I have let you see it with your eyes (Deut 33-34)

Deut 33-34

Key Verse 34:4 Then the LORD said to him, "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it."

Today’s passages describe the last day of Moses’ life. It is divided into three parts; first God’s command for Moses to die at the Mount Nebo (32:48-52). Second Moses’ blessing for the twelve tribes (33:1-29). Third, Moses’ death and the appraisal of his life (34:1-12). Thematically, first and third parts are connected to speak one thing, God’s will for Moses’ death, and the middle part is Moses’ view of life in God revealed in his blessing for the twelve tribes.  In the first and third part, God speaks clearly that Moses cannot enter the land of God’s blessing or cannot lead his people to enter the land of God’s blessing. By denying him such blessing, God spoke powerfully one message; when one fails to honor fully the Lord as He is worthy of, even once, he cannot enter the land of God’s blessing. In the second part, Moses’ blessing reveals his long term perspective of the life of Israel. This perspective came about through his experience with the Lord in and through the way of the Law of Covenant. In other words, his blessings for the twelve tribes reveals what Moses learned through the Law of Covenant. As we will come to see, it is deeply rooted in the faith in the LORD of Covenant. This is distinctively discernable as we compare it with Jacob’s last words for his children (Gen 49).  The hope and faith of Moses embedded in his blessing is wrapped up in between God’s firm decision to finish his life before entering the land of blessing. As a whole, God’s decision on Moses’ premature death was an integral part that bore the perspective loaded with hope in faith in the LORD of the Covenant. Then what was ‘Moses’ hope in faith’? Or, what was God’s will in doing this? I pray that we may discover God’s amazing grace through the Law of Covenant, the conclusion of the book of Deuteronomy.

A.      Moses shall not enter the land of God’s promise. (32:48-52)

In His final pitch to help Israel, God told Moses to teach a song, which is actually poetic expression of how God carried out salvation so far and how He will carry it out in the future despite the rebellion of Israel. On the day when Moses finished teaching this song to Israel, God told Moses this;

49 "Go up into the Abarim Range to Mount Nebo in Moab, across from Jericho, and view Canaan, the land I am giving the Israelites as their own possession.

‘One the same day’ expresses God’s decision to move forward with closing of Moses life and then to lead Israel to enter the Land of God’s blessing. So, Moses’ life was to be finished on this side of Jordan.

50 There on the mountain that you have climbed, you will die and be gathered to your people, just as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people. 51 This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites. 52 Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance; you will not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel."

God made unambiguously clear that Moses was to die there because he broke with the LORD and did not uphold God’s holiness at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin. For the same reason, his brother died about six months before. So must Moses die here at Mt. Nebo. Here is God’s sternness to punish the sin by death. He did not bend his decision even on the one whom he loved more than any other people and with whom He talked face to face.  

Knowing well that he was to die soon, he gave final words to his people, the twelve tribes of Israel. These final words reflect how he understood his God, the LORD, and how Israel would do in view of her relationship with the LORD, particularly in regard to the Law of Covenant.  

How can Israel conform to the Lord? It was for them to love the Lord with all their hearts, mind and spirit and to love their neighbor as themselves. That is to keep the Law of Covenant in their hearts. Keenly being aware of the fact that they had a hard time to retain the Word of God, as God directed, Moses wrote a song. By singing this song, their minds might be akin to the Law and their hearts might be conformed to the will of God.  This was the best way to let their heart be soaked with God’s will and purpose. So, Moses, as the leader and law giver, wrote the song as God directed. Soon after this, God told him to go up the Mt. Nebo. He had to dies there as Aaron died in Mt. Hor six months before. The reason was because both of them broke faith with the Lord in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh. There they did not honor God’s holiness. Instead, they discharged their anger against the unbelief of Israel. 

