THE BOOK OF THE COVENANT vs BOOK OF THE LAW theory.

THE BOOK OF THE COVENANT vs BOOK OF THE LAW theory.
By: Kirk Carmichael

(We have found this theory not to be accurate in any way. There are rightly dividing covenant points requiring further breakdown. We have found that the key is revealed in closely examining the SEVEN TRIPS Moses made up and down Mt Sinai)

There is a Book of the Covenant vs Book of the Law theory which teaches a cookie cutter, easy, and simplified division of “the Torah” teaching that

EXODUS 24:12 is:

The end of THE BOOK OF THE COVENANT and The beginning of THE BOOK OF THE LAW.

This theory is based on the word TORAH meaning "THE FIRST FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES". So, people stuck in "Torah" are extremely happy when they believe they found a "rightly dividing point of Torah" and it makes it so much easier to be taught:

"Everything before Exodus 24:12 is what we keep" and "everything after Exodus 24:12 is the Levitical laws we don't need to keep"

Is this really true? Is this really the intent of Exodus 24:12 and is Exodus written for the purpose of “describing to us in Yahusha of what laws to keep” within a phrase (“the Torah”) that is not even properly scripturally defined? Or is Exodus written for the purpose of describing the 400 year culmination of the promises to Abraham’s descendants ~ Abraham’s SEED attempting to take possession of the LAND promised him (which the Mt Sinai encounter ended up in disaster).

This theory causes confusion on "what laws to keep" and distracts from the purpose and focal point of the New Covenant and the New Testament writings. I witnessed a conversation on a thread the other day amongst believers who believe this theory and the discussion included not knowing “what laws to keep” while believing this is the "rightly dividing" of “Torah”. (yet the word “TORAH” never means "First five books of Moses" within any verse anyways).

A cursory review of “the laws of the Book of the Covenant”, which is Exodus chapters 21 to 23, you would think it would be easy to reason that this is no “rightly dividing point” of laws anyways... It should be simple to point out laws inside the Book of the Covenant, such as: we don’t have slaves and are not required to release them every 7 years; put people to death for killing a sorcerer or who strikes, attacks or curses their father or mother or one who sacrifices to another god; pay the bridal price for having sexual relations with a virgin; nor have oxen, donkey or sheep restitution, the redeeming of a firstborn son, cattle and sheep; or do we return a cloak by sunset for collateral of a loan among; among others...

This theory causes major division as so many people clearly see this theory is NOT TRUE when somebody well-studied examines the following assumptions upon which this theory is built.

The theories assumptions:

~~ GENESIS 12:1-3 is a COVENANT which was "the unconditional oath He swore by Himself" quoting Hebrews 6:13. Even though the word "covenant" doesn't appear in Genesis 12. Also, Hebrews 6:13 is verbatim quoting Genesis 22:16.

~~ GENESIS 15:8-21 is the "death penalty arm" of this alleged unconditional "Oath" of Genesis 12 made to Abraham guaranteeing salvation. Even though obedience is required of him further down the road to “be blameless” and “be circumcised” in the covenant of circumcision in Genesis chapter 17, and he was tested by offering his son in Genesis chapter 22 which Hebrews 6:13 is speaking of after he proved himself. It could be reasoned that “IF” Abraham doesn’t circumcise himself or doesn’t pass the test with putting his son Isaac on the alter that Abraham would have fallen short of receiving his promises, don’t you think? Isn’t this also a snapshot of what the New Testament tells us as well? That our promises are directly linked to our faithfulness ~ how could this story of the father of our faith be any different?

~~ the word "Torah" means "First Five Books of Moses" (as pretty much all Torah people believe) as opposed to the simple Hebrew definition of "instructions" or “directions”. The “Law of Moses” is a temporary covenant, as described below.

