(Galatians 5:18) “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are
not under the law.”
Introduction
This
is a remarkable verse that could be missed entirely if not understood
correctly. Throughout the ages God has established covenants with mankind. After
the great flood which destroyed the world some four thousand years ago, He made
a promise to Noah and the creatures that were rescued from His wrath that had
entered the ark. Here is what has been recorded; “Then
God said to Noah and to his sons with him, "Behold, I establish my
covenant with you and your offspring after you, and with every living creature
that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with
you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth. I establish my covenant with
you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood,
and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth." (Genesis 9:8-11) - What was the purpose and result of
this covenant? Just as it had been in the beginning, in the days of Adam, they
were to replenish the earth through procreation. Through those eight souls, the
global population now stands at 7.5 billion people. We all originated from
those eight souls. The same must be said for our wildlife; what ever came out
of the Ark leaves us with what we have today.
God then singles out Abram and establishes a
covenant with him and promises him a son who he gives to him once his wife
Sarah is past the age being able to conceive and give birth, miraculously God
intervenes, leaving no doubt that He is behind Isaacs’s birth, the child of
promise. Who then goes on to father Jacob, whose name is later changed to
Israel. God deals with a sect of the world population, whose offspring is known
today as the Jews. Moses then arrives freeing them from Egyptian slavery and God
then uses him to introduce the Law, God’s Law, which we know today as the Ten
Commandments. There are obviously laws within the law, 613 of them. And in
order for these people to find forgiveness for their sins, sacrifice is
introduced as a way of life. Without the shedding of blood there could be no
remission of sins. Eve’s sin had taken care of that.
Then the grand finale of the brilliance of God’s
plan is ushered in, a child is born in a manger, the arrival of God’s only
begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ; the One who was to take away the sins of
the world. He grew up into manhood breaking the shackles of sin, He lived a
life without ever breaching one of those laws that God had given to Moses. He
then dies for the sinners of the world and He pays the price we could never wage
giving us an out from the judgement to come. He died to set sinners free; “Jesus
in my place” now a reality for mankind; bless His name now and forever more,
Amen! The second covenant now much better than the first. A covenant of grace
and not law, wow! “This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.” (Hebrews 7:22) –
It is phenomenal when the Spirit of God begins to unravel His plan to wretches
like you and I. God sending His Son to die for me, who can fathom it, WOW! But
when we begin to understand the depths of it, it is remarkable. Thank you
Father, I love you with all my heart.
As a grown man of 50 years old and with tears
streaming down my face as the Spirit of God has given me a fresh glimpse of
what He has done for me in Christ is extremely humbling; thank you Jesus for
loving me.
Lord willing we will endeavour to explore this
topic in much more depth in the weeks to come.
Signing off
Tyrone
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