288. The Word often mentions "the law. " I will now say what that means in a narrow sense, in a broader sense, and in the broadest sense. In a narrow sense, "the law" means the Ten Commandments. In a broader sense, "the law" means the rules that Moses gave to the children of Israel. In the broadest sense, "the law" means the entire Word.

People know that in a narrow sense "the law" means the Ten Commandments.

In a broader sense, "the law" means the rules that Moses gave to the children of Israel. This becomes clear from the individual rules laid out in Exodus - they are called "the law:"

This is the law of the trespass offering. (Leviticus 7:1)

This is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings. (Leviticus 7:11)

This is the law of the grain offering. (Leviticus 6:14 and following)

This is the law of the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sacrifices for sin and guilt, and the consecrations. (Leviticus 7:37)

This is the law of the animals and the birds. (Leviticus 11:46 and following)

This is the law for a woman who has given birth to a son or a daughter. (Leviticus 12:7)

This is the law of leprosy. (Leviticus 13:59; 14:2, 32, 54, 57)

This is the law for someone who has a discharge. (Leviticus 15:32)

This is the law of jealousy. (Numbers 5:29-30)

This is the law of the Nazirite. (Numbers 6:13, 21)

This is the law of cleansing. (Numbers 19:14)

This is the law of the red heifer. (Numbers 19:2)

[This is] the law for a king. (Deuteronomy 17:15-19)

In fact, the entire five books of Moses are called "the Law" (Deuteronomy 31:9, 11-12, 26). They are called this in the New Testament as well (Luke 2:22; 24:44; John 1:45; 7:22-23; 8:5; and elsewhere).

When Paul says, "We are justified by faith apart from the works of the Law" (Romans 3:28), by "the works of the Law" he means the rules just mentioned. This is clear from the words that follow this passage in Romans, as well as from Paul's words to Peter chiding him for making others follow Jewish religious practices. In the latter context, Paul says three times in one verse, "No one is justified by the works of the Law" (Galatians 2:14, 16).

In the broadest sense, "the law" means the entire Word. This is clear from the following passages: "Jesus said, 'Is it not written in your law, You are gods?'" (John 10:34, referring to something written in Psalms 82:6). "The crowd answered, 'We have heard from the law that Christ remains forever'" (John 12:34, referring to something written in Psalms 89:29; 110:4; and Daniel 7:14). "This was to fulfill the Word that was written in their law, 'They hated me for no reason'" (John 15:25, referring to something written in Psalms 35:19). "The Pharisees said, 'Do any of the rulers believe in him? But the crowd does, who do not know the law'" (John 7:48-49). "It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the tip of one letter of the law to fall" (Luke 16:17). In these passages, "the law" means the entire Sacred Scripture. There are a thousand passages like this in [the Psalms of] David.

Title: A Way Forward, Part 7

Topic: Second Coming

Summary: In the glorious future predicted in Scripture, increased presence of the Lord will push hell aside, and knowledge of the Lord and spiritual experiences will abound. The Lord's presence will be magnetically attractive to people from all over, and his kingdom will last forever and continually increase. This will be the real exodus.

References:
Revelation 21:1-5
Zechariah 2:4-5
Revelation 22:14-15
Isaiah 35; 11:9
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Joel 2:28-29
1 Kings 8:9-11
Zechariah 8:18-23
Isaiah 2:2-5
Psalms 82:8; 72:6-11
Revelation 11:15
Isaiah 33:20
Daniel 7:13-14
Isaiah 9:6-7; 11; 12

This video is a part of the Spirit and Life Bible Study series, whose purpose is to look at the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible through a Swedenborgian lens.