~~ By assuming this incorrect scriptural definition of “Torah” and by doing a word search on the word "Law" the theory interprets that all verses before Exodus 24:12 is what it terms "ROYAL TORAH" (quoting James 2:8 actually speaking of THE TEN COMMAND-MENTS) which is taught is "Melchizedek Royal Torah" as opposed to reading verses and applying the simple definition: "instructions". The first example is given with Abraham in Genesis 26:5 which says Abraham obeyed “HIS LAWS” to believe he obeyed “THE MELCHIZEDEK PRIESTHOOD TORAH” as opposed to Abraham simply obeyed “the instructions” YHWH gave him.

~~ Using Galatians 3:15 which states "no one can add to a covenant once it is ratified" to apply to The Book of the Covenant blood ratification in Exodus 24:7-8. Galatians 3:15 is actually speaking of the blood covenant made with Abraham in Genesis 15:8-21 and NOT the Book of the Covenant. By believing Galatians 3:15 is speaking of “The Book of the Covenant” it us deducted that the Book of the Law (allegedly beginning in Exodus 24:12) was "the law that was added for transgressions", quoting Galatians 3:19. The answer to “the law that was added” is found on the 7th trip Moses made up Mt Sinai, which was chronically directly given as a result of the golden calf. This 7th Trip is what is scripturally defined as the “Law of Moses” (as temporary covenant, see article: The SEVEN TRIPS Moses made up and down Mt Sina --> The SINGLE-MOST IMPORTANT piece of scriptural interpretation)

~~By misquoting Galatians 3:15 it is used in conjunction with Deuteronomy 31:26 which states "the Book of the Law was put next to the Ark of the Covenant as a witness against them" to validate this simple break, that Genesis 1:1 to Exodus 24:12 (or Exodus 19:5 to Exodus 24:12) is the Book of the Covenant, and Exodus 24:12 to end of Deuteronomy is the Book of the Law... the completely “rightly dividing” of what is believed to be “the Torah”. The first half being the “Royal Torah” and the second half “Levitical Torah”.

~~ Using the prior assumption of this cookie cutter break at Exodus 24:12 to reason that it must have been the Book of the Covenant inside the Ark of the Covenant (instead of what was really in the Ark ~ the TEN COMMANDMENTS) to validate this idea that Genesis 1:1 to Exodus 24:12 (or Exodus 19:5 to Exodus 24:12) is the Book of the Covenant, and Exodus 24:12 to end of Deuteronomy is the Book of the Law. It has even been stated that there were 120,000 words on the stone tablets, as opposed to just those Ten Words inside the Ark of the Covenant.

~~ Exodus 24:12 is "the Levitical laws" called the Book of the Law of "Torah" which were given as a result of the Golden Calf, even though Exodus 24:12 is FORTY DAYS BEFORE THE GOLDEN CALF.

THE TRUE SCRIPTURAL TERMS:

~~ “Torah” just means “instructions” ~ that’s it. It never means “first five books of Moses” within any verse of scripture.

~~ Genesis 12:1-3 is a PROMISE given Abraham that “IF” Abraham left his land and his family “THEN” he would make him into a GREAT NATION. Genesis chapters 12 to 14 is Abram struggling to believe until he met Melchizedek in chapter 14. Genesis 12 was no covenant what-so-ever which YHWH entered into with Abraham as this is the entire point of Genesis 15:6 that LATER Abram believed in the promise of a SON and was counted for him as righteousness. THEN, as a result of Abram BELIEVING Yahuah entered covenant promising him LAND.

~~ “the Oath He swore by Himself” of Hebrews 6:13 is quoting and speaking of Genesis 22:16 NOT Genesis 12:1-3. See the quote:

HEBREWS 6:13-14 For when Yah made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.”

compared to:

GENESIS 22:16-17 and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says Yahuah, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son— blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants

Please pay attention why this is important.  If this theory is correct then salvation (entering into His promised land) is guaranteed and nothing for Abram or us to work out.  Look at the next verse of Hebrews 6:15:  It says:  AFTER HE PATIENTLY ENDURED...which is again quoting Genesis 22:16 of him passing the test by being ready to sacrifice his son:

