Epistles of Paul 53

Good evening, brethren. In the last study, we covered chapter 2 of Corinthians, and we saw how Paul, in the beginning, in the first few chapters of Corinthians, of the second epistle, he commends the Christians in Corinth for their repentance and asks them to show love to the offender, pleading for them to welcome the repented sinner, as we can see in chapter 2 verses 7 through 9, lest Satan would take advantage of them. Then he says that we thank God for this triumph of repentance, for it is a well-pleasing, sweet aroma to God. This teaching of repentance and forgiveness, which Paul is explaining here in these first chapters, it is one that is well-pleasing to God, and this teaching is indeed sincere and directly from God's Word, which is the truth. Today we're going to start in chapter 3. We will not get very far into chapter 3. We'll probably just get halfway into chapter 3. We'll cover up to verse 7. So let me start reading in verse 1. Do we begin again to commend ourselves, or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? So what Paul is saying here is, we don't need letters of recommendation, of approval, of praise, with eulogies. Some had some use, and particularly some false teachers at that time, they were bringing in some letters of recommendation. And Paul was saying, we don't need these letters of recommendation. In fact, we see today that practice is still apparently being done in some groups or areas where a letter is sent. Well, they send a man there, or a minister, and then there's a letter of recommendation saying the person is in good standing when the person is transferred, or something like that. And so this may happen from time to time, but Paul is saying you do not need that. You do not need a letter of introduction or a letter of recommendation from other congregations to the Brethren in Corinth. You do not need that, because he was instrumental in raising up that congregation, in teaching them, in guiding them in the truth. And then he says in verse 2, you are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by old men. In other words, they, the Brethren, the Brethren in Corinth, they were the letter, in a sense, figuratively speaking, a letter written by God's Holy Spirit. And obviously he held them very close to his heart. That's why it says also written in our hearts. There was a double meaning there.

But the mere fact, they had changed their lives. They had been converted, and this evidence, this changed life, this conversion, was an open letter to all people, to all men, to read. All could see, everybody could see, they had changed, they had repented, and therefore that was a testimony of not only Paul's faithfulness to the true message, and that he was a true minister, but it was a letter from them as well, showing that they had applied and lived, and according to the principles that had been taught. And so he says in verse three, clearly, you are an epistle of Christ. So, your fruits, you know, it was like the Bible says, you shall know them by their fruits. Your fruits are an epistle, or a letter, administered by us, written not with ink, but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of flesh, that is on the heart. In other words, this is your example, is not just something written on tablets of stone, but it's written in your heart. It's what you are living. It's, in fact, a proof of the conversion of the New Covenant conversion. The laws were in their minds, were in their hearts, and it was reflected in their behavior and in their character. In Jeremiah 31 verse 33, we see that described. Jeremiah 31 verse 33, we says, but this is the covenant that I'll make with the house of Israel. After those days, says the Lord, I'll put my law into their minds, and I'll write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they shall be my people. So this is a covenant, the New Covenant, which is still to be, let's call it completely fulfilled, in the fullness of this verse here, because it says here that I'll make with the house of Israel. And today is, yes, it's a New Covenant, but it's only with a few people. It will, in the world tomorrow, will be with the whole house of Israel. But the point here is that the laws, as part of this New Covenant, are in our minds and in our hearts. Also in Jeremiah chapter 32 verse 38 through 40, 38 through 40, we read, but they shall be my people, and I'll be their God. Then I'll give them one heart and one way, that I may fear me forever for the good of them and their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good, but I'll put my fear in their hearts so they will not depart from me. So, as I mentioned, this is a covenant that will be fulfilled to its full still in the world tomorrow, but it is a beginnings of that fulfillment through us today in the church. And then he was talking out to the Corinthians that they will exemplify that New Covenant in their hearts. Also in Ezekiel chapter 11 verse 19 through 20, Ezekiel 11, 19, 19 through 20. Then I'll give them one heart and I'll put a new spirit within them and take the stony heart out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that I may walk in my statutes and keep my judgments and do them, and they shall be my people, and I'll be their God.

