Controversial understanding about God's covenant with Abaraham

[jonahmano]

It's been told by my many preachers that Jesus also died on the cross to renew the covenant made between the Father and Abraham.

In Genesis 15 God made a covenant with Abram and there are two theories I've heard by set of people who understand the covenant made between God and Abram.

Understanding 1:

God made the covenant with Abraham and because Abraham couldn't keep it and God had to send his own son to die on the cross to renew the old covenant which is the new covenant made between God and Jesus.


Understanding 2:

Although God made covenant with Abraham, Abraham was just a proxy. The covenant happened in Genesis 15 is between Father and Jesus and not Father and Abraham. Though Father made covenant with Abraham, Abraham was just a proxy and Father put Abraham to deep sleep and during his sleep Jesus made the covenant with Father as smoking fire and burning lamp passed between those pieces because God knew Abraham couldn't keep the covenant with Him and that's the reason why Jesus has to die on the cross for the covenant he made in the place of Abraham.


Please help me to understand which is the right understanding so that I don't get confused with different doctrines on the most prominent subject "The Covenant"

Thanks in Advance

 

[gr8grace]

Hi Jonah,

Its great to see questions like this.

I believe both are wrong. Jesus came to glorify His Father and save sinners. The Abrahamic covenant has never been broken because it was based upon Gods Faithfulness. The Christ was to come through Abraham, but this Covenant was for a RACIAL species....The NATION of Israel.

I dont know for sure with the information you have given, but my guess is you are involved with preachers that are teaching covenant theology. They will try to tie the Church in with Israel.

I would suggest to you to pray for your right teacher and stick with just one teacher.

2. The Church Age is the age of the “mystery” – Rom 19:25-26; Eph 3:1-5; Col
1:25-27. Unknown and not revealed in past dispensations.
3. The beginning of the Church Age
A. Prophecy of the Church – Matt 16:13-15; Acts 1:5
B. The sign of the Church – Baptism of the Holy Spirit
C. The Church Age began on May 24, 33AD

The 4th covenant is the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3). The Abrahamic Covenant was an unconditional covenant meaning that the agreement was based upon the Lord’s faithfulness and not Abraham’s. The Lord was responsible to fulfill the agreement and Abraham’s part was to take God at His Word and accept it by means of faith. The Abrahamic covenant is related to the race of the nation.
The Abrahamic Covenant contained 7 promises: (1) “I will make from you a great nation” (National Posterity: Gen. 17:20; Spiritual Posterity: Gal. 3:6, 7, 29. (2) “I will bless you” (Temporal: Gen. 13:14-18; 15:18-21; 24:34-35; Spiritual: Gen. 15:6). (3) “And Make Your Name Great” (4) “And You Shall Be A Blessing” (Gal. 3:14). (5) “I Will Bless Them That Bless You” (6) “And Curse Them That Curse You” (7) “In You All the Families of the Earth Will Be Blessed” (Dt. 28:8-14; Is. 60:3-5, 11, 16). This covenant with Abraham was reaffirmed and confirmed after Abraham’s faith was tested (Gen. 22:15-18).
This covenant with Abraham became an “everlasting” covenant. Circumcision was the “sign” of this covenant with Abraham and the covenant extends to the end of human history, entailing the New Earth. The Abrahamic covenant was confined to the Jews (Gen. 17:1-14).

Distinctions Between Israel and the Church:
Israel
Church
Shadow Christology
Historical Christology
Covenants
Baptism of the Spirit
Jewish Client Nation
Gentile Client Nations
Old Testament Canon
New Testament Canon
Shekinah Glory indwelt the Holy of Holies
Every Believer indwelt by the Shekinah Glory
1% were endued with power
100% Availability of divine power
Faith Rest Drill
Filling of the Spirit
JHWH-Jehovah Elohim
Iesou Christou-Jesus Christ
Limited spiritual gifts
Every believer has a spiritual gift
Levitical Priesthood
Universal Royal Priesthood
Mosaic Law
Mystery Doctrine
Ritual Plan of God
XXII. Plan of God for the Church Age
Earthly Promises
Heavenly Citizenship

 

[thisnumbersdisconnected]

Excellent post, Jarrod. Can't add a thing to it.

 

[tim-from-pa]

It's been told by my many preachers that Jesus also died on the cross to renew the covenant made between the Father and Abraham.

In Genesis 15 God made a covenant with Abram and there are two theories I've heard by set of people who understand the covenant made between God and Abram.

Understanding 1:

God made the covenant with Abraham and because Abraham couldn't keep it and God had to send his own son to die on the cross to renew the old covenant which is the new covenant made between God and Jesus.


Understanding 2:

Although God made covenant with Abraham, Abraham was just a proxy. The covenant happened in Genesis 15 is between Father and Jesus and not Father and Abraham. Though Father made covenant with Abraham, Abraham was just a proxy and Father put Abraham to deep sleep and during his sleep Jesus made the covenant with Father as smoking fire and burning lamp passed between those pieces because God knew Abraham couldn't keep the covenant with Him and that's the reason why Jesus has to die on the cross for the covenant he made in the place of Abraham.


Please help me to understand which is the right understanding so that I don't get confused with different doctrines on the most prominent subject "The Covenant"

Thanks in Advance

God's covenant was with Abraham, and it was because of that covenant that Christ came, not because there was some sort of covenant made, broken and had to be revived in Christ (or between Christ and God) or whatever. Not only are the two options you've been taught convoluted, but if you want to really have fun, ask these preachers just what is the Abrahamic covenant, i.e. what does it all involve? Ask most Christians, too. They can't tell you, and yet that's the whole basis of the Bible --- thus we have born various denominations and contentious Christian forums with everyone having the right answer.

