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Exodus 19:8

The Fifth Dispensation: Law. This dispensation extends from Sinai to Calvary?from the Exodus to the Cross. The history of Israel in the wilderness and in the land is one long record of the violation of the law. The testing of the nation by law ended in the judgment of the Captivities, but the dispensation itself ended at the Cross.

(1) Man's state at the beginning (Exodus 19:5-6).

(2) His responsibility (Exodus 19:5, 6; Rom. 10:5).

(3) His failure (2 Kings 17:7-17, 19; Acts 2:22, 23).

(4) The judgment (2 Kings 17:1-6, 20; 2 Kings 25:1-11; Luke 21:20-24).

See, for the other six dispensations:

1) Innocence (Genesis 1:28);

2) Consicience (Genesis 3:23)

3) Human Government (Genesis 8:20)

4) Promise (Genesis 12:1)

5) Law (Exodus 19:8)

6) Grace (John 1:17)

7) Kingdom (Ephesians 1:10) More: See note Matthew 14

Exodus 19:25

The Mosaic Covenant,

(1) given to Israel

(2) in three divisions, each essential to the others, and together forming the Mosaic Covenant, viz.:

(a) the Commandments, expressing the righteous will of God (Exodus 20:1-26);

(b)the "judgments," governing the social life of Israel (Exodus 21:1-24:11);

(c) and the "ordinances," governing the religious life of Israel (Exodus 24:12-31:18).

These three elements form "the law," as that phrase is generically used in the New Testament (e.g. Matt. 5:17, 18). The Commandments and the ordinances formed one religious system. The Commandments were a "ministry of condemnation" and of "death" (2 Cor. 3:7-9); the ordinances gave, in the high priest, a representative of the people with Jehovah; and in the sacrifices a "cover" (see "Atonement," Lev. 16:6, note) for their sins in anticipation of the Cross (Heb. 5:1-3; Heb. 9:6-9; Rom. 3:25, 26).

The Christian is not under the conditional Mosaic Covenant of works, the law, but under the unconditional New Covenant of grace (Rom. 3:21-27; Rom. 6:14, 15; Gal. 2:16; Gal. 3:10-14, 16-18, 24-26; Gal. 4:21-31; Heb. 10;11-17). See New Covenant (Heb. 8:8, note)

Edenic (Gen. 1. 28);

Adamic (Gen. 3. 15);

Noahic, (Gen. 9. 1)

Abrahamic (Gen. 15. 18);

Mosaic (Ex. 19. 25);

Palestinian (Deut. 30. 3);

Davidic (2 Sam. 7. 16);

And The New (Heb. 8. 8).

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Exodus 20:4

There is a threefold giving of the law.

First, orally, in Exodus 20:1-17. This was pure law, with no provision of priesthood and sacrifice for failure, and was accompanied by the "judgments" (Exodus 21:1-23:13) relating to the relations of Hebrew with Hebrew; to which were added (Exodus 23:14-19) directions for keeping three annual feasts, and (Exodus 23:20-33) instructions for the conquest of Canaan. These words Moses communicated to the people (Exodus 24:3-8). Immediately, in the persons of their elders, they were admitted to the fellowship of God (Exodus 24:9-11).

Second, Moses was then called up to receive the tables of stone (Exodus 24:12-18). The story then divides. Moses, in the mount, receives the gracious instructions concerning the tabernacle, priesthood, and sacrifice (Exodus 25-31.). Meantime (Exodus 32.), the people, led by Aaron, break the first commandment. Moses, returning, breaks the tables "written with the finger of God" (Exodus 31:18; Exodus 32:16-19).

Third, the second tables were made by Moses, and the law again written by the hand of Jehovah (Exodus 34:1, 28, 29; Deut. 10:4).

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Leviticus 16:6

Atonement.

The biblical use and meaning of the word must be sharply distinguished from its use in theology. In theology it is a term which covers the whole sacrificial and redemptive work of Christ. In the O.T. atonement is the English word used to translate the Hebrew words which mean "cover," "coverings," or "to cover." Atonement (at-one-ment) is, therefore, not a translation of the Hebrew, but a purely theologic concept.

The Levitical offerings "covered" the sins of Israel until, and in anticipation of the Cross, but did not "take away" (Heb. 10:4) those sins. These were the "sins done aforetime" ("covered" meantime by the Levitical sacrifices), which God "passed over" (Rom. 3:25) ?for which "passing over" God's righteousness was never vindicated until, in the Cross, Jesus Christ was "set forth a propitiation." See "Propitiation," Rom. 3:25, note. It was the Cross, not the Levitical sacrifices which made "at-one-ment." The O.T. sacrifices enabled God to go on with a guilty people because they typified the Cross. To the offerer they were the confession of his desert of death, and the expression of his faith; to God they were the "shadows" (Heb. 10:1) of which Christ was the reality.