[On Sunday we return to the sermon series on the book of Psalms, The Songs of the People of God, with the first of several sermons on Psalm 119. This longest of all psalms begins: “Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD!” The Hebrew word translated “law” is “torah.” This devotion on the meaning of “torah” is edited from the introduction to a sermon on Malachi 2:1-9 preached March 16, 2008. You can listen to the audio here – Coty]

What is Old Testament law?

Most English translations use “law” to translate the Hebrew word “torah.” But torah is not “law” in the sense of a speed limit or the internal revenue code. Indeed, three times in Malachi 2:7-9 the ESV translates “torah” as “instruction.” That alone shows us we might benefit from investigating the meaning of the Hebrew word.

So what is “torah”?

Torah is the revelation of God to man, fundamentally communicating His character, and consequently instructing us how to live in light of who God is. It is thus the source of joy and well-being, the foundation of any right view of the world, the foundation of any wisdom, any knowledge, any insight. Through torah we learn who God is, who we are, how we can be reconciled to Him, and how we can live every day before Him to our joy and His glory.

As the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament puts it: “The true purpose of torah is to lead man into a fruitful, abundant life of fellowship with God.” I would add “and thus fellowship with each other, and with the created order.”

Therefore:

• Don’t think of torah as a list of rules or laws that we must keep in order to earn God’s favor
• Don’t think of torah as a set of hoops He requires us to jump through
• Don’t think of torah as arbitrary standards God sets up.

But think of torah as precious revelation from God given to us for our good.

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 is helpful here:

“Now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?” (NIV)

This is torah – God’s commands given to us for our good:

• He tells us to fear Him; that’s the right response when coming before a majestic, perfect King.
• He tells us to walk in His ways, His paths, His road – and on no other road, not turning off that road but observing His commands.
• He tells us to agree that He is wise – much wiser than we are – and thus to follow His ways even if doing so doesn’t seem to make sense.
• And He tells us to do all this from a heart devoted to Him. Thus we are not just going through the motions, but our outward behavior flows from an inner change, from hearts that love Him and thus serve Him wholeheartedly.
• Finally, He tells us doing all this doesn’t limit us, doesn’t keep us from true life, but rather leads to our good.

Many of the same ideas come out in John 15:1-11 as Jesus elaborates on His statement, “I am the vine, you are the branches.” That is, “I am the source of all that is good in you. If you are to accomplish anything of value, you must depend on Me. So abide in Me, remain in Me, depend on Me always. If that is to happen, My words, My torah, must abide in you. As you keep My commandments, my torah, you abide in my love. And all this is to your great joy; all this leads to life, to fulfillment, to peace/shalom. Furthermore, all this leads to My glory – to your creating alleluia.”

The bottom line is this: God does not set up hoops for us to jump through, and then say, “On your marks, get set, go! Jump through those hoops! Show Me that you deserve eternal life! If you succeed, I’ll give you that life!”

Nor does God set up barriers to joy: “If you want heaven, you have to prove to Me that you can give up everything that you enjoy, everything that is good, everything that leads to life.”

No. We are to desire God because He is the greatest joy. He is true life. He is peace/shalom. His torah is the way to the greatest happiness imaginable.

Our task is not to prove our worth, but to help each other to turn away from cheap, momentary pleasures that never satisfy and to turn to the greatest pleasure of all: Knowing God through Jesus Christ, knowing the King of the Universe through the King of kings and Lord of lords, knowing the heavenly Father through the crucified Son.

This is torah. This is the torah that leads to peace/shalom. This is the torah that leads to our joy and God’s glory.