It is critical that we all understand that the children of Israel and the Gentiles must follow the laws of Moses. Following the laws of Moses is showing obedience to our Father in Heaven’s ‘will’. At the time Jesus starts preaching to the crowds in Judea, their primary source for scriptures was the Greek Septuagint that was translated in about 250 BC. All the letters and documents of the New Testament were not completed until about 70 AD and then it was much later before they were compiled into the books we call the New Testament. Therefore the Judeans that Jesus is speaking to below only knew of the Laws documented in the first five books of the bible; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy (Laws of Moses). Jesus tells the Judea’s that the laws of Moses will stay in place until the heaven and earth pass away and all of the laws have been accomplished. These laws will not be accomplished until Jesus returns and His Kingdom comes.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” ESV Mat 5:17-19
A Pharisee asked Jesus which is the greatest commandment in the Laws of Moses. Jesus provided two commandments and stated basically that these two are the highest commandments of all the laws. Therefore you would need to study all the laws, ordinances and statues to determine how to be obedient to God’s will in order to perform these two commandments properly. For example, since the law states that pork should not be eaten, it would not be considered a loving gesture to serve it to your neighbors since it could cause them to get parasites and worms.
“Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” KJVA Mat 22:36-40
Some Pastors state that Gentiles only needed to abstain from the things shown in red below; however they miss the point being made. This verse states they wanted to cause ‘no greater burden’ to the Gentiles at this time. They knew according to scripture the Gentiles were to follow the laws of Moses but they wanted to take one step at a time and start with the laws our Father in Heaven told Noah.
“For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.” KJVA Act 15:28-29
The laws of Moses tell us that there is to only be one law for the children of Israel and a Gentile convert. This makes perfect sense because we cannot have two different sets of laws for people living in the same land.
“There shall be one law for you and for the strangers [G4339 προσήλυτος (prosēlutos) an arriver from a foreign region, specifically a convert] abiding among you, a perpetual [G166 αἰώνιος (aiōnios); eternal, unending] law for your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord. There shall be one law and one ordinance for you, and for the stranger that abides among you.” Sep Num 15:15-16
“There shall be one law for the native among the children of Israel, and for the stranger [G4339 προσήλυτος (prosēlutos) an arriver from a foreign region, specifically a convert] that abides among them, whosoever shall commit a trespass unwillingly. And whatever soul either of the natives or of the strangers shall do any thing with a presumptuous hand, he will provoke God; that soul shall be cut off from his people, for he has set at nought the word of the Lord and broken his commands: that soul shall be utterly destroyed, his sin is upon him.” Sep Num 15:29-31
The Laws in Creation Week
Our Father in Heaven gave us laws at the time of creation, when men were first created. At this time there was no such thing as the children of Israel; therefore these laws were for Adam and his descendants. Some of these laws are restated after the Exodus and some are not; all of them should be considered the law.
Genesis chapter one gives us an example of how our seven day week should be conducted and this example has been our Christian tradition for thousands of years now.
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Genesis Creation Week Law |
Law Restated/Notes |
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“And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night, and there was evening and there was morning, the first day.” Sep Gen 1:5 |
Our Father in Heaven did not work at night and that is reflected in Genesis chapter one. John states that is a law. “I must work the works of him that sent me, whilst it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” DR John 9:4 |
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“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, to divide between day and night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and for years. And let them be for light in the firmament of the heaven, so as to shine upon the earth, and it was so. And God made the two great lights, the greater light for regulating the day and the lesser light for regulating the night, the stars also.” Sep Gen 1:14-16 |
It is the law to use the sun, moon, and stars for keeping track of signs and seasons. The Dead Sea Scrolls Temple calendar and other writings in the scrolls prove they used a solar and lunar calendar. Plus the ancients tracked Venus, a wondering star, for time tracking. |
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“And God said, Behold I have given to you every seed-bearing herb sowing seed which is upon all the earth, and every tree which has in itself the fruit of seed that is sown, to you it shall be for food.” Sep Gen 1:29 |
This is a food law to only eat herbs, vegetables and fruit that can reproduce themselves. Today we call this type of food organic from a non-GMO source. |
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“And God finished on the sixth day his works which he made, and he ceased on the seventh day from all his works which he made. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it he ceased from all his works which God began to do.” Sep Gen 2:2-3 |
Our day of rest is the seventh day that we now call Saturday. “See, for the Lord has given you this day as the sabbath, therefore he has given you on the sixth day the bread of two days: ye shall sit each of you in your houses; let no one go forth from his place on the seventh day. And the people kept sabbath on the seventh day.” Sep Exo 16:29-30 “Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days thou shalt labour, and shalt perform all thy work. But on the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God; on it thou shalt do no work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy servant nor thy maidservant, thine ox nor thine ass, nor any cattle of thine, nor the stranger that sojourns with thee. For in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth, and the sea and all things in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it.” Sep Exo 20:8-11 |
The Laws were Always in Place
In order to have an orderly society there had to be laws place since the time of Genesis chapter one verse 26 when men was created. Unfortunately I have no idea where a list of laws documented prior to the flood could be found. It is known that Enoch did write many books prior to his translation (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2_Enoch ) that we know longer have today and may have contained a list of laws. We do know that Enoch pleased God and we are to please God by being obedient his laws and to his ‘will’ and not our own.
“By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.” ESV Heb 11:5
Scripture says that Noah was righteous and the only way to be righteous is by following the laws given by our Father in Heaven. How would Noah know how to be righteous and walk with God with there were no laws before the flood? The laws are instructions for being righteous.
“These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.” Sep Gen_6:9
Below are verses that prove the law was already in effect during the time of Genesis and long before Moses was living. The verse below states the people of Sodom and Gomorrha were performing sins; they could only be sinning if there were laws in effect. These people were Gentiles being held accountable for their misconduct. A gentile is a descendant of Adam that was not chosen to carry the ancestry of Jesus Christ.
“And the Lord said, The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha has been increased towards me, and their sins are very great.” Sep Gen 18:20
John tells us that sin is transgression of the law. If there was no law, then there would be no sin.
“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” ESV 1Jn 3:4
The verse below proves there were laws in place prior to Abraham’s lifetime. Our Father in Heaven had already given the 10 Commandments prior to this verse which are high level commandments and His ordinances and statutes are the lower level details on how to accomplish keeping his commandments.
“Because Abraam thy father hearkened to my voice, and kept my injunctions, and my commandments, and my ordinances, and my statutes”. Sep Gen 26:5
Prior to our Father in Heaven telling the Israelites all of the laws, our Father in Heaven asks this question:
“And the Lord said to Moses, How long are ye unwilling to hearken to my commands and my law?” Sep Exo 16:28
Based on this verse it indicates there were commands and laws prior to Moses’ time. The whole purpose of the 40 years in the wilderness was to teach the children of Jacob Israel the laws and to teach them how to be obedient his ‘will’.
The Laws Mentioned in Genesis
The table below provides proof that our Father in Heavens laws was in place prior to Genesis chapter 17; therefore prior to the children of Israel receiving the law during Moses lifetime. So please notice that the people in Jesus ancestry and the Gentiles were expected to follow these laws. There are more laws in place during the time of Genesis; I just choice not to document past chapter 17.
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Genesis Account |
Law after Exodus being followed |
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“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.” Sep Gen 2:24 “And they called Rebecca, and said to her, Wilt thou go with this man? and she said, I will go.” Sep Gen 24:58 |
This verse has also to do with the prophecy and marriage of the congregation to our Father in Heaven. “Hearken, O daughter, and see, and incline thy ear: and forget thy people and thy father's house.” DR Psa 45:10 (45:11) “Wherefore: Go out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing: And I will receive you. And will be a Father to you: and you shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” DR 2Co 6:17 |
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“In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.” Sep Gen 4:3-5 |
This has to do with the law of first fruits and giving the first of everything to our Father in Heaven. This is why we go to church on the first day of this week is to give our time to HIM on the first day. Plus we are to bring our first fruit with us to church and share a meal with each other. So even Cain was to follow the laws of first fruit and was punished for not doing so. “And this shall be to you of the first-fruits of their gifts, of all the wave-offerings of the children of Israel; to thee have I given them and to thy sons and thy daughters with thee, a perpetual ordinance; every clean person in thy house shall eat them. Every first-offering of oil, and every first-offering of wine, their first-fruits of corn, whatsoever they may give to the Lord, to thee have I given them. All the first-fruits that are in their land, whatsoever they shall offer to the Lord, shall be thine: every clean person in thy house shall eat them.” Sep Num 18:11-13 “And ye shall carry thither your whole-burnt-offerings, and your sacrifices, and your first-fruits, and your vowed-offerings, and your freewill-offerings, and your offerings of thanksgiving, the first-born of your herds, and of your flocks And ye shall eat there before the Lord your God, and ye shall rejoice in all the things on which ye shall lay your hand, ye and your houses, as the Lord your God has blessed you.” Sep Deu 12:6-7 (Notice: this is not a tiny piece of bread and sip of grape juice; this is a full meal called ‘The Lord’s Supper’) “Every first-born that shall be born among thy kine and thy sheep, thou shalt sanctify the males to the Lord thy God; thou shalt not work with thy first-born calf, and thou shalt not shear the first-born of thy sheep.” Sep Deu 15:19 |
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“And Cain said to Abel his brother, Let us go out into the plain; and it came to pass that when they were in the plain Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. “Sep Gen 4:8 |
I think Cain already knew this law since our Father in Heaven would not have punished him for doing something that he was not told was wrong. Cain would be considered evil because he knew the law and did not follow it. “So shall ye not pollute with murder the land in which ye dwell; for this blood pollutes the land, and the land shall not be purged from the blood shed upon it, but by the blood of him that shed it.” Sep Num 35:33 “Thou shalt not commit murder.” Sep Deu 5:17 “We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous.” ESV 1Jn 3:12 |
