If you read the Bible close, the tables of stone are instructions for the priesthood and the building of the temple, not the ten commandments. The ten commandments were the very first of the law given, and much more reading in Exodus chapters 20 thru 23. Moses wrote then down after telling Israel what God had said. They were moral laws. The tablets of stone were given to Moses starting 2 days after that in the time frame of 40 days and 40 nights. Starting in chapter 25.
Deut. 4:13. And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone. And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it.
I stand corrected. I will have to look into that more because it appears in Exodus 25 that God said that He would then write on stones after the ten commandments, and much more than them were given starting with tee Ten Commandments in Exodus 20.
I still say that the law, by itself is not a covenant. A covenant is an agreement between two parties promising to live up to the words that it contains.
*Exodus 24:3
Exodus chapters 20 through 24 are the words which this agreement contains. This is what happened on the third day of the third month. There was smoke on the mountain with lightning and all. In chronological order, this is how it is recorded in Exodus.
1. The Ten Commandment were given Exodus 20:1-17
2. Directions of making an altar Exodus 20: 24-26
3. Directions of master servant relations Exodus 21:1-11
4. Directions about personal injury Exodus 21:12-36
5. Directions of property rights Exodus 22:1-15
6. Directions of crimes against humanity Exodus 22:16-31, and 23:1-9
7. Directions of how to take care of the promised land and the Sabbath years Exodus 23:10-13
8. Directions for the 3 annual feasts (described in more detail in Leviticus chapter 23) Exodus 23:14-19
9. Directions of the promise of conquering the promised land Exodus 23:20-33
10. Directions of order and worship Exodus 24:1-2
One probably might want to consider these ten directives that were given all at the same time, rather than just chapter 20. Ya think? After all that, the people agreed to these directives, and that agreement is a covenant.
*Exodus 24:3 (KJV)
[SUP]3 [/SUP]And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said,
All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.
After these agreement was complete, Moses wrote the words thereof.
Exodus 24:4 (KJV)
[SUP]4 [/SUP]And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
Then God said that Moses should come up the mountain where He would give the tablets of stone.
Exodus 24:12 (KJV)
[SUP]12 [/SUP]And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there:
and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.
I should have said that the directions given previously might have also been written on these tables of stone. There seems to be a contradiction with this and Deuteronomy 4:13, but there really isn't. One would have to acknowledge that what Moses wrote down was also put on tablets of stone. The final day of the feast of weeks is the day that this next verse describes. The 5th day of the 3rd month which happens to be a Sabbath day.
Exodus 24:13 (KJV)
[SUP]13 [/SUP]And
Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.
The Sabbath following is described in this scripture which happens to be the 12th day of the month, and is also a Sabbath day.
Exodus 24:16-18 (KJV)
[SUP]16 [/SUP]And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
[SUP]17 [/SUP]And the sight of the glory of the LORD
was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.
[SUP]18 [/SUP]And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.
As I see it, all that would be given to Moses within the next 40 days were to be put into the ark of the covenant. So the Ark contains the agreement the people promised to keep, but they didn't. People broke the covenant, but God will never negate His own words that the covenant contains. The Ark contains the agreement, and the agreement contains the law.
Exodus 25:16 (KJV)
[SUP]16 [/SUP]And thou shalt put into the ark
the testimony which I shall give thee.
The agreement becomes annulled, or disannulled because of the failure from one or both parties. God didn't fail, and neither did His words that are contained in this covenant. Mankind failed, so this agreement didn't work, even though the words with this agreement are God's Holy Word. If He wasn't merciful to forgive, and provide to us one who can hold up to the agreement, where would we be?
Romans 7:24-25 (KJV)
[SUP]24 [/SUP]O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
[SUP]25 [/SUP]
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then
with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Paul didn't neglect the law as some professing Christians do, he thought about it, and contemplated it's rightful purpose. If we are going to believe what he taught, shouldn't we strive to do the same?