Every year since 1973, the epic movie The Ten Commandments has aired on network TV at Easter. This film was directed by the legendary Cecil B. DeMille & released in 1956. The ruggedly handsome Charlton Heston starred as Moses, while Yul Brenner portrayed the antagonist, Pharoah Rameses II. The production budget of $13 million was at that time the highest ever. The movie was a tremendous success, raking in over $122 million at the box office. The Ten Commandments has become one of the most popular films in history. Adjusted for inflation, it ranks 8th among the highest grossing films of all time, behind only such hits as Gone with the Wind, Star Wars & Titanic.
It makes perfect sense to watch The Ten Commandments at Easter. Jesus’ last supper with his disciples was a Passover meal, celebrating the deliverance of Israel from slavery in the land of Egypt. The Lord quite deliberately used this occasion to create deep connections between the Exodus story and his own suffering, death & resurrection.
In the original Exodus tale, Pharoah and the Egyptians were the villains who enslaved and oppressed God’s people. But in the new Exodus, the enemies are sin & death – the dark powers which have corrupted God’s image-bearing human creatures and unleashed havoc upon creation.
The first Christians also regarded Jesus’ work as a victory over Satan himself. For example, in the book of Acts, the apostle Peter summarizes Jesus’ ministry in this way: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power…he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.”
Of course, Israel’s story didn’t end with the Passover. God miraculously split the Red Sea and brought the children of Israel dry-shod through to the other side. Once safely across, the waters came roaring back upon the chariots and army of Pharaoh.
The presence of the Almighty led Israel in the wilderness, as a pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. At Sinai, the Lord descended upon the mountain. There God entered into solemn covenant with Israel. He gave them his law so that they might always worship him and live in obedience to his commands. Ultimately, under the leadership of Joshua, God would bring Israel into the promised land.
The vast majority of Christians do not fully appreciate how the writers of the New Testament saw all these events as a pattern for the Christian life. The New Exodus theme is ubiquitous in the New Testament. It’s crucial to recognize how the original exodus story – all the way from Egypt to the promised land – provides a framework for understanding the Christian life.
I’d like to specifically focus on the giving of the law.
The book of Deuteronomy dramatically describes the covenant commitments made by God and Israel: “You have declared this day that the LORD is your God and that you will walk in his ways, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws, and that you will obey him. And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he promised.” (Deut. 26:17-19)
Israel is here being called to fulfill the role marked out for humanity from the beginning. God created humankind to be his image-bearers; they were given sovereignty over creation so that the world might flourish. But this key role requires that humans offer God proper worship and obedience.
The key element of obedience is emphasized over and over throughout the Torah.
“I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed.” (Deut. 30:15-18)
For people of Israel, obedience to the Torah was essential for salvation. Covenant faithfulness would bring about blessing; they would enjoy peace and abundance in the promised land. But disobedience would bring God’s judgment upon Israel; they would suffer the covenant curses and eventually be destroyed.
Many Christians completely fail to see how this dynamic corresponds to the present Christian life. They’ve been taught that their obedience/behavior/conduct is unrelated to their salvation. This is highly misleading.
The fact is that human behavior is no less important under the New Covenant than it was under the Old. Humans simply cannot fulfill their key role as creation’s rulers without offering God genuine worship and obedience.
The key is to recognize that the conduct God requires comes about through the power of the Holy Spirit. Just as adherence to Torah was essential for salvation under the Old Covenant, so the work of the Spirit is essential for salvation under the New.
Let’s examine how this plays out in the New Testament.
Each year, Jews commemorate the giving of the Torah by celebrating Shavuot, also known as the Feast of Weeks. Jews observe this festival in a number of ways. They gather in the synagogue to hear the reading of the Ten Commandments – the heart of the Torah. They stay up all night reading the law. Candles are lit, symbolizing how God’s law gives people the wisdom they need to light their way, just as the Psalmist says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”
The word Shavuot means “weeks.” This title is used because 7 weeks are counted off between the first day of the Passover (Pasach) and Shavuot. Thus, Shavuot is celebrated precisely 50 days after Passover. (7 weeks = 49 days plus 1) This festival is also referred to as Pentecost, a name derived from the Greek term for “fiftieth.”
The term Pentecost ought to ring bells for Christians. This is the day when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the followers of Jesus. “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them.”
When God descended upon Mt. Sinai to bestow his Torah upon Israel, his mighty presence was accompanied by smoke, fire & earthquake. In the same way, dramatic manifestations accompanied the arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The point should be clear: the Spirit is the New Exodus element which corresponds to the law.
Many Christians know that the Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost. But vanishingly few understand the close connection with the law. This failure is in large part due to flawed thinking. Many evangelicals refuse to grant altered human conduct any role in salvation. This position is highly problematic on both Biblical grounds as well as on the basis of sheer logic: How can human beings be truly saved from sin unless they are given the power not to sin?
The Apostle Paul had no such reservations. In the book of Romans, he proudly declares, “The aim is that we should now serve in the new life of the Spirit, not in the old life of the letter. [i.e. the law/Torah]” In the very next chapter, Paul writes, “If you live in accordance with the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”
Under the Old Covenant, God promised that Israel’s obedience to Torah would lead to blessing. Now, for the people of the Messiah, the covenant faithfulness produced by the Holy Spirit leads to eternal life.