So before anything further can be stated, one must understand what it all involved, and then by extension how Christ fit into it all.

Let me tell you something. Christ is not the entire fulfilment of the Abrahamic Covenant. For example, some of it involved other tribes of Israel later on that Christ was not from. Christ is from Judah, and only inherits the Kingly portion of that was was promised to Judah. In other words, because of the Abrahamic Covenant, it branched out to various promises, some of which promised a Kingly lineage thus promising Christ. But some promises are many peoples, many nations and a single great nation --- these are physical descendents of Abraham and political entities and such are not fulfilled in Christ. But, as King, Christ DOES play a role in their ultimate destiny as a people, let's put it that way.

 

[John 8:32]

God's covenant was with Abraham, and it was because of that covenant that Christ came, not because there was some sort of covenant made, broken and had to be revived in Christ (or between Christ and God) or whatever. Not only are the two options you've been taught convoluted, but if you want to really have fun, ask these preachers just what is the Abrahamic covenant, i.e. what does it all involve? Ask most Christians, too. They can't tell you, and yet that's the whole basis of the Bible --- thus we have born various denominations and contentious Christian forums with everyone having the right answer.

So before anything further can be stated, one must understand what it all involved, and then by extension how Christ fit into it all.

Let me tell you something. Christ is not the entire fulfilment of the Abrahamic Covenant. For example, some of it involved other tribes of Israel later on that Christ was not from. Christ is from Judah, and only inherits the Kingly portion of that was was promised to Judah. In other words, because of the Abrahamic Covenant, it branched out to various promises, some of which promised a Kingly lineage thus promising Christ. But some promises are many peoples, many nations and a single great nation --- these are physical descendents of Abraham and political entities and such are not fulfilled in Christ. But, as King, Christ DOES play a role in their ultimate destiny as a people, let's put it that way.

Excellent! Tim you bring great understanding to this thread.

 

[Ryan]

The Christ was to come through Abraham, but this Covenant was for a RACIAL species....The NATION of Israel.

Galatians 3:8 "The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.”
Galatians 3:29 "And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise."

I dont know for sure with the information you have given, but my guess is you are involved with preachers that are teaching covenant theology. They will try to tie the Church in with Israel.

There is no separation of covenants between Church and Israel. One covenant for all, Jew and Gentile.

 

[tim-from-pa]

Galatians 3:8 "The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.â€
Galatians 3:29 "And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise."

But....... the part of Galatians quoted here is the "all nations being blessed" part. And in turn, those in Christ are the seed of Abraham. But which seed? Which lineage?

This does not fulfil the promises of many peoples, nations, and promises of great power and material blessings where specific nations were to arise from Abraham.

In other words, Galatians is talking about those presently in Christ, but what about the inheritors (chosen people) who are not in Christ at this time?

Chosen does not necessarily imply "saved", where the latter can be a subgroup. There are chosen of race and chosen of grace, not just one type of choosing.

 

[gr8grace]

Galatians 3:8 "The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.”
Galatians 3:29 "And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise."




There is no separation of covenants between Church and Israel. One covenant for all, Jew and Gentile.

Post # 7 for your first argument.

Post # 2 for your second argument.

 

[gr8grace]

Galatians 3:8 "The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.”
Galatians 3:29 "And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise."




There is no separation of covenants between Church and Israel. One covenant for all, Jew and Gentile.

Hi Ryan, Sorry so long I just want to present information so Jonah can make an informed decision. Thanks for your opinions, but it seems that Jonah has Heard your side, but has heard very little of dispensations.
Here are some more distinctions of the Church and Israel.
Israel
Church
New Racial Species
New Spiritual Species
Prophecy
No Prophecy-Historical Trends
Visible Heroes
Invisible Heroes
Extraordinary believer
Ordinary believer
Incomplete Canon of Scripture
Completed Canon of Scripture
Visible signs preceding 2nd Advent
No visible signs preceding Rapture
There are 7 great features that are distinct in each of these unconditional covenants to Israel: (1) Israel will be a nation forever. (2) Israel will possess a significant portion of land forever. (3) Israel will have a King ruler over her forever. (4) Israel will have a throne from which Christ will ruler, forever. (5) Israel will have a kingdom forever.
God will make a New Covenant with them in the future. As a result of this New Covenant, there will be abiding blessings.
The New Covenant with Israel was based upon the voluntary substitutionary spiritual death of the impeccable humanity of Christ in hypostatic union. Luke 22:20, “And in the same way {He took} the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.” 1 Cor 11:25, “In the same way {He took} the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink {it}, in remembrance of Me.” The Lord Jesus Christ is the mediator of this New Covenant to Israel. Heb 12:24a, “and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant.”

The new covenant. His coming will usher that new covenant in for Israel.....Their earthly King and the covenant rendered complete on this earth.

So what about the Church?

