Righteousness of Christ in the Law
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The types and shadows of the sacrificial service, with the prophe-
cies, gave the Israelites a veiled, indistinct view of the mercy and grace
to be brought to the world by the revelation of Christ. To Moses was
unfolded the significance of the types and shadows pointing to Christ.
He saw to the end of that which was to be done away when, at the
death of Christ, type met antitype. He saw that only through Christ can
man keep the moral law. By transgression of this law man brought sin
into the world, and with sin came death. Christ became the propitiation
for man’s sin. He proffered His perfection of character in the place
of man’s sinfulness. He took upon Himself the curse of disobedience.
The sacrifices and offerings pointed forward to the sacrifice He was to
make. The slain lamb typified the Lamb that was to take away the sin
of the world.
It was seeing the object of that which was to be done away, seeing
Christ as revealed in the law, that illumined the face of Moses. The
ministration of the law, written and engraved in stone, was a minis-
tration of death. Without Christ, the transgressor was left under its
curse, with no hope of pardon. The ministration had of itself no glory,
but the promised Saviour, revealed in the types and shadows of the
ceremonial law, made the moral law glorious.
Paul desires his brethren to see that the great glory of a sin-
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pardoning Saviour gave significance to the entire Jewish economy.
He desired them to see also that when Christ came to the world, and
died as man’s sacrifice, type met antitype.
After Christ died on the cross as a sin offering, the ceremonial law
could have no force. Yet it was connected with the moral law, and
was glorious. The whole bore the stamp of divinity, and expressed the
holiness, justice, and righteousness of God. And if the ministration
of the dispensation to be done away was glorious, how much more
must the reality be glorious, when Christ was revealed, giving His
life-giving, sanctifying Spirit to all who believe?
The proclamation of the law of ten commandments was a won-
derful exhibition of the glory and majesty of God. How did this
manifestation of power affect the people?—They were afraid. As they
saw “the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet,
and the mountain smoking,” they “removed, and stood afar off. And
they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let
not God speak with us, lest we die” (
Exodus 20:18, 19
). They desired