Arguments arise about the relevance of the 10 Commandments and the Law of Moses. I would like to explain here the differences between the two based on scripture (KJV).
The Ten Commandments
First, the 10 Commandments that were given by GOD, were written by the finger of GOD himself on tables of stone;
Deu 10:1 At that time the LORD said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood.
Deu 10:2 And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark.
Deu 10:3 And I made an ark
of [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]tim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand.
Deu 10:4 And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave them unto me.
Deu 10:5 And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and
put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the LORD commanded me.
Note that the tablets were placed INSIDE the Ark of the Covenant under the Mercy seat. The 10 commandments are on a permanent medium, STONE, they are a permanent record. the 10 Commandments are referred to in the biblical texts as My Commandments or His Commandments. The 10 Commandments are the Moral law left to humanity, Jews and Gentiles alike.
The Law of Moses
Moses wrote a separate set of Laws that contained ordinances precepts, and statutes. They contained many things that were important for the Israelites of that time such as food laws, purity laws, social laws, sacrifice and offerings, instructions for the tabernacle, the priesthood, the sacrifices the feasts and more. Moses also copied to text what was on the tables of stone, the commandments but it does not mean the 10 commandments given by GOD are from Moses, The 10 Commandments have a HOLY status and are forever and are Distinct and separate from the Law of Moses. The law of Moses written on parchment or other similar medium was TEMPORARY by nature and was put OUTSIDE the ark of the covenant as it is written;
Deu 31:24 And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished,
Deu 31:25 That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying,
Deu 31:26 Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.
Deu 31:27 For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death?
The Mercy Seat
The mercy seat covering the Ark of the Covenant puts the emphasis on the Holiness of the Ark of the Covenant and it's contents, the Ten Commandments written on tables of stone;
Exo 25:17 And thou shalt make a mercy seat
of pure gold: two cubits and a half
shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
Exo 25:18 And thou shalt make two cherubims
of gold,
of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
Exo 25:19 And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end:
even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
Exo 25:20 And the cherubims shall stretch forth
their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces
shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.
Exo 25:21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.
Exo 25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
The mercy seat was the cover of the ark of the covenant where the Lord would meet with Moses over the 2 cherubim. The ark is HOLY and the contents, the 10 commandments are HOLY being written by GOD himself on a permanent medium ( stone )
Once per year on the day of Atonement, the High priest had to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat covering the ark containing the 10 commandments from a sacrifice for forgiveness of sin. Sin being defined as breaking the 10 commandments, the moral law written on the tablets of stone INSIDE THE ARK.
Yeshua, the messiah, the son of GOD, was the ultimate sacrifice, He paid the price for our sins with his blood unto death. Since the Final sacrifice for sin was fulfilled By Christ, The Law of Moses was therefore no longer applicable, it was a temporary Law contrary to the 10 Commandments that will not pass away. The two set of laws were,
kept separately, given differently and written differently.
Jesus said we must keep the Ten Commandments to be saved, (Mat. 19:16-19). We are not saved by our obedience to God's law, but by grace thru faith. We must repent of our sins having transgressed the commandments. Repentance changes us from disobedience to willing obedience. Those who are willing to obey the Ten Commandments shall enter thru the gates into the HOLY City;
Rev 22:14 Blessed
are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
His Commandments are sure and are Love and stand for ever and ever.
Deu 5:29
O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!
Peace