans 14:5-6
5 One man esteemeth one day above another:  another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.  6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.  

H.   The Sabbath was nailed to the cross.

Colossians 2:14-16
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.  
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:   

II.   Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath.

A.   He is greater than the Temple.

Matthew 12:1-6
At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. 3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; 4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? 6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

B.   He is Lord of the Sabbath

Matthew 12:7-9
7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day. 9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:

C.   He exposed Sabbath Hypocrisy


Matthew 12:10-13
10 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. 11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? 12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. 13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

D.   Jesus broke the ceremonial Sabbath.

1.   Working broke the Sabbath.

Exodus 31:15
15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.  

2.   Jesus healed on the Sabbath.

John 5:16
16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

3.   Jesus worked on the Sabbath.

John 5:17-18
17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. 18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

4.   Jesus never sinned.

Hebrews 4:15
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.




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I hope that at least helps you to understand why I believe what I do.

In Christ
Pastor Don