Abraham’s descendants eventually went into slavery in Egypt. Under God’s guidance, Moses miraculously led the people out of Egypt, marking a pivotal moment in history. At this point, God’s plan progressed to the next stage:

The Covenant of God’s Law

The covenant of God’s Law was established at Sinai. This welded the people into a nation under God, the nation of Israel, which was chosen to be the bearer of the message of God’s laws to all nations.

The giving of the Law was God’s answer to a broken conscience. It reinforced man’s conscience by declaring the Ten Commandments of God written in stone. It plainly declared what was right and what was wrong.

The Ten Commandments

The first four commandments are to do with our relationship with God and the last six with our fellow man. It was no longer possible to shrug sin off. In a sense, we can say that God gave the written law because mankind refused to listen to and respect the inner law written in their hearts. No man now had an excuse for their sin.

The Purpose of the Law

The law was given not to save but to convict. (Romans 3:19-20). It was like a schoolmaster to bring people to repentance and faith. (Galatians 3:24-26, Romans 7:7-13). No one is able to keep the Law of God and it is written “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. (Romans 3:23).

No one can therefore be justified by trying to keep the law for it is impossible to do so; all have broken it no matter how good they may appear to be, and sin ends in death. (Romans 7:9-13).

Condemnation and the Shadow of Death

The Laws of God brought condemnation, not life and that age ended in judgment. This was as far as humanity could go: all men were sinners and the result brought death. Despite the great prophets and “Holy men”, no one was able to progress further, for this age like the ones before, ended in death.

All mankind was under the shadow of death and its darkness. (Luke  1:79, Romans 5:14). It required a spotless and perfect man to fulfil the Law of God and establish a new covenant, thereby breaking the hold sin had over the whole human race.

The Law and God’s Grace

The law was necessary in order to show us the standards God requires and to lead us into a place in which we can receive the gift of his grace. The Law was necessary to open the next stage of God’s plan.

Join me as we embark on a journey through “A Life of Faith.”

God’s Kingdom Through the Ages:

Episode 6: Salvation Through Jesus Christ

Episode 7: God’s Promise Fulfilled in Jesus

Episode 8: God’s Plan for the World and Individuals

Episode 9: The Coming Kingdom of God

Episode 10: The Cross: The Gateway to the Kingdom