olpo25,

Thank you for your kind words. I pray that the God of all grace will indeed establish you solidly through faith in his beloved Son, the Lord Christ.

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You stated:
once we get to the NT itself the story ends up being about Jesus Christ and what He did for us-that's the only explanation that makes sense.

That is indeed the main point, to which we must continually return. And not only is Jesus "the only explanation that makes sense" of the Old Testament ceremonial regulations--as if he were the first to finally figure it out--it was because of God's eternal purposes to be fulfilled in Christ that God patiently, in the way of a tutor, instructed his people over the centuries by way of precept, type and shadow, as seen in the following Scriptures:

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(All quotations from the English Standard Version)
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son (Hebrews 1:1-2)

And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:25-27)

Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:44-45)

Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. (Colossians 2:16-17)

there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. ... But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. (Hebrews 8:4,6)

For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. ... But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. (Hebrews 10:1-4,12-14)
The Old Testament must be understood in light of the fulfilling of all things in Christ. This is especially true when attempting to understand issues similar to those you have raised concerning the laws unique to Israel between the time of Moses and that of Jesus. Please take a minute to familiarize yourself with the common understanding among the bulk of reformed Christians as expressed in The Westminster Confession of Faith:
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Of the Law of God, Chapter 19 (excerpts):
I. God gave to Adam a law, as a covenant of works, by which he bound him and all his posterity to personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience; promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatened death upon the breach of it; and endued him with power and ability to keep it.

II. This law, after his Fall, continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness; and, as such, was delivered by God upon mount Sinai in ten commandments, and written in two tables; the first four commandments containing our duty toward God, and the other six our duty to man.

III. Besides this law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel, as a Church under age, ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, his graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits; and partly holding forth divers instructions of moral duties. All which ceremonial laws are now abrogated under the New Testament.

IV. To them also, as a body politic, he gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together with the state of that people, not obliging any other, now, further than the general equity thereof may require.

V. The moral law doth forever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof; and that not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator who gave it. Neither doth Christ in the gospel any way dissolve, but much strengthen, this obligation.


Understanding the threefold distinction between God's moral law--able to be known by all people at all times--and the civil and ceremonial regulations--for Israel awaiting Christ--has a great impact on the questions you raise.

It must be remembered that the more stringent penalties under Moses--as capital punishment for blasphemy, Sabbath-breaking and carelessness with one's beasts--were given to a people unique among the tribes of the world in their access to the presence of God, who had no conceivable excuse for any violation of his covenant terms with them. The Gentiles however, then as now, while not required to obey the covenantal obligations of Sinai, were nevertheless subject to the moral law, including universally-revealed applications of it as in the Cultural Mandate (Genesis 2) and the Covenant with Noah (Genesis 9)--the latter being an example of the continuing validity for capital punishment for murder.

May I ask you to comment on your understanding of how God sees you in light of the requirements of his moral law?

In Christ,
Paul S