Is the Law of Moses Our Spiritual Guide? (Part 4)

Is the Law of Moses Our Spiritual Guide? (4)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

In our last three articles we considered several reasons why we today are not under the Law of Moses. Let us continue our study:

8. If the Law of Moses remains binding today, then Jesus does not qualify as our High Priest. Without Jesus as our High Priest, the types of the Levitical Priesthood would be unfulfilled, Jesus could not have performed his sacrificial duties in the presence of God, and consequently, we would be yet in our sins with no possible way of escape!

The Hebrew writer observed that had perfection been attainable through the Levitical priesthood and the order of Aaron, there would have been no need for a priest to arise “after the order of Melchizedek.” The inspired writer then said:

“For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests” (Hebrews 7:12-14).

The argument is simple: If the Law of Moses remains binding upon men today, then Jesus does not qualify to serve as our priest. As stated, Jesus was not from the Old Testament authorized tribe of Levi. He was of the tribe of Judah. This meant that Jesus could not serve as High Priest while the Law of Moses “yet stood.” This condition required “a change in the law.” As we observed in previous points, upon Christ’s death upon the cross, the Old Covenant was replaced with the New Covenant or New Testament – the last will and testament of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:15). Unlike the Law of Moses, the Law of Christ DOES authorize Jesus to serve as High Priest, and he presently functions in that capacity (Hebrews 4:14-16; 7:22-28).

There is another important lesson to learn from Hebrews 7:11-14. Non-Levites were not refused admittance into the priesthood upon the basis that “God told them not to,” for God didn’t tell them “not to.” Rather, non-Levites were forbidden to serve as priests upon the very basis that God specified “Levi” as the priestly tribe, and he “said nothing about priests” from Judah, or any other tribe of Israel! God’s silence is prohibitive in every instance where God specifies what particular thing is to be done, or how that particular thing is to be done. (More to come…)

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.