As the one who saw the Lord and knew the Lord than any other men, he must honor the Lord and His causes all the time before Israel. Moses lived in full trust and obedience to the Lord since he met Him at a burning bush in Median. His life was truly impeccable except this only one occasion. Nevertheless, God counted that it was not good enough to warrant to enter the land of God’s blessing. So now here God told him to go up into the Abarim Range to the Mt Nebo in Moab. He continued that as Aaron died, he will die there. But it was very traumatic and emotional issue for Moses. The land of God’s blessing was the hope for his people as well as Moses’. From Egypt, Israel, as well as Moses, went through so many difficulties and hardships. They endure them all because they had hope to enter the land of their own with much of God’s blessing. That land is right there before him and he had strength to lead and to enter the land. It was so heart-breaking that he mentioned at the beginning of his first address at Moab (Deut 1:37) and he told this again with deeply loaded with regret in 3:25.

24 "Sovereign LORD, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do? 25 Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan--that fine hill country and Lebanon." (Deu 3:24-25 NIV)

But God’s decision on this is firm and final; 26 But because of you the LORD was angry with me and would not listen to me. "That is enough," the LORD said. "(3:26). Moses was the one the LORD chose when he lived like a nomad in the Midian wilderness. Moses was the only one to whom the LORD talk to face to face. God said that he was far above any other prophets.

Numbers 12:6 he said, "Listen to my words: "When there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams. 7 But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. 8 With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?" (Num 12:6 NIV)

Truly God honored him above all other prophets. Nevertheless, God would not allow him to lead the nation as she was about to conquer the Land. It was truly difficult to accept and to reason with God’s decision. What is God’s purpose or His reason in this ?

B.      Moses pleads with the Lord on behalf of Israel (33:1- 29)

As the time for Moses’ death came, he blessed each tribes of Israel.  Also Jacob, their ancestor, blessed his 12 children as he was about to die. Since both of them knew them well one as their father and the other as their leader, it will help us to see Moses’ way of understanding the 12 children of Israel as we compare Moses’ blessing with Jacob’s. Blessing at deathbed reflects one’s deep down belief on the life and the world.  

Actual blessing is enclosed in between the two belief statements on the Lord (2-5; 26-29)

The LORD became the king of Israel: 

2 He said: "The LORD came from Sinai and dawned over them from Seir; he shone forth from Mount Paran. He came with myriads of holy ones from the south, from his mountain slopes. 3 Surely it is you who love the people; all the holy ones are in your hand. At your feet they all bow down, and from you receive instruction, 4 the law that Moses gave us, the possession of the assembly of Jacob. 5 He was king over Jeshurun when the leaders of the people assembled, along with the tribes of Israel.

Sinai was the place where God came down and met Israel face to face for the first time in human history since the fall of man. This meeting was arranged to making a covenant between the LORD and Israel. It is puzzling to say that “the LORD came from Sinai”.  Moses here seemed not much interested in how that meeting came about for it was sealed with the Covenant.  Instead, he was interested in how the LORD displayed His Lordship over Israel. After full ratification of the Covenant at Sinai, the LORD led Israel from Sinai, to the land of Seir and then to the desert of Paran. Exo 19:16 describes how the Lord descended to the top of the Mount Sinai: “On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled.” (NIV). It denotes God’s coming in mighty power and glory accompanied by myriad of armies of God. That power and glory dawned over them from Seir and then shone forth from Mt. Paran. In this way, God’s mighty power and glory overwhelmed the entire region of Seir and Paran desert wherever Israel roamed over those regions. The overwhelming power and glory over them was an irrefutable evidence that the LORD loved Israel as His chosen and Israel was totally under His protection. Seeing this unreserved love and protection of the LORD, Israel, though she rebelled many times, eventually became fully submitting themselves to the Lord and they received the instruction from the Lord in obedience to Him. In reading the book of Numbers, we come to know that many a times Israel rebelled against the LORD and incurred God’s judgment. Nevertheless, here, as the final assessment of the entire journey, Moses noted that Israel came to recognize the LORD’s authority and received His instructions, i.e., the Law.  And it had become Israel’s pride and precious possession. The end result was that Israel, by accepting the Law of Covenant fully, became God’s prideful possession, and the LORD became real the king over Jeshurun, an upright one. This tells us that the bond between the LORD and Israel became solidified through the life together from Sinai to Seir, and then to Mount Paran. The LORD is the king of Israel! In this, Israel had a pride calling themselves as Jeshurun, the upright, one among all nations. Moses saw his people’s future in this relationship.

