Mosaic Covenant

In the previous Dispensations video, we covered the physical dealings of the Jews. The Jews overlooked the spiritual dealings of God in the Old Testament, which is why they don’t see a lot of truth that resonates with us Christians. In this article, we will cover those spiritual dealings of the law.

Now, something we need to understand when studying the spiritual dealings of the Mosaic law is that the spirit was dead during the Old Testament time period, unlike Christians today. The spirit died ever since Adam sinned so God had to deal with them physically through the law.

We know that the law was physical because it described how to perform all things including one’s physical hygiene. That being said, it was very obvious that a person’s salvation and eternal life in the Old Testament were not determined by spiritual means but rather physical law. This is different from our Christian doctrine; we are saved through faith. Now, some cults will try to mingle the physical and spiritual aspects and come up with convoluted heresy.

Galatians 3:2-3,21 “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.”

“This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”

This is a verse that points out how Christians received the Holy Spirit, through faith. Paul also points out that we Christians are not made perfect by our works, because we already have the Holy Spirit in us.

“Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?“

This verse is very important in noting the difference between the New Testament Christian and the Old Testament Jew. It also explains why Old Testament Jews go by the physical works of the law and the Christians by the spirit.

“Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.“

This verse points out the law does not go against God’s promises but rather if the law could give us life then our righteousness should have been by the law. This, of course, does not apply to us today given that we have a spiritual nature that’s alive within us. Compare this verse to the following one.

Ezekiel 18:26-27 “When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.”

“Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed,”

This contradicts Paul’s teachings because it mentions that a person has to work for his salvation by turning from wickedness.

“and doeth that which is lawful and right,”  

To do this, the person has to go by the law.

“he shall save his soul alive.”

The person was saved by the works of their flesh.

Now, let’s look at a righteous man mentioned in the previous verse.

“When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.”

If the righteous man turns from following the law (righteousness) he’s going to die in his sin. Verse 27 connects his righteousness to his soul, therefore he is lost.

So, what’s being explained in these passages is that the spirit was dead during the Old Testament. The law was used to deal with the Jews physically, hence, why both the wicked and the righteous had to live by physical deeds.

This meant that their soul (salvation and eternal life) was determined by physical aspects whereas Paul gave distinction between the Christian and the Jew by mentioning that the spirit in the Christian was alive. This is why the law could not give us Christians our righteousness. It is important that we make this distinction between the Jews and the Christians, and only through dispensationalism is this possible.

The Jews in the Old Testament did not acquire the Holy Spirit like how we Christians do because they had to abide by the physical law. The spiritual nature of the Jews in the Old Testament was dead, so God had to determine their salvation with physical deeds and actions.

Paul talked about the law and how it could not give Christians righteousness and eternal life. It is through our spiritual nature that we are alive, while the Old Testament Saints were not alive spiritually: it was only through man’s righteousness that they were saved.

However, the righteousness of man can never meet the standard of God’s righteousness of the law no matter how much man tries. So obviously, it is not possible that anyone could keep the law so perfectly, much less be considered spiritually perfect. Not until Jesus died for us. This is why Jesus had to die for us, to make us perfect spiritually through His righteousness. Old Testament Jews had to follow the law for their righteousness because Jesus’ death was not available to them at the time.

Romans 8:3-4 “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh,”

This is true because according to Job and Isaiah, man at his best is vanity. This is why their physical works are imperfect when compared to God’s Holy standard of perfection.

“God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:”

Jesus got rid of the sin of the flesh.

“That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

The law is made perfect in us through the spiritual nature that was made alive by Jesus. Because the Old Testament Jews did not have this, they had to go by their works in the flesh, and even then, their works were not perfect.

Now, we have established a clear distinction in the salvation plans for both the Old Testament Jews and the New Testament Christians. This is why dispensationalism is important.

Fundamentalists, however, teach that salvation has been the same from beginning to end which is faith only in Jesus Christ. This cannot be because the spiritual nature of the Jews was dead during the Old Testament so there is no way that they could have been dealt with spiritually.

God could only deal with them physically and that was through the law. It wasn’t until Jesus died on the cross in the New Testament that our spiritual nature was made alive through faith in what He did, therefore, God no longer had to require physical works for our salvation.

Acts 15:10 “Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?”

This verse points out an important point: that none of us can follow the law perfectly, not even the Jew’s forefathers. Again, because at man’s best, it is still weak in comparison to God.

So, no one could keep the entire law for salvation in spiritual perfection until Jesus died. This is why the Old Testament Jews had to look at perfection and righteousness from a physical perspective. That being said, when they were considered perfect or righteous, it was not according to God’s standard, which is spiritual, but rather through the physical law among men.

Deuteronomy 6:24-25 “And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day. And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us.”

“And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes,”

God gave them statutes.

“to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day”

The Old Testament saints have to keep all the commandments.

“And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us.”