2. The Church Age is the age of the “mystery” – Rom 16:25-26; Eph 3:1-5; Col
1:25-27. Unknown and not revealed in past dispensations.
3. The beginning of the Church Age
A. Prophecy of the Church – Matt 16:13-15; Acts 1:5
B. The sign of the Church – Baptism of the Holy Spirit
C. The Church Age began on May 24, 33AD
4. The termination of the Church Age based on the Doctrine of the Imminence; the
Church will terminate with the Rapture. 1 Cor 15: 51-572; Phil 3:21, 4:13-18; 1 Jn
3:1-2; 1 Thess 4:17-
5. The Bride is prepared in Heaven – Resurrection body, removal of the OSN.
6. Symptoms For the Church:
A. The Last Adam and the new creation – Jesus Christ is the last Adam & the
new creation is the Church – 1 Cor 15: 45, 47; 2 Cor 5:17 & Gal 6:15
B. The Head and the body – Christ is the Head & believers are the body –
Eph 1:22-23,4:4-5,5:23; Col 1:18, 24, 2:19
C. The Shepherd and the sheep – Jn 10:; Heb 13:20; 1 Pet 5:4
D. The Vine and the Branches – Jn 15
E. The Chief cornerstone and the stones of the building – Ehp 2: 20; 1 Pet 2:
4 -8
F. The High Priest and the Royal Priesthood – Heb 7:25, 10:10 – 14; 1 Pet
2:5, 9
G. The Groom and the Bride – 2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:25 -27; Rev 19: 6-8
7. The Uniqueness of the Believer in the Church Age:
A. The Baptism of the Spirit
B. Every believer is a priest
C. Full time Christian service – believer are Ambassadors for Christ
D. Indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the body
E. The Royal Family can read, it has its instructions in writing – The Bible,
the completed canon of scripture.
F. Super – natural way of life – Filling of the Holy Spirit
8. The Objective of the Believer in the Church Age is to Be like Christ.

The Church is His bride
Israel is His people

 

[Ryan]

Covenants are the basis for our relationship with Jesus. It's a contract that is legally binding between two or more parties. A covenant always contained terms and conditions to be fulfilled by both parties. Covenants were to be beneficial to both parties that required faithfulness and fidelity to the parties involved. 4 basic aspects of a biblical covenant are:
1. Binding
2. Generation to generation
3. Breaking a covenant has dire consequences
4. A broken covenant requires atonement

There were provisions, obligations and a sign of a covenant. In the case of the Abrahamic covenant, lets see what scriptures say.

Genesis 12:1-3, 7 set forth the provisions
1. God will make Abraham a great nation
2. God will bless Abraham
3. God will make Abrahams name great
4. God will make him a blessing
5. God will bless the ones who will bless Abraham
6. God will curse the ones who curse Abraham
7. God will cause all the families of the earth to be blessed through Abraham

The promises were conditional and Abraham had to act in faith to receive those promises. God tested Abraham multiple times to see if he would remain faithful to the covenant. Abraham had obligations, and he had to act on them in faith.

Genesis 15:6 "Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness."

Genesis 22:15-18 "Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your [e]seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your [f]seed shall possess the gate of [g]their enemies. 18 In your [h]seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”

Genesis 26:3-5 "...will establish the oath which I swore to your father Abraham. 4 I will multiply your [c]descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your [d]descendants all these lands; and by your [e]descendants all the nations of the earth [f]shall be blessed; 5 because Abraham [g]obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws.”

James 2:21-24 "Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was working with his works, and [a]as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone."

Then what was the sign of the covenant?

Genesis 17:11 "And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you."

I hope this helps you get started as covenants are the foundation and the marriage covenant we have with God. But don't let anyone delude you in the fact the Abrahamic covenant based on faith was solely for Abraham and his seed through Isaac, and that seed alone. It was meant for all cause that is what the scriptures say from the beginning.

Genesis 17:12 "And every male among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations, a servant who is born in the house or who is bought with money from any foreigner, who is not of your [k]descendants."

Genesis 17:24 "All the men of his household, who were born in the house or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him."

I don't know how that could be any clearer. Subsequent covenants only built upon later covenants. It is like getting your wedding vows renewed. The earlier vows didn't annul the renewed vows, it just builds upon it. That's the best way I can describe that. And New Covenant is a poor translation, it should actually be Renewed Covenant. If there were never any provisions for one to be saved through faith except through Isaac's line until Jesus came then 2 Peter 3:9 holds no water "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."

Covenants you should study:

Covenant with Noah Genesis 8:14-9:17
Covenant with Abraham Genesis 12, 15, 17
Covenant with Isaac Genesis 26
Covenant with Jacob Genesis 28
Covenant at Sinai Exodus 19-20
Covenant with Aaron Numbers 18:19
Covenant with Pinchas Numbers 25:12-13
Covenant with David 2 Samuel 7
Renewed Covenant Jeremiah 31

Learning Covenants with the dispensational theology will only serve to frustrate and ask you more questions then what can be answered. I promise you.

 

[Ryan]

But....... the part of Galatians quoted here is the "all nations being blessed" part. And in turn, those in Christ are the seed of Abraham. But which seed? Which lineage?.

Genesis 17:16 "I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will [m]come from her.”

It was always through the seed of the promise, Isaac as that is what the faith was built on. It wasn't built on the bond servant and the acts of the flesh.

Galatians 3:16 "Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ."

This does not fulfil the promises of many peoples, nations, and promises of great power and material blessings where specific nations were to arise from Abraham..

How could it not? Are the Arabs not abundant and some countries wealthy? One could argue though these promises hasn't come to full fruition yet.

In other words, Galatians is talking about those presently in Christ, but what about the inheritors (chosen people) who are not in Christ at this time?.

