15 Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man's covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it.
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.
17 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.
18 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.
Vs. 15 - “Human relations... man’s covenant” - Paul is using the example of a last will and testament to make a point. A legal will can be changed any time during a person’s life. The will is a permanent document when the person dies. Think how many times we have heard of wills being challenged in court. The statements in a will are the desires and promises of the estate owner to the recipients. Courts are loathe to modify a last will and testament. Paul uses this for the following example.
vs. 16 -
“the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed.” - Here are some of the promises made to Abraham -
- A great nation
- Your name will be great
- All peoples will be blessed
- The Land that would become Israel
- Many descendants
- Everlasting
- a Son
- Kings of peoples
- a great and mighty nation
- All the nations will be blessed.
(See Gen. 12:2-3; 13:14-17; 15:1-5; 17:3-7, 15-16; 18:10-15; 22:16-18.) Some of the promises made to Abraham are plural - i.e., references to the twelve tribes. The promises included land they would live in, the domination the descendants would have over their neighbors. The quote, “All the nations of the earth shall be blessed” is the ultimate promise. It is Messianic - the Messiah would be the blessing.
It might be hard to say the world is blessed because of Judaism or the Jewish people (with the exception of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who saves us from our sin!). Don’t try to use doctors, lawyers, and film magnates as examples of blessings. These are all temporal and meaningless in the face of eternity. Where in the world would you ever hear, “We are so blessed by the Jews! We are so glad they live here!”? Probably no where, other than the nation of Israel. The Jews are hated by the world, urged on by Satan. In the same way, Christians are hated by Satan and the world also. Even in the United States of America - founded on Judie-Christian beliefs, where the basis of our Laws are those handed down by God, and our rights are given by God, not by the government - Jews face disdain and bigotry from some people.
vs. 17 - “Four hundred and thirty years later” - The Law was handed to Moses (see Exo. 20:1-17) during the Exodus from Egypt to the Promised Land (promised in Gen. 13:14-17). The descendants of Jacob - all twelve tribes, descendants of Abraham - were given the 10 commandments and the rest, including sacrifices, and holy days, and offerings (see Leviticus 1-27, etc.).
“Does not invalidate a covenant” - The Mosaic covenant - i.e., the Mosaic Law - does not override or cancel the promise (covenant) made to Abraham. God did not modify (write a codicil to) the Abrahamic covenant.
“Nullify the promise” - The covenant is in effect until the promise is fulfilled. God gave the MOsaic covenant the people to help them see there was more, much more to come. He wanted them to know that only some of the promises made to Abraham had been kept. God made this covenant with descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to help them see the Messiah would meet all of the blessings promised to Abraham.
vs. 18 - “If the inheritance is based on law” - A will is a legal document, a contract that is enforced only after the writer dies. Only then does the government enforce the contents and requirements. We trust our legal system to follow the terms of the covenant, that is the will. If our legal system routinely overrode the terms of the will, determining who gets what, then a “last will and testament” has been nullified and is unnecessary. The advent of Christ the Savior, his death and resurrection completed all th the promises made to Abraham. This began a New Covenant - The promise of eternal life with Him because HE paid the price for our sin. The promises to Abraham are fulfilled. The promises of the Mosiac Covenant are realized. The ‘Last Will and Testament’ is being followed by the ultimate executor, God HImself.
“No longer based on a promise” - If the government is in control, no promises can be made. Just as the promise to Abraham was given by God - Abraham did not earn it - so too the New Covenant (not the Mosaic Law) was provided to us by God through His Son, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. We have done nothing to earn or deserve this gift of Life, similar to Abraham. And surely as the promises to Abraham were fulfilled, the promise of eternal life is for those who believe in Him. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. (See: Acts 16:31; Rom. 10:9-10)
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