What does 'the law' include in Romans 9:4?
In Romans 9:4, the giving of the law includes the entire system of law, not merely the Ten Commandments. It encompasses the service of God: the tabernacle, priesthood, later temple, sacrifices, and feast days. These practices pertained to worship and pointed forward to the coming Redeemer and salvation.
Les explains that Romans 9:4’s “giving of the law” is the whole system, not just the Ten Commandments. The big picture of law was everything connected with worship and sacrifices. The service of God began when God gave the tabernacle to Moses and then set up the priesthood with Aaron as high priest. The services covered how the priests operated, how the tabernacle and later the temple were set up, how the sacrifices were offered, and the feast days throughout Israel’s religious calendar year. All of it pictured the coming Redeemer and the plan of salvation.
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;
More Questions
What is 'the giving of the Law' that Paul mentions in Romans 9:4?
The giving of the Law in Romans 9:4 is the Sinai event where Israel, after leaving Egypt under Moses, camped at Mount Sinai and God called Moses up the burning, smoking mountain.
What does the law include besides the Ten Commandments?
While people normally think of the law as the Ten Commandments, the big picture of law was everything that pertained to the worship and the sacrifices, everything in the law.