Out of covenant and not inheritors to the promises.

Chosen does not necessarily imply "saved", where the latter can be a subgroup. There are chosen of race and chosen of grace, not just one type of choosing.

??? Stumped. Don't know what this means.

 

[jonahmano]

This what the person who placed things according to understanding 1 replies to you all


God says to Abraham I will make a covenant with you.
Gen 12:1-3 “The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

But Abraham seeks a SIGN
Gen 15:8 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?"

Then God asked him to bring the articles required for a blood covenant. In ancient times, a covenant was a treaty between two parties. Of which the blood covenant was considered an irrevocable covenant. When God asked to prepare the animals, Abraham understood that this was serious business.

The traditional blood covenant required the sacrifice of animals or several animals. The animal must be cut. The sacrifice of the animal and spilling of its blood between the proponents, is why we term this kind of covenant the blood covenant.

After the animal was cut, Abraham was put into a deep sleep, then the spirit of Abraham and the God’s Spirit passed between the cut halves of the animals. “A smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates—“ Gen 15:17-18

God’s covenant with Abram was a blood covenant. Meaning that if any party, broke the covenant, they need to die for the Covenant to be renewed. God made the covenant to Abraham and to all of Abraham’s descendents. And we Christians are Abraham’s descendants! All of Abraham’s descendants broke the covenant many times especially by worshipping the Golden calf.

So the entire nation of Israel needed to die to revive the Covenant promise. God knew that this was impossible by man, so He sent His only son Jesus to die on the cross as a blood sacrifice and revive the covenant. When it was revived it became a better covenant as it was made between Jesus and God and would never be broken.

Hebrews 8:7-13
For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people [notice the problem was not with the covenant He made, but with the unfaithful response of the people] and said: "The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ’Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.

Because God’s word is eternal and the covenant terms had to be fulfilled on behalf of Abraham before He could bless the descendants of Abraham. Here we see the love of God. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16. This is the reason why he caused Jesus to be born on earth to die as a bloody sacrifice to revive the covenant made with Abraham, so that he could fulfill the promise made to Abraham, even though Abraham’s progeny could not.


This covenant with Abraham, (God changed Abram’s name to Abraham in Genesis 17:5), was the beginning covenant which was fulfilled with the sacrifice of His Son and our Lord, Christ Jesus.
THE PRONOUNCEMENTS OF BLESSINGS AND CURSES. This occurred in the presence of the witnesses after cutting the heifer, walking through the pieces, and striking the hands.
At this point in the ceremony the partners faced one another, and each said these words: "SO LONG AS YOU KEEP THE TERMS OF THIS COVENANT, blessed shall you be when you go out and when you come in. Blessed shall you be when you rise up and when you lay down. Blessed shall be your wife, blessed shall be your children, blessed shall be all that you put your hands to."
Because the culture revolved around an agrarian or agricultural economy, he would also say, "Blessed shall be your oxen, your donkeys, your fields, and the produce of your fields."
After a pause, he’d say: "BUT IF YOU VIOLATE THE TERMS OF THIS COVENANT, cursed shall you be when you rise up and lay down. Cursed shall be your wife, your children. Cursed shall be your oxen, your donkeys, your land."

==> And on and on he would go. When he had ended, his partner would pronounce the same blessings and curses. THESE PRONOUNCEMENTS SIGNIFIED THAT TWO PEOPLE WERE ENTERING INTO ONENESS.
As Hebrews 8:6 tells us,
“… the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs (i.e. the priests of the O.T.) as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.”

In Hebrews 9:22 we’re told “the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

BUT Hebrews 10:4 declares “…it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

In Christ Jesus!


Prince Karikkassery

 

[Ryan]

Genesis 15:17 "It came about when the sun had set, that it was very dark, and behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a flaming torch which passed between these pieces."

In a covenant, there are the two parties that walk through the blood. But in this, only God did so. So what does that represent?

Natan Lawrence has this interesting thought into the purpose for this “Did YHVH and Abraham go through such a solemn, bloody ritual? Yes, for we read about it in Gen. 15:9-18, but with one very interesting change. Instead of both walking through the two animal halves, YHVH put Abraham into a deep sleep and YHVH walked through the middle for both of them. What is the point? Abraham could not enter into a covenantal agreement with YHVH Elohim and thereby be reconciled to YHVH through his own works or efforts. What this clearly shows us is that man can neither earn nor work out his salvation. Salvation occurs only when man totally surrenders to and rests completely in YHVH. Salvation is by grace through faith and not of works, lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:8-9). The Abrahamic Covenant is an unconditional covenant. YHVH did all the work for man. His love was unconditional.”

The "torch" in Genesis 15:17 represents the very essence of God who took on the covenantal agreement. This "torch is also found in Isaiah 62:1 "For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not keep quiet, Until her righteousness goes forth like brightness, And her salvation (Jesus) like a torch that is burning." Jesus's name means Salvation and he is completely trustworthy, the covenant is eternal.

The Abrahamic covenants is like our safety net. When we break the subsequent covenants that come after through our sin, he will remember this covenant that is based on faith. Jesus is the promise of the seed that was to come through Abraham and Sarah.

Genesis 15:4 "Then behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir."

Galatians 3:16 "Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ"

Galatians 3:8-9 "The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer."

 

[gr8grace]

This what the person who placed things according to understanding 1 replies to you all


God says to Abraham I will make a covenant with you.
Gen 12:1-3 “The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

But Abraham seeks a SIGN
Gen 15:8 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?"

