Old Testament: Isaiah 25:1-28:13
Read this passage on BibleGateway.com
Isaiah 25:1-28:13 It’s Hymn
Chaps. 25 and 26: These chapters are a hymn of praise to God by the remnant of Israel for bringing them into the Millennium. I memorized Isa. 26:3 early in my Christian life. What a wonderful promise! “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,Because he trusts in You.”
Chapter 26: 4 is the basis for the hymn, “Rock of Ages” by Augustus Toplady.
Chap. 27: Satan is going to “get his.” Everyone will be judged ultimately. Christians will be judged at the bema seat for rewards based on their deeds for the Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:10; 1 Cor. 3:10-15). Unbelievers will be judged at the White Throne (Rev. 20:10-12). Verses 12 -13, taken literally, indicate that Israel will regather as a nation in the Millennium.
Chap. 28: (1-13) Ephraim aka Israel aka the northern kingdom aka Samaria will be captured in Isaiah’s time (v. 1-3). Ephraim aka Israel aka the northern kingdom will also be judged in the future (vv. 4-13).
Verse 10 and 13 are a good way to learn the Bible, “precept upon precept” (KJV) and “line upon line.” There are no shortcuts.
Verse 11 is quoted by Paul in 1 Cor. 14:21 to indicate that tongues-speaking is a judgment on the Jews, that they should accept Christ. Here it is a warning of judgment on Israel by Assyria.
New Testament: Galatians 3:10-22
Read this passage on BibleGateway.com
Galatians 3:10-22 Laying Down The Law
James said that anyone who didn’t keep all the law but failed even in one small point was condemned (cf. Ja. 2: 10). Paul says the same thing in verse 10.
“The righteous” have always “lived by faith” (v. 11). The law can only condemn us. It is like a spotlight that shows up our sin. On the other hand, Christ has set us free from that curse, having become a curse for us by being crucified. Crucifixion is being hung on a tree which was the curse for various offenses in the Old Testament (v. 13, cf. Deut. 21:23). Faith is what allows us today to share in the blessing of Abraham (v. 14).
Paul wants to make clear that the blessing of Abraham was always for one particular person, Jesus Christ. The blessing was not for the amalgam of individual Jews. It was for Jesus and then He would be the blessing for many (vv. 15-18). The point is that we don’t have to keep the law to be saved. It is not by works. You do not have to “clean up” your life beforehand to trust Christ. Salvation is purely by promise and faith in Christ (v. 18).
The law was given to us by angels and through Moses (“a mediator,” v. 19) to keep sin in check (“because of transgressions”) until Christ came. The promise to Abraham was given directly from God to Abraham without a mediator (v. 20). The law cannot yield life but the Bible shows that everyone has sinned (vv. 21-22a). Atonement can only be made through the perfect God-man, Jesus Christ (v. 22b). And it can only be appropriated through faith (v. 22c).