Part 3 - The Fall and the Restoration

The Model of Restoration

Jesus summarized the Ten Commandments when a scribe came and asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?" Mark 12:29-31 records Jesus' answer: "Jesus answered him, 'The first of all the commandments is: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." There is no other commandment greater than these.' "

Jesus broke the answer into two parts, that concerning man's relationship to God and that concerning man's relationship to man. Paul the Apostle considered the second part of Jesus' answer as referring to the Ten Commandments as seen in Romans 13:8-9, "Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 'You shall not covet,' and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' "

In Jesus' answer concerning man's relationship to God, He quoted what is called the Shema: Deuteronomy chapter six verses four and five. He added, however, one additional point in loving God. One is to love God with all one's heart, with all one's soul, with all one's mind, and with all one's strength. Jesus gave four points, and these relate sequentially to the first four commandments. Paul related the second part of Jesus' answer to the Ten Commandments, and in like manner, the first part of what Jesus said relates to the Ten Commandments also.

Restoration in redemption

The Exodus account is a model of redemption and entering God's rest. One key aspect of it is the giving of the Ten Commandments. These were given to Moses on Mount Sinai shortly after Israel came out of Egypt. At the end of forty years of wandering in the wilderness, Moses gathered the people and spoke with them, exhorting and reminding them of what God had done for them. They were about to cross the Jordan into the promised land. Moses exhorted them, saying, "Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers is giving you" (Deut. 4:1). In this dialog, Moses recounted the Ten Commandments, showing that it was important that God's commands be obeyed so that Israel could prosper and do well in the new land.

The setting for the giving of the Ten Commandments to Israel was the exodus from Egypt. They concerned the relationship of the people to God and the relationship of the people amongst themselves. The maintaining of these proper relationships was necessary in order for Israel to remain and prosper in the promised land. The exodus from Egypt into the promised land is a type and foreshadowing of the work of Christ in taking a people out of the world and making them His bride, the church. In like manner, the Ten Commandments also foreshadow the relationship that the church has with God and the relationship of love that God's people are to have for others. They are a model of the place of restoration that redemption brings.

Literal commands for a literal nation

Those commandments that concern the relationship of Israel to God are specific to Israel. Israel became a model used to show the redemption available in Christ. These commands support that model. In them, God identifies Himself as the God who brought Israel out of the land of Egypt (commandment one), as the Creator and source of the works in creation which became a model for Israel's Sabbath (commandment two), as the One whose name was to be held up and revered by Israel, who were God's special people on the earth (commandment three), and as the One whose mighty hand and outstretched arm delivered Israel out of Egypt (commandment four). This situation was unique in history, and only Israel can properly relate to God as He has revealed Himself to them in the giving of these ordinances. This, however, does not mean that there is no value in these commandments for others. In this model, God has presented to the world important characteristics about the relationship that mankind is to have with Him. These are learned in studying the relationship of Israel to God. For example, the fourth commandment commanded Israel to rest every seventh day. This is a shadow of things to come, which testifies to the rest that the believer is to have in Christ.

Consider the Ten Commandments now as part of a model of redemption that points to the redemptive work of Christ and the restoration from the Fall that He brings about.

The four points of a restored relationship to God

In the Ten Commandments, the first four pertain to mankind's relationship to God and the last six to mankind's relationship amongst himself. Here God gave just four points wherein a right relationship is established with Him. In just these four, we see not only the answer to the Fall and God's method of reconciliation, but also the way in which a continuing relationship with Him is maintained.

The Model of Restoration: Commandment One

The Model of Restoration: Commandment Two

The Model of Restoration: Commandment Three

The Model of Restoration: Commandment Four