The Holy Spirit directed me this morning to bring this little looked at passage to light in a study. It has some amazing implications regarding end time prophecy and the issue of the "confimed covenant" so many falsely teach will be a peace covenant "with many" and Israel. Be prepared to have that bubble popped as we look deeper into His Word.

First the passage starting at verse 14 so we can understand the context of this message. Galatians 3:14-17;

14: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith .

15: Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth , or addeth thereto.

16: Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many ; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

17:And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after , cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

Let's look at what Paul is talking about. In verse 14 he is saying there is a promise that was a blessing given to Abraham that would come to the Gentiles (non Jews), as to seeds, as of many , through Jesus. We need to first find that promise, or blessing, given Abraham. We need to realize also from verse 17 that it came 430 years before the law was given. Where is this promise?

Look with me first to Exodus 12:40 where we see the Israelites preparing to leave Egypt AFTER 430 years of exile.

Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years .

So this promise given Abraham before the law was given to Moses must have been just before they went into exile in Egypt. When they came out of Egypt, God called Moses up to Mount Sinai and gave him the stone tablets with the law engraved. Exodus 24:12;

And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

Now verse 17 of Galatians 3 states there was a covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ 430 years before the law was given. Let's keep tracking back to the time just before Israel went into exile.

If we look to Genesis 45 we see Joseph, who if you recall, was sold into slavery in Egypt by his jealous brothers who told Jacob (Israel) he was dead. Remember he lived in the house of Potiphar? Gen. 39 . Look at Genesis 45:26-28 as we see Jacob (Israel) about to die and he discovers his beloved son Joseph, is yet alive and governor of all Egypt. Jacob tells his sons and family to gather up him and their belongings and take him to Egypt to see his son Joseph before he dies.

Gen. 45:26-28;

26: And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not.

27: And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived:

28: And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.

Moving just to the next four passages in Genesis 46:1-4 we see Israel (Jacob) packed up, ready to depart and he goes to Beersheb a to make a sacrificial offering to God and God speaks to Israel. Contained in this passage is the promise. Follow along.

1: And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac.

2: And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.

3: And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation

4: I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.

Verse three is the promise given 430 years before the law was given to Moses. The promise to Israel (Jacob) that God would make him a great nation. The everlasting covenant between God and Israel that they would be a great nation.

You might be saying how can we know this is the same? Look with me to 1 Chronicles 16:15-18 and we will see this same "confimed covenant" spoken to and recorded as such.

15: Be ye mindful always of his covenant ; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations;

16: Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham , and of his oath unto Isaac;

17: And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant ,

18: Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance;

There it is spoken to once again family. The covenant God made with Abraham in Genesis 17:7;

And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

The seed of Abraham God "establishes" his covenant with is Isaac, seen in Genesis 17:21;

But my covenant will I establish with Isaac , which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

The Hebrew used here for "establish" is "quwm" (koom) 6965; and means: to confirm , ratify, establish, impose

Looking back at what was just "confirmed" to Israel by God 430 years before the law was given. God says in 1 Ch. 16:17 that He has comfirmed ('amad. Heb.) His verbal agreement to Israel from Abraham through Isaac, for an everlasting covenant.

Now, looking back to Galatians 3:17 one might say, where is Jesus in al of this? Remeber Jesus is God. The Father and the Son are one, yet seperate. God gave Abraham a promise that He confirmed through Christ 430 years before there was even a law, just as Galatians 3:17 states. How can we know? Look at what Paul tells us in verse 13 of Galatians 3;

13: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law , being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Jesus redeemed us from the law that was given 430 years after He and His father "confirmed", or agreed, in heaven what must be done to redeem man from sin. Now look at the point that affirms the "covenant with many" was "confirmed" by Christ so man could be redeemed unto God. Galatians 3:18 & 19;

18: For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

19: 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.

Can you see what is being said here? Go back up to Galatians 3:14 and look what is being said. We, the Gentiles receive the promise given Abraham. The blessing promised Abraham is given us through the Spirit by FAITH.

Verse 15 tells us it was "confirmed" and man cannot disannul it, or make it go away. Verse 16 tells the promise was made to Abraham and his seed, but not just his seed, the "SEEDS OF MANY" which are one seed in Jesus Christ. That seed, is the "many" who come to faith in Christ and are adpoted as sons into the promise!

Verse 16 states clearly this "covenant with the seeds of not just Abraham, but, MANY" which the law which was "ADDED BECAUSE OF TRANSGRESSIONS" (v. 19) 430 years after the confirmation of the covenant (v. 17) cannot disannul.

People this is the "covenant with many" Christ "confirmed" by God in Christ, 430 years BEFORE the law was added. (V. 19). The law was added on top of the already confirmed in heaven covenant by God and Jesus, the moment God promised Israel (Jacob), when he went into Egypt he would be a great nation.

There is no coming "covenant with many" nations and Israel. This covenant was confirmed 430 years before the law was ever given. As clearly stated in the above passages, it was confirmed to the many seeds of Abraham, but, not just his true seed, also the seed of the MANY Gentiles grafted into the blessing by the promise through faith in Christ.

The "HE" of the "covenant with many" is Jesus, the Christ of God. Jesus was the "coming prince" and is He, who by faith, we are adopted into the promise by faith and the seed of Abraham. Not my "interpretation", precisely what His Word states.

The covenant with many was confirmed 430 years before the law , because of transgression, was added. The law, as clearly stated, cannot disannul the confirmed covenant with many. Jesus came and confirmed it among men when He voluntarily allowed Himself to become the LAST sacrifice, in the midst of the 70th week, when He went to the cross. His atoning sacrifice ended, forevermore, the animal sacrfices and meaningless oblations.

He destroyed the need, or ocassion, for there ever to be a stone "temple of God" as we are now that temple wherein His Spirit resides. 1 Cor. 3:16.

Believe it folks. That is the truth.