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“And of the clean cattle take in to thee sevens, male and female, and of the unclean cattle pairs male and female. And of clean flying creatures of the sky sevens, male and female, and of all unclean flying creatures pairs, male and female, to maintain seed on all the earth.” Sep Gen 7:3 |
Noah knew the difference between clean and unclean cattle and flying creatures. He was to bring more clean cattle since that would be his future food supply. Leviticus chapter 11 and Deuteronomy chapter 14 reflects the laws on clean and unclean animals. |
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“But flesh with blood of life ye shall not eat. For your blood of your lives will I require at the hand of all wild beasts, and I will require the life of man at the hand of his brother man. He that sheds man's blood, instead of that blood shall his own be shed, for in the image of God I made man.” Sep Gen 9:4-6 |
“It is a perpetual statute throughout your generations, in all your habitations; ye shall eat no fat and no blood.” Sep Lev 3:17 “Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it out on the ground as water.” Sep Deu 12:16 “that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” ESV Act 15:29 “And if any man smite another and he die, let him be certainly put to death.” Sep Exo 21:12 “And whosoever shall smite a man and he die, let him die the death.” Sep Lev 24:17 |
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“And Cham [Ham} the father of Chanaan saw the nakedness of his father, and he went out and told his two brothers without. And Sem and Japheth having taken a garment, put it on both their backs and went backwards, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their face was backward, and they saw not the nakedness of their father. And Noe recovered from the wine, and knew all that his younger son had done to him. And he said, Cursed be the servant Chanaan, a slave shall he be to his brethren.” Sep Gen 9:22-25 |
I do believe that Ham knew what he did was wrong according to the law and the proof of this is that Shem and Japheth, who was a Gentile (Genesis 10:5) followed the law and were blessed. “No man shall draw nigh to any of his near kindred to uncover their nakedness; I am the Lord Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, for she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's wife; it is thy father's nakedness. “Sep Lev 18:6-8 “Honour thy father and thy mother, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long on the good land, which the Lord thy God gives to thee.” Sep Exo 20:12 “Cursed is the man that dishonours his father or his mother: and all the people shall say, So be it.” Sep Deu 27:16 |
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“And Melchisedec king of Salem brought forth loaves and wine, and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed Abram, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, who made heaven and earth, and blessed be the most high God who delivered thine enemies into thy power. And Abram gave him the tithe of all.” Sep Gen 14:18-20 “And this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be to me a house of God; and of all whatsoever thou shalt give me, I will tithe a tenth for thee.” Sep Gen 28:22 |
Abraham already knew the law of giving tithes before Moses documented this law. “Every tithe of the land, both of the seed of the land, and of the fruit of trees, is the Lord's, holy to the Lord.” Sep Lev 27:30 “Thou shalt tithe a tenth of all the produce of thy seed, the fruit of thy field year by year. And thou shalt eat it in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to have his name called there; ye shall bring the tithe of thy corn and of thy wine, and of thine oil, the first-born of thy herd and of thy flock, that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always.” Sep Deu 14:22-23 |
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“And at the period of that day, Abraam was circumcised, and Ismael his son, and all the men of his house, both those born in the house, and those bought with money of foreign nations.” Sep Gen 17:26-27 |
This was a new law given to Abraham that was restated by Moses. “And every slave or servant bought with money—him thou shalt circumcise, and then shall he eat of it.” Sep Exo 12:44 “And if any proselyte shall come to you to keep the passover to the Lord, thou shalt circumcise every male of him, and then shall he approach to sacrifice it, and he shall be even as the original inhabitant of the land; no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.” Sep Exo 12:48 “And on the eighth day she shall circumcise the flesh of his foreskin.” Lev 12:3 |
Jesus, the Will of our Father in Heaven & Lawlessness
Jesus says in the very first book of the New Testament that we must do the ‘will’ of his Father who is in heaven. Where is the ‘will’ of his Father written? In the Old Testament. The first five books are ‘the law’ and the Father’s last ‘will’ and testament stating how he wants to dispose of his property. It is a legal document stating that we must be obedient to His ‘will’. At the time Jesus stated the verses below there was no documented New Testament. Their primary source for scripture was the Greek Septuagint which the New Testament reflects Jesus quoted from 90 percent of the time. Therefore Jesus is saying to be obedient to his Father’s will that is recorded in the first five books of the Greek Septuagint. If you are not obedient to the Father’s will, you are a ‘worker of lawlessness’ and Jesus will not want you in his Kingdom (or you may enter the kingdom and not get the promised rewards stated in Revelations).
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” Mat 7:21-23
The book of Hebrews details the minor changes to our Father’s in Heaven’s last ‘will’ and testament. The primary changes were as follows:
· Sin cannot be covered over by sacrificing goats and oxen to cover sin. Instead we must repent.
· The tribe of Levi was no longer required since their primary responsibility was performing sacrifices for sin. The tribe of Levi performing this function was only temporary anyways since it was really the responsibility of the first born sons of Israel to be in charge of congregations. (Exo 32:19-29, Num 3:40-49, & Num 8:14-19)
· The Melchizedek priesthood would be the high priests over the congregations. (see this page for more info)
· Jesus became our mediator.
As we are told here in Hebrews, our Father’s last will and testament is now in full force.
“But Christ, being come an high priest of the good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hand, that is, not of this creation: Neither by the blood of goats, or of calves, but by his own blood, entered once into the holies, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and of oxen, and the ashes of an heifer being sprinkled, sanctify such as are defiled, to the cleansing of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who by the Holy Ghost offered himself unspotted unto God, cleanse our conscience from dead works, to serve the living God? And therefore he is the mediator [a reconciler or arbitrator, guaranteeing the performance of all the terms] of the new testament: that by means of his death, for the redemption of those trangressions, which were under the former testament, they that are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where there is a testament, the death of the testator must of necessity come in. For a testament is of force, after men are dead: otherwise it is as yet of no strength, whilst the testator liveth.” Heb 9:15-17
(For more info about our Father’s last will and testament, please see this page: https://kingdomhereamerica.blogspot.com/2018/08/why-did-jesus-have-to-die.html )
Our Father in Heaven Does Not Repent
Scripture states that our Father in Heaven does not repent, meaning he does not change his mind. The original laws he spoke into being from the beginning are still the law. He is not a wishy washy god. He is the God that created our heavens and earth and knew what he was doing from the very beginning.
“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” ESV Num 23:19
“And further, the Glory of Israel will not say what is false, and his purpose may not be changed: for he is not a man, whose purpose may be changed.” BBE 1Sa 15:29
“Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity.” KJVA Isa 31:2
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” ESV Heb 13:8
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” ESV James 1:17
Our Father in Heaven therefore will not change his mind on which laws we are to follow.
The Law is referenced in the New Testament
Jesus started telling people to repent right away in the New Testament. They were to change their minds and start following the laws of Moses.
“From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”” ESV Mat 4:17
Jesus states in this verse you must be righteousness. To be righteous you must be on the right side of our Father in Heaven and follow His laws.
“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. “ ESV Mat 5:20
In the verses below a woman was caught in the act of adultery. We do not know if she was an Israelite or a Gentile. We do know that she transgressed a law that was documented in the laws of Moses and Jesus said she had sinned. He also told her that if she repented, meaning that she would stop performing this sin, he would not condemn her. So Jesus was teaching that the laws must be followed.
“The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”” ESV Joh 8:3-11
In the verse below Paul writes in a letter to the Corinthians to ‘touch no unclean thing’. The New Testament was not complied and distributed yet and never contained a definition of unclean; therefore the only place to get an understanding of what unclean is by reading the Laws of Moses.
“Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” 2Co 6:17-18
Conclusion
As pointed out above the children of Jacob Israel and the Gentiles must follow the Laws written in the first five books of our bibles. The bible proves that the Gentiles were punished in the past for their sins. Most of the laws have existed since the beginning of time; therefore it would seem ridiculous that they would not be in effect today.
Today many do not know whether they are a descendant of Jacob-Israel or a Gentile and in regards to the laws it would not matter since we are to have one law. Japheth was a gentile (Genesis 10:5) that was to live in the tents of Shem (Genesis 9:27); therefore it is important they have only one law of the land for both Shem and Japheth.
It was to be the roll of the churches to teach the law; however now the churches teach lawlessness. Most meals at the church include pork and other unclean things that we are not to be part of. I hope more Israelites and Gentiles awaken and stop tolerating this at church. This pork eating issue is only an example of the laws being broken at the churches since they break many more laws than this. If Gentiles are not to follow the laws, then they should not be asked to tithe? Pastors do not have an answer to this question; they just need the tithing in order to get a pay check.
Our Father in Heaven will give grace to those who repent and start following the law.
“Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each one according to his works.” ESV Rom 2:4-6
“But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you.” Act 3:18-22
“And he [Jesus] answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” ESV Luk 13:2-3
Further reading:
https://emmaus-group.org/2017/09/warning-the-law-of-moses-applies-to-gentile-believers/
http://www.fogwhistle.ca/acts/follow.html