Why did God command the stone tablets with the Ten Commandments to be placed 'inside' the Ark of the Covenant, but the Law of Moses 'beside' the Ark?
Deuteronomy 10:2 God instructed Moses to put the ten commandments inside the Ark of the Covenant. Deuteronomy 31:26 "Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee."
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Asked May 11 2015
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John Smith
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For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Cindy Jennings
Deut 10:2 only says that the second tablets, on which the Lord wrote His commandments, replacing the stones that Moses had broken, were placed in the ark. Where does it say that the Law of Moses put laid beside the ark?
John Smith
Cindy: Deuteronomy 31:26 "Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee."
Cindy Jennings
The tablets of the Ten Commandments are not the same thing as the Law of Moses (the Pentateuch) but are only a very small portion of the Law. The Ten Commandments, written by God's own hand, were the summation of the rest of the Law, as written in the Law of Moses.
I can only surmise that God found it necessary only to give the Ten Commandments a place of honor inside the ark whereas the entire Law of Moses needed to be read and remembered by all of the people. Since the Ten Commandments are covered in the Law of Moses (Exodus), the people who read the Law of Moses would read the Ten Commandments as well.
Remember, the Law was given to convict them of their sins so it was important that it be read and remembered by the people.
John Smith
God placed more importance on HIS Ten Commandments than the Law of Moses. God seperated His law from the Law of Moses. 1. "written by God's own hand" 2. "place of honor inside the ark".
Cindy: My question: Why did God seperate His Ten Commandments from the Law of Moses?
Cindy Jennings
The Ten Commandments were probably not written on the large stones we see in the movies. They were small enough to be held in the hand and thus to be placed in the Ark of the Covenant. The Law of Moses consisted of the first five books of the Bible. I'd say they were just as important to God as the Ten Commandments since they contained the Ten Commandments. However, God wanted the Law of Moses to be read and understood by the people--not locked up as a relic in the Ark of the Covenant. The Ten Commandments were more or less a summary of the whole Law but the Law of Moses also contained the history of creation and, most especially to the Jewish people, the story of the Exodus and God's redemption of them from slavery.
So the Law of Moses was to be read to the people to remind them of God's grace.
I imagine the Ark was never opened to protect what was in there. The Word of God is living and needed to be available to read to the people.
John Smith
Thanks Cindy for your insight into the difference between the Law of Moses and God's Ten Commandments.
The Law of Moses not only has God's Ten Commandments but laws from Social laws, Food, Purity, Feasts, Sacrifices, Priesthood, Tabernacle to Laws for the King of Israel.
It seems that many of the Laws of Moses are no longer valid.
Your thoughts?
Cindy Jennings
My thought is that the moral law never expires. God has written it on our hearts. Romans 2:15 tells us that His law is "written on their hearts..." Unbelievers know in their hearts the moral law of God but the more they deny the law and suppress their conscience, the deeper they sink into the sin of their choice and ignore God.
So, yes, Jesus fulfilled the Law Matt 5:17. While the Law detailed behaviors God required of the OT saints, Jesus clarifies that it's what you think, what's in your heart, that concerns God, not sacrifices and works. Anyone can go through the rituals but only God knows what is in your heart.
God's moral law will always stand but the laws concerning ceremonies and rituals only foreshadowed Christ and His redemptive plan for our lives. Thus, those laws have been fulfilled with His first coming and are no longer valid.
John Smith
Thanks again Cindy:
I think you just answered my question in your last paragraph: "God's moral law (His Ten Commandments) will always stand but the laws (Law of Moses) (Book of Moses) concerning ceremonies rituals, those laws have been fulfilled with His first coming".
Could this be God's reason He seperated His 10 Commandments from the Law of Moses?
Cindy Jennings
Could be, John. And the NT quotes all of the Ten Commandments (except for the Fourth to remember the Sabbath since our Sabbath rest is now in Christ and not limited to a particular day of the week - Col 2:16) so that means they are still in effect.
The rest of the laws, in the Law of Moses, were all to foreshadow our redeemer, who has now come, and to establish the Jews as a completely separate culture from the pagan religions that surrounded them.
John Smith
Yes Cindy, "the (God's) Ten Commandments are still in effect" " The rest of the laws, in the Law of Moses, were all to foreshadow our redeemer".
Col 2:16-17. It is critical to examine this verse in the context of Paul's writing to understand which Sabbaths were the subject. Paul was teaching that the "handwriting of ordinances" was nailed to the cross (Col 2:14) and those requirements had been eliminated.
Paul in (Col 2:14) is writing about the Law of Moses decreed annual ceremonial Sabbaths during the great festivals that were symbolic of the ministry of Christ. The Book of the Law set forth specific instructions for these ceremonial days regarding food, drink, and other observances.
These special annual Sabbath days were merely shadows of salvation to point people to Jesus. (Col 2:16) Paul said don't allow a man to judge you regarding food or drink, and the keeping of the (annual ceremonial) Sabbaths. Paul kept the Sabbaths himself.
Jesus established the pattern for us to follow. (Lk 4:16) And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day". Does it make any sense that out of His Ten Commandments, Jesus would delete one, His Fathers's 4th Commandment in the NT? Especially when God writes in stone, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy". (Mk 2:27) The Sabbath was made for man,(Not just Jews) and not man for the Sabbath". (Mk 2:28) "Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath".
John Smith
Cindy: I wanted to add that Paul in (Col 2:16) "Let no man therefore judge you". Paul is reminding us that God is our judge not man.
Iliani Tuikenatabua
The 10 Commandments were written on stone by the very finger of God and is eternal therefore it was placed inside the Ark. But the Law of Moses was written on paper by Moses and placed beside the Ark signifying its relevance for a period of time only until Jesus fulfilled all the rituals and ceremonies when he died on the cross for our sins.
Jack Gutknecht
This is an interesting question, John, one that I would like to try to answer. But could you clarify your question for me please? I don't quite understand it. So could you possibly rephrase your question, please?
Thanks, John!
John Smith
Jack, hope I can clarify my question.
Both the "Law of Moses" and the "Stone Tablets" had God's Ten Commandments written on and in them. Question: Why did God seperate them?
Bobbie Perkins
I have come to the conclusion that both are important and should be obeyed. The difference to me is the ones in the ark are non-negotiable to entering the Kingdom. This is the evidence of your faith and your love for Yeshua. Yeshua, when asked, “How may I have eternal life? His response: Matthew 19:17: And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
I believe the obedience to the instructions that were on the side of the ark is the difference between the greatest and the least in the Kingdom.
Mathew 5:18,19 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
I believe the "jot and the title" which are still relevant are the instructions of Moses. We are to keep as many as possible for righteous living.
Lastly, I believe Yehovah judges the heart, not men. We cannot determine who is saved and who is not based on obedience. I think there are possibly many who enter the Kingdom, if given the opportunity, at the end of their life to repent from sin but not fully understanding; example: the importance of the Sabbath.