What is the difference between God's eternal law found in the Torah
and the Law of Moses, which is also found in the Torah...
Is one temporary?
Is one more important (to man)?
Why?
Great question Wondering.
(This is the simple summarised version as I know it. I will not add all the scriptures here to keep it short but if anyone would like any of the scriptures for anything said below please feel free to ask)
It is both God's LAW (10 commandments) and the Mosaic laws for remission of sin that make up the Old Covenant.
Now of course the Mosaic laws written in the book of Moses included the first 5 books of the bible Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Numbers with all the ceremonial, Levitical, Sanctuary Civil and Health and descriptive laws.
So what you are really asking here is what is the Old Covenant and what is the purpose of the Laws that made up the Old Covenant?
The Old Covenant included both;
(1) God's LAW (10 commandments) and
(2) The Mosaic laws for remission of sin written in the book of the covenant.
God instructed Moses to keep God's LAW and the book of Moses both separated. God's LAW (written on tables of stone) was placed INSIDE the Ark of the Covenant while the book of the Mosaic law was placed in the BESIDE the ARK of the Covenant. Together they made up the Old Covenant to God's people BEFORE JESUS came.
God's LAW was the work of God alone and was the work of God written with God's own finger and spoken by God himself to His people. While the Mosaic book of the law was the work of Moses inspried by God and written and spoken by Moses to the people.
There is a reason why these two laws of the OLD Covenant were to be separated by God.
It is because God's LAW is eternal (FOREVER) and the laws of Moses for remission of sin were shadows pointing to Jesus as the LAMB of God who takes away the SINS of the World and pointed to HIS work as our great high priest ministering on our behalf in the Heavenly Sanctuary.
1. Purpose of God's LAW (10 commandments) is to give us a KNOWLDGE of SIN and RIGHTEOUSNESS. God's LAW is the knowledge of GOOD and EVIL. It does not make anything perfect but shows us what SIN is and the standard of RIGHTEOUSNESS. It reveals that we are all SINNERS in need of SALVATION and FORGIVENESS.
2. Purpose of the Mosaic laws for remission of sin was the prescriptive cure for FORGIVENESS of SIN. It could not tell you what SIN or RIGHTEOUSNESS was but IF someone SINS it was the REMEDY for SIN and FORGIVENESS for SIN. These were all SHODOWS pointing to Jesus and the coming of the Messaiah and were to be nailed to the cross.
The reason why God's LAW and the Mosaic laws for remission of SIN were to be separated is because God's LAW is FOREVER as it is the character of God's LOVE while the book of the Mosaic laws for remission of SIN were temporary Shadows fulfilled in Chirst in the New Covenant.
In the NEW Covenant that GOD'S LAW is still the KNOWLEDGE of SIN and RIGHTEOUSNESS (Good and EVIL). It shows us that we are SINNERS and need of a SAVIOUR and point us to the CROSS where we can FIND Jesus who says; They that be whole need not a physician but those that are sick go learn what that means. I have not come to call the RIGHTEOUSS but SINNERS to REPENTANCE.
Christ Jesus is the END of the LAW to everyone who BELIEVES (this does not mean God's LAW is abolished only that it leads the sinner to the Savior). God's LAW shows us that we are all SINNERS and points us to JESUS.
The one (God's LAW) points to the other (Grace and God's GIFT of salvation)......
God's LAW on tables of STONE lead us to the NEW Covenant of LOVE so we can be free from our SINS to LOVE him who first LOVED us; THIS is God's LAW written on the HEART to LOVE through FAITH and LOVE is the FULFILLING of God's LAW in those who BELIEVE in His WORD.
May God bless you all as you seek him through His Word.