The Everlasting Covenant was given to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob long before the Children of Israel ever arrived at Mt. Sinai (Gen. 9:16; 17:7; 17:19; Ps. 105:8-10). The conditions of this covenant were known to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and they obeyed the laws of the covenant and taught them to their children (Gen. 26:5). But when Jacob’s children went to Egypt, they forgot God, and they forgot the laws of His Covenant. So after He had freed them from slavery, He brought them to Mt. Sinai to renew His Covenant with them and remind them of the terms and conditions of His Covenant. These laws He gave at Mt. Sinai were nothing new; He was just reminding them of the things they had forgotten during their time of slavery.
First He gave them the Ten Commandments (called the “Ten Words” in Hebrew) with an audible voice from the top of Mt. Sinai. These “Ten Words” were a summary of all the laws of His Covenant (Ex. 20). But the people were terrified and asked God not to speak to them anymore or they would die (Ex. 20:19). So God spoke the rest of His laws to Moses privately and had Moses write them down in a book and tell them to the people (Ex. 21-23). These other laws which God gave were the detailed descriptions of what the Ten Commandments meant (see PP, ch. 27).
You can think of the Ten Commandments like the ten bold headings, and the other laws as the detailed descriptions under each bold heading. (see PP, ch. 27)
The Ten Commandments were written on tables of stone and they were called the “Tables of the Covenant” (Deut. 9:9). The other laws were written in a book and it was called the “Book of the Covenant” (Ex. 24:7). So the Tables of the Covenant contained the summary of the terms and conditions of the Covenant; and the Book of the Covenant contained the detailed descriptions of these same terms and conditions. This was apparently the customary way to write important documents in those days. Writing it both on tables and in a book showed that it was to last forever (see example in Is. 30:8).
So all the laws found in Exodus, chapters 20-23 are the terms and conditions of the Covenant. After the people heard all the terms and conditions of the Covenant, they agreed to obey them. The Covenant was then ratified (Ex. 24). The people of Israel were now in a Covenant relationship with the ruler of the Universe.
It’s important to note that once a Covenant is ratified, nothing can be added to it or taken away from it (see Gal. 3:15), although the terms can be further explained and amplified if necessary. Indeed, we find that God amplified the laws of the covenant many times throughout Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
It’s also well to note that the sacrificial laws were given later. They were not included as part of the terms of the covenant. A short portion of the instructions for the sacrificial services were given along with the instructions for the Sanctuary, when Moses spent forty days in the mountain (Ex. 29). This probably took place about three or four weeks after the covenant had been made. The rest of the sacrificial laws were given about nine months later – God spoke them from inside the tabernacle, after it had been constructed (Lev. 1:1; PP, p. 364; ST, July 15, 1880). So we see that there is a clear distinction between the sacrificial, or ceremonial laws, and the moral laws that were given as part of the covenant. They were given at two different times, and contain different instructions. When Christ died on the cross, it was prophecies that He would, “cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease” (Dan. 9:27). This is what defines the ceremonial law that ceased – it was the “sacrifice and oblation”. It does not say that He would cause anything else to cease. I believe that the laws of the covenant given to Noah, Abraham, Jacob, and Israel are just as binding now as they ever were.
Ok, let’s get back to the story. The Children of Israel had ratified their covenant with God at Mt. Sinai. They had promised to be faithful to His requirements; and He had promised to be their God and protect and care for them. Now, it would be wonderful if the people of Israel had been obedient to God’s Covenant for the rest of their lives. But they had no true conception of the holiness of God, of the exceeding sinfulness of their own hearts, their utter inability, in themselves, to render obedience to God’s law, and their need of a Saviour (PP, p. 371), and within a few short weeks they broke their Covenant with God and bowed down to worship a golden calf.
In answer to Moses’ earnest intercession, God forgave the people of Israel for breaking His Covenant. And in Exodus 34 He once again renewed His Covenant with them. This time He just gave a summary of the terms and conditions of the Covenant. He listed about three of the Ten Commandments and about eleven of the other laws. This was just a summary, to remind them of the conditions of the Covenant.
And again, we would wish that the people of Israel had remained faithful from this point onward and never broken the Covenant again, but unfortunately it didn’t happen that way. Right on the borders of the promised land they rebelled again and refused to go in and take the land. So God said they would have to wander in the wilderness for forty years until all of that generation had died. They had been unfaithful to His Covenant, and they were under the Divine rebuke during these forty years (see PP, p. 406.2).
But God’s watch care was still over them, and after the forty years were over God brought them once more to the borders of the promised land. Once again He renewed His Covenant with them. You can find the story of this in the book of Deuteronomy (see also PP, ch.42). Once again the terms and conditions of the Covenant were repeated and the Covenant was renewed (Deut. 29:9-15). This time the terms and conditions of the Covenant were explained in much greater detail – they fill much of the book of Deuteronomy – but they were basically still the same terms and conditions given at the beginning.
Three times God repeated the terms and conditions of the Covenant:
First time – At Mt. Sinai (Ex. 20-23)
Second time – After the golden calf (Ex. 34)
Third time – After the forty years wandering (Most of Deuteronomy)
And each time God repeated the terms of the Covenant, it included the same laws – both the Ten Commandments (which were the summary), and all the other “commandments, statutes, and judgments” which gave the details of the Covenant.
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Exodus 20-23: |
Exodus 34 (summary): |
Deuteronomy: |
| Ten Commandments (Ex. 20)
Commandments, Statutes, and Judgments (Ex. 21-23) |
3 of the Ten Commandments
11 of the Commandments, Statutes, and Judgments |
Ten Commandments (Deut. 5)
Commandments, Statutes, and Judgments (Deut. 1-34) |
We cannot separate the Ten Commandments from the other Commandments, Statutes, and Judgments which were also given as part of the Covenant. They are not part of the ceremonial law, they are part of the moral law, just like the Ten Commandments are. They were not shadowy types to pass away with the death of Christ. They were to be binding upon man in every age as long as time should last. (RH, May 6, 1875 par. 10) Through all time they are to be perpetuated. (FE, 393.2) In the day of judgment we shall be asked whether we have lived in harmony with these specifications. (AUCR, March 25, 1907 par. 3) The terms of the Covenant have not changed. They are the same as they were in the days of Israel. (see 1MR, 108.2; 114. par. 1-3; 122.1; SW, March 1, 1904 par. 40-44; June 7, 1904; ST, March 21, 1895 par. 1).
Somebody will be sure to ask, “What about the new Covenant spoken of in Jeremiah 31:31? Is it the same as the Everlasting Covenant?”
Yes, I believe it is! The Hebrew word “new” in that passage has the meaning of “renewed”, or, “restored”. It is the same word used for the “new” moon. When we see the first sliver of the “new” moon we know that it is the same moon that has always been there, but it is being renewed – it is being brought back into the light after having been dark for awhile. It is very much like the covenant – it is being renewed after having been lost sight of for awhile. So this verse can be read as: “Behold, the days come, saith Yahweh, that I will make a renewed covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.” (see also PK 408.2) If the Everlasting Covenant is really everlasting, then this verse in Jeremiah 31:31 must mean that the days were coming when God would renew the Everlasting Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah (this includes us wild olive branches that have been grafted in as well – Rom. 11; AA, ch. 35).
Why does the Everlasting Covenant need to be renewed, or restored? Because it has been broken. “The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.” (Isa 24:5) What ordinances have they changed? What laws have they transgressed? Is it not the laws and ordinances of the Everlasting Covenant? (8MR 31.1) Has not man changed God’s times and laws (Dan. 7:25). Has he not made his own holy days to take the place of God’s holy days? Has he not taught that God’s law was abolished and nailed to the cross?
So what is our work at the time of the end, when men are breaking the Everlasting Covenant? “And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.” (Isa 58:12) We are to restore the breech in God’s law; we are to renew our Covenant with Him by obeying all of the requirements of the Covenant, including the Commandments, Statutes, and Judgments, found throughout Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. (See also EW, 34.1; 285, par. 1-2; LS 65.1)
Now, most people will not have a big problem with the laws about taking care of the poor, respecting leaders, not committing sexual immorality, treating animals kindly, helping your enemies, etc. They will agree that these are all good laws that should be obeyed. But they will have a problem when it comes to the laws about time – God’s holy days. For some reason people start to bring up objections when God asks for a part of their time. If you read off the Ten Commandments to an average Christian, they will agree that those are all good laws that should still be obeyed. But when you get to the Sabbath commandment, they will say, “Oh no, the Sabbath was part of the ceremonial law and has been abolished!”
Why would nine of them be moral and one be ceremonial? That seems kind of inconsistent.
And people have the same problem with the other commandments, statutes, and judgments. When you read them off to someone they will probably agree that the majority of them are definitely moral laws that should still be obeyed. But when you get to the laws about the Feast Days, they will say, “Oh no, the Feasts were part of the ceremonial law and have been abolished!”
Remember that we saw three times that God repeated the terms and conditions of the covenant. And guess what! Every one of those times the feasts and the Sabbath are part of the laws of the covenant (Ex. 23:12-17; Ex. 34:18-24; Deut. 16) (see also PP, p. 311, par. 2). How can His Holy Days be separated from His Covenant? We cannot cut the Covenant in pieces and pick and choose which parts of it we want to obey.
“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” (Jas 2:10)
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 5:17-19)
“The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.” (Isa 24:5)
What will you do? Will you be among the number who help restore and rebuild?
“And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.” (Isa 58:12)