Then God asked him to bring the articles required for a blood covenant. In ancient times, a covenant was a treaty between two parties. Of which the blood covenant was considered an irrevocable covenant. When God asked to prepare the animals, Abraham understood that this was serious business.

The traditional blood covenant required the sacrifice of animals or several animals. The animal must be cut. The sacrifice of the animal and spilling of its blood between the proponents, is why we term this kind of covenant the blood covenant.

After the animal was cut, Abraham was put into a deep sleep, then the spirit of Abraham and the God’s Spirit passed between the cut halves of the animals. “A smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates—“ Gen 15:17-18

God’s covenant with Abram was a blood covenant. Meaning that if any party, broke the covenant, they need to die for the Covenant to be renewed. God made the covenant to Abraham and to all of Abraham’s descendents. And we Christians are Abraham’s descendants! All of Abraham’s descendants broke the covenant many times especially by worshipping the Golden calf.

So the entire nation of Israel needed to die to revive the Covenant promise. God knew that this was impossible by man, so He sent His only son Jesus to die on the cross as a blood sacrifice and revive the covenant. When it was revived it became a better covenant as it was made between Jesus and God and would never be broken.

Hebrews 8:7-13
For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people [notice the problem was not with the covenant He made, but with the unfaithful response of the people] and said: "The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ’Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.

Because God’s word is eternal and the covenant terms had to be fulfilled on behalf of Abraham before He could bless the descendants of Abraham. Here we see the love of God. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16. This is the reason why he caused Jesus to be born on earth to die as a bloody sacrifice to revive the covenant made with Abraham, so that he could fulfill the promise made to Abraham, even though Abraham’s progeny could not.


This covenant with Abraham, (God changed Abram’s name to Abraham in Genesis 17:5), was the beginning covenant which was fulfilled with the sacrifice of His Son and our Lord, Christ Jesus.
THE PRONOUNCEMENTS OF BLESSINGS AND CURSES. This occurred in the presence of the witnesses after cutting the heifer, walking through the pieces, and striking the hands.
At this point in the ceremony the partners faced one another, and each said these words: "SO LONG AS YOU KEEP THE TERMS OF THIS COVENANT, blessed shall you be when you go out and when you come in. Blessed shall you be when you rise up and when you lay down. Blessed shall be your wife, blessed shall be your children, blessed shall be all that you put your hands to."
Because the culture revolved around an agrarian or agricultural economy, he would also say, "Blessed shall be your oxen, your donkeys, your fields, and the produce of your fields."
After a pause, he’d say: "BUT IF YOU VIOLATE THE TERMS OF THIS COVENANT, cursed shall you be when you rise up and lay down. Cursed shall be your wife, your children. Cursed shall be your oxen, your donkeys, your land."

==> And on and on he would go. When he had ended, his partner would pronounce the same blessings and curses. THESE PRONOUNCEMENTS SIGNIFIED THAT TWO PEOPLE WERE ENTERING INTO ONENESS.
As Hebrews 8:6 tells us,
“… the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs (i.e. the priests of the O.T.) as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.”

In Hebrews 9:22 we’re told “the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

BUT Hebrews 10:4 declares “…it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

In Christ Jesus!


Prince Karikkassery

Hi Jonah,

The writer says that the blood made it a conditional covenant. Its just the opposite of that, the blood made it unconditional. the key is in Gen 15:10 bpart....the birds represented the deity of Christ. so it is an unconditional covenant. The Christ which was to come through this UNCONDITIONAL covenant would be the new covenant that would eradicate the Mosaic covenant.

You can debunk the whole theory with the Verses he used in Hebrews.

In Heb 8:9 The covenant that is in view to be obsolete is the MOSAIC(law) covenant which was CONDITIONAL, And the new covenant that would make the MOSAIC covenant obsolete is the Christ, who is part of the unconditional ABRAHAMIC covenant.

In Heb 8:10 God is telling us the fulfillment of the ABRAHAMIC covenant With the new covenant of the Christ which replaced the MOSAIC covenant.

So the mosaic covenant is the conditional covenant made obsolete in these verses.

He is right about the people and making covenants together, But in the Abrahamic covenant God did it all, Abraham was snoring.

 

[Ryan]

Hi Jonah,

The writer says that the blood made it a conditional covenant. Its just the opposite of that, the blood made it unconditional. the key is in Gen 15:10 bpart....the birds represented the deity of Christ. so it is an unconditional covenant. The Christ which was to come through this UNCONDITIONAL covenant would be the new covenant that would eradicate the Mosaic covenant.

You can debunk the whole theory with the Verses he used in Hebrews.

In Heb 8:9 The covenant that is in view to be obsolete is the MOSAIC(law) covenant which was CONDITIONAL, And the new covenant that would make the MOSAIC covenant obsolete is the Christ, who is part of the unconditional ABRAHAMIC covenant.

In Heb 8:10 God is telling us the fulfillment of the ABRAHAMIC covenant With the new covenant of the Christ which replaced the MOSAIC covenant.

So the mosaic covenant is the conditional covenant made obsolete in these verses.

He is right about the people and making covenants together, But in the Abrahamic covenant God did it all, Abraham was snoring.

Confused yet Jonahmano? Covenants build on top of each other. Like that see through paper you can draw stuff on, then add another drawing and put it on top of the picture to add more detail to the original drawing.

