The nation of Israel observed the Sabbath on Saturday, the seventh day of the week. The significance of this day was that it represented God’s rest from his creative work (Genesis 1:1 – 2:3). God sanctified the seventh day (made it holy), and blessed it. As we learned in Part I, Israel was commanded to observe the Sabbath, first in Exodus 16, and later in Exodus 20 at the giving of the Decalouge, the Ten Commandments.
The Sabbath is part of God’s moral law. The Law of Moses (often called, simply, “The Law”) is divided into two categories: the moral law and the ceremonial law. The moral law consists of vertical and horizontal commands, given by God, that are binding upon all people in all times. Vertical commands are: “You shall have no other God’s before me” (Exodus 20:3), and “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain” (Exodus 20:7). These commands are directed at men and towards God. Examples of horizontal commands are: “Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:23), and “You shall not commit murder” (Exodus 20:13). Horizontal commands are directed at men and towards men. The ceremonial laws extend past the Ten Commandments. The book of Leviticus provides specific laws on sacrifices and temple rituals. Animal sacrifices were necessary under the Old Testament economy in order to satisfy God’s wrath on sin. These sacrifices were never meant to permanently atone for sin.
Hebrews 10:1-4 For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sin? 3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sin every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
It can be argued that the whole ceremonial law of God stood on the sacrifical system. It was that sacrificial system that was fulfilled; or rather, made pefect, by Christ:
Hebrews 10:11-18 11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” 17 then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” 18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
Jesus Christ fulfilled sins requirement for a sacrifice. Because He was without sin, His sacrifice was a perfect sacrifice. It satisfied God’s wrath and the Law’s requirement for retribution. If the whole ceremonial law hinges on sacrifice, Christ’s perfect sacrifice fulfilled the requirement of the law. Once fulfilled there is no longer any need for sacrifice. Therefore, there is no more need for the ceremonial law. It not only has been fulfilled, it is now forbidden for Christians to observe. Nowhere is made more plain than in Paul’s letter to the Galatians:
Galatians 3:1-13 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain- if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith- 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? 7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us- for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”-
Christ became a curse for us; cursed by God because He took on His body the sin of the world. The ceremonial law ended upon the perfect obedience of Christ on the cross. With the ceremonial law ended, what of the moral law of God? Was the entire Law fulfilled, or just the ceremonial part? We’ll cover that in Part III.
