Are the Ten Commandments the Old Covenant

A FAVORITE line of opposition to the Sabbath of the Lord has been followed by not a few in late years, through a false position upon the doctrine of the covenants. They maintain that the old covenant made at Sinai with the then recently liberated Hebrews, is the ten commandments, and, learning from New Testament statements that that covenant is no longer obligatory, conclude that the Sabbath, being the subject of one of those commandments, is not a requirement under the gospel. The object of this article is to show that this position is wholly unscriptural, and therefore wholly wrong, and that the true doctrine of the covenants establishes Sabbath obligation in the new dispensation.

First, as to the meaning of the, word covenant. It is "a mutual agreement in writing and under seal; a contract; stipulation; a writing containing terms of agreement."—Webster. Under contract, he says: "An agreement between parties, imposing obligations and conferring rights upon each; covenant; compact; stipulation; obligation; a formal writing containing such agreement."

From this definition it is seen that the word has two meanings: (1) an agreement or contract, and (2) a writing containing the terms of such agreement or contract. A covenant complete and entire comprehends these two ideas, although each part separately may be spoken of as a covenant. An agreement or contract is in its very nature a promise, as we may see at a glance. There can be no agreement made unless a promise is made; this is so in the very nature of things. When one agrees to do a thing he at the same time promises to do it, and so Mr. Webster defines promise to mean: "A declaration by one person to another, which binds him who makes it to do or forbear a specified act."

So, then, agreement, contract, and promise are, in their nature, the same. I have said that the ten commandments are not the old covenant. Then what is that covenant, according to Bible teaching? I believe the phrase "the old covenant" is not found in the Scriptures, but the word "old " is used in Heb. 8:13 relative to a covenant. This is "the first covenant" mentioned in the next verse (chap 9:1), and in verses 15 and 18 of the same chapter. This last verse gives us the clue as to what the first or old covenant was. "Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood." The apostle goes on to speak of a transaction recorded in Ex. 24. Going back to that chapter we read (verse 8): "Behold the blood of the covenant; which the Lord hath made with you."

We are here referred to a transaction still further back. The Lord had made a covenant with them before this time. We go back to chapter 19 and there read of a transaction between the Lord and the people, answering to the first meaning of the word covenant. An agreement, a contract, and promises were there made. Read verses 1-8. This was shortly after the people had left Egypt. Jer. 11:3, 4; 31:32; Heb. 8:9. It was at Horeb or Sinai. Deut. 5:2, 3; Gal. 4:24. Here is where the old or first covenant or testament was made, and the time when an agreement was entered into. The Lord promised the people great blessings if they would obey his voice and keep his covenant. This they promised to do. Here a contract was made. A few days afterward the Lord's voice was heard proclaiming to the people the ten commandments.

These were the conditions of the covenant or contract. Here was a "mutual agreement " entered into, "to do or forbear specified acts." The acts to be done or to be forborne were what the voice of the Lord, which the people promised to obey, proclaimed, viz.: the ten commandments. Not long afterward, this "mutual agreement" was put in writing and sealed or dedicated with blood. Ex. 24:3-8; Heb. 9:18-21. Here we have the completion of the old covenant of which we write. It was not the ten commandments; they were the conditions upon which the promised blessings of the covenant were suspended. These commandments were written by the Lord. Ex. 24:12; 31:18. They were the writing "containing terms of agreement," and in this sense, therefore, they answer to the term "covenant" and in this sense only are they associated with the old covenant. Deut. 9:9, 11, 15.

That the ten commandments are not the old or first covenant itself is plainly evident from the following facts:-

1. They existed long before the old covenant did. This covenant, as we have shown, came into existence at Horeb or Sinai (Deut. 5:2, 3; Gal. 4:24), after Israel came out of Egypt. The ten commandments were known by all, observed by some, and violated by others, long before this time. Proof: 1 John 3:4; Rom. 5:13; Gen. 4:7, 8; 6:5, 11-13; 13:13; 2 Pet. 2:6-8. Abel (Heb. 11:4; 1 John 3:12), Lot, and Noah were righteous. 2 Pet. 2:5, 8; Gen. 7:1. Abraham, also (Gen. 15:6; Gal. 3:6), kept God's commandments, statutes, and laws. Gen. 26:5. This, then, was the way the righteousness of these ancient believers in God was manifested. They kept his laws and commandments. The ten commandments are such. Neh. 9:13. The righteous character of Abel, Noah, Lot, and Abraham was shown, therefore, in keeping the ten commandments, "the synopsis of all religion and morality."—A: Campbell. Cain, the antediluvians, and the people of Sodom, being the opposite in character, violated them. So the ten commandments, being known long ages before the old covenant was made; cannot be that covenant.

2. The Sabbath, especially, which is almost if not wholly the sole occasion for the peculiar position taken upon the covenants by a class of its opponents, was observed by the people before the old covenant was made. This is plain from Ex. 16. The preliminary work of making the old covenant was not entered on till we come to chapter 19, about a month after. So the Sabbath existed and was kept before the old covenant was made, and therefore does not owe its existence to that covenant. If it could exist before the covenant was made it could also exist after that covenant was dissolved.

