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2013/01 A Look at the Book: Studying The Pentateuch

Remember hearing of the pentagon, the five-sided figure, in school?  ‘Pentateuch’ also derives from two words in the Greek and means five rolls of writing. FIVE books that begin the Bible, otherwise known as ‘the books of Moses’, go by that name. To one born in Israel, in modern times as well as in Bible times, these five books are, simply, the Law. Dr John Douglas

While these books have come under the fire and fury of the critic who rejects both the Mosaic authorship and the Divine inspiration of the Pentateuch, the reader will do well to remember the God given counsel enunciated by the Psalmist, “Thy word is true from the beginning.” (119: 160). As the words are ordered in the Hebrew, the verse reads, ‘The beginning of Thy word is true.’

Taking the Bible itself as the court of appeal – and we know of no better – the internal evidence for the Divine inspiration and authority of the five books of Moses is irrefutable.

1 Consider the UNIMPEACHABLE AUTHORITY THE SCRIPTURE HAS GIVEN ESPECIALLY TO THE WORDS OF MOSES ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR SUPERNATURAL ORIGIN.

(A) Heb. 2:2. The giving of the law is called the “word spoken by angels.” That all these words were authorized, upheld and vindicated by the subsequent providential working of the Spirit of God may be seen since “every transgression and disobedience (of the law) received a just recompense of reward.” These words of the law were as much unassailable as to origin as they were unchangeable and unchallengeable in content. The word spoken was “steadfast.” It was therefore absolutely proved, established and verified.

Here then is information on Moses’ source of material for the writing of the Pentateuch, or at least a substantial part of it. We cannot discover any EVIDENCE of compilation from other documents then in existence. Certainly the “word spoken by angels” does not refer to existing documents and indeed hardly allows much room for their use even if Moses had them and carried them all the way from Egypt through the 40 years wandering in the wilderness. The wilderness is not the best place if the voluminous data of a reference library is needed! No, the writer of the Pentateuch had a vastly superior source for his material. God used the angels to supervise the giving of the law to Moses. There was not the slightest possibility of him being in error in anything he wrote.

(B) Acts 7:53,38. Israel, through Moses, received the law by the disposition of angels. The angels ordered the detail of his writing. In careful language we are told of the Angel which spake to Moses on Mt. Sinai in the wilderness where he received the “lively oracles to give unto us.” These oracles ore the living uttered words of God. This Angel, we understand to be THE ANGEL OF THE LORD.

(C) Galatians 3:19. The law was “ordained by angels in the hand of the mediator.” Again, under God, the angels arranged and framed throughout, all that Moses had to write. Indeed Moses’ own testimony was “God spake all these words” Exodus 20:1. Repeatedly in Leviticus we read, “the Lord spake unto Moses” (Leviticus 1:1; 4:1; 6:18; 8:1; 11:1 etc). With his last breath he said “The Lord came from Sinai… from his right hand went a fiery law for them. Yea, He loved the people…they sat down at thy feet; everyone shall receive of THY WORDS” (Deuteronomy 33:2-3). Moses knew the words he wrote were God’s, not his own. The things he had done, whether in writing or speaking, were not of his “own mind.” (Numbers 16:28).

2 Recognize that THE NECESSITY OF IMPLICIT FAITH IN THE PENTATEUCH IS SHOWN CLEARLY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.

(A) The Lord Jesus Christ sets the highest honour upon the books of the Pentateuch

(i) Luke 24:25-27. Our Lord Jesus Christ offers no praise and no esteem to those who, even short of outright denial, have queries about the Old Testament. In fact, He calls them fools, who are slow of heart to believe ALL that the prophets have spoken. We do well to commence a new year with the study of the first five books of the Bible. The Lord Jesus “began” at Moses. By example here, and by precept, He conferred a priority on the law. He taught the necessity of absolute faith in the testimony of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

(ii) Matt. 5:17, 18; Luke 16:1 7. The Lord not only gave it first place in the study, followed by the Apostles, He expressly taught that the LAW WAS INSPIRED OF GOD DOWN TO THE MINUTEST DETAIL. Such inspiration merits and requires absolute faith!

(B) The theme of the Pentateuch, as with the rest of the Old Testament, is Christ, Luke 24:27. Christ began at Moses and expounded “the things concerning HIMSELF.” In John 5:46, speaking of Moses, Jesus said, ‘He wrote of ME:’ Luke16: 29-31 is a most remarkable passage. Abraham, the father of faithful, who, because of the time in which he lived, never had the opportunity to speak of the written word of God, is heard putting his words on record for time and eternity.

He urges that the lost hear Moses and the prophets. The right application of the law leads to repentance. There is no hope of repentance for the man who abandons the Scriptures through unbelief. “If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” Abraham’s last words in Scripture indicate that no sign however dramatic, no miracle however sensational, put in the place of the written word, will effect faith! That which does is the faith of antichrist. In this role the word of God takes second place to nothing. It therefore requires implicit faith.

(C) Since their testimony is of Christ, those who reject the Books of Moses will not be saved.

John 5:46, 47: “But if ye believe not HIS WRITINGS, how shall ye believe my words?” “HE WROTE of me.”

Note the following:

(i) Jesus taught the Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch. There is not a hint of a multiplicity of authors or sources.

(ii) The words of Moses are equally authoritative with the words of Christ. Belief in one is inextricably linked with belief in the other.

(iii) The rejection of these five Books makes it impossible to accept the words of Christ. Reject Moses and there is no alternative but to jettison all the Scriptures, and the words of Jesus too.

Reader, the necessity of faith in the words given from Genesis to Deuteronomy is absolute!

Dr. John Douglas