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Chapter Two

STATUTES ELIMINATED

The prophet Ezekiel refers to ordinances that Ellen White states are no longer to be performed by God’s New Testament church. These are the ordinances of the altar.

“And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord God; These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon.” Ezekiel 43:18

The text goes on to explain the ordinances governing the priesthood in their work of sacrificing animals.

Now let us see what our early pioneers wrote about these ordinances of the sacrificial system:

1. “The ceremonial system was made up of symbols pointing to Christ, to His sacrifice and His priesthood. [This law differs from the intent of those statutes given to guard the Ten Commandments.] This ritual law, with its sacrifices and ordinances was to be performed by the Hebrews until type met antitype in the death of Christ, the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. Then all the sacrificial offerings were to cease. It is this law that ‘Christ took... out of the way, nailing it to His cross.’” PP 365 (brackets inserted)

“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross.” Colossians 2:14

What law was nailed to the cross? PP p. 365 indicates that it is the law of sacrificial offerings, which are contained in the ordinances of the altar.

2. “The ceremonial law was to answer a particular purpose of Christ’s plan for the salvation of the race. The typical system of sacrifice and offerings was established that through these services the sinner might discern the great offering, Christ.’” 1RH 164, 5/6/1875

Look at the cross and what do you see? The end of the sacrificial system by the Sacrifice of all sacrifices. Jesus’ death completed the ‘ordinances of the altar’ of sacrifice.

(The above “offerings” connected with animal sacrificing were more often grain, oil and wine. They were also known as “oblations.” See Numbers chapter 28. Our SDA Bible Commentary describes “oblations” as grain offerings.)

Recall the prophecy of Daniel 9:27. After the 60 and 2 weeks the “sacrifice and oblation” was to cease. These sacrifices and oblations were the animal sacrifices and grain, oil, and wine offerings that were included.

Daniel said nothing of anything else ceasing at the cross.

3. “Not one word that has proceeded from the mouth of God will become void until prophecy becomes history, as in the case of the sacrificial offerings that prefigured Christ. Type met antitype in the death of the Son of God.” 4RH 160, 2/27/1900 (italics mine)
    
4. “(Christ) was the foundation of their system of sacrificial offerings, the great Antitype of all their religious service. The blood shed as the sacrifices were offered pointed to the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. All the typical offerings were fulfilled in Him.” COL 126 (parenthesis added/italics mine)

Once again, the typical offerings, the animal sacrifices, were fulfilled in Him.

5. “When type met antitype in the death of Christ, the sacrificial offerings ceased. The ceremonial law was done away.” The Watchman, 8/14/1906; 4RH 193; RH 6/26/1900 (italics mine)

Notice in the above sentence, the Spirit of Prophecy equates the sacrificial offerings with “the” ceremonial law that was “done away.”

6. “The Lord gave Moses definite instructions in regard to the ceremonial offerings which were to cease at the death of Christ.” ST 6/17/1880 (italics mine)

Notice again that Ellen White separates the ordinances of the sacrifice from the other statutes and from the 10 Commandments in the next quote:

“After the public rehearsal of the law, Moses completed the work of writing all the laws, the statutes, and the judgments which God had given him, and all the regulations concerning the sacrificial system.” PP 466 [Note: “regulations” is another term for “ordinances.”]

CONCLUSION

Considering the information studied so far, the Ten Commandment laws, the statutes governing daily life, the judgments which God had given Moses, plus all the regulations concerning the sacrificial system, were all a part of the Jewish economy.

Obviously, Jesus fulfilled the ordinances of sacrificial offerings. But what about the law, the statutes, and the judgments? We all agree the laws of the Decalogue are still with us, but what additional conclusions can we come to regarding the statutes?

REGARDING THE STATUTES

Pam Benton, in her book Diamonds in the Sand, points out which statutes are to be observed forever and which are not. “Our English word statute comes from two original Hebrew words, Strong’s #2706 choq and Strong’s #2708 chuggah. According to Strong’s Lexical Aids, the definitions for both words are the same, except #2708 has the added qualifier of being permanently binding. The word statutes (#2706) most always refers to the sacrificial system and is not permanently binding. The word statutes (#2708) most always refers to the moral law, including God’s holy days in Leviticus chapter 23, and is permanently binding. Thus the original Hebrew words themselves suggest to us which statutes are permanently binding.

