Galatians 3:23, 24
“But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.”
Our first parents, Adam and Eve, made their error of disobedience which separated them from God. They were escorted out of the Garden. Their relationship with God was severed. Unfortunately, their sin contaminated all their descendants so we were born with guilt and a proclivity to sin. The Lord had a redemption plan that had several steps.
It began with Abraham. The Lord promised to bless and multiply all his descendants. All Abraham had to do was to follow and obey. Every where this people went they prospered.
While they were blessed and multiplied in Egypt, one of the rulers feared them, so they were enslaved. In that setting, phase two was kicked off through Moses. They were delivered in a dramatic fashion. They were given the Ten Commandments which instructed them how to relate to God and others.
Along with that the sacrificial system was introduced. This showed the people that sin was a problem and the price to be cleansed from it. This cost was the life of a lamb. This must have been shocking. To see the lamb being sacrificed. It also showed the severity of sin.
The Israelites lived for centuries under the Law. They also learned how cumbersome it was. The rules, sin and sacrifice, repeat. Today’s passage says the Law was a tutor that lead them to Christ. Fortunately, the Law and the sacrifices weren’t the final step in God’s plan.
How was the Law to lead them to Christ? By the time Christ came, the people were well aware of sin and the sacrifices that were required. John the Baptist said it plainly in John 1:29, ‘The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”‘ That must have been a puzzling thing to hear. They knew how the lambs would take away sin. Here the great one is described as the lamb. Those that got it must have been astonished. Little did they know that in three years Jesus’ life would be taken as that lamb.
Jesus spoke of principles for living and the way things would be. It wasn’t until the books of Acts with the coming of the Holy Spirit and the apostles revealing this new faith. God’s redemption is now complete. It’s like the gate of the Garden of Eden being opened. We now can come freely into His presence. No sin inhibits and no ceremony is required. The Father and His children now live and walk together.
God, thank You for Your great efforts to bring us back to You. How patient You have been. You knew it would take much time and sacrifice. You loved us each step of the way. Thank You.