As you may please God to help
us this evening, we'll continue our meditation in the Epistle
of Paul to the Galatians and reading this evening from chapter
3 and verses 15 and 16. The Epistle of Paul to the Galatians,
chapter 3, verses 15 and 16. 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 thereunto. 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. We are thankful to know that
the apostle here directs us really to the covenant or the testament
that was made to Abraham all those years ago and how of course
we see now today a greater than Abraham of course and that is
none less than the Lord Jesus Christ. And we're thankful for
the truth of God's word. And we're thankful for the confirmation
that it is a true covenant and things do not change. That means
what God has said does come to pass. And we read in Malachi
chapter three, verse five, for I am the Lord, I change not. Therefore you sons of Jacob are
not consumed and therefore The promise made to Abraham in a
natural way, also today has an application in a spiritual way.
And may we realize the glory of that covenant. And as we read
in the Hebrews, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today,
and forever. The Savior who is from eternity
to eternity, and the Lord that changes not. Now, the apostle
here is really referring to the promises which were given to
Abraham. And those promises really were
about the inheritance, about his descendants, and also about
his seed in all nations of the world would be blessed. That,
of course, referred principally to the Jewish people. But if
we look at it, it also applies to the Church of God as a spiritual
people. And we read together in Genesis
the promises that God gave to his servant Abraham. And we read,
and the Lord said unto Abraham, after the lot was separated from
him. Lift up now thine eyes and look
from the place where thou northward and southward and eastward and
westward for all the land which thou sayest to thee when I give
it. and to thy seed forever. We see there the inheritance,
really, that God has promised to Abraham. And then we also
see about the descendants. And I will make thy seed as the
dust of the earth So that if a man can number the dust of
the earth, there shall thy seed also be numbered. And of course,
that has a spiritual reference to the church of God. And then
finally, in Abraham's seed, all the nations of the world would
be blessed. And again, we can turn to Genesis
22. In Genesis 22, And verse 18 tells us, And in
thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because
thou hast obeyed my voice. And so here really were covenants
which were given to Abraham. And of course we see those covenants
fulfilled spiritually in the Church of God. But I just wanted
to go aside, as it were, for just a moment because we read
together that 13th chapter which spoke about Abraham and Lot and
it gives us a lot of instruction because there was that difficulty
there wasn't room for them both in the land so Abraham asked
Lot and he said Abraham said unto Lot let there be no no strife
I pray thee between me and thee and and between my herdmen and thy
herdmen, for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before
thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me. If thou would
take the left hand, then I would go to the right, and if thou
depart to the right hand, then I would go to the left. So what
did Lot do? Well, what he didn't do was to
pray to God. He just looked at all the wonderful
plain before him in a natural sense. He wasn't concerned about
his spiritual condition. He was happy to go and to dwell
in the plains of Sodom and Gomorrah. And we know, of course, what
a disaster that was and how disastrous it is for us today if we fail
to seek for God's direction and for God's blessing. And we see
how Abraham, therefore, was prepared to let Lot choose what he wