The Rest of the Law

Continuing through the Old Testament Law…

I almost hesitate to write this because I know it seems to be outside the norm of Christian mainstream thought but what the heck, I have never been accused of being inside the box.  Here goes.

I have been continuing my journey through the Old Testaments book of Exodus.  I have posted previously on some of my thoughts here. 

At this point I find myself up the chapter 25.  I have made it past chapter 20 which is the Ten Commandments   and now I am heavily into much of what is known as the “The Law.” 

Before I go any further, I need to warn you, I am not a theologian.  I know, no big shock, but I just want to provide full disclosure here so that there is no confusion.  These are only the thought of me.  I am under no duress to write this.  I digress…

I also what to make sure you know that I know and agree with mainline Christian thought that it is not in following the Law that we are saved, but it is only by faith that we can be saved.

My point in writing this commentary is this question; is there some richness in life that we are missing by not living a life according to the Old Testament Jewish Law?  There I said it!  Now don’t burn me at the stake.  Let me see if I can explain my thoughts here a bit and maybe even build a case for what I am thinking.

As I have been reading through Exodus I keep getting hit by a sense that God was very serious about his Law that He is laying down through Moses to the Israelites.  And by this Law I do not mean only the Ten Commandments, but also for example the Law of observing the three annual festivals.  Yes, I know must of us do not farm for a living and we do not harvest in the fall, but we do in fact harvest all year long.  But God set up this Law of observing the three annual festivals; the week long festival of Unleavened Bread, The feast of the harvest and the feast of the Ingathering.  Why?

If we look at the Ten Commandments you see that they were indeed set up for our protection.  So what about these other laws and festivals?  I am not arguing to be a Judaizer.  The Judaizers of Romans 14 and Gal 2, were arguing that you could not be saved unless you took on all of the customs and traditions of the Jews.  That is not what I am saying.  I am saying could we be living a richer more complete Christian experience if we took that style of living on ourselves? 

I am not saying that I have an answer to this question, I am really only posing the question and that is because it is bugging me so badly and I go thru the text.  Maybe this is God working in my life to get me to adventure into the Messianic Jewish community to experience the richness of fullness of the tradition and the completion of the tradition that is experienced with the fulfillment of the Law in Jesus Christ.  I am not sure at this time but it is causing me to dig a bit deeper to seek those answers that are beyond the surface of pat Christian answers.

"Seek and you will find, Knock and it will be open unto you…"

Wayne M