1. Of what does Paul speak in II Corinthians 3:7?
“But if the ministration of death,” II Corinthians 3:7.
2. In what was the ministration of death written?
“Written and engraven in stones,” II Corinthians 3:7.
3. Upon how many stones was this ministration of death written?
NOTE: There is nothing said about the number of stones used, but there must have been a number as the word “stones” is used.
4. What happened to the glory of this ministration?
“But if the ministration of death written and engraven in stones was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away,” II Corinthians 3:7.
5. Upon how many stones were the ten commandments written?
“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,” Deuteronomy 4:13.
NOTE: The Bible, when speaking about the tables of stone upon which the ten precepts were written, uses the word “two” to denote the number of stones used. But with the ministration of death, the number of stones is not mentioned. So the ministration of death and the ten commandments are different and distinct.
6. In the ten commandments, is there anything said about the penalty if violated?
Answer_The reader may turn to Exodus Chapter 20, and read the ten commandments. Nothing will be found telling what the penalty will be if violated.
NOTE: Since the penalty for the violation of the ten commandments is not found within that law, it cannot be the ministration of death, hence we must look elsewhere to locate the death penalty.
7. What titles are given the ten commandments?
“Perfect, converting the soul,” Psalm 19:7. “Life everlasting,” John 12:50. “Holy, just and good,” Romans 7:12. “Spiritual,” verse 14.
Many titles could be given which are the opposite to death.
8. Where do we find the penalty for the violation of God’s law?
“Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest Thou?” John 8:5.
9. Of what was this woman guilty?
“They say unto Him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery in the very act,” John 8:4.
NOTE: The woman above referred to was guilty of violating the seventh of the ten commandments. This commandment does not say what the penalty is, but Moses said such should be put to death.
10. Did Moses write a law?
“And Moses wrote this law,” Deuteronomy 31:9.
11. In what did Moses write this law?
“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,” Deuteronomy 31:24.
12. How did Moses speak concerning the person who broke the fifth commandment?
“For everyone that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death,” Leviticus 20:9.
13. What if one should violate the third commandment?
“And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death,” Leviticus 24:16.
14. Under how many witnesses would they be put to death?
“At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death: but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death,” Deuteronomy 17:6.
15. What were the children of Israel to do after they passed over Jordan?
“And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaster them with plaster,” Deuteronomy 27:2.
16. Were any tools to be lifted upon these stones?
“And there shalt thou build an altar unto the Lord thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them,” Deuteronomy 27:5.
NOTE: We will notice that the stones spoken of here were not hewn, but were used as they came from the earth, and nothing was said as to the number used.
The two tables on which the ten commandments were written were hewn. See Deuteronomy 10:1.
17. What was to be placed upon this altar of stones?
“And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly,” Deuteronomy 27:8.
18. Was the above commandment ever carried into effect?
“Then Joshua built an altar unto the Lord God of Israel in Mount Ebal . . . and he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel,” Joshua 8:30, 32.
NOTE: By the above scriptures we learn that Moses wrote a law in a book, and in this book of the law we find the ministration of death. Later this same law was written upon the stones of the altar in Mount Ebal, and is the law to which Paul refers when he speaks of the ministration of death. Another reason why this law is called the ministration of death, is because it demanded the death of the animal sacrifice as a remedy for the man who, through ignorance violated the commandments of God (the ten) see Leviticus 4th chapter, also Numbers 15:27-29. Verse 30 says that if one sins presumptuously, he must die.
19. Since the law of Moses with the death penalty is gone, when will the violators of God’s law be punished?
“The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished,” II Peter 2:9.
Affliction and sorrow and death shall be o’er;
The saints shall unite to be parted no more;
Their loud hallelujahs fill heaven’s high dome;
They dwell with the Saviour forever at home.
The days of our exile are passing away;
The time is approaching when Jesus will say,
Well done faithful servant, sit down on My throne
And dwell in My presence forever at home.
May we then, dear brother, midst pleasure or woe,
For that heavenly kingdom our hearts prepare;
And very shortly we most surely shall know
And feel the joy of what it is to be there.
_Selected
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