Moses blessed Israel tribes by tribes:

It is difficult to find a particular theme or purpose in blessing the twelve tribes. But in comparing to Jacob’s blessing, we can discern what Moses learned more than what Jacob knew about God and His plan for His people. In order to highlight the difference, only four are chosen:

Reuben: Jacob counted on his son of going after his father’s wife and said that he will not no longer excel (Gen 49:3). But Moses prayed that Reuben may live, not die (6). According to the Law, Reuben must be punished for his egregious sin and that punishment would affect long down through generations. But Moses pray to the Lord that he may not die.

Benjamin: Jacob saw in him a ravenous wolf that devours his prey (Gen 49:27). But Moses prayed that he may find rest that is secured in the Lord. If his unsettled fear drove him to live life a ravenous wolf, the rest found in the Lord’s love would give him true peace.

Gad: Jacob saw that he will be attacked by a band of raiders and will respond to the attack with a fierce force.  But instead of being attacked, Moses saw that God will bless him and enlarge his domain. 

Levi:  Jacob said of him, “cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel (49:7)!  In his fierce anger for justice to his sister, Levi with his brother Simeon attacked and killed the people of the entire town. Moses saw that God accepted the same disdain for sins and righteous anger against ungodliness in Levi and used the tribe of Levi as the priests. He prayed that they might watch over God’s word and guard God’s covenant (9).   

Jacob’s last words for his children were blessings for good works and curses for the bad behaviors. It is good to note that his prophetic view included a number of judgements as well, punishing their bad behaviors especially in Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Benjamin. Simply Jacob’s mind was under the Law, which blesses good behaviors and curses bad behaviors. This came out of knowing the Lord of holiness that punishes sins of man. Moses did not deny or add any punishment upon the bad behavior that Jacob saw. Instead, Moses prayed that the Lord might help them to escape those judgments (Reuben, Benjamin) and to succeed in the blessing that Jacob gave (Judah, Benjamin)  Many a times, Moses appealed to the Lord for His favor(Naphtali), His will(Gad), His love(Benjamin), and His blessing (Joseph, Levi).   What does this tell us? Jacob’s perspective of his children’s future was under the Law. On the other hand, Moses blessed each tribes with the things that go beyond theirs sins and weaknesses. He could do this because he saw what God did for and with Israel through the Law of the Covenant. We can conclude that Moses’ blessing went beyond the Law of blessing and curses.   Moses could do this because he knew the Lord and His work in and through the Law of Covenant. Because of this, Moses outlook for his people was far brighter than Jacob’s. Was Moses not able to see what Jacob saw in his children? Yes he could see their sins and weakness, may be even more than what Jacob saw for Moses repeatedly rebuked them of ‘stiff-necked heart’. In addition God told him that Israel would surely rebel and God would surely send them exile. Despite of such certainty of their rebellion and God’s judgment, Moses saw something beyond that judgment. How could he do that?

The LORD of Israel is the Lord of all (26-29)  

Moses closes his blessing with his declaration that the LORD of Israel is the Lord of all.  

26 "There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, who rides across the heavens to help you and on the clouds in his majesty. 27 The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemies before you, saying, 'Destroy them!' 28 So Israel will live in safety; Jacob will dwell secure in a land of grain and new wine, where the heavens drop dew. 29 Blessed are you, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will tread on their heights."

The God who made Israel Jeshurun is the God rules over heavens. Also, he is eternal. Under this eternal God, Israel takes refuge and their life will be safe and secure with full of God’s abundant blessings. No enemies could undo this because the might LORD is their shield, helper, and sword for them. In this way, Moses enclosed his blessing for Israel with a declaration of a deep belief in their Lord Almighty. Despite of certainty of their rebellion in the future, which would result in their intense suffering in exile, Moses saw the ultimate blessing of his people because of the LORD’s perfect will for His nation. This was because they had the law and God’s disciplines in the Law, which Moses personally experienced so much in his people and in himself as well. If the law of Covenant brought such a good and positive outcome, then should the Law be looked at with different eyes?