And so we can see again this New Covenant being prophesied in Old Testament prophecies about this, let's call it, conversion process, which started to happen with us, just a few of us, at this time, but it will be spread to the whole world. Also in Ezekiel chapter 36, Ezekiel chapter 36 verse 26 and 27, Ezekiel 36 verse 26 and 27, I'll give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I'll take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give your heart of out of stone out of your flesh and give your heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and you will keep my judgments and do them. So it is clearly God's spirit working in them, and that's God's spirit working in us as we are changing and being converted. So that's what he's describing here in verse 3, that they, their witness, their change of life, was an epistle, a letter, a proof that they had changed and that Paul's apostleship was indeed one that is sincere, that it's God because we can see it by the fruits. Now in verse 4, from verse 4, it begins a very, very interesting section, and that's why we're going to go a little slower as we go, particularly into verse 7. So let's read verse 4, and we have such trust through Christ towards you. So yeah, it's Paul saying that he is not making these statements because of what he has done, what Paul has done, because it is what Christ has done, because it's through Christ, not through Paul. Paul was merely an instrument in God's hands, but it was Christ that had changed them, had worked in their change of mind, in repentance, and conversion through the power of God's Holy Spirit, and therefore, because of that, Paul was confident that God was using him. Verse 5, not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God. The word sufficiency is a word, econos, which is more related to meat or fit. So not that we are confident of ourselves or are adequate of ourselves, because not minister should be confident or feel adequate of by himself unless God is using him. So our ability is not because of our human capabilities or abilities that God has given us, but all our ability is through God. Only God can make a human being adequate or sufficient or adequate to be able to minister in a godly way. It's not our natural ability. It is God's Holy Spirit that imparts in us wisdom, understanding, and a capability to teach. So that's what he's saying in verse 5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, not that we are confident or adequate by ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, no, but our competency, our adequacy, our capability is from God.

Verse 6, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

So he's talking about the difference. Yeah, in verse 6, he's starting to talk about the difference of the new covenant administration versus the old covenant administration. So he's made sufficient as ministers, serving, administering the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Under the word YAH in verse 6, ministers of the new covenant, the word covenant is a word called the YAH-FAK, which is a contract or a advisory will. In other words, it's a will that divides certain future. Who has what? Who is getting an error at what? But it also can be a contract. So that's why it is translated as New Covenant in the New King James Version. The Old King James Version, however, talks about a testament. But it's more like a will in a way, but it's also a contract. Why is it a will? Because we are coheres with Christ, and we are going to inherit what Christ will inherit. We read in Romans chapter 8, Romans chapter 8, verse 17, he says, and if children then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. So we're going to inherit with Christ whatever he is going to inherit, we're going to inherit with him, obviously under him, and what he's going to delegate to each one of us. Also, if we read in Hebrews chapter 1, Hebrews chapter 1, verse 2, Hebrews chapter 1, verse 2.

He says, well, let's start reading from verse 1, God, with various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by his son, whom he has appointed heir of all things. So Christ is going to inherit all things, and we are going to be co-inheritors. We, as we saw in Romans 8, we are going to inherit with him, co-hears. And so he's going to inherit all things, all things through whom? That's Christ. He also God made the walls. So God used Christ to make the wall, and Christ is going to inherit everything. So the word covenant here, it is a good translation, but it could also mean testament, which is what we're going to inherit under this contract, under this divisory wall. So, and then it says, but who also made us efficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit? You see, it's not of the letter, but of the Spirit, for the letter kills.

The letter of the law does kill. There was a death sentence for breaking God's law, and old covenant punishment, for instance, for murder, was death. The old covenant punishment for committing adultery was death. And there was an administration, a way of administering that covenant, that law, and that was, let's call it, a national administration, administration of that nation, through judges, that they had a responsibility to apply penalties.