Hebrews 7 and 8 and talking specifically about the Levitical Priesthood. So what must vanish must be discussed within the context of what was being taught for in chapters 7 and 8. It was never any covenant that was drifting away. It was the provisions for the priesthood. Instead of the earthly priests, we now have the Heavenly Priest in Jesus. It was a changing of the guard so to speak.

If covenants disappear then Galatians 3:15-18 is a liar " Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ. What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise."

How much clearer could that be?

 

[gr8grace]

Confused yet Jonahmano? Covenants build on top of each other. Like that see through paper you can draw stuff on, then add another drawing and put it on top of the picture to add more detail to the original drawing.

Hebrews 7 and 8 and talking specifically about the Levitical Priesthood. So what must vanish must be discussed within the context of what was being taught for in chapters 7 and 8. It was never any covenant that was drifting away. It was the provisions for the priesthood. Instead of the earthly priests, we now have the Heavenly Priest in Jesus. It was a changing of the guard so to speak.

If covenants disappear then Galatians 3:15-18 is a liar " Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ. What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise."

How much clearer could that be?

and the next verse in Galatians....Gal 3:19 Why then the Law? It was added because of transgressions, UNTIL the offspring should come to whom the PROMISE had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.

The promise was the ratified covenant, not the law. The law was temporary until the promise came. Paul is actually telling us that the law could not make the promise obsolete.

Gal 3:24-25 The law was our guardian. ...But now that faith has come we are no longer under a guardian.

The law passes away because the promise was revealed. The promise took its rightful position(Christ) over the Law.

Heb 8:13 in speaking of a new covenant(Christ,promise) , He makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. Heb 8:6-7

 

[tim-from-pa]

Genesis 17:16 "I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will [m]come from her.â€

It was always through the seed of the promise, Isaac as that is what the faith was built on. It wasn't built on the bond servant and the acts of the flesh.

Galatians 3:16 "Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,†as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,†that is, Christ."



How could it not? Are the Arabs not abundant and some countries wealthy? One could argue though these promises hasn't come to full fruition yet.

Out of covenant and not inheritors to the promises.


??? Stumped. Don't know what this means.

The crux of what I'm saying is that there's earthly, physical recipients, and then there's spiritual.

Many offspring in Christ does not fulfil the promise of many nations or many people. These are actual offspring and political entities promised to Abraham, and BTW, it's not fulfilled in any other middle eastern nations such as Arabic. They don't have the birthright, neither do any other middle eastern nations, and not Jews, nor Christians. These all do not fulfil the likes of Genesis 35:11.

When people innumerate the promises to Abraham, they basically expand out on Genesis 12:1-3. Even on this thread. But there's various things promised in other chapters, namely 13, 15, 17, 21, 22, and for Jacob 28, 35, and then later in Genesis 48 and 49. These promises are all over the place. It's not merely "blessings" and "seed". It involves more than Christ.

 

[Ryan]

and the next verse in Galatians....Gal 3:19 Why then the Law? It was added because of transgressions, UNTIL the offspring should come to whom the PROMISE had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.

The promise was the ratified covenant, not the law. The law was temporary until the promise came. Paul is actually telling us that the law could not make the promise obsolete.

The law was never temporary, or Psalm 119 was the greatest lie ever told in the bible. But were we talking about the Abrahamic covenants?

The law was added because of transgressions. Because "where there is no law, there is no transgression" Romans 4:15.

"Why then the Law? It was added because of transgressions, UNTIL the offspring should come to whom the PROMISE had been made" To whom was the promise made? Galatians 3:16 "Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ." So say you were watching a group of kids one day and they were completely respectful, compliant, obedient, loving, etc, would you need any rules to keep them from doing wrong? The second day they were atrocious and were screaming, fighting, etc. Would you need rules then for them to walk in obedience and love? The same is true of God, he has provided us ordinances and laws to keep us from doing wrong to one another and to God due to our evil inclination.

The earth is full of unruly children who need instructions in righteousness, but also need redemption from sin. If no law was given, then God's righteous standard would have been unknow and none of us would have realized that we needed to repent and be forgiven for anything.

Paul knew this was a hard to understand passage, so in Galatians 3:21 he upholds the Law to ensure there is nothing clearer that about the role of the law in verse 21, "Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law." The "a law" Paul was talking about was the conversion to being legally Jewish, or some other salvation by works to complete the salvation process as that was the messages the troublemakers were spreading. In passages such as this in Romans 3:31 "Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law." Language like that is crystal clear, Paul's message and passion for the Law is it was never done away with.

Gal 3:24-25 The law was our guardian. ...But now that faith has come we are no longer under a guardian.

Galatians 3:24-25 "But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.

"Tutor" here is used in the sense that it was a boy's escort, bodyguard, or someone responsible for that child's safety to and from school. Concordance #G3807
"Kept in custody" was used as "protected," "kept safe," or "guarded." Concordance #G5432
"Shut up" has a positive connotation to it as being "enclosed" and "kept in." Concordance #G4788

So knowing the Greek, it was intended to keep a child inside for their lessons and wouldn't allow them to follow their friends to get themselves into trouble. It kept them inside for the purpose of receiving an education. Galations 3:23-34 would be more accurately translated like this, "But before faith came, we were KEPT PROTECTED under the Law, being KEPT INSIDE FOR the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our CARETAKER to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith."

