Isa 54:5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.
Eph 5:22-33 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Jesus loved the church, He loved us. He gave Himself for us. Why? So He could sanctify and cleanse us with the washing of water by the word. So we could be a glorious church, without spot, wrinkle, or any such thing. A holy bride and without blemish. He’s loved us so much, we should also love, reverence, and submit to Him. Most of us say we love Jesus, but do we really? Are we willing to submit to Him? How do we show our love for our Husband?
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Joh 14:24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
What commandments does Jesus want us to keep to show our love for Him?
1Jn 2:3-6 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
Wow! We’re liars if we say we know Jesus, but we don’t keep His commandments. And the commandment we’re supposed to keep is the one we’ve had since the beginning. The old commandment.
2Jn 1:4-6 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
What did Jesus say about this commandment that we’ve had since the beginning?
Mat 5:17-19 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
This commandment is from the law and the prophets, which is another term for the Old Testament. The old testament was all they had in Jesus’ time. Jesus didn’t come to destroy the law or the prophets, He says that till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law. What law is Jesus speaking of? This is very important because obeying this law shows that we love our heavenly Husband. And if we break this law while saying we know Him, we’re liars!
Mat 22:35-40 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Here, Jesus was quoting from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. He said that all the law and prophets hang on these principles of love to God and man. Are there more specific laws we should be keeping?
Mar 10:17-19 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
Here Jesus quotes several of the ten commandments found in Exodus 20. Obviously it’s very important to keep the ten commandments. When asked how to inherit eternal life, Jesus told this man the commandments. He also quoted a law in Leviticus which makes it obvious that the commandments Jesus wants us to keep are not only the ten commandments, but also other commandments in the old testament.
Lev. 19:13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob [him]: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.
In the following verses, we see that Jesus and Paul both quote an old testament law found in Deuteronomy.
Mat 18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
2Co 13:1 This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
Deu 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
Jesus also quoted Deuteronomy three times in His face-to-face encounter with Satan. The laws in Deuteronomy were His defence against Satan’s temptations. This is very important for us if we say Jesus is our example!
Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Here Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3.
Mat 4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
This is a quote from Deuteronomy 6:16.
Mat 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 10:20. Obviously Jesus knew that the things written in Deuteronomy are VERY important. The Holy Spirit also inspired the apostles to repeat laws from the old testament.
Acts 15:24-29 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment. . . . For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; that ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well.
All these things that were commanded to be done come from old testament laws (these laws are many times refered to as the statutes and judgments.). The first one is found in Deuteronomy 7:25, 26 where they’re told not to take anything from an idol. The second one is found in Leviticus 17:14. The third one is found in Deuteronomy 22:20, 21. These verses in Acts can’t be saying not to keep the laws in the old testament. The law that they were saying no longer had to be kept was the law of ceremonies (sacrifices, the priesthood, the temple, washings, sprinklings, etc.). The Bible tells us very clearly (especially in Hebrews) what things no longer need to be done. If you want to learn more about this pray and study, and contact us if you want more information. Following, we see in James that one of the statutes is refered to and we’re told not to break it.
Jas 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
Lev 19:15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.
There are many more examples of old testament laws being referred to in the new testament. And it shouldn’t be surprising. Speaking of Jesus, Isaiah was inspired to say…
Isa 42:21 … he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.
And we’re told, before the second coming of Jesus, that we must…
Mal 4:4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.
Let’s take just a little time to see where the statutes and judgments are found, and what will be the result of obeying them.
Exo 21:1 Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.
Here, after giving the ten commandments, God gives Moses other laws called judgments. These laws are given in Exodus 21-23.
Lev 18:4-5 Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.
We find more statutes and judgments in Leviticus. The section quoted above has many laws about morality that definitely need to be kept.
Deu 12:1 These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth.
Deuteronomy is full of commandments, statutes, and judgments! Look at what a huge blessing it will be for us if we keep these laws.
Deu 4:5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.
Deu 4:6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.
Deu 4:7 For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for?
Deu 4:8 And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?
Deu 4:9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons;
Wow! The statutes and judgments are our wisdom and understanding. These laws are righteous. It shows that God is close to us. There’s no nation so great with such righteous statutes and judments. What a blessing!
We demonstrate our love for Jesus, our Husband, by keeping ALL of His commandments. The ten commandments and the other laws, the statutes and judgments. Where do we find these laws? All through the old testament, but especially in Exodus 20-23, much of Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. By keeping these laws, while trusting in the righteousness of Jesus to cover us, we will be prepared to be a glorious church, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing!