THE TORAH: WEEK 12 THE LAW
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Start with reviewing Numbers.
The Israelites were good about complaining and rebelling. But God reminded Israel that He does not tolerate rebellion, complaining, and disbelief without invoking consequences. What a loving God we have.
This upcoming week we will be watching a video on The Laws. In this video we explore the importance of the ancient laws in the Old Testament. Why are they in the Bible, and what do they say to followers of Jesus? We explore how they fulfilled a strategic purpose in one key phase of the biblical story, leading up to Jesus who fulfilled the law and summarized it in the call to love God, and love your neighbor as yourself.
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Watch the video from us.
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Review the notes below.
There are a total of 613 different commands given to the Israelite people, the most famous of which being the Ten Commandments, in the first five books of the Bible alone. These first five books are collectively called “The Torah” which in English means “The Law.”
That name is a little misleading, though. While the Torah does have plenty of laws in it, it’s more of a story about how God is creating people to love Him and love others. When Jesus spoke about the Torah, He talked about how He was bringing this story to its fulfillment.
Key Points:
- In the Torah, we see God create humanity, but humanity rebels. Later, God chooses Abraham to bless all of the nations through his family and bring them back to God.
- Throughout the rest of the Torah, we see a continuous pattern of the Israelites receiving laws from God and breaking them. This pattern of instruction leading to rebellion continues all the way up to the conclusion of the Torah, where Moses tells the people that the only way they will ever be able to follow God’s laws is if their hearts are transformed.
- Moses’s words were true, and throughout much of the rest of the Old Testament we see the death and destruction that besieges Israel because they are unable to follow God’s laws.
- Together, all of these books form a cohesive story – one that Jesus saw Himself as continuing. Jesus preached that He came to solve the problem with humans’ hearts and in His words “fulfill the law.” Jesus explained that all of the laws of the Torah could be fulfilled if we were to just follow one law: to love God and love others.
Talk About It:
- What did you learn about The Law?
- Jesus quotes the Jewish law that says we are not to murder but explains that treating others poorly or holding resentment for them is equivalent to murdering them in our hearts. Who in your heart are you holding resentment against?
- What are some ways we can extend our love to our enemies?
- How can we do a better job at loving Jesus more?
- Challenge them on finding forgiveness with an enemy.
Helpful Resources:
The Bible Project: The Law
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