Book of Mormon - Old Testament connection series: Receiving the Law

In this chiasmus, we now consider element B. That means moving one step forward in the Book of Mormon and one step backwards in the Bible from the last post about the period of judges. That brings us to 3 and 4 Nephi in the Book of Mormon and Exodus-Deuteronomy in the Old Testament. What do these have in common? It describes receiving (and in the case of 4 Nephi, also living) the law. When giving the new law in 3 Nephi, Christ even refers to the law of Moses as defined in Exodus-Deuteronomy several times, like 12:17-47 and 15:2-10. Another interesting link is found in 3 Nephi 20:23, where Jesus refers to Deuteronomy 18:15-19

Behold, I am he of whom Moses spake, saying: A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that every soul who will not hear that prophet shall be cut off from among the people.

Moses received the old law on Mount Sinai but prophesied of another later prophet that they should hear. Jesus identifies himself as this prophet and gave the new law at the temple in Bountiful. So these parts of the Book of Mormon and Old Testament are not only connected because of the law, but also the lawgiver. In addition, the circumstances of the people at these periods seem to be linked as well, at least so Kramer makes his case in the book, "Beholding the tree of life - A rabbinical approach to the Book of Mormon".

Both Exodus and 3 Nephi begin with a crisis for the people of God. In Exodus, Israel are enslaved by the Egyptians and Pharaoh orders all of the male Israelite infants to be killed in Exodus 1:9-16. In the Book of Mormon, faithful Nephites live in a similarly oppressive state where all those who believe in the birth of Christ are scheduled to be executed (3 Nephi 1:9). Both peoples are rescued by a deliverer, who is the same as the later lawgiver. After Moses' birth, there is no more mention of killing Israelite babies in the Exodus. Moses loses contact with his people as he grows up in Pharaoh's court before he delivers Israel out of Egypt. Similarly, at the sign of Christ's birth the killing of faithful Nephites is called off. Jesus grows up in a far away land before he appears to the Nephites.

Kramer mentions many more connections, like the condition of the people worsening while waiting for the deliverer (slavery in Egypt and Gadianton robbers in America), the plagues in Egypt resembling the signs of Christ's death in America, etc. These similarities continue also during Sinai/the temple where they receive the law, and afterwards.

As always, these connections are only there to inspire a parasha - haftarah type rabbinic reading that can enhance learning. One learning point Kramer identifies, is that the connection "greatly increases the significant of the Sermon on the Mount. It shows Jesus not merely intensifying the laws of Moses but realizing Moses' mission." What was Moses' mission or the purpose of the old law? At least one of them was to make unto the Lord a "holy nation/people" (see for instance Exodus 19:6, Deuteronomy 14:2 and 28:9). The last post in this series about the subsequent time of Judges is a reminder that this mission was not really fulfilled. But after the "New Moses", Jesus, visited the Nephites, there was a 200-year period of prosperity and peace.

12 And they did not walk any more after the performances and ordinances of the law of Moses; but they did walk after the commandments which they had received from their Lord and their God, continuing in fasting and prayer, and in meeting together oft both to pray and to hear the word of the Lord.

...

15 And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.

16 And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.

17 There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God. (4 Nephi)

In this sense, the Mosaic mission was fulfilled. But we also notice that Jesus spends a lot of his time among the Nephites speaking about the latter-day gathering of Israel. There is clearly an aspect of the law that has a future fulfillment. Kramer states

The more righteous Nephites have been miraculously delivered from their oppressors, they have gathered at the temple, they are listening to Jesus, and they will soon become the kind of people God wanted them to be at Sinai. But there is more to do, and the holy state of these New World Israelites is but a foretaste of what God has in store for all Israel in the future.

We live in a day that has been prophesied, where Israel will be gathered. I have written before about how the Exodus was a foreshadowing of that. If we receive and keep the law, we will be blessed as the Lord's "holy people".