Jesus Fulfils the Law

by Anonymous

This most solemn form of utterance is seldom used in Scripture. It occurs also when God sware to Abraham, that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed (Gen. xxii. 16–18):—To the rebellious Israelites, that they should not enter into His rest (Deut. i. 34, 35):—To Moses, that he should not go into Canaan (Deut. iv. 21):—To David, that his seed should endure for ever, and his throne unto all generations (Ps. lxxxix. 3, 4).

It is treated in Heb. vii. 20–22 as exhibiting the superior authority and character of Christ as a High Priest, in comparison with the priesthood of Levi: “For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath; . . . and by so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.” And again, in ver. 28: “For the Law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the Law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.”

It is also treated (Heb. vi. 16–19) as expressing the absolutely unalterable counsel of God: “Men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife; wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.” That hope which is as an anchor to the soul, both sure and steadfast.

The office of an apostle (or special messenger, or messenger with special tidings), viewed separately, has nothing of the priest; but the offices of teacher of the law, mediator, and priest were combined in the Levitical priesthood; and they were perfectly blended in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. Nevertheless the doctrine of the priesthood of Christ could not be much developed or declared until the abolition of the priests of Levi by the termination of that first covenant, when Jesus declared, “It is finished,” and “gave up the ghost,” and “the veil of the Temple was rent in twain”—indicating that the approach to the Divine Presence was opened to all.

During the patriarchal ages, the head of the family or house appears to have combined in himself the patriarch and priest. Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, offered sacrifices as well as Abel, though the recorded instances are few, and only on very remarkable occasions; such as the coming out of the ark, the call of Abram, the sacrifice of Isaac, the covenant to Jacob. But we read that it was the constant practice of Job; for, after giving an account of the burnt-offerings offered for each of his sons after their days of feasting, it is added, “thus did Job continually” (Job i. 5); and such was no doubt the practice of other patriarchs.

At the close of Job’s temptation, the Lord said to His three friends that they should take seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to Job, and offer up burnt-offerings, and Job would pray for them, “for him will I accept” (Job xlii. 8).

Of the patriarchal religion we are told but little. The Apostle Paul says, in Rom. v. 14, “Death reigned from Adam to Moses”; in Rom. i. 20, that “God’s eternal power and Godhead were clearly seen in the works of creation,” so that they were without excuse; and in Rom. ii. 14, 15, that though without law they had a conscience bearing witness to the law written in their hearts, accusing or excusing their thoughts.

In the earliest days, the power of God manifested in the works of creation spoke to men more clearly than it may now speak to heathen nations who know not God.

They spoke to Adam and Eve of the God whom they knew, and had had intimate acquaintance with. The glory of Eden and the events of their life there, with their disastrous fall and expulsion, must have made an indelible impression on their minds. Knowing their Creator they would have no disposition to worship the sun, moon, or stars, as His works. It would be contrary to all the subsequent history of the dealings of God with His creatures to suppose our first parents were driven out and left to their own devices as to the means of reconciliation with Him; and though we are not expressly told that sacrifice was offered by Adam, many think that the first instruction in utilising skins for clothing, referred to the skins of animals offered in sacrifice. [12]

At probably no very distant period from the Fall (described as, “In process of time,” or “in the end of days”), we find Abel offering the firstling of his flock, an acceptable sacrifice to God; the same that was commanded by the law of Moses.