"For nothing could be more fatal to the proper understanding of Holy Scripture, or of the purpose of God in His dealings with His ancient people, than to transport into olden times, the full spiritual priviledges, the knowledge of divine truth or even that of right and duty, which we now enjoy"
A. Edersheim
The above quote ought to be printed in every Bible as the cover page for the Old Testament. Though the people of God proclaimed:
(ESV)Deuteronomy 5:27 Go near and hear all that the LORD our God will say and speak to us all that the LORD our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it.''
They would not understand and in not understanding they would not do. We can not impose the Gospel upon the text of the Old Testament though we may discover it in the text. The Gospel here is a promise, a shadow. A reality in heaven but an expectation here.
If and when we impose the Gospel upon the text of the OT we utterly change the story - our understanding of the dynamics of God working in and through this people. Of all the things to be learned from the Prophetic labors the clearest lesson is that people - even a special and privileged people in whose midst God dwelt - would not - could not satisfy His demands for righteous living. There was never, at any time, an expectation on God's part that Israel would be faithful. Every time they were unfaithful and experienced the consequences they came clamoring back to God with the cry - "We will - we will be faithful."
Noble? Indeed!
But as wrong as wrong can be - for their cry should have been, "We can't, we can't."
But as the rest of us proud and stiff necked creatures they would not accept their utter inability to live holy lives. They, like we, harbor a secret suspicion that we can "get it right" if only-------.
That Israel was called is fact. That Israel was commissioned is fact. But that Israel was never converted to utter dependence upon and allegiance to God is fact as well. We have focused too much I believe of either their faithlessness or their repentance. In this either/or perspective we have missed the lesson God was teaching. We must have a Redeemer, a Mediator, indeed, a Savior. Not as Israel sought, a messiah who would make God's promises an earthly and fleshly reality, but a Messiah who would deliver us from our slavery to sin.
A holy life is, fundamentally and essentially, a sinless life. As long as sin persists no amount of liturgical and cultic activities serve any real purpose. Worship - true worship - is not possible while sin reigns. Service, obedience, any performance towards or for God is rendered useless while sin reigns.
In His covenant with them He created both the environment and the conditions under which Israel could live and prosper and indeed be a light to the world. They would not be sinless, though that was the goal, but they could address sin through both the civil and cultic conditions and practices - the "Law." Though this would not bring forgiveness for their sin it would delay it's judgement until the Redeemer redeemed.
Israel was not a or the Kingdom of God. Their existence was one of expectation. Their history - especially as seen through the eyes of the Prophets - demonstrates clearly that even when God provided man with what man in his fallenness can do to honor and serve Him - men won't because men can't and they can't because the won't. Beware however the danger of isolating Israel in their faithlessness for God makes it plain that NONE of have an excuse. Israel may, through God's gracious revelation, have had less reason for failure but their slavery to sin ( like our own) would always result in failure.
As I've said before, the revelations of the OT have naught to do with Israel except that they are the people He chose. The revelations in the OT are about God, His will and His plan for His creation. Yet we prefer to focus narrowly on - people - and we miss what God wants us to know about Him.
A. Edersheim
The above quote ought to be printed in every Bible as the cover page for the Old Testament. Though the people of God proclaimed:
(ESV)Deuteronomy 5:27 Go near and hear all that the LORD our God will say and speak to us all that the LORD our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it.''
They would not understand and in not understanding they would not do. We can not impose the Gospel upon the text of the Old Testament though we may discover it in the text. The Gospel here is a promise, a shadow. A reality in heaven but an expectation here.
If and when we impose the Gospel upon the text of the OT we utterly change the story - our understanding of the dynamics of God working in and through this people. Of all the things to be learned from the Prophetic labors the clearest lesson is that people - even a special and privileged people in whose midst God dwelt - would not - could not satisfy His demands for righteous living. There was never, at any time, an expectation on God's part that Israel would be faithful. Every time they were unfaithful and experienced the consequences they came clamoring back to God with the cry - "We will - we will be faithful."
Noble? Indeed!
But as wrong as wrong can be - for their cry should have been, "We can't, we can't."
But as the rest of us proud and stiff necked creatures they would not accept their utter inability to live holy lives. They, like we, harbor a secret suspicion that we can "get it right" if only-------.
That Israel was called is fact. That Israel was commissioned is fact. But that Israel was never converted to utter dependence upon and allegiance to God is fact as well. We have focused too much I believe of either their faithlessness or their repentance. In this either/or perspective we have missed the lesson God was teaching. We must have a Redeemer, a Mediator, indeed, a Savior. Not as Israel sought, a messiah who would make God's promises an earthly and fleshly reality, but a Messiah who would deliver us from our slavery to sin.
A holy life is, fundamentally and essentially, a sinless life. As long as sin persists no amount of liturgical and cultic activities serve any real purpose. Worship - true worship - is not possible while sin reigns. Service, obedience, any performance towards or for God is rendered useless while sin reigns.
In His covenant with them He created both the environment and the conditions under which Israel could live and prosper and indeed be a light to the world. They would not be sinless, though that was the goal, but they could address sin through both the civil and cultic conditions and practices - the "Law." Though this would not bring forgiveness for their sin it would delay it's judgement until the Redeemer redeemed.
Israel was not a or the Kingdom of God. Their existence was one of expectation. Their history - especially as seen through the eyes of the Prophets - demonstrates clearly that even when God provided man with what man in his fallenness can do to honor and serve Him - men won't because men can't and they can't because the won't. Beware however the danger of isolating Israel in their faithlessness for God makes it plain that NONE of have an excuse. Israel may, through God's gracious revelation, have had less reason for failure but their slavery to sin ( like our own) would always result in failure.
As I've said before, the revelations of the OT have naught to do with Israel except that they are the people He chose. The revelations in the OT are about God, His will and His plan for His creation. Yet we prefer to focus narrowly on - people - and we miss what God wants us to know about Him.
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