The Law is Righteous
Do you know most in the church believe they know what it means to be righteous. But do they? In this study we will take a critical look at this important aspect in our spiritual life. Let’s take a look.
According to the following verse, what is the source of righteousness? Do we define righteousness or does God define it?
Psalms 119:172 My tongue shall speak Your Word, for all Your Commandments are righteousness.
The commandments David is speaking of is “The Law” that came from the mouth of God to Moses while in the wilderness, they are God’s laws or instructions for His people. They were never meant to be only applicable to Jews nor are they done away with. These are His instructions on how to honor and draw near to Him.
How were they found righteous before God?
Luke 1:6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blameless in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
We see they were found righteous through obedience to all the commandments and ordinances of God. These are His instructions for obedience and judgments for disobedience.
How does Deuteronomy 4:8 define a great nation?
Deuteronomy 4:8 And who is a great nation whose statutes and judgments are so righteous as all this Law which I set before you today?
When the commandments of God are not honored, judgments will come against that nation. This is known as “the blessings and the curses”. Obedience brings blessings while disobedience brings curses.
Here is an exert from The Law that speaks of this:
Deuteronomy 29:24-26 even all nations shall say, Why has Jehovah done this to this land? For what is the heat of this great anger? Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of Jehovah, the God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them forth out of the land of Egypt. For they went and served other gods, and worshiped them, gods whom they did not know, and who had not given to them any portion.
You have just read references to “Commandments and Ordinances”, “Statutes and Judgements”, “The Law”, and “The Covenant of Jehovah”. Let’s review these terms.
Commandments, Ordinances, Statues, and Judgments are basically just other words for His Instructions to us that make up “The Law”. This Law is known as “The Torah” in Hebrew. It was recorded by Moses after the Covenant was made at Mt. Sinai and consists of the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
At Mt. Sinai, God told the people He would be their God if they accepted the Covenant, which included all of the instructions He just gave them.
Let’s look at a few verses that show what took place after He spoke all these instructions:
Exodus 24:3 And Moses came and told the people all the Words of Jehovah, and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, All the words which Jehovah has said, we will do.
Exodus 24:4 And Moses wrote all the Words of Jehovah…
Exodus 24:7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the ears of the people. And they said, All that Jehovah has said we will do, and be obedient.
Exodus 24:8 And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which Jehovah has made with you concerning all these words.
Exodus 24:12 And Jehovah said to Moses, Come up to Me in the mountain, and be there. And I will give you tablets of stone, and the Law, and commandments which I have written, so that you may teach them.
These stone tablets contain the Ten Commandments that you are likely familiar with. These represent a summary of all The Law. The details of each commandment are located in The Torah or “Book of The Law”. Near the end of their time in the wilderness, Moses reviews this same Covenant with the next generation.
Deuteronomy 29:1 These are the words of the covenant which Jehovah commanded Moses to make with the sons of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which He made with them in Horeb. …
Deuteronomy 29:10-15 You stand today, all of you, before Jehovah your God… so that you should enter into covenant with Jehovah your God, and into His oath, which Jehovah your God makes you today; that He may establish you today for a people to Himself, and that He may be a God to you, as He has said to you, and as He has sworn to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Nor do I make this covenant and this oath with you only, but with him who stands here with us today before Jehovah our God, and also with him that is not here with us today.
The passages you have just read are very significant. You see explicitly that to enter into covenant with God, requires the oath or promise of obedience to all His instructions or commandments. If you agree to do this, He says He will be your God and you will be His people.
Did you notice this?
Beyth Shalom Torah Ministry 