HEBREWS 6:17 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

~~ The COVENANT with Abraham’s descendants was not the Book of the Covenant but rather that which Yahuah spoke with His mouth and wrote with His finger with Abraham’s descendants was the TEN COMMANDMENTS. They were the only things written on the stone tablets. And these stone tablets is what Moses went up the mountain for on Trip 5 to receive the “covenant law” in Exodus 24:12 along with the Tabernacle, Ark of the Covenant, & High Priest position, who had shrunk back in Fear, to separate Himself from people who just REJECTED hearing His voice and set Moses on their behalf.

EXODUS 34:28 So he was there with Yahuah forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.

DEUTERONOMY 4:13 So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone.

~~ The Book of the Covenant is Exodus 20:21 to Exodus chapter 23. It was the original statutes and decrees of the COVENANT, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. This entire arrangement was broken as a result of the golden calf when Moses shattered the stone tablets.

~~ The “law added for transgressions” is known as “The Law of Moses” (see article) which was given Moses on Trip 7 known as a result of the golden calf. Exodus 24:12 is not written out of order but rather was 40 days before the golden calf.

~~ The Book of the Law is the Book of Deuteronomy which was ADDED (Deuteronomy 29:1) to the prior temporary covenant, The Law of Moses, after the 40 year penalty.

DEUTERONOMY 29:1 These are the words of the covenant (Book of the Law) which Yahuah commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab (where Deuteronomy is being written), in addition to the covenant which He made with them in Horeb. (The Law of Moses ~ the 2nd set of stone tablets)

I have great compassion for people who are extremely happy that they have found a better division of the word "Torah" as they are grateful to find a reason why they keep what they keep. This theory was actually the beginning of the road for our group. It led down us to open more doors to find further revelation. I am extremely grateful for getting this a first "stepping stone". I hope you will see this as a “stepping stone” as well and further study with us to see the granular detail surrounding Mt Sinai. Truth is what sets us free and the pursuit of truth is what continues to help us grow in His ways. It is very important to properly scripturally define terms and phrases.

I have really good news for everybody:

THE WORD "TORAH" DOES NOT MEAN "FIRST FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES". So, there is no need to think you need to "rightly divide Torah".

Besides the theory not being true, these are the peripheral problems promoting Book of the Covenant vs Book of the Law:

1) It still leaves people who believe this theory with NO ANSWERS and doctrinal problems.

2) It makes it extremely difficult to share with people something SO SIMPLE to prove that THE COVENANT with Abraham's descendants always has been THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. And, thus, many souls cannot be free from this "law hunting exhibition" to find peace in the answers of our Covenant and properly align doctrines. In addition, this theory can not effectively reach others with real answers, especially our Chrisitan brothers and sisters lacking the foundation to the New Testament

3) Impossible to convince people that study and know that Genesis 12 is NOT a COVENANT or an "oath He swore by Himself" or that Exodus 24:12 is NOT the beginning of the "Book of the Law" nor was this verse before the golden calf. Exodus 24:12 was written 40 days prior to the golden calf for a SPECIFIC REASON, and the Book of the Law is the Book of Deuteronomy. It has people resign the fact there is any other way to “rightly divide” what is believed to be “the Torah”.

The answers to the foundation of the New Testament is actually found in seeing the granularly details of THE SEVEN TRIPS MOSES made up Mt Sinai. We can then find WHY Exodus 24:12 was given on TRIP 5 and exactly what "The Law of Moses" is:

A TEMPORARY COVENANT given Moses on Trip 7. THIS COVENANT, scripturally called "The Law of Moses" (the 2nd set of Stone Tablets) is what was given in replacement of the orginal plan as a result of the golden calf occuring after Trip 5. (please see article)

It is so important each of us examines and tears down our own strongholds. In this case it is exceptionally important to reach people with the TRUTH of our COVENANT, which is NOT “The Book of the Covenant” but rather ~

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS