Question: What do you mean by “Law”?

For the law was given through Moses… John 1.17

The Hebrew Bible – our Old Testament – is divided into three sections: Law, Prophets, and Writings, or Torah, Naviim, and Ketuvim – the “Tanak.” “The Law” refers to the first five books of our Old Testament, which are ascribed to Moses. Moses, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is the author of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy (except perhaps 34.5-12).

This is not to say that Moses had no other sources than the Spirit of God. Certainly a good bit of oral tradition was in existence, and Moses may even have had access to some written “documents.” But these five books first came into their present form under the editorial hand of Moses, writing some 1250 years before Christ.

These five books are foundational for all Scripture. They tell us about the beginnings of the world and of God’s dealings with men; of His promises and covenant; of the creation of nations and of the nation of Israel; and of God’s purpose for creation and humankind. All other Biblical themes have their roots, to at least some extent, in the Torah, the Law of God. The themes, stories, characters, doctrines, and so forth contained in the Law of Moses are absolutely essential for understanding the rest of Scripture.

Whenever I download a new app, install a new program, or start working on a new device, the part I dread most is the initial stage: “Let’s get started.” Those first instructions are crucial. I know this information is important, but it seems so basic and can be tedious and confusing – terms I don’t understand and won’t understand until I begin using the thing, situations that might or will occur which I can hardly envision, big ideas or functions I don’t yet understand but need to be aware of from the get-go. Plus, it doesn’t seem to address all the questions, concerns, or functions I’m thinking I need, at least, not at first.

But I have to plough through that stuff, and be ready to come back to it again and again, if I’m going to get the most out of my investment.

This is what the Law of Moses, the first five books of Scripture, is like.

T. M. Moore

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