Almost all the time, the Law of Covenant is seen only as God’s shackle on human free will. So people hate the law. In hate, people choose two ways, one chooses to disregard the Law, being called antinomian thinking (No law or without the Law). The other is to live under the Law as we have seen in Jacob. Such peoples see people and the world only in two perspectives, judgment for the wrong and blessing for the good. Almost all religions formulated the principles of life along this line of the understanding of the world for since the fall of man, since God set the world under such predicament. But Moses, who received the Law and lived under the law and saw how God disciplined His people through the Law, came to a deep conviction that the LORD who gave the law is the LORD of Covenant for blessing. He saw and understood the LORD to be far more good, righteous and loving. The Law was the mean to bless His people. If they did not have the Law, they would not have known the LORD of holiness and His hope for Israel. If they did not go through the Law, Moses did not see the utmost blessing according to God’s will and hope. What can we say then? Moses saw what lies beyond the Law. When one go through the Law, his heart and mind never remain confounded but be filled with such conviction and hope in God’s blessing. This will was not hidden but clearly revealed (Deu 30:1-10)   Moses’ mind, as his death was set end of his life, was shone with this will of the Lord and blessed the twelve tribes. Can anyone see this light without going through the Law? God speaks in this regard at the final day of Moses’ life. In order to impart Moses with this light, God arranged the last day of his life.

C.      God helps Moses see the hope that can be seen only through the law of the Covenant (34:1-9)

This last section describes the death of Moses. God had said of his death when Moses and Arron failed to honor the Lord at Meribah, about a year or so before (Num 20:12).  At that time God spoke to both Moses and Aaron why He would not let Aaron enter the land of God’s promise. Since that time, his brother Aaron died at Mt Hor (Num 20:23-24). About six months after the death of his brother, when Moses began his address to Israel community as they were ready to cross the Jordan River, Moses mentioned his own death (Deut 1:37). He addressed this again in 3:26–27 with much of emotionally charged regrets, saying “But because of you the LORD was angry with me and would not listen to me”. ”That is enough," the LORD said. "Do not speak to me anymore about this matter.”  It was very painful for Moses to accept this for he was called by the Lord for this purpose and lived for this purpose enduring so many troubles along with his people. Nevertheless, he did not have much choice for the LORD was very firm on this matter. What was God’s purpose in this?

When the time came, as he was told to do (32:42-52), Moses went up on Mt. Nebo.

1 Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the LORD showed him the whole land-- from Gilead to Dan, 2 all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, 3 the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar.

This was one of the highest peak of the Abarim mountain range where he could see the entire land of God’s blessing. The Lord showed him starting from the north, near Gilead to far north Dan. Then he turned his head to the east to all the land of Naphtali, Ephraim and Manasseh and the southward to Judah and to the coast of Mediterranean sea. Finally, his gaze reached far south to Gaza and to Zoar at the southern tip of the Dead Sea. In this way, Moses saw pretty much the entire land of God’s blessing. This land looked so good and so beautiful and so fertile that truly the land that Israel went through or the land of Egypt could not compare to.  Literally, it looked to be a land of rich blessing of the Lord. Why did God allow Moses to see this, though he could not enter it? God had a clear purpose in this.