Another interesting point she makes is that “sacrificial system statutes (#2706) are in the masculine tense, whereas God’s Holy Day statutes (#2708) are in the feminine tense. Jesus, our Bridegroom who became a man and died for our sins, fulfilled the sacrificial system statutes that are in the masculine tense and were binding until the cross. God’s Church the Bride, fulfills the moral law statutes that are in the feminine tense and are binding forever. The Bride (God’s people) recognizes the tremendous price that the Bridegroom (Jesus) has paid and so she honors her Groom by spending extra time with Him every year for eternity. She does this because of the deep love that she has for Him and not because of a sense of duty that she must “do.” Keeping God’s Holy Days fulfills part of the Church’s covenant to be the Bride. (See Revelation 21:2,9). Only those who wear the white wedding garment (Day of Atonement message), representing the righteousness of Jesus, will be saved. (Matthew 22:11-13).”

Another way to know if these statutes are forever or not is to see what the Bible says about these statutes elsewhere. In Daniel 9:27 the Bible states that the sacrificial system would end at the cross. Also, according to Isaiah 66:22-23, Zechariah 14:16, and Luke 22:15-16, the weekly Sabbath and the yearly feast days will be kept in the future. The Bible is consistent.

Recognizing that some ordinances were nailed to the cross, and some remain, perhaps we can better understand statements like the following:

1. “It would be a scene well pleasing to God and angels, would His professed followers in this generation unite, as did Israel of old (referring especially to the revival in the day of Nehemiah), in a solemn covenant to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our God, and His judgments, and His statutes.” ST 1/10/1884; Southern Watchman, 6/07/1904 (parenthesis inserted)
    
2. “There must be no withholding on our part, of our service or our means, if we would fulfill our covenant with God. ‘This day the Lord thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.’” 1MR 117

“This day the Lord thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.” Deut. 26:16

After the above Deuteronomy quote, Ellen White encourages the keeping of the Ten Commandments. She seems to blend both the statutes and the Ten Commandments, as did the Jews, into one, calling them all the law of God.

3. “The principles set forth in Deuteronomy for the instruction of Israel, are to be followed by God’s people to the end of time. Our prosperity is dependent on the continuance of our covenant with God.” RH 4/25/1907 (italics mine)

Ellen White ties the Ten Commandments with yet another of the statutes given by Moses:

“It has been declared by some that Christ favored the moderate use of fermented wine. In witness thereof they refer to His miracle of changing water into wine. But we protest that Christ never made intoxicating wine; such an act would have been contrary to all the teaching and example of His life.
“He was the Angel who led the children of Israel in the wilderness. He spoke the law from Sinai. He prohibited those who officiated in holy office from using wine [REMEMBER THE 144,000 ARE TO BE A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD]; and His reasons for so doing are explicit; that they may have clear judgment to distinguish between the common and the sacred, to do justice to the fatherless and widows, to teach his statutes and laws to Israel, and to accept no bribes. Those who abolish the law of God for the sake of getting rid of the Sabbath, do away with the most solemn restrictions against using liquor.” ST 8/29/1879; Health Reformer 7/1/1878, pg. 11 (brackets inserted)

Why does Mrs. White say that “those who abolish the law of God for the sake of getting rid of the Sabbath, do away with the most solemn restrictions against using liquor?” Because she, as the ancient Israelites, included the statutes within the law of God.

There is more than one reason why this statement should be in the book entitled Health Reformer. Originally, wonderful health benefits were promised to God’s church in return for integrity toward His statutes:

God would prevent them from having tumors, festering sores, the “itch,” and inflammation of the knees, etc., if they would carefully follow all His commandments and His statutes. See Deut. 28:15, 27, 25, 45-57.

“...that stumbling blocks which have hindered the progress of truth may be removed, and God have a clean and holy people to declare His statutes and judgments. The Captain of our salvation leads His people on step by step, purifying and fitting them for translation.” 1T 333

The Christian who takes God’s book seriously recognizes the call to a holy office. He wants stumbling blocks removed, and as a New Testament priest he will drink no wine.

“Ye also, as lively stones, are built upon a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9

“And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father.” Revelation 1:6

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” Revelation 20:6

CONFUSION COMES TO THE SUBJECT OF
GOD’S STATUTES FROM TWO ASPECTS:

First, the various and sundry interpretations of Colossians chapter 2 verse 16 which we will look at in chapter nine. The second cause of confusion comes from the fact that some of God’s holy days given to the Israelites at Sinai are also termed statutes. A few examples might be:

DAY OF ATONEMENT:

“It shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations.” Leviticus 23:28, 31 KJV

FEAST OF TABERNACLES:

“It shall be a statute for ever in your generations; ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.” Leviticus 23:41, KJV

PENTECOST:

“It shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. Leviticus 23:21, KJV

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