Doing these commandments automatically counted for their righteousness. Now notice the phrase “our righteousness”. This refers to the righteousness of man, which is what those during the Old Testament time had to live by. This differs from us Christians because we have the righteousness of God through the Holy Spirit, not our own.

Now, you will see verses throughout the Bible that show when men were able to keep the law and were considered righteous but also that man could not keep the whole law. This is because, from God’s perspective, man could not keep His law perfectly according to His standard. These are verses found in the New Testament, because man could not keep the law perfectly in regards to God’s Holy standard, they needed Jesus’ righteousness to fulfill it for them. However, when we consider the standard of men, it was possible for men to keep the law because it was according to men’s righteousness, not God’s.

Luke 1:6 “And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.”

“And they were both righteous before God,”

They were righteous in God’s eyes.

“walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.”

Because they followed the law, they were considered blameless. This is a problem because if we compare man’s righteousness to God’s righteousness, none of us are blameless no matter how well we try. However, what we fail to notice is that this writer is pointing out that these people were righteous, but according to their own (man’s) perspective through the law.

Matthew 19:16-21 “And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.”

“And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?“

A man asks Jesus how he can attain eternal life.

“And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?” 

Jesus does not respond “by faith” but rather gives a list of things the man has to do in verses 17-21. The reason it wasn’t by faith was that He hadn’t died on the cross yet.

“Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.”

God considered them perfect if they kept the whole law, again, from man’s point of view.

Lordship salvation believers would use verses 16-21 to argue that Christians have to abide and comply with these good works for salvation, which is heresy. What they fail to realize is that yes, Jews needed to do good works for salvation because Jesus had not yet died on the cross, therefore they couldn’t believe in His death, burial, and resurrection for their salvation. Again, this is why dispensationalism is important, it separates salvation plans and doctrines to different groups of people, different time periods, etc.

Jesus’ death was important for a complete salvation. That’s not to say that before Jesus’ death, God didn’t consider anyone saved: Old Testament saints were saved but their salvation was not yet complete according to God. He counted them saved through their physical works because their spiritual nature had not yet been made alive. This is why the death of Jesus Christ was so important for a complete salvation in God’s standard, being that God is a Spirit.

Now, the greatest argument we can use when witnessing to Jews is to use Jewish law in the Old Testament as a reference, such as blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin, as well as flesh circumcision, to show them that those are no longer the foundation of salvation anymore.

It is important for them to realize that they have to accept a New Testament and a suffering Messiah because their way of living (good works and all) is not enough when compared to God’s Holy sinless heaven. Thus, a suffering Messiah has to complete their salvation today.

Dispensationalism confounds the two extremes of Jewish perspective of physical works for salvation and the wrong doctrine where Fundamentalists and Baptists mingle New Testament and Old Testament doctrines. By doing so, they bypass any mention of works for salvation and turn it into faith alone. This is done even when it is clearly works for salvation but somehow they insist it is through faith alone.

Romans 3:9-15 “What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:”

Verses 9-18 list all the sins we are prone to committing and have done, meaning that no one is perfect or good enough to go to heaven in God’s point of view.

Romans 3:19-24 “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”

“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”

We are found guilty by the standard of God. What Paul is trying to say here is that before God, the Spirit, everyone has sinned and none are good enough to go to heaven.

“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

This is why Paul argued that during the New Testament for Christians, it is never by the physical works of the law that we are saved.

“But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;”

It is important to note that the righteousness of God is without the law, this is different from man’s righteousness where the law was needed (Deuteronomy 6). This verse states that in order to attain the righteousness of God, we cannot count on our works for our salvation.

“Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:”

Faith only, not works, is mentioned here for everyone today (New Testament).

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

Everyone has sinned so no one is perfect. Therefore, they have to go by faith.

“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”

Specifically, faith in Jesus Christ.

We notice in verse 25 that everything we have is based upon the sacrifice of Jesus. The Old Testament saints didn’t have all these things, therefore, it was necessary for them to follow the law.

Animal Sacrifice versus Jesus Sacrifice

The law is proof that everyone is in need of salvation through Jesus Christ alone. The reason being that everyone is a sinner when we compare ourselves to God and His righteousness. Therefore, no one’s salvation is perfect by the law.

Galatians 3:19-25 “Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster”

“Wherefore then serveth the law?”

What is the law for?

“It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come“

This is important to note. Paul mentioned that the law was put in place because of the sins the Jews were committing. However, it was only to be in effect ’till the seed’ or Jesus Christ came.

“to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.”

When comparing man’s righteousness to God’s righteousness, there is no comparison.

“But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.”

Everyone sinned when compared to God, so they have to go by faith in Jesus Christ for salvation under the New Testament.

“But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.”

Before faith only in Jesus Christ, Old Testament saints were bound by the law. So we see that it wasn’t until Jesus came down and died on the cross for humanity that faith alone in Jesus became the basis for salvation. This is why we New Testament Christians can say that we are not bound by the law but Old Testament Jews were since Jesus hadn’t died yet.

“Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith”

The law proves to us that everyone needs salvation by faith through Christ alone because everyone has sinned when compared to God’s standard.

“But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster”

The schoolmaster is the law, given the previous verse’s context. Therefore, we are no longer bound under the law.

Now, looking at a purely physical perspective (man’s righteousness), because the Old Testament Jews were bound by the law and were required to be blameless, animal sacrifices were important for the forgiveness of sins. Scripture states that no one could keep the entire law because no one was perfect. hence, why they needed to make up for their sins through animal sacrifices. However, these sacrifices were insufficient when compared to Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for us. Animal sacrifices were purely physical while the sacrifice of Jesus gave us spiritual perfection.

Hebrews 9:19-22 “For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.“

There was no forgiveness for the Old Testament saints without the sacrifice of the animal’s blood.

Hebrews 10:4,11 “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:”

For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”

This verse points out a very important distinction between the blood of animals and the blood Jesus shed for us at calvary: the blood of animals does not take away or clear one’s sin, it only forgives. This is due to the physical nature of the sacrifice, a physical sacrifice is only temporary.

This is why God counted the Jew’s works as perfect and their animal sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins. However, this presented an incomplete salvation for the Old Testament saints. This is why the death of Jesus Christ was so important because it fulfilled both the law and the requirement of a perfect sacrifice that would cleanse all of our sins, thus completing mankind’s salvation.

“And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:”

No matter how many animal sacrifices were offered, it still wouldn’t do away with a person’s sins. This doesn’t mean that God didn’t forgive their sins, they just weren’t cleared.

Exodus 34:7 “Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.”

God also states here that He can forgive Jew for their sins but He cannot clear them.

Abraham’s Bosom versus Heaven

A lot of Jews do not believe in Heaven, because they only came across Abraham’s bosom in the Old Testament for the saints. Based on the parable of the rich man and the poor man, we know that Abraham’s bosom is found in hell. Now, we know that hell is a place of sin and transgression so God put the Old Testament Jews here because they were sinners ,in comparison to God, and because their salvation was incomplete. Due to their physical nature and dealings with God, He could only put them in this temporary place until Jesus died and brought them out of the bosom, thus completing the salvation of those Old Testament saints in Abraham’s bosom.

Luke 23:43 “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

Jesus says to the thief that he will come with Him in paradise. Notice the word ‘in’. Now, compare this with the following verse.

Matthew 12:40 “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.“

From this verse, we can conclude that Jesus went down into the earth, not up to heaven. The following verse gives us a better indication of where paradise is located.

Luke 16:22-26 “And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.”

“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;”

Both the rich man and the beggar died. The rich man was in hell while the poor man was in Abraham’s bosom.

“And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.“

Notice that the rich man can still see the poor man in Abraham’s bosom while the rich man is in hell. This means that Abraham’s bosom has to be somewhere under the earth in hell.

“And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.”

The rich man was able to communicate with Abraham while he was in hell and Abraham in paradise.

“But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.”

There is a place of torment and a place of comfort: hell and paradise respectively.

“And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.”

The beggar and the rich man are in the same place: hell. The only difference is that the rich man is in torment while Abraham and Lazarus are comforted. They can communicate from one place to the other but there is a gulf that separates the two places. This proves that both Abraham’s bosom and the place of torment (hell) are in the same location.

Up until now, we have proved the importance of dispensationalism and through it, we know why God had to put Abraham’s bosom below the earth, required animal sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins, and bound Jews by the law (among other physical things).

If we do not recognize those reasons then we will follow the heretical teaching that Jesus’ death was applicable to all people from the beginning of the Old Testament until now, which is not true. Old Testament Jews could not have used belief in Jesus’ death as a means for their salvation because God bound them by the law and had them practice animal sacrifices for forgiveness of their sins.

By doing this, God considered them perfect, albeit it was temporary righteousness. We Christians do not need to do any of the aforementioned things nor do we go to Abraham’s bosom when we die, but rather straight to Heaven.

This is because we live in the time period after Jesus’ death where we have to believe in Him through faith only and without any type of work involved for our salvation. His sacrifice is what made our spiritual nature alive contrary to the Old Testament Jews where their spirit was dead, which is the reason God had to deal with them physically and why their salvation was imperfect. If we recognize all of these things to be true, then we need to believe in dispensationalism.

Now, recall the promise of the seed that was given during the Abrahamic covenant. Ever since God gave them this promise of a seed, Satan has been attacking it during every covenant.

Deuteronomy 7:1 “When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.”

God does not want His seed to be contaminated through the intermingling of His people with other nations. This is different from the New Testament.

Nehemiah 13:23 “In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each people. And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin. Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?”

At this time, God did not want His seed to be tainted with Satan’s people because it was the seed from where the Messiah would come out from. Thus, the Jews had to keep themselves apart from other people and not marry foreign women. After Jesus’ death, it was no longer necessary to keep the Jew’s seed clean.