Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - TWO SETS

TWO SETS*

There are few parts of the Bible, if any, that do not in some aspect have more than one meaning. This is why the Bible is considered to be allegorical in many ways and this is again evident in the story of the Ten Commandments and the two sets of tablets. Whenever there is a number used in the Bible, there is always the question as to why that particular number is involved; the Ten Commandments being no different. Why were there two sets of tablets and why two tablets each time instead of only one?

It has been said that one tablet gave the instruction for the relationship between God and man; the second the relationship between man and man. And it all had to do with the love that should exist between the two. The first four Commandments indicated how man should honour and respect God; the last six how man should honour and respect each other. 

Mark put it this way:

‘…[Y]ou shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, 

and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 

This is the first commandment [tablet]. 

And the second [tablet], like it, is this:

 ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself…’ 

(Mark 12:30-31)

Now, when Moses was on the mountain with God, and God composed the tablets with the Law, the people themselves grew restless and turned away from God creating a golden calf to worship in His stead. Moses, coming down from the mountain, became angry and cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them:

…at the foot of the mountain… 

…So the Lord plagued the people 

because of what they did with the calf which Aaron made.

(Exodus 32:19,35) 

Because of the actions of the people had resulted in the destruction of the two tablets, Moses again ascended the mountain and again God gave him two tablets with the Law written on them. Once more Moses descended to the people but this time there was no difficulty and the tablets remained intact and were placed in the Ark of the Covenant. According to Jewish lore, the broken tablets were also placed in the Ark along with the intact set. 

So what, if anything, does all this mean. It is said that the first set of tablets represent the first coming of the Messiah who was broken [crucified] due to the rejection of the people and the broken fragments represent the brokenness of the nation and of the people. The sound of the pieces moving about inside the Ark as it was carried gave a constant reminder of this fact. And ever since the nation, in fact the world, has been plagued with dissent and difficulty. The second set of tablets represent the second coming of the Messiah when He will not be broken but will return to bring healing and wholeness to the nations once more. All because the main theme of His return is love. As Paul put it:

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; 

but the greatest of these is love 

(1 Corinthians 13:13)

When Christ returns, there will be no more need for faith or hope because our faith will have been rewarded and what we have been hoping for will be before us; but love will only increase and be eternal. And all this provided we love God (tablet 1) and love each other (tablet 2)

Certainly something to think about.

*Adapted in part from Mysteries of the Messiah by Rabbi Jason Sobel, pg. 132-133