- What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.
In this chapter of the letter to Galatians, what Paul means is that the promise that was made to Abraham stands until it is fulfilled, even though there came the law 430 years afterwards.
This means that the promise of God is not like the law at all. The promise was made by God and is kept by God alone, whereas the law was given to us so that we would live by them.
Therefore, the promise of blessings of God came to us through the offspring of Abraham, i.e. Jesus Christ.
We have not worked for the blessings of God, nor can we work for the blessings of God. The blessings of God come to us because of the promise made to Abraham that his offspring will be the bringer of the blessings of God.
God said if the Israelites keep the law, there will be blessings but if the Israelites sin, there will be curses. No generation of the Israelites kept the law consistently, they failed again and again. Even the first generation fell in the wilderness because they sinned. The second generation did not completely obey God and did not conquer the land of Canaan completely. They were led astray and sinned.
The curses of the law fell upon Israel down the centuries but God still had mercy on them and sent Judges to deliver them. God's patience and longsuffering were manifested in long rebellious years of Israel's history and the curses of God were also poured out upon Israel when the cup of the wrath of God was filled to the brim and overflowed.
However, the blessings of God that was promised to Abraham still stood. Therefore, Israel could be blessed through Jesus. However, only true Israel were blessed, even those who are in Jesus by faith.
None of us deserves the blessings of God. We have all failed to keep the law of God and sinned against Him, and according to the law of Moses, all of us are under the curse and wrath of God. But because of God's promise that those who are in the offspring of Abraham, i.e. Jesus Christ, will be blessed, we are blessed in Jesus.
The curse of the law was done away on the cross of Jesus, and we are blessed in Jesus. In Jesus alone, we are blessed. Praise the Lord. Hallelujah.
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