The Everlasting Covenant

The Law from Sinai Christ’s Righteousness

The words spoken from Sinai, coming from the same Rock whence came the water which was the life of the people, showed the nature of the righteousness that Christ would impart to them. While it was “a fiery law,” it was at the same time a gently-flowing stream of life. EVCO 308.3

Because the prophet Isaiah knew that Christ was the Rock smitten at Sinai, and that even then He was the One Mediator, “the man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,” he could say, “He was wounded for our transgressions,” “and with His stripes we are healed.” EVCO 309.1

For the ancient Israelites there was emphasized the lesson that the law comes as life to men only through the cross of Christ. For us there is the same lesson, together with the other side of it, namely, that the righteousness which comes to us through the life given to us on the cross, is precisely that which is required by the ten commandments, and none other. Let us read them:— EVCO 309.2

1. “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. EVCO 309.3

2. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, nor any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them, for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. ¹ of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments. EVCO 309.4

3. “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain. EVCO 310.1

4. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it. EVCO 310.2

5. “Honour thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. EVCO 310.3

6. “Thou shalt not kill. EVCO 310.4

7. “Thou shalt not commit adultery. EVCO 310.5

8. “Thou shalt not steal. EVCO 310.6

9. “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. EVCO 310.7

10. “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbour’s.” EVCO 310.8