What did the Law mean when it referred to a lasting ordinance / statute forever?

Answer

The term “lasting ordinance” appears 25 times in the NIV Old Testament, mainly in the Books of Moses. The term “lasting” is translated from the Hebrew word olam, which means “forever” or “for a long time.” Essentially, a lasting ordinance signifies a continuous command.

The initial reference to a “lasting ordinance” is in Exodus 12:14: “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations, as a statute forever.” This directive pertains to the inaugural Passover. This celebration would evolve into an annual custom observed thereafter. Instead of being a one-time occurrence, the Passover was intended to be a lasting ordinance.

Apart from the Passover, the perpetual burning of lamps in the tabernacle was also designated as a lasting ordinance, as stated in Exodus 27:21. Although the lamps in the tabernacle were not eternal, since the tabernacle was eventually succeeded by Solomon’s temple and later destroyed, the concept of a “lasting ordinance” implied that the law would endure rather than being a singular event.

The enduring nature of the Levitical priesthood of Aaron and his descendants is emphasized as a lasting ordinance “And you shall gird Aaron and his sons with sashes and bind caps on them. And the priesthood shall be theirs by a statute forever. Thus you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.”, (Exodus 29:9), along with the command for them to cleanse themselves before entering the tent of meeting (Exodus 30:20-22). In Leviticus, lasting ordinances include prohibitions on consuming fat or blood “It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, in all your dwelling places, that you eat neither fat nor blood.”, (Leviticus 3:17).

Leviticus 3:17), priests refraining from alcohol “Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:”, (Leviticus 10:9), the annual Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16), offerings brought exclusively to the priests at the tabernacle (Leviticus 17:1-7), the annual Jewish festivals (Leviticus 23), and lamps, olive oil, and bread presented before the Lord in the tabernacle (Leviticus 24:1-9).

In Numbers, more enduring ordinances are mentioned: the sounding of trumpets when the community was to set out (Numbers 10:1-10), offerings “One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD.”, (Numbers 15:15), the appointment of Levites to supervise the work of the tabernacle (Numbers 18), and regulations concerning ritual purification (Numbers 19).

Apart from these books, only two passages mention a “lasting ordinance.” In 2 Chronicles 2:4, a lasting ordinance is established regarding relocating the tabernacle worship to the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. Then, in Ezekiel 46:14, a lasting ordinance is prescribed concerning a future temple foretold by the prophet Ezekiel (commonly known as the Millennial Temple).

As these passages indicate, the concept of a lasting ordinance denoted a continuous law, though it was not always meant to be eternal. Furthermore, the lasting ordinances of the Bible are connected to the tabernacle, temple, and worship practices of the children ofIf Israel. The initial and perhaps most famous of these practices was the Passover, the enduring decree that signified the fresh start for the Israelites. All of these enduring decrees were ordered by God to the people of God as methods to comply with and show respect to Him.