A proper understanding of the role of God’s Law is essential to understanding prophecy. For in the original rebellion, Satan challenged God’s Law; at the tree of temptation he put forth the idea that God’s Law (which was reflected in the command not to eat of that one tree) was a burden and a restriction. This idea was accepted by Eve and the fall took place.
Prophecy is all about how God will restore what sin has taken away. He does this by giving back to His people a proper understanding of the righteousness and goodness of His Law. The very first prophecy in the Bible concerns this:
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Genesis 3:15
The serpent was to bruise the heel of the woman’s seed. This represented a wound to the humanity, just as a snake would strike the foot of a man. This was fulfilled when Jesus’ human flesh was wounded to death on the cross, by the enmity of Satan and those he could influence.
But the seed of the woman was to bruise the serpent’s head. This is a deadly wound, striking at the ideas, thoughts, and teachings of the serpent. Since his first teaching was to put aside God’s Law, the bruising of the serpent must involve restoring a right understanding and relationship to that same Law.
In the book of Revelation, the term “commandments” is used three times, and the last verse that uses it is this one:
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Revelation 22:14
It was through breaking the Law that the fall of man took place, and those who enter back into eternal life will be distinguished by their law-keeping.
There is, however, in the Christian world today, also a great enmity against the Law of God. It is derided with such terms as “Old Covenant,” “yoke of bondage,” “impossible to keep,” “burdensome,” “legalism,” and so forth. This is an echo of the original teaching of Satan himself.
Therefore, in this short article, I will deal with a few principles of the Law, and some of the statements in the New Testament that seem to support this modern Christian teaching.