Paul was trying to point out that the Torah was the warden to watch over and protect Israel. It established moral boundaries while awaiting for the Messiah that was still not fully revealed in the Torah to them. In Galatia, some people still believed that converting to being Jewish and keeping the Law was the way to earn salvation. Paul continues in verse 25 " But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor [caretaker]. The caretaker never did the teaching as they were the escort or bodyguard. The Law brought them to Christ as Jesus taught in John 5:46-47 "For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” When Paul says "we are no longer under a tutor," he does not mean or imply the Law is null and void. He is saying we should not use the Law or conversion to Judaism to merit our salvation. Knowing that salvation is and always was through the grace of God in Jesus Christ for all.

The law passes away because the promise was revealed. The promise took its rightful position(Christ) over the Law.

The two were never opposed each other. How could God be opposed to his own Word?

Heb 8:13 in speaking of a new covenant(Christ,promise) , He makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. Heb 8:6-7

I've already spoken to this as in Hebrews 7 and 8 is talking about the change in Priesthood from Levitical to Melchizedek. The word "covenant" is in Italics indicating it was an addition by the translators to help provide commentary to understand a passage. In this case, look it up and you'll see it's not there in any Interlinear Bible. If you continue reading in Hebrews 9, it is clear it was still talking about the priestly system.

Hebrews 9:1 "Now even the first covenant [<insertion]had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary."
Hebrews 9:2 " For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place."
And on and on it goes it is clearly about the Priesthood.

The crux of what I'm saying is that there's earthly, physical recipients, and then there's spiritual.

Many offspring in Christ does not fulfil the promise of many nations or many people. These are actual offspring and political entities promised to Abraham, and BTW, it's not fulfilled in any other middle eastern nations such as Arabic. They don't have the birthright, neither do any other middle eastern nations, and not Jews, nor Christians. These all do not fulfil the likes of Genesis 35:11.

When people innumerate the promises to Abraham, they basically expand out on Genesis 12:1-3. Even on this thread. But there's various things promised in other chapters, namely 13, 15, 17, 21, 22, and for Jacob 28, 35, and then later in Genesis 48 and 49. These promises are all over the place. It's not merely "blessings" and "seed". It involves more than Christ.

Maybe I am dense, but I am still not following you. I believe there are physical and spiritual heirs to the promises, but the most important is everyone was always welcome to live by faith as Abraham did.

 

[John 8:32]

The law was never temporary, or Psalm 119 was the greatest lie ever told in the bible. But were we talking about the Abrahamic covenants?

The law was added because of transgressions. Because "where there is no law, there is no transgression" Romans 4:15.

"Why then the Law? It was added because of transgressions, UNTIL the offspring should come to whom the PROMISE had been made" To whom was the promise made? Galatians 3:16 "Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,†as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,†that is, Christ." So say you were watching a group of kids one day and they were completely respectful, compliant, obedient, loving, etc, would you need any rules to keep them from doing wrong? The second day they were atrocious and were screaming, fighting, etc. Would you need rules then for them to walk in obedience and love? The same is true of God, he has provided us ordinances and laws to keep us from doing wrong to one another and to God due to our evil inclination.

And here is where many get confused about what law was added. Let's look at a few passages concerning this...

Gen 26:5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

Scripture says here that Abraham kept the Commandments, the statutes and the laws. Let's look further back (closer to creation). First of all, what is sin?

Rom 4:15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

1Jn 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Sin is the breaking (transgression) of God's law. So, let's go back to very close to creation...

Gen 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

There is no sin where there is no law...

Rom 5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

So clearly, there had to be law. The Ten Commandments have been in force at least since creation. It can be determined that they were inforce prior to that...

Eze 28:15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

Iniquity from Bullingers...

App-44

Companion Bible
Appendix #44
44. SIN, TRESPASS, INIQUITY, &c.

6.'aval , unjust , unfairness, sin in its nature as deceitful , dishonesty, that which is not equal and right, unfairness in dealings. Rendered unjust (Psa_43:1; Psa_82:2. Pro_29:27. Isa_26:10), unrighteous (Lev_19:15; Lev_19:35).

Satan sinned before man was created. He was created perfect and became the Devil after he sinned. So there was law prior to the creation in Gen 2. So what was added 430 years later?

Deu 5:22 These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.

God gave the Ten Commandments to Israel, He simply codified them and restated them, but they were in existence prior to that. The important point in this passage is that "He added no more". When were sacrifices added? About nine months after the law was given. The first Passover occured on the 14th of the 1st month...

Exo 12:2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
Exo 12:6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.

The Sabbath was reinstituted in Israel in the 2nd month...

Exo 16:1 And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.

And at that time, God's law was in force...

Exo 16:28 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?

Mt. Sinai occurred on Pentecost of that year, but the sacrifices could not be offered until a Tabernacle was raised up and a Priesthood consecrated. When did this happen?

Exo 40:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Exo 40:2 On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.
Exo 40:3 And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail.

The first day of the first month, but it had to be the second year. So finally, with a Priesthood and Tabernacle, sacrifices could be offered. They were not part of the original Covenant...

Exo 24:3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.

This was the Old Covenant. The Laws were the terms, but the Covenant itself, was the agreement that God would be their God and bless them and they would obey Him. What was added was the law of sacrifices...

Jer 7:22 For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:
Jer 7:23 But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.
Jer 7:24 But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.

The sacrificial law was then a bloody reminder that when they broke the Law, they had sinned and that sin requires blood...