Those penalties could be fines or could be death. Understand that in the old covenant administration there were no prisons. Now, as an example of that administration, let's look at some examples. First one here is in Numbers 35. In Numbers 35, because yeah, we have a case of what would happen if somebody would accidentally or deliberately kill a person. So let's look at that administration of the old covenant. So Numbers 35 verse 15 started in verse 15. Numbers 35 verse 15. All right, got it. It's talking about these cities of refuge. And then it says here in verse 15, these six cities shall be for refuge for the children of Israel, for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills a person accidentally may flee there. So now it's talking here about a not a premeditated murder, because one that would have a premeditated murder, he would be killed. That was the administration that it would require, yeah. But in this administration, if the person had killed somebody accidentally, he may flee to this city of refuge. And it says that if he strikes him with an iron implement so that he dies, he's a murderer. The murder shall surely be put to death. So if it was deliberate, it will be put to death. But if he strikes him with the stone in the hand by which one could die, and he does die, so it's an accident, he is a murderer. Sorry, that's verse 17, I finished. Verse 18, or if he strikes him with a wooden hand weapon, or by which one could die, and as he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death. But then verse 19, the avenger of blood himself shall put the murderer to death. When he meets him, he shall put him to death. But if he pushes him out of hatred or while lying in wait, hurls something at him so that he dies, or the enmity strikes with him with his hand so that he dies, and the one who struck him shall surely be put to death. He's a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death. However, however, now it gets you up to the other situation, if he pushes him suddenly without enmity, or throws anything at him without lying in wait, or uses a stone by which a man could die, throwing it in without seeing him, so that he dies, that's what we call manslaughter, while he was not his enemy or seeking his harm. Then the congregation shall judge him, judge between the manslaughter and the avenger of blood according to these judgments. So the congregation shall deliver the manslaughter from the hands of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall return into the city of refuge where he had fled. And it should remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with holy oil. And so, yeah, we have that he was able to, if the manslaughter was not premeditated, he could live, but in the city of refuge, not in a prison. And so, they were in a nation, and we see that also described in Deuteronomy 19, verse 5 through 6, they were in a nation and a civil nation, and they needed rules to be administered by men, by human beings, which were allowed to administer the death penalty. So that was an administration in the Old Testament, in the Old Covenant, that had the authority to kill. But as we read here in 2 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 6, it's talking about the New Covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Look at John 6 verse 63. John 6 verse 63. You see, it is the Spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The wars that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. So we have here God gives us his spirit, and through his spirit, we can have eternal life.

So, we have here God gives us his spirit, and through his spirit, we can have eternal life. So, yeah, God, through the Spirit, we can have eternal life. Look at Ephesians chapter 1.

Ephesians chapter 1. We also see that God's only Spirit is the down payment, a guarantee, a guarantee, an earnest payment for ultimately eternal life. So let's look at Ephesians chapter 1 verse 13 and 14. In him you also trusted after you heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation in whom also having believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the guarantee of our inheritance until redemption of the purchased position to the praise of his glory. So God's only spirit working in our lives, changing our minds, it's a down payment, a guarantee, for us to have eternal life. And so the law, the law cannot give us life. The law only shows what sin is, but the the new covenant promises eternal life.

The old covenant never promised eternal life. Let's look at Hebrews chapter 8 verse 6. He says, but now he has obtained a more excellent ministry in as much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant which was established on better promises. Simply put it this way, the old covenant had physical blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. So the old covenant only promised that.

Of course, they stole curses for disobedience, but the point is the church today does not administer that penalty, or for instance, the death penalty, because Christians are all over different nations, and we are under different governments. At that time, these are lines we're under that government as a civil government with an authority. Now we are under different governments, different governments in the world, and we read in Romans 13 verse 1, Romans 13 verse 1, verse 1, that we have to be submissive to the laws of the country, to the governments. Romans 13 verse 1.

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. So what do we have today?

