The Shadow of Christ in the Law of Moses by Vern S. Poythress

Author:Vern S. Poythress [Poythress, Vern S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Theonomists commonly appeal to this text to show that the Mosaic law has world-wide relevance.19 It is obvious why theonomists should think that this text supports them. According to these verses the other nations and not only Israel can recognize the wisdom of these statutes and admit that they are “righteous” (4:8). The righteousness of Mosaic ordinances thus pertains not only to Israel but all other nations. When other nations have their eyes opened to the truth, the other nations want to have just such righteous laws and express admiration for Israel’s wisdom. Mosaic laws thus express standards binding on all nations and not merely on Israel. Micah 4:2 picks up this same theme in the context of eschatological prophecy. “In the latter days” the house of the Lord will be established as the most prominent mountain, the nations will come to learn the law, and “out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem” (Micah 4:1-2). What the nations might potentially enjoy according to Deut. 4 they actually do come to enjoy in the time of fulfillment.

This argument looks very convincing until we realize that the framework of assumptions of theonomy has had a large input in influencing what we notice in these texts.20 To concentrate on the normative perspective is to concentrate on the norms, standards, or rules. By definition, norms or rules are the same in every situation. Hence when we operate in this framework we are already predisposed to assume primarily continuity in space and time. Continuity in space implies that the same laws bind other places, that is, other nations besides Israel. Continuity in time implies that the same laws bind people at all times, past, present, and future.

But now suppose that we approach the same texts using the framework of intrusionists and the emphasis on the situational perspective. Immediately we have in the forefront of our minds the unique situation of Israel: Israel is the unique holy nation and a kingdom of priests with its shadowy typological institutions pointing forward to fulfillment. Within this hermeneutical framework, Deut. 4:6-8 appears to mean something quite different. The other nations admire Israel not only for the righteousness of her laws (4:8) but for the God who is so near to Israel whenever they call on him (verse 7), for the wisdom expressed as God reveals his character and salvific purposes uniquely to Israel, and for the land that God gave Israel as a gift (verse 5). That is to say, the nations do not notice the commandments merely as rules standing by themselves but as an expression of God’s special communion with Israel. They understand the rules as what is wise for this special holy people, Israel. The nations are pictured not as saying, “We should have these same laws for ourselves,” but “What a special God Israel has, what a special grace God has shown to Israel, and what wise statutes God has given them for their special situation. We would certainly want to have laws just like those if we were the special chosen nation.

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