Ordinances Against Us?
The Apostolic Letter to Gentiles
The Law of Yahweh & of Moses
The Veil Over Their Minds
Yoke Our Fathers/Unable to Bear
Yahshua: The End of the Law
Yahshua was not a Lawgiver
How to Count to Pentecost
Yahweh's Passover
Yahshua is Coming
Love the Heavenly Father
Salvation & the Sacred Names
The Creator/What is His Name?
The Father's Name
The Importance of the Name
Read & Restore Sacred Names
What is the Messiah's Name?
John 5:18
The Sabbath
Clothing for Men and Women
Feet Washing
Is This Your Ancestor?
Speaking in Tongues
The Plan of Salvation
The Soul of Man
When does the Day Begin?
Wine in the Bible
What Body are the Dead Raised?
Women
Yahweh's Dietary Laws
THE LAW OF YAHWEH
AND
THE LAW OF MOSES
1981, Revised 1990
By Voy Wilks
The Seventh Day Churches and Assemblies can be justly commended for teaching that the Decalogue (the ten commandments) should be kept today, and that the Decalogue, being a companion of grace, is to be observed forever (1 Pet. 1:23-25). This law was written by the finger of Yahweh on two tables of stone which were placed inside the Ark of the Covenant. Being perfect, the Decalogue was given for the good of all mankind.
It may be, however, that the teaching of some brethren goes beyond what is written in Scriptures. Some teach there is a distinct difference in the Law of Moses and the Law of Yahweh. It is believed that the Law of Yahweh is good, while the Law of Moses is against us and contrary to us, therefore it was taken out of the way, abolished, nailed to the tree, when Yahshua died on Calvary. Only the Ten Commandments are in the Law of Yahweh, they say, so all other Biblical laws comprise the "law of Moses."
Some brethren have even made a diagram contrasting the good Law of Yahweh with the bad Law of Moses. This is surely a mistake, however. Let us once again examine the Scriptural evidence and learn if this is true or false.
"And when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people saying, 'This is the blood of the covenant which Yahweh commanded you'" (Heb. 9:19, 20; Ex. 24:7, 8 RSV).
So we have the laws of Yahweh – but who wrote them? Moses. The terms, the "Law of Yahweh," and the "Law of Moses," are one and the same law, as Scriptures indicate:
"And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to Yahweh; (As it is written in the law of Yahweh, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to Yahweh); and to offer sacrifices according to what is said in the law of Yahweh, a pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons" (Lk. 2:22-24 KJV).
This indicates the following points:
- The Law of Yahweh and the Law of Moses are interchangeable terms, and refer to one and the same law.
- Animal sacrifices were included in the Law of Yahweh (Ex. 22:29, 30; 34:19, 20; Lev. 5:7; 12:6); but were not included in the Decalogue.
After the people of Israel heard Yahweh speak aloud the ten commandments, they were afraid and asked that he speak no more to them, but only to Moses (Ex. 20:18-21). The Mighty El complied, communicating only with Moses, and continued giving his law (Ex. 20:22). Moses wrote it in a book (Ex. 24:4; Deut. 31:26).
Some have call the miscellaneous laws which lay outside the Decalogue the "Law of Moses,"" but Scriptures refer to all Biblical laws as "the Law of Yahweh" (Lk. 2:22-24). First the Decalogue was declared (Ex. 20), then a great variety of laws were given. Examples:
- How to treat a slave wife (Ex. 21:7-11).
- What to do with mad bulls (Ex. 21:28, 29).
- What to do with witches (Ex 22:18).
- How to rest your fields in the Sabbath year (Ex. 23:10-12).
- When to keep the yearly festivals: Passover, Feast of Unleavened read, of Harvest, and the Feast of Tabernacles (Ex. 23:14-17).
Could it be there is an inconsistency in the doctrine and practice of many Sabbatarians? As noted above, many teach that the Law of Yahweh consists only of the Decalogue. All other commandments, it is said, make up the Law of Moses. These are bad laws – laws which are against us – so we should ignore them. Some even go so far as to say that we fall from grace if we live by the laws which are not named in the Decalogue. For example: keeping the festivals (Lev. 23). This is partially based on the following statement:
These words Yahweh spoke unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud and of thick darkness, with a great voice; and he added no more" (Deut. 5:22 KJV).
