Understanding the Living Oracles Given to Moses: Dr. Lloyd-Jones' Sermon Insights

What is meant by the "living oracles" that Moses received?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the "living oracles" refer to the word of God, specifically the law that Moses received from God on Mount Sinai. These are not merely human words or philosophies but divine revelation - living, active words from God Himself. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that "Christianity is a word from God. It's a revelation Moses received on that Mount Sinai." Unlike human ideas or theories, these oracles are characterized as "living" because they remain eternally relevant, powerful, penetrating, and able to convict human hearts across all generations.

Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say the Jews misunderstood their own history?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the Jews, particularly the Sanhedrin who condemned Stephen, completely misunderstood their own history and sacred texts. They rejected Jesus while claiming to honor Moses and the law, failing to see that Moses himself pointed to Christ. As Lloyd-Jones states, "They are rejecting Christ in terms of their law and their leader, Moses, and their temple. And what Stephen does is to show them that the real reason why they're rejecting Christ is because they've never understood Moses, never understood the law of Moses, never understood the real meaning of the temple." This profound misunderstanding constitutes "the greatest tragedy that has ever happened in the whole story of the human race."

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the true purpose of the law?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the law was never given as a means of salvation but rather to reveal several important truths:

1. To reveal the depth and power of sin: "The law was sent in order that we might see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, that sin might appear as sin."

2. To expose our hearts: "It reveals our heart to us. And there's nothing else that does this."

3. To demonstrate our complete helplessness: "The law was given to reveal to us our utter and complete helplessness."

4. To point us to Christ: "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. God never gave the law to the children of Israel in order that they might save themselves by keeping the law."

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the relationship between the law and sin?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes a complex relationship between the law and sin, using Paul's teaching in Romans 7. He explains that the law actually intensifies our awareness of sin and can even aggravate sin's power: "If you tell the natural man not to do a thing, you at that moment create within him a desire to do it." The law reveals not just outward actions but inward desires: "The law says that a desire is as damnable as a deed. To covet is as reprehensible as is to commit."

Additionally, he notes how sin perverts even the law: "Sin is so powerful that it can even twist the law of God," making the law, which is good in itself, become an occasion for more sin in our fallen nature.

Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones criticize modern approaches to human problems?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones criticizes modern approaches to human problems because they only address symptoms rather than the root cause - sin. He uses the example of Cambridge switching from manufactured gas to natural gas to prevent student suicides: "They change the gas instead of changing the nature of the poor, unfortunate students." He argues that political, economic, and psychological solutions miss the fundamental spiritual problem: "That's where these poor statesmen... are so missing the mark... Whether we enter Europe or not, that's not the problem... what is so ludicrous is that anybody should imagine that this is the ultimate way to deal with the problem of man." Only God's word correctly diagnoses mankind's condition and provides the true solution in Christ.