We have different governments, and we need to obey those governments, those authorities, except, of course, where there is a conflict with God's law, because we got to put God first. So if the law tells us, break the Sabbath, we got to put God first, and so we got to keep the Sabbath. So we are to be submissive to the government, but we put God first. So let's go back to 2 Corinthians chapter 3. We finished reading verse 6. Now let's read verse 7. But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses, because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? Well, let's just focus on verse 7 first today. The administration of death was the civil execution of punishment for violation of the civil law code in ancient Israel.

I've already stated, so it's important. The administration of death was the civil execution of punishment for the violation of the civil law code in ancient Israel.

Now, the civil law code, obviously, was based on the Ten Commandments, in a sense. It's like today we have the Constitution. It's like the Ten Commandments, the Constitution, just as an analogy. But then there is a national courts, and I mean there are individual courts, and then state courts, and then federal courts. And so there is a whole execution of judgment.

Which is based on the Constitution. And so in that time of Israel as a nation, they had judges. Let's look at Deuteronomy 16. Deuteronomy 16 verse 18.

We read, And you shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates. So in every city, in every county, as you have, you will have different judges, which the Lord your God gives you according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgments. So the judges should bring, should implement those laws with just judgment. So Israel as a physical nation, was a physical nation, and their minds as a whole was not open at that time to understand God's spiritual principles.

And in a sense, it's the same today. Our nations as a whole, and the people in our nations as a whole, their minds are not open to understand God's way. Now some understand. In Israel there were some that understood. Some of the prophets, some of the leaders understood. But most of the people did not understand. And so judges were there to apply the law to show, as it says, just judgment. That's what it should be today. Just judgment. Well, you and I know that there's no real just judgment today, generally speaking. But then God would give them, as they would apply these laws, and they would live according to these laws, God would give them blessings and cursings. And we have two chapters in the Bible that talks about those blessings and cursings. One is in Leviticus 26, and the other one is in the Autonomy 28. If we look just briefly at Leviticus 26, starting from verse 3, Leviticus 26 starting in verse 3, here we see, if you walk in my statues and keep my commandments and perform them, then I'll give you rain. And then later on your freshings shall last till the time of the vintage, and you shall eat your bread to the full, and I'll give you peace in the land. And in verse 9, for I'll look on you favorably, and I'll make you fruitful. And so what we see is, in this old covenant, the promise was physical blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, not eternal life. It was physical blessings. So this is the old covenant. The old covenant was given to a physical nation, Israel. Why? For this nation to be an example and a light to other nations to attract them to God's way. That was the intent.

What happened? They failed miserably. They failed miserably. Look at Deuteronomy chapter 5 verse 29.

Deuteronomy chapter 5 verse 29.

Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear me and always keep my commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever. You see, their hearts were not right. In the old covenant, their hearts were not right. In the new covenant, God corrects the heart problem. That's the difference. And so, as we go and read now in 2 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 7, we say, for if the ministry of death, if the ministry of death was glorious, which says was written and engraved on stones, written and engraved on stones. Many people assume that it's talking about the two tablets of stone, but that's not the case. That's not the case. The ministry of death was not written and engraved on the two tablets of stones. The two tablets were written to Ten Commandments. The administration of death was written on stones. These stones were balders, were large stones, were large balders. When they crossed over the River Jordan into what we call today Palestine, they had huge balders of stone that had been plastered, and the civil law civil law was written on these large stones, hall stones, for them to remember. Let's look at that in Deuteronomy 27. So let's go back to Deuteronomy 27. I'm going to read, starting in verse one. Now Moses, with the elders of Israel, commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you today, and it shall be on the day when you cross over the Jordan to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, that you shall set up for yourselves large stones, and whitewash them with lime. And you shall write on them all the words of this law, when you have crossed over, that you may enter the land which the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord God of your fathers promised you.

Therefore it shall be, when you have crossed over the Jordan, that on Mount Ibal you shall set up those stones which I command you today, and you shall whitewash them with lime.