The reasoning is this: Since Yahweh spoke the Decalogue and added no more, only this comprises the Law of Yahweh. All other commands comprise the Law of Moses. This Law of Moses speaks of animal sacrifices, tithing, the festivals, the clean verses the unclean, etc. This is the Law of Mosses, they say, separate and apart from the Law of Yahweh.
Yet many of the people who say there are two laws, and that the Law of Moses is against us – these very same people insist on observing the clean food laws. And where do we find these food laws? In the Decalogue? No. These laws are in what is (by them) called the Law of Moses.
These good brethren preach that the Law of Moses has been abolished; that only the Decalogue (the Law of Yahweh) endures forever; yet they go to this Law of Moses for instructions in clean foods. But no, oh no. We must not keep the festivals, because these are a part of the Law of Moses. Keeping the festivals causes the believer to fall from grace. To repeat my question: Could it be these Sabbatarian brethren are being inconsistent? Now to explain.
Scriptures give an easily understood reason why Yahweh spoke the Decalogue then, "added no more." Yahweh no longer spoke "in a great voice" to the multitude of Israel, but to Moses only. Why? The people were afraid, so they said to Moses:
"Go thou near, and hear all that Yahweh our Elohim shall say; and speak thou unto us all that Yahweh our Elohim shall speak to thee; and we will hear it and do it" (Deut. 5:27).
Did the Mighty One of Israel approve this? He did indeed.
" … and Yahweh said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken …" (Deut. 5:28)
So Israel's Mighty One did not sulk. He continued delivering his law, but only to Moses. He said,
"But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, …" (Deut. 5:31).
So then, it was Yahweh, the Mighty Elohim who gave all the Law: The Decalogue, the judgments, and the ceremonial law. So whose law is it? Scriptures reply:
"There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy …" (James 4:12).
"For Yahweh is our judge, Yahweh is our lawgiver, Yahweh is our king; he will save us" (Isa. 33:22).
To further confirm that this one law giver is Yahweh, and that Moses wrote only Yahweh's laws, – none of his own – let us read:
"These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which Yahweh made between him and the children of Israel in Mount Sinai by the hand of Moses" (Lev. 26:46).
Every item in the law, including statutes, judgments, and laws, were Yahweh's creation. Moses only "received the lively oracles" and passes them on to Israel (Acts 7:38). In Lev. 27 is given a wide variety of laws. Not one of the Ten Commandments is named, yet including the chapter Moses summarizes as follows:
"These are the commandments which Yahweh commanded Moses for the children of Israel in Mount Sinai" (Lev. 27:34).
More than 800 years later this truth is confirmed in the following words:
"This Ezra … was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which Yahweh [the] Elohim of Israel had given …" Ezra 7:6).
That the Law of Yahweh and the Law of Moses is one and the same law is also confirmed by Nehemiah. There was only one book of the law, not two.
" … and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the BOOK of the law of Moses, which Yahweh had commanded to Israel. … So they read in the BOOK of the law of Elohim distinctly …" (Neh. 8:1, 8).
"And they found written in the law which Yahweh had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month. … And day by day [at the feast], from the first day to the last day, he read from the Book of the law of Elohim" (Neh. 8:14, 18).
"And they stood up in their place, and read in the Book of the law of Yahweh their Elohim …" (Neh. 9:3).
It is said that some of these laws are against us and contrary to us; in other words, they are bad laws. But what do Scriptures indicate?
"Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, and good statutes and commandments: and madest known to them thy holy Sabbaths, and commandest them precepts, statutes, and laws by the hand of Moses thy servant" (Neh. 9:13, 14).
These terms: (1) judgments, (2) laws, (3) statutes, (4) commandments, and (5) precepts, are all inclusive showing that everything written in the book of the law, as well as the words written on stone, comprise the Law of Yahweh.
"Thy word is true from the beginning: And every one of thy righteous judgments [as well as the Decalogue, Verse 151] endureth forever" (Ps. 119:160).
This is why Yahshua the Messiah could say, "But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one dot of the law to become void (Lk. 16:17 RSV).
Summary
- Moses gave no laws of his own. All were Yahweh's laws.
- This includes commandments, precepts, judgments, statutes, laws ordinances.
- Moses wrote in the Book of the Law only what Yahweh commanded.
- The Book of the Law of Elohim is one and the same as the Book of the law of Moses (Neh. 8:7; Lk. 2:22-24).
- Therefore the Law of Moses and the Law of Yahweh is one and the same law.