4 Then the LORD said to him, "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it."

Long before Moses, God gave this promise to his ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God reminded him of this promise. As these ancestors died before entering the land, Moses was to join with them. Yet in the mind of Moses, it was a certain thing that his people Israel would enter the land. Not only she is right there at the door to that land but also the LORD had shown Moses very convincing proofs that HE would do it no matter how fierce the enemies might be. In addition, seeing is the best way to taste what it would be like and increase one’s appetite for possession.  In Moses mind there was no trace of doubt that his people Israel would enter the land. Moses’ death does not mean that God would do away with that promise. Despite of his death, that promise is still living and that hope still lives with certainty. God wanted him not to lose the hope that he gave to his ancestors, the kind of hope that goes beyond death. In this way, God showed Moses an ample of His love in building his trust in the Lord. Trusting in the LORD’s goodness is a great thing that one can have especially right at the moment of his death. Jesus, just a moment before his death, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luk 23:46 NIV)

. In this way, Jesus showed his utter trust in the LORD, His Father. Though the LORD chastised and punished for his onetime dishonoring of Him, God wanted Moses to stay put in His love and His plan for the land of His blessing not just for his fellow Israel but also for himself as well. This is exactly what Jesus did. In this way, the law stood tall untarnished and at the same time the grace of the Lord was proffered so that Moses’ hope might live by faith, faith only.   

D.      Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses( 9-12)

Soon after the death of Moses, People listened to Joshua because Moses laid hands on him and he was filled with the spirit of wisdom.  In this way, Joshua took over the leadership. But Joshua could not be compared to Moses. 

10 Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 11 who did all those signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt-- to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. 12 For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel

The greatness of Moses lies on two aspects; The Lord knew him face to face and did show mighty powers and awesome deeds through Moses. Since Moses, God sent many prophets. But no one knew the Lord face to face. No one performed miraculous powers like Moses. Isaiah might be considered one of the greatest prophets. Yet he was not even close to Moses in his relationship with the Lord and did not do miraculous works.   In Israel history, there was none like him. But Moses said to Israel;

The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. (Deu 18:15 NIV)

Moses gave Israel a message from the Lord; God will raise up for them a prophet like Moses. When would God send one prophet like Moses? It will be when the Law of Covenant could not do much for them particularly in regard to pagan practices of religion (Deu 18:9-14a). The Law of Covenant would be powerful in putting the rein on Israel’s sin. And yet Israel would be remaining powerless in finding way out of it for the Law does not provide an answer for it. In such situation, people would be desperately seeking human mediators (10b divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Deu 18:10b-11). This would be especially when they are going through hardships that God imposed upon them as the Covenant curses for their wrongs. In this darkest hours, which was yet a future for Moses, the only hope would be having another prophet like Moses who would babysit Israel from the beginning until they could see the hope with clarity, enabling them to conquer the Land by faith. God would send another ‘human mediator’ like Moses, who connects Israel directly to LORD or vice versa.

Moses died with this hope: God sending a prophet like him, for his people and for himself the hope of the fulfillment of the promise that He made with Abraham. In these two hopes, Moses died. Then, when the one like Moses comes what would or should he do? In review of what Moses did, we can discern one thing that stands out as Moses’ original work. All other works are from God or of God’s command and power. The one thing is that Moses averted God’s wrath on Israel when they made a golden idol and rescued the nation from an immediate judgment. He did this by putting his life on behalf of Israel. Eventually the nation Israel was able to enter the land of God’s blessing. Under this law, the full nature of Israel, unbelief in stiff-nakedness was exposed. Seeing the might works of God as well as His punishment according to His holiness, it was foreseen that Israel would rebel the Lord and the covenant of blessing would be in a great danger (Moses’ song 32:19-29). The coming of Israel’s rebellion and God’s judgment are not if or not may be. This would be a dire circumstance whereby a man like Moses who could mediate on behalf of Israel so that they might not perish but have a renewed hope as it was at the Mt. Horeb. So the coming of the one like Moses is so necessary for the salvation of Israel hangs on His coming, who will avert God’s wrath for goo.

If the one like Moses comes, he must be able to do the similar thing. God (Moses) saw such time of crisis as this coming again in the later generation (32:19-29).  The coming of this crisis was prophesied by prexilic prophets. That will be the time of a great need from the Lord. The help must come in form of helping to avert the judgment of the LORD according to the Law of Covenant. How did Jesus, the prophet like Moses, do to avert God’s wrath imminent to his people?   

