Abraham

Day 3

You have been estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

—Galatians 5:4–5

Prayer First: _______________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

I believe you will find today’s study a bit intriguing as you begin to understand the connection of the “Abrahamic covenant” with God’s Law and the two sons of Abraham. As we see God’s plan of redemption continuing to unfold, it is as if more pieces of the puzzle continue to fall into place.

Now let’s take a closer look at the covenant that God made with Abraham. From Genesis 17, list all that you learn about God’s covenant with Abraham, including promises that were made by God to Abraham.

In this chapter the act of circumcision of every male child and Abraham himself was the sign of the covenant between God and Abraham. While God promised to bless Ishmael, He revealed that this covenant would be established through Abraham’s and Sarah’s son Isaac, who would be born one year later. The importance of this command made by God upon Abraham and his descendants is confirmed by verse 14 when God states that those who do not obey this demand have broken His covenant and will be cut off from His people. God again promises to Abraham and his descendants the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession and also promises to be their God.

Insert (near the next reading passages and two questions) And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you according to all these words.” --Exodus 24:8

Let’s briefly look at another covenant that God made with His people later in the Old Testament. Skim Exodus 19–23; then read Exodus 24.

List as many details as you can from the Exodus 24 passage about the “old covenant” God made with His people through His servant Moses.

What was the people’s responsibility in this covenant?

One can only imagine the sight of such a ceremony as was recorded in Exodus 24! Again we find with this covenant, as with the Abrahamic covenant, a symbolization of Holy God stooping down in grace to sinful man.

Moses declared the words and judgments of the Lord and the people answered in one voice, stating that they would do all that the Lord had said to do. A foreshadowing picture of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ was the animal sacrifices in these Old Testament times. In this ceremony the sprinkling of the blood on the people was God’s actual establishment of His covenant with His people.

It was at this point in the history of man that God made a huge announcement. God’s Law was given. Man has been made aware that he does not set the standard for right and acceptable living before a Holy God. God Himself is the one who will set those standards.

As the glory of the Lord rested on Mt. Sinai here again we find the Lord as a consuming fire. Surely that powerful and spectacular presence was breathtaking and humbling to the people. Certainly it inspired them without question to respond in unity with a desire to take heed and obey all the words of the Lord.

But would man in his sinful state be enabled by the Law to keep every word of the Law? Because He could not, the animal sacrifices would continue. Still, as stated earlier, they were only a picture of the ultimate sacrifice to come that would be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of Holy God. That ultimate sacrifice was the Lord Jesus Christ. What was required of man was faith that that very sacrifice was the only satisfactory payment for his sin.

Here again we find that it is faith that is acceptable before God and not works. So why was the Law given? Let’s take a look at New Testament passages that will shed some light on this very question.

Read Romans 7:7–25; Galatians 3:15–4:7, 21–31.

From these passages much explanation is given as to why God has given us His Law. Record here what insight you might have received in regard to man’s need and God’s purpose for the Law.

Since God has given us His Law, are we made children of God by keeping the Law?

If we are required to keep the Law but continually break the Law, what actual state of being are we in?

From reading Galatians 4:1–5 what do we learn that God has done about this enslavement that man finds himself in?

Scripture states that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Because of this evident truth, all have broken God’s Law. Mankind was basically enslaved and in bondage with no hope of ever achieving freedom. This is the story of redemption. “When the fullness of time had come God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem those who were under the Law ….) In this passage (Galatians 4:4–5), the Greek word translated “redeem” is exagorazo, meaning “to buy up, ransom, or figuratively to rescue from loss.”

It is only when man recognizes his sinful state that he recognizes his bondage. Many lost individuals are not even aware of their enslavement or their need to be set free. Countless men and women believe that moral and right living is acceptable before God and are unaware that God declares all our righteous acts to be like filthy rags in His sight. They certainly have been taken captive by an enemy and need to be liberated, just as Lot literally needed liberation earlier in our story. All of us have needed deliverance from the yoke of slavery we once found ourselves in. Oh I am so thankful that He has rescued me! How about you?

Read again Galatians 4:21–31 and Romans 9:6–9.

Galatians 4:21–31 talks about the two sons of Abraham and the symbolic meaning associated with their lives. While the promised son Isaac is yet to be born, let’s take a look at these passages that clearly distinguish the differences in spiritual application between these two lives.

List all the facts that you can glean from these passages about these two sons.

Isaac

Ishmael

From all that you have gathered how would you compare

The son of the bondwoman (according to the flesh) to the Law?

The son of the freewoman (according to the promise) to faith?

Verse 29 of Galatians 4 states that “as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the spirit, even so it is now.” Can you relate this in any way to your life presently?

So often we can find ourselves caught in a trap of trying to continually stay “clean” before the Lord. God gave us the Law that we might become aware of our need for redemption. Trying to perfectly follow it sets in motion a pattern of trying to live by the Law but continually breaking the Law, which in turn brings condemnation. This is one of the types of bondage that Satan loves the most. Freedom to live by faith in Jesus, who is the fulfillment of the Law, enables us by His power within us to walk uprightly before the Lord. It is certainly liberating to know that we are children of the freewoman and not of the bondwoman!