Heb 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
Heb 10:2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
Heb 10:3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
Heb 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

This was the schoolmaster to bring them and us to Christ...

Gal 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
Gal 3:20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
Gal 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
Gal 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

The earth is full of unruly children who need instructions in righteousness, but also need redemption from sin. If no law was given, then God's righteous standard would have been unknow and none of us would have realized that we needed to repent and be forgiven for anything.

Paul knew this was a hard to understand passage, so in Galatians 3:21 he upholds the Law to ensure there is nothing clearer that about the role of the law in verse 21, "Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law." The "a law" Paul was talking about was the conversion to being legally Jewish, or some other salvation by works to complete the salvation process as that was the messages the troublemakers were spreading. In passages such as this in Romans 3:31 "Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law." Language like that is crystal clear, Paul's message and passion for the Law is it was never done away with.


Galatians 3:24-25 "But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.

"Tutor" here is used in the sense that it was a boy's escort, bodyguard, or someone responsible for that child's safety to and from school. Concordance #G3807
"Kept in custody" was used as "protected," "kept safe," or "guarded." Concordance #G5432
"Shut up" has a positive connotation to it as being "enclosed" and "kept in." Concordance #G4788

So knowing the Greek, it was intended to keep a child inside for their lessons and wouldn't allow them to follow their friends to get themselves into trouble. It kept them inside for the purpose of receiving an education. Galations 3:23-34 would be more accurately translated like this, "But before faith came, we were KEPT PROTECTED under the Law, being KEPT INSIDE FOR the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our CARETAKER to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith."

Paul was trying to point out that the Torah was the warden to watch over and protect Israel. It established moral boundaries while awaiting for the Messiah that was still not fully revealed in the Torah to them. In Galatia, some people still believed that converting to being Jewish and keeping the Law was the way to earn salvation. Paul continues in verse 25 " But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor [caretaker]. The caretaker never did the teaching as they were the escort or bodyguard. The Law brought them to Christ as Jesus taught in John 5:46-47 "For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?†When Paul says "we are no longer under a tutor," he does not mean or imply the Law is null and void. He is saying we should not use the Law or conversion to Judaism to merit our salvation. Knowing that salvation is and always was through the grace of God in Jesus Christ for all.



The two were never opposed each other. How could God be opposed to his own Word?


I've already spoken to this as in Hebrews 7 and 8 is talking about the change in Priesthood from Levitical to Melchizedek. The word "covenant" is in Italics indicating it was an addition by the translators to help provide commentary to understand a passage. In this case, look it up and you'll see it's not there in any Interlinear Bible. If you continue reading in Hebrews 9, it is clear it was still talking about the priestly system.

Hebrews 9:1 "Now even the first covenant [<insertion]had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary."
Hebrews 9:2 " For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place."
And on and on it goes it is clearly about the Priesthood.


Maybe I am dense, but I am still not following you. I believe there are physical and spiritual heirs to the promises, but the most important is everyone was always welcome to live by faith as Abraham did.

 

[Ryan]

God’s covenant with Abram was a blood covenant. Meaning that if any party, broke the covenant, they need to die for the Covenant to be renewed. God made the covenant to Abraham and to all of Abraham’s descendents. And we Christians are Abraham’s descendants! All of Abraham’s descendants broke the covenant many times especially by worshipping the Golden calf.

So the entire nation of Israel needed to die to revive the Covenant promise. God knew that this was impossible by man, so He sent His only son Jesus to die on the cross as a blood sacrifice and revive the covenant. When it was revived it became a better covenant as it was made between Jesus and God and would never be broken.

Hebrews 8:7-13
For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people [notice the problem was not with the covenant He made, but with the unfaithful response of the people] and said: "The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ’Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.

Because God’s word is eternal and the covenant terms had to be fulfilled on behalf of Abraham before He could bless the descendants of Abraham. Here we see the love of God. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.†John 3:16. This is the reason why he caused Jesus to be born on earth to die as a bloody sacrifice to revive the covenant made with Abraham, so that he could fulfill the promise made to Abraham, even though Abraham’s progeny could not.

I know of the teaching that you have heard. The nuts and bolts of it is God was married to Israel.

Israel 45:5
For your Maker is your husband,
The Lord of hosts is His name;
And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel;
He is called the God of the whole earth.

At Mt. Sinai was when God made a covenant and married Israel.

Exodus 34:27 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write these words, for according to the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.â€

But due to Israel's fornication and idolatry over many centuries, God finally had enough and divorced Israel.

Jeremiah 3:8 Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also.

So on we go to Jeremiah 31 and God making a New Covenant with the House of Israel.

Jeremiah 31:31-32 “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord.

That's all great and dandy, Israel will finally proclaim the Lord as their king and we will live happily ever after. However, there was a problem. God cannot go against his own righteous laws and ordinances. He is bound to them, just as much as God when he was made flesh in Jesus to live a sinless life. So what couldn't God do?

Deuteronomy 24:1-4 When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some uncleanness in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, 2 when she has departed from his house, and goes and becomes another man’s wife, 3 if the latter husband detests her and writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her as his wife, 4then her former husband who divorced her must not take her back to be his wife after she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before the Lord, and you shall not bring sin on the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.

God could not remarry Israel again after he divorced them. That is why God could not remarry Israel again. One of them had to die, and we know it was Jesus who was sent to die for our sins, but to also renew the covenant he had made with Israel. Thus was the greatest love story ever told.

That's the cliff notes of the teaching I believe you are referring to.