And there you shall build an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones, and you shall not use an iron tool on them, and you shall build the whole stones, big part, and you shall build with all the stones the altar of the Lord your God, and offer burnt offerings in it to the Lord your God. And you shall offer peace offerings, and you shall eat there and rejoice before the Lord your God. And you shall write every, big part, and you shall write very plainly on the stones all the words of the slaw.

And we know that the very next chapter, the Trovatomy 28, it talks about the blessings.

And in fact, there on these stones, they were to write on these stones the blessings and the curses that we were to read, and we read these blessings and curses. In Joshua chapter 8, Joshua chapter 8, so that's when they crossed the River Jordan. In Joshua chapter 8, verse 30-35, it says, Now Joshua built an altar to the Lord God of Israel in Mount Imo, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses.

So they built an altar and wrote on that law, on their what? Let's look at that. An altar of walls, whole stones over which no man has wielded an iron tool, and they offered it on it, but offerings to the Lord and sacrifice peace offerings. And there, verse 32, in the presence of the children of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written.

And so they built that altar, they wrote on those large stones the law of Moses, which included a blessing and the cursings. And so what do we have here? And we continue reading there in verse 33, that all Israel and the officers stood on either side of the ark before the priests, before the ark of the covenant, and then he says, half of them in front of Mount Gerizim, and half of them in front of Mount Imo, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. And after he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law. You see, so they wrote on it what was in the book of the law, and it says he read all the words of the Lord, the blessings and the cursings. And it was not a word of all that Moses had commanded, which Joshua did not read before all the assembling of Israel with the woman, the little ones, and the strangers who were living among them. That's what was written on these large stones, boulders. And so through this, God wanted Israel to be a witness to all physical nations around them.

In Deuteronomy chapter 4 verse 5 through 8, Deuteronomy chapter 4, verse 5 through 8, we read, for instance, in this country we deviate more and more from God's law. The wisdom of people is going away. The understanding is going away. And continue reading in verse 7, For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him. And what great nation is there that has such statues and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I've said before you this day? Only take heed to yourself to diligently keep yourself lest you forget these things. And so, as we see, God's law made them wiser. And so, let's read then again 2 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 7. It says, But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, these are these large boulders that were written on the mountain there, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance which was passing away. So, what is fading away is the Old Covenant and the administration of the Old Covenant, not the Ten Commandments. The administration of death was written in the whole stones in these boulders, not on the two tablets of stone. On Psalm 111 verse 7 and 8, Psalm 111 verse 7 and 8, We see, The works of his hands are verity and justice. All his precepts are sure, they stand fast for ever and ever. They are done in truth and uprightness.

God's spiritual law is based on the Ten Commandments, and they stand forever.

In Romans chapter 7 verse 12 to 14, Romans chapter 7, 12 to 14, Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just and good.

As then what is good become death to me? Certainly not. But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I'm carnal, sold, and sin.

God's law is spiritual. It is a holy law. It stands fast forever.

So God wrote his law, his Ten Commandments, on tablets of stone, not on these huge boulders.

These huge boulders, sure, they had God's law included in it, but it was the law of Moses, and it was a law with all its blessings and curses, the administration of that law.

In Exodus chapter 20 verse through Exodus 24, so if you look at that section of Exodus from chapter 20, you can see on chapter 20 being the Ten Commandments, and then verse chapter 21, 22, 23, and 24. Now let's look at the beginning of verse 24, because you always see that when Moses came down in the mountain the first time, he gave the people the Ten Commandments, as well as the statues, statutes, and judgments. So let's now read in chapter 24, verses 1 through 8. So now he said to Moses, come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, they dab in the bayou, and 70 of the elders of Israel worship from afar.

And Moses alone shall come near the Lord, but they shall not come near, nor shall the people go up with him. So Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and also with one voice and said, all the words which the Lord has said will do. And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord. So they said, yeah, we'll do it. And he wrote all the words of the Lord, but he's not saying he wrote them on those bowlers, he wrote them on manuscripts. And he wrote early in the morning, and he rose early in the morning, built an altar at the foot of the mountain and 12 pillars according to the 12 tribes of Israel.

