DIVINE SEPERATION: Ever wonder what the Old Testament ceremonial laws were for, or why they were instituted? Rules regarding special diets, special attire, purity laws, marriage laws, the feasts and offerings, specific instructions for the priesthood and high priest, tithes, altars, and sacrifices, which were all until Christ! Galatians 3:24. Why did the Lord establish these laws, which laws were peculiar to the children of Israel at this time? One chief reason must have been to separate these people from the rest of the world. “For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD.” I Kings 8:53.
So, God himself that formed the earth, to be inhabited, Isaiah 45:18, and scattered the people abroad upon the face of all the earth, Genesis 11:9, chose this very small nation, this peculiar people, in order to broadcast his redemption glory, even unto the ends of the earth. Acts 13:47. As it is written, “for thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth,” Deuteronomy 14:2; and again from Psalm 147, the LORD hath not dealt so with any nation, and as for his judgments, they have not known them, praise ye the LORD, distinctly denoting that wall of separation, the Lord preserving unto Himself, Romans 11:4, a people within a people, a holy nation within a unholy nation, a remnant seed that shall serve him, Psalm 22:30, and only HIM, as in every generation. “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” Romans 11:5.
This separation principle runs throughout the epochs of time, from the original creation to the new creation, from Adam to Christ, from Christ down to his members, I Corinthians 6:15, who though dwelling in the midst of a world that has rejected HIM, are not of that world, John 17:16, dwelling alone, and therefore not reckoned amongst the nations. ‘Lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.’ Numbers 23:9.
Why this holy separation? Simeon knew, as he awaited the coming of the Lord, ‘waiting for the consolation of Israel.’ Luke 2:25. Anna, a prophetess, in like manner anticipated this day, as she ‘spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.” Luke 2:38. ‘The fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son,’ Gal.4:4, Shiloh had come, and all his elect were about to be gathered unto Him, Isaiah 53:6, (as complete reconciliation, perfect redemption was accomplished at the cross,) Genesis 49:10, the time was being fulfilled, as the kingdom of God was at hand, Mark 1:15, seventy weeks had run their course, the transgression was about to be finished, sins abolished, reconciliation for iniquity wrought, everlasting righteousness brought in, and all sealed up in a holy vision, Daniel 9:24, otherwise known as the scriptures of Truth, those life-giving words which Christ expounds, Luke 24:45, that seal which he has opened, that blood which was shed. ‘And they sung a new song, saying, thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.’ Revelation 5:9.
This is why this world was spoken into existence! This is why Adam (a figure of Christ) was created and Eve (a figure of the church) was formed for him. This is why Adam fell, {so to speak,} into sin and condemnation; this is what made Abel offer a better sacrifice; this moved Noah with fear; this made Abraham believe God, and Moses to keep the passover. This made Sarah laugh, Joshua to conquer, and Solomon to build. This is why Isaiah prophesied, Jeremiah wept, and David leaped for joy. And how much more could be said, for time would fail, Hebrews 11:32, and our minds would be overcome, as we even attempt to set forth the smallest measure of his immeasurable glory, and how everything in time, everything outside of time, all creation, all history, everything we know, and everything we don’t know, ‘all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, all things were created by him, and for him.” Colossians 1:16.
So, I conclude, and understand perhaps a little bit more in regards to this Jewish separation, and the reason for the various Old Testament laws, regulations, dietary laws, etc., in that you had this very small remnant of Israelites, entirely surrounded by heathen and gentile idolatry, and the Lord was in essence separating them by these various practices, creating barriers between the clean and the unclean, between those that worship the one true God, and everybody else! They could not so easily interact with their neighbors because they dressed differently, ate different foods, observed different days, different diets etc., so many things that were unique to them, so that the Lord by these practices separated them unto himself. (Sadly the Jews, embraced all of this in an outward form, and then used these things to elevate themselves, and saw these laws and regulations as a reason to hate everyone that would not conform to them, which in essence is the entire world.) The promises that the Lord made to Israel in the Old Testament were made to believers and non-believers, as they chiefly related to the preservation of that Nation, being the child bearer of the Messiah, and the nursery bed for the gospel of God’s grace. Romans 8:2. God’s plan regarding Israel has been fulfilled! Interesting though, that they are still around, just as a scripture has stated! We do not hear of any Hittites, Amorites, Jebusites etc., but we have Israelites or do we?
“Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel; neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children; but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.” Romans 9:4-8. MPJ