“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.” Galatians 3:19, the unusual red print indicating today’s Text!
“Till” here (“achri” in Greek) simply means “until” in English, as you would suspect.
People are NOT to serve the Law!
The LAW was given by God TO SERVE the PEOPLE!
The Law was a needed “addition” to God’s overall Plan, man having sinned as he did. Sinned serially, again and again! The Law reveals God’s Holy Standard of proper behavior! His “Code” of Righteousness!
Romans 3:10 … “By the law is the knowledge of sin.” This is Paul at his best, on the subject of the Law!
Romans 7:17 … Paul’s personal testimony even! “I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.”
Wow!
And all this … “UNTIL THE SEED SHOULD COME!”
What Seed, Who is this coming One?
I certainly believe it is JESUS, God’s Darling Son!
The One who could remove the transgressions the Law so clearly revealed!
But get this about Jesus, about the True, Ultimate Seed of Abraham … yet God the Son as well … “till the Seed should come … to Whom the promise was made!”
God made Jesus a Promise?
Yes.
About His Saviourhood, I think.
That if Jesus would come to earth and die, a Body of people would believe on Him and make Him Lord of their lives! Peter speaks of a Lamb, of Christ … “Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world.” (1 Peter 1:20) And in Isaiah 53 Jesus is prophesied to (at Calvary) … “SEE HIS SEED (future Believers), He shall prolong his days (His Resurrection), and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant JUSTIFY MANY; for he shall BEAR THEIR INIQUITIES.”
Praise the Lord!
The Law … effective to show humankind their sins … TILL Jesus came and died for those sins! (And now, for the Christian, Jesus IS the Law, the Everything we need!)
Soul winners, it is still appropriate to use the Law of Moses … to show people how far “short” they have come of the Righteousness (the Glory) of God!
Then, once the lost man is convicted of his dangerous position … point him to Jesus as Saviour!
Wow!
What a Plan!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell