THE "CONCERNS OF THE COVENANT."

 WHEN GOD MADE A COVENANT WITH ISRAEL AT SINAI, HE BOUND THE NATION TO HIMSELF IN "GRACE," AND SET DOWN STIPULATIONS (COMMANDMENTS) DESIGNED TO TEACH THE PEOPLE HOW TO LIVE TOGETHER IN A HARMONIOUS, MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL WAY. THE GOAL OF THE STIPULATIONS GOD SPELLED OUT AT SINAI REFLECTED HIS ORIGINAL PURPOSE FOR THE HUMAN RACE. GOD USED SYMBOLS OF THE CLOUD AND LIGHTING  TO REMIND US OF THE AWESOME SIGNS (1 COR 7: 5). THAT ACCOMPANIED GOD'S PRESENCE AMONG HIS PEOPLE AT SINAI, EXODUS,19.
HE GATHERED THEM AROUND HIMSELF, NOT BECAUSE OF ANY GOODNESS AND MERCY IN HIMSELF, NOT BECAUSE OF ANY GOODNESS IN THEM, BUT SOLELY BECAUSE OF GOODNESS AND MERCY IN HIMSELF. HE DID NOT GATHER THEM THERE TO SAY, " I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD, WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT, OUT OF THE HOUSE OF BONDAGE."  (EXODUS 20:2.). HE DID NOT GIVE THEM THE COMMANDMENTS  THAT THEY MIGHT AT BECOMING HIS PEOPLE. HE GAVE THEM COMMANDMENTS TO INSTRUCT THEM HOW THEY WERE TO TRY TO LIVE IN THE LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT HE HAD DECLARED THEM TO BE HIS PEOPLE. GOD'S PEOPLE WERE TO LIVE TOGETHER  AS A COMMUNITY, WITH GOD DRAWING MEN INTO A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIMSELF, BUT THAT IS NEVER A PRIVATE AFFAIR. EACH INDIVIDUAL IN THE NATION WAS A MEMBER OF THE LARGER "COMMUNITY," UNDER OBLIGATION TO SERVE OTHERS.IN THAT LARGER COMMUNITY.
THE STIPULATION, " COMMANDMENT" IS THIRD DOWN THE LIST OF THE SIX PARTS  OF THE COVENANT. ISRAEL WAS NOT SAVED BY HER WORKS. SHE WAS SAVED BY GOD'S GRACE (O.T.) FOR WORKS. HER WORKS WERE TO BE AN ATTEMPT TO SHOW HER GRATITUDE  TO GOD FOR HIS KINDNESS TOWARDS HER, ( DEUTERONOMY 24:18).
ISRAEL'S LIFE UNDER GOD'S DIRECTION WAS TO BE A MEANS OF ATTRACTING OTHER NATIONS INTO FELLOWSHIP WITH THE ONE TRUE GOD: IN OTHER WORDS, TO BECOME "THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD." (  DEUTERONOMY 4: 5-8).
THE VARIOUS LAW CODES INCLUDED IN EXODUS-DEUTERONOMY CONTAIN A MULTITUDE OF DETAILS-- A FEW MIGHT BE MENTIONED. THEY GAVE DIRECTIONS TO ALL IN THE NATION ABOUT HOW THEY WERE TO LIVE, CARRY OUT THEIR DUTIES, AND TREAT THOSE UNDER THEIR JURISDICTIONS; FOR EXAMPLE, JUDGES ( DEUT 18:20.); KINGS (DEUT. 17:14-17); PRIESTS (DEUT. 18:1-8); AND PROPHETS (DEUT.18: 9-22). COMPASSION AND KINDNESS WERE TO BE SHOWN TO PARENTS (EXODUS 20:12; 21:15; DEUT.21:18-21.) TO WIDOWS, THE FATHER-LESS, AND THE POOR. (DEUT.1:17; 10:18; 16-19; LEV. 19:15); TO THE BLIND AND DEAF ( LEV. 19:14; DEUT. 27:18); TO ANIMALS  (EXODUS 23:4,5; DEUT 22:1-4,6-7); AND TO WORKERS ( LEV. 19:13; DEUT. 24: 14,15).
 THESE PASSAGES REVEAL THAT THE LAW CODES ARE DETAILED AND REMARKABLE. THEY ARE BASED ON ETERNAL PRINCIPLES. GOD DID NOT GIVE THEM AS GUIDES FOR EFFECTING SALVATION. HE GAVE THEM FOR REFLECTING SALVATION.  THE DIFFERENCE IS OF CONSIDERABLE  IMPORTANCE.