And he sent young men to the children of Israel offered bad offerings and sacrifice peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. And Moses took half of the blood and put it in the basins, and half of the blood is put into the altar. Then he took the book of the covenant. So this is what he had gotten when he went to the mountain. He took the book of the covenant and read it in the earring of the people. And they said, all that the Lord has said we will do and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, this is the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you according to all these words.

So this is the old covenant. So it was sealed with blood, symbolic of Jesus Christ. And then we can see in verse 9 and 10, he says, then Moses went up also, Aaron named Abenobiah, 70 of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under his feet, as it were, a paved work of Sapphias town, and it was like the very heavens in his clarity.

But on the nobles of the children of Israel, he did not lay his hand, but so they saw God, and they ate and drank. These 70 people saw God. So we know from John 1 verse 18 that no man has seen the Father, from John 5, 37, and John 6, 46, he says the same thing. So they actually, what they saw was the being, Christ, that worked with them. And then continuing in verse 11 through 18, it shows the yard that Moses then went up to the mountain, was on a mountain, 40 days and 40 nights.

So we can see yard is a section yard, which was the old covenant. They didn't want to hear it. They said, we don't want to hear that. So otherwise God would have spoken to them. We read that in Exodus chapter 20 verse 19. They said, oh, we don't want to hear God talk to us. And then that was that old covenant. And then Moses went up on the mountain, and then he was on a mountain for 40 days and 40 nights. And then in Exodus chapter 31, Exodus chapter 31 verse 15 through 16, we see Moses comes down from the mountain with the two tablets of stone, which were written by God himself, who he's speaking.

And Moses turned and went down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the testimony were in his hand. The tablets were written on both sides, on the one side and on the other. They were written. Now the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God engraved on the tablets.

And then Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, and he says, well, there's a noise. And then we read in verse 19, so it was, as soon as he came, that's Moses near the camp, and he saw the cough and the dancing, Moses was angry. Anger became hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. So this was a major mistake, as we know. And then we can see that he's going to do it again.

We can see a little later on in Exodus 33, where it says, show me your glory, show me your face. And God says, no, you can't see my face. In Exodus 33, verse 17 through 20, he says, you cannot see my face. You see that in verse 20, for no man shall see me and live. And the hour is a place by me, shall stand on the rock, and then he shall see my back.

So you see that see God's glory, just partially. So then Moses has to go up back on to the mountain, because we see on chapter 34, he says that the Lord said to Moses, cut two tablets of stone, like the first ones, and I'll write on the establishment of the war, and went on the first tablets which you broke.

And so he did that. He went. He had to repeat all that. And then when he came down, you read that in verse 28 through 30 of Exodus 34, he says, so it was, so he was there with the Lord 40 days and 40 nights, now second time, and neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant of 10 commandments. And so God rewrote the 10 commandments again.

Now it was when Moses came down from Mount Sinai, and the two tablets of the testimony, when in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mountain, that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with them. And he says that, you know, when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses be old, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. And then we can see that he put a veil on his face. And so, and we can see that we see that in verse 35, and whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again until he went to speak with him. And so that veil reflected, represented, that the demonstration of death was glorious, and the fact that Moses face shone was a type that, therefore, the demonstration was glorious. So there's nothing wrong with it, but it did not offer salvation. It was a glorious law. So as we read back here in verse seven of 2 Corinthians chapter three, we see, but if the administration of death, written engraved on stones, which was on those boulders, was glorious, and then Moses' whole face being shining represented that glory of the law. It reflects, therefore, that glory reflects God's nature and his loving character. But that glory passed away, in other words, like the glory of the shining in Moses' face passed away, and his face went back to normal, which shows that a type of the old covenant administration that was ready to vanish away. The next study will then continue from verse seven to complete chapter three.