Jesus’ offering his life was the fulfillment of the Law.

Soon after ratification of the Covenant, God taught how Israel could honor the Lord enough for Him to bless. God required them of two sacrifices at a particular place.

Exodus 20:24 "'Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you. (Exo 20:24 NIV)

The burnt offering is impregnated with an idea that our body of sin must be totally burned up to the Lord as a pleasing aroma (Exo 29:18). This was a must for anyone who comes to the Lord for the purpose of glorifying the LORD. This is also in line with the idea that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.   Just before his arrest, Mary anointed Jesus with a pint of pure nard and the whole house was filled with fragrance and in less than a week, Jesus was crucified on the cross. On the cross, Jesus gave himself up totally to the righteous judgment of God as was with a burnt offering (Heb 9:26; Eph 5:2). We are to follow his steps (Heb 13:15)

At the same time, the fellowship offering must follow the burnt offering so as to give full honor to the LORD. These two are the essentials to uphold the name of the LORD.  In the fellowship offering, the offeror shares the sacrificed animal with the Lord and other fellow men (Heb 13:16). When Jesus commanded his disciples to eat his flesh and drink his blood, he was sharing his body as was the fellowship offering. These two offerings are well represented in Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross.  The entire Law of Covenant hangs on God’s requirement of men to give honor that is worthy of the name LORD as shown in this verse. Jesus, by his sacrifice of his body on the cross, fulfilled the Law and the purpose of the Law of Covenant, i.e. salvation of men. What does Paul say about the Law of Covenant or a prophet like Moses?

Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Here the end does not mean the stopping of the Law for good. It means the end result or outcome of the law. So new NIV reads:   Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes (Rom 10:4 NIV).  The law was powerless to achieve salvation but it has the power to lead men to the salvation, i.e. Jesus. In this sense, the law is a must for all salvation. For this reason, God sent John the Baptist for one particular purpose, to call for repentance according to the Law of Moses and also Jesus’ first message was calling for repentance. If there is no law, then there will be no sin. If there is no sin, then no repentance is needed. If there is no repentance, then to such man, no salvation in Christ will be afforded.  

Moses’ death speaks clearly what the Law must do and shall do for the salvation of God's chosen through his covenant. Moses’ death speaks also that no one can be above the law or without the law and no one under the law can see the life (Gal 3:22). If God demanded Israel, His first son, to go through the rigors of the Law of Covenant, then would He exempt us all sinners from the Law?  

Since all must go through the Law and we are all born in sin, no one can escape the birth pain as Israel had gone and even now is going through.  All the troubles that we see and read in the news are part of the birth pain for the world. Like this, all men must go through the law of Covenant and see the salvation that God provided in Christ, the perfecter of the Law of Covenant.

At the end of his first mission journey, Paul said to the disciples in Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch.

Acts 14:22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," (Act 14:22 NIV)

The spirit is under the grace and power of Christ but the flesh is under the law. Our spirit in Christ must prevail over the needs of the flesh so that it may not be the law that governs our lives but the grace and power in Christ may be.  This is evident when we examine all the troubles among the believers in Corinth. Also, Paul said this:  1 Corinthians 9:27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (NIV) Also, Jesus said, “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” (Mk 14:38). After giving his life on the cross, overcoming the weakness of the body, Jesus commanded his disciples to eat his body and drink his blood so that the body in sin might be done away with by the Spirit of Christ in us.

The moment we chose to live in the desires of the body in sin, we put ourselves under the authority of the Law.  As long as the perfection is not there within us, we will live in between the law and the grace of Jesus. But when the spirit of Christ takes full control in our lives, the law has no mastery in our lives. So we are to live by grace from the beginning to the end.  This is within our reach when we die along with Christ and let the power of God that raised Jesus to life be upon our hearts. While the weakness and sins are still with us, the law of Covenant is the most powerful place to get hold of the grace in Christ Jesus.

Praise the LORD who gave us the Law of Covenant and the ultimate prophet, Jesus, in whom we can find the fulfillment of the Law of Covenant and enjoy His grace.