3. The old covenant was made with the people. Ex. 24:8; Deut. 5:2, 3; Jer. 31:32. "with " implies co-operation. The people assisted in the making of the old covenant. They co-operated with the Lord in the matter. This is very evident from the nature of a covenant. As we have seen; it takes two or more to make a contract or covenant. This was done in the making of the old covenant. Ex. 19:5-8. The Lord must, from the very necessity of the ease, have the help of the people. Did he have their help in making the ten commandments? Was it necessary that he should have such help? These questions themselves suggest the difference between these commandments and the old covenant. Had the Israelites refused to enter into the making of the covenant, there would have been none made. Would their refusal to help make the ten commandments have resulted in there being none made? By no means.

4. The old covenant was made concerning the ten commandments and was not the commandments themselves. Ex. 24:8. Moses read in the hearing of the people and they said, "All that the Lord hath said we will do, and be obedient." Verse 7. The Lord had said or spoken the ten commandments a short time previously. Ex. 20. The agreement in Ex. 19 was a part of what was written. Paul, in Heb. 9:19, says Moses "spoke every precept to all the people." The ten commandments must have been written in the book. They were written there at one time at least, according to the apostle in Gal. 3:10. The curse was upon every one that continued not in all things which were written in the book of the law. In verse 13, it is stated that "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." Verse 14: "That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ." What was in the book of the law affected the Gentiles, and caused the death of Christ. This was certainly the moral law of ten commandments. The old covenant was made with the people concerning the words the Lord had spoken to them—the ten commandments.

Now a covenant made concerning certain words is surely not the words themselves. The covenant had a relationship to the words, but was not the words. The words were the conditions of the covenant, and not the covenant itself. So the ten commandments and the old covenant are not the same thing. A conversation concerning the Constitution of the United States is not the Constitution itself. By the same logic, a covenant or contract made concerning certain words cannot be the words.

5. The old covenant was made with the natural seed of Abraham, with the people who came out of Egypt. Deut. 5:2, 6. It was not made with their forefathers. Verse 3. This shows positively that it was not the ten commandments. The fathers did have them. Gen. 26:5; 18:19. The old covenant they did not have. They had no knowledge of it, but they did have knowledge of the ten commandments. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and others, says the apostle, "obtained a good report through faith." Heb. 11:39. But faith without works is dead. Jas. 2:16-26. And as they received a good report, it could only have been by perfecting faith by good works. Does anyone suppose their faith led them to be idolaters, blasphemers, liars, murderers, Sabbath-breakers, and the like? The apostle, in Heb. 11, sets forth their lives in his discourse on true faith, as worthy examples for the Christian believer to imitate. Should we imitate the ones whose lives are not regulated by the precepts of the law proclaimed on Sinai? Never.

6. The old covenant was established upon promises. Heb. 8:6. This shows the real nature of a covenant. A covenant we have before shown is necessarily of the nature of a promise. Were there no promise, or promises, there could be no covenant, or contract. In the old covenant the Lord promised the people to confer upon them great blessings, upon conditions. The people promised to comply with the conditions. Here were mutual promises made. The ten commandments are not in their nature so many promises. They are moral requirements, and do not rest upon promises. They are the conditions of the promises God made to the people when he made the covenant with them.

7. The old covenant vanished away. Heb. 8:13; 9:15-17. The ten commandments have not. Matt. 5:17-20; Rom. 3:19, 31; 13:8-10;. 1 Tim. 1:9, 10; Jas. 2:8-12.

8. When the old covenant was made with the people, they did not hear the voice of God at all. When the ten commandments were spoken, the people did hear the voice, and it was very loud. Ex. 19:9, 16, 19; 20:18. The whole mount quaked. Ex. 19:18; Ps. 68:8. The earth shook. Heb 12:25, 26.

9. Because of disobedience on the part of the people the old covenant was abrogated and came to an end. Heb. 8:8, 9. Disobedience does not bring to an end the ten commandments, but they still remain to condemn the transgressor. Jas. 2:9. Therefore these commandments and the old covenant are not the same.

10. Under this new covenant, the law—ten commandments—is written in the heart. Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10; Rom. 7:7, 22, 25. The ten commandments are the basis of both covenants. Ex. 20:3-17; Deut. 4:10-13; Matt. 5:17-20. The gospel rests upon the law. What is the gospel? The good news of salvation. Salvation from what? From sin. What is sin? Transgression of the law. 1 John 3:4. The law is the ten commandments. Matt. 19:17-19; 22:36-40; Jas. 2:8-11; Rom. 2:17-22. Therefore the gospel of the new covenant rests upon the ten commandments.

11. If one should break, and teach others to break, the ten commandments, he would forfeit his right to eternal life. Matt. 5:19, 20. One cannot only teach with impunity, that the old covenant may be neglected as a means of salvation, but that it is vain to look to it for such blessing. Heb. 9:15.

We are now prepared to answer the question that heads this article: Are the ten commandments the old covenant? We answer emphatically, No.