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old testament laws

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Extol:
Hi everyone,
 Has Ray written about or had Bible studies concerning the Old Testament laws? A lot of them are difficult for me to understand. For example, what is the spiritual message of things like this?

Leviticus 10:6--Do not let your hair become unkempt, and do not tear your clothes, or you will die and the LORD will be angry with the whole community.

Deuteronomy 22:5-- A woman must not wear men's clothing, nor a man wear women's clothing, for the LORD your God detests anyone who does this.

Another thing I wonder about is all of the 'slaughter' in the Old Testament. People point to the violence in the O.T. [and the 'slavery'] and use it to criticize Christianity. I want to be ready to give an answer, and I want to know myself what these things mean! I believe in all of Scripture, and I don't believe any of it contradicts, but I don't know the meaning of a lot of the Old Testament. I think the simple answer [if there is one  ;)] is: 'It's all a parable'....but a parable of what? Overcoming the Beast?
 

Deborah-Leigh:
Hello Extol

I think what also might help is understanding that the Word of God is not literal. It may have been in the OT days but not now. There is a spiritual significance to the OT Words of God that surpass their traditional literal applications.

Peace to you

Arcturus :)

KristaD:
The way I understand it is that the OT is the law and the NT is grace. It basically tells us how things are without our saviour. For example we are told "an eye for an eye" but in the NT we are told to "turn the other cheek." With those things you mentioned also they are physical laws for the people without Jesus, but Jesus came and fufilled the law and gave us much deeper spiritual laws. When people ask me about things in the OT I simply tell them it is life before Jesus to illustrate the difference b/w then and after He came and died for our sins. The OT and it's laws are important but we are no longer bound by those b/c Jesus fulfilled them (He was PERFECT for us) and God no longer cares if our hair is messy or we wear pants b/c He sees us through Jesus but He does expect us to turn from sin and forgive as we are forgiven. Hope that helps some, sorry I can't give specific scriptures or anything I am nursing my baby and making dinner and typing with one hand:D

winner08:
 Extol: If you go to transcript's of Ray's audio"s You will find a very interesting teaching on the sabbath. The post has alot of great information on the old testament. About the old law. I think you'll enjoy it. (I know you will). Also check out Rays other emails. I believe it's under, categorized emails. They have many more emails that have been sent to Ray over the yrs. with many many questions on ever subject you can imagine. (There great).

                              God bless you, Darren

Kitt:
As for Deut 22:5, That pertains to cross dressing which was considered in the Pre Messianic Scriptures (Old Testament) times to be a homosexual thing.  Those were laws for all of the children of Israel and from what I see scriptural for today too.  What more can I say about that including the anti homosexual things in the Messianic Scriptures, (New Testament).

The scripture that you quoted in Leviticus, 10:6 about hair being unkempt and tearing clothes was for Aaron and his sons, (the priesthood), only.  This was for when they were inside of the Tent Of Meeting, performing their priestly duties. This particular thing occurred after  Aaron and his sons had just been anointed as priests for the first time ever.  That rule did not apply to the common Israelite or even the Levites. 

The actual translation for unkempt hair is to unbind the head, (take off the priestly turban) and tearing the garments would have exposed their flesh.  You have to understand that these people had just lost two sons/brothers to the fire of Yahveh because they brought strange fire into the Tent of Meeting.  The mourning customs called for tearing of the clothing.  This would have been a loss of decorum (profaning the Tent of Meeting) before Yahveh and all of Israel which would have resulted in the deaths of Aaron and his sons.  Aaron and his sons just had to buck up and complete their ordination service before they could mourn their loss.

This actual law has no equivalent spiritual value for us today any more than it had any hold over the rest of the children of Israel then.

Hope this gives a little insight.

Kitt

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