This call at the end of Malachi’s prophecy sounds legitimate from every perspective except one. We understand the progress of Israel undedr Mosaic law and it is not encouraging. We who read this thousands of years later can latch on to messages like this without thinking that they apply to a particular people at a particular time. What were they to remember? What do we remember? If we are looking for the Law of Moses we will find:

• A book, Josh 8:31
• A stone copy, Josh 8:32
• A king who followed it, 2Kgs. 23:25
• A book, Neh. 8:1

There is only one law that we can associate with statutes and judgments as here in Mal. 4:4 . This call can therefore not be a serious shout out to the wider community of people coming to faith in the God of the Bible.

Where would Gentile stakeholders find a place in this design? This call to the Israelites can only find answers in the life of those to whom it was given. Gentiles cannot remember a time when God gave them the Law of Moses, with the statutes and judgments.

What should we do with the Law since we are not required to follow Moses?

But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command [them] to keep the law of Moses. Acts. 15:5 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. Acts. 15:6 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men [and] brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. Acts. 15:7 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as [he did] unto us; Acts. 15:8 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Acts. 15:9 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? Acts. 15:10 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. Acts. 15:11

What should we do with the statutes and judgments since we do not need to have any sign that says we belong?

Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, [Ye must] be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no [such] commandment:

Acts. 15:24

Are you the Innuit buying snow from Texans?

Here is undeniable evidence that commandment-keepers are the biggest fraudsters. The man who told Yeshua that he never broke the law and walked away from loving his neighbor is today’s moral trickster, obedient to the end but lost. Like the young and rich questioner in Mark 10 we cover up our nakedness with lies about our faithfulness, and by doing so we ensure that our friends can see that the inheritance remains just out of reach.

You know the commandments, Do not ever commit adultery, Do not ever kill, Do not ever steal, Do not ever bear false witness, Never defraud, Honour your father and mother.

Mark 10:19

The inheritance sought is the missing link

Lots of people pretend that they are obedient like this person. We assume that he was looking for a personal prescription – which he obtained in the end. We assume he misunderstood the saying, “You know the commandments …” We have to assume that he did not hear “Do not ever sleep with another’s… ” Do not ever kill” and so on because he obviously was content to keep living the Jewish lie and to keep telling it.

We have probably mapped out a range of responses to someone dropping a whopper like that on us. We even dare assume that revulsion and distance are the divine reaction to sin. Here was a guy who was winning with his confession of his own faithfulness. The one thing we must come away with from any study of the Law of God is the fact that no one ever kept it.

Eternal life is divine love

Yeshua had a warm feeling about a man who just fatally misread his predicament. We cannot fake it. There are not enough lies to cover our failure to do what God demands.

And there shall be signs in sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, in perplexity ( απορία aporia ) or the roaring of the sea and the billows;

Luke 21:25

The outbreaks of violence and treachery, man’s inhumanity, the outrages of unrestrained badness in places of responsibility and authority in the second decade of the 21st century are truly nightmarish but the panic and animalistic urges of self-preservation have no leg to stand on. If there is anxiety we need to turn off the taps. If there are a host of troubles for which we have no answer the world does not need the usual news conferences and talking points from bureaucrats and experts.

Aporia tells us of the absence of ways-out. Perplexed people have no answers to the problems they are confronting. Will the perplexed people come to their senses and recognize the one who cued up the events that are grabbing global attention all over the world and has the answers?

The one who has the answers is hated and slandered and people are deserting him in droves. People who see the events unfolding just as Yeshua said should come to their senses and repent. Instead of sobering up, they curse.

20. And the rest of the men which were not killed by [the] plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: 21. Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

Revelation of John 9:20-21

If you do not recognize the distinct identity and purpose of the Lord Yeshua you will inevitably experience a shipwreck. We keep trying liken him to ancient heroes, but he is in a class by himself.

Holy, Harmless, Undefiled, Separate and Higher

Christ is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate and higher than any one we can find or name. He is holy by himself. He is all remedy and therefore can do no harm. His purity, separateness and stature blows all comers away

For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

Hebrews 7:26

Ask any reader – not necessarily a student – and you will find that Christ is lumped up with every Jack-in-the-box. People keep painting him into the corners of their discarded boxes: levitical priest, Mosaic economy king, Sinai covenant sacrifice, prophet in Moses mode, teacher like the scribes and Pharisees.

Whoever or whatever you think Yeshua is he has no peer. He calls the others (who come in God’s name?) thieves and robbers. So how dare anyone turn Yeshua into a student of Moses?