Catechesis Notes for the Week — The Giving of the Law and the Ministry of Moses—This week’s Bible Stories conclude the Old Testament narrative for the current academic year, from Creation to the Giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. In these narratives we learn something about the ministry that God had assigned to Moses. On the one hand, he is referred to as a prophet of the Law; on the other hand, Moses also appears as a redeemer figure through whom God brought about Israel’s redemption from slavery in Egypt. Yet there was need for a Prophet greater than Moses, namely, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Christ fulfills every commandment of the Lord and every promise of salvation. By His Word of grace and forgiveness we have life and salvation. In the Advice of Jethro, the Father-in-law of Moses we see the New Testament ministry anticipated. Moses could not handle all the work there was to do in the ministry for Israel. In the same way, Jesus not only called and ordained Apostles, but the Church has continued to ordain ministers today according to the Lord’s mandate. As Israel Encamps at Mount Sinai we learn that they are sanctified by the Word of God, even as we are. They were called to be a holy nation and a royal priesthood for the benefit of other nations. The Church is called to carry on this sacred calling today. At Mount Sinai, they saw the glory of God’s Law in the thunder and lightning. There would be no approach to God apart from the access to God that Jesus would bring to His people by His atoning sacrifice upon the cross. Finally, the climax of the exodus occurs in the giving of the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments record God’s moral law, what is good and right, what is evil and wrong. The Law is written upon the hearts of all men, but in the Ten Commandments we learn to know what this Law is in all its certainty against the attempts of the flesh to deny what is good and true. The Ten Commandments, God’s Law, shows us our sin and how much we need Christ, the only One who could fulfill the Law for us. In the Lord’s Covenant with Israel, the Lord pledges to be faithful to the promises He has made to His people, and the children of Israel promise the Lord, “All the words which the Lord has said we will do.” Israel broke its pledge. The Old Covenant was broken by their unfaithfulness, but in the New Covenant in Jesus’ blood the Old Covenant is fulfilled for all.CP230312