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Is JUDAISM the Religion of

Moses?

Which books belong in the Old Testament? What about
the Apocrypha? In this fourth installment you will learn
how and by what authority the canon of the Old Testament
was determined.

by Ernest Martin
Part Four

THE LAST installment revealed how Ezra and Nehemiah reestablished God's Government
in the Old Testament church.

The central authority in Palestine to carry out that government has often been called by the
Greek name "The Great Synagogue." The word "synagogue" in Greek means ASSEMBLY. This is
the name most modern writers use when referring to that authoritative body of priests established
by Ezra and Nehemiah (Neh. 10). But whether the name Great Synagogue or Great Assembly is
used, it always represents the same institution.

We shall see in this installment how this Great Assembly, with the Spirit of God guiding
them, put together the Scriptures of the Old Testament. Our Old Testament comes to us because of
the work of this Great Assembly!

What the Great Assembly Did

The firm re-establishment of the religious and political government in Palestine was ac-
complished by Ezra and Nehemiah. They convened the Jewish elders for the purpose of signing
and officially sealing a covenant to keep God's commandments. It brought about the inauguration of
a constitutional government in Palestine. THE CONSTITUTION WAS THE LAW OF MOSES!

Both Ezra and Nehemiah were at this covenant -- signing, with the leaders of the Jews, to
acknowledge THE WRITTEN LAW OF MOSES as the law of the land -- as their constitution. All
the Jewish leaders, except a very small minority, happily covenanted to perform the requirements
of the Law. In consequence of this, the people put away their foreign wives, started tithing, estab-
lished proper Temple services and began to keep God's Sabbath!

This is the real beginning of the religion of Moses after the Babylonian captivity. And it
was the true religion of Moses, no additions or subtractions!

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