Even Under Law, God Remembered His Covenant -- with Abraham

"Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:" (Romans 5: 20)

The Ten Commandments was never God's main agenda. The blessings of God on man, the Blessing to Abraham and all his seed, with Jesus as the first-born of many brethren, was God's main agenda, a life of rest and ease in which every human being would believe on Jesus for everything, since by His death and resurrection we receive all things (Romans 8: 31-32)

"The law entered". . .A better translation would read "The law came in through the side" or "the law entered by the way. . " as a parenthetical, not the main stay.

For this reason, Paul would write to the Galatians:

"23But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." (Galatians 3: 23-25)

In the next chapter, Paul refers to the tension in Abraham's household, between his bondmaid Hagar and his lawful, gracious wife Sarah, and through this allegory he vehemently emphasizes the end of the Old Covenant of Law to be replaced by the New Covenant of Grace:

"Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

30Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free." (Galatians 4: 28-31)

 

Now, in the Old Testament, God made a Covenant with Abram (before he was blessed with a new name), a covenant in which God established that through Abram's seed, all the nations would be blessed (Genesis 15). This covenant was not annulled with the introduction of the Ten Commandments.

 

Even in Leviticus, where Moses writes by inspiration of the Holy Spirit that God would visit the iniquity of the Israelites onto them if they did not continue in His covenant, there is a reminder of God's grace to come:

 

"Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land." (Leviticus 26: 42)

 

God the Father does not remember the Covenant with Moses, but with Abraham!

 

The notion that the Covenant begins and ends with the Ten Commandments is a modern invention, and a false one.

 

It's all about the covenant that God cut with Abraham, in which Abram believed on the Lord, and that was accounted to him for righteousness (Genesis 15: 6)

 

We have this righteousness and more because of Jesus, who fulfilled the New and Everlasting Covenant with His blood at Calvary, where today and forever more He reigns in greatest power and glory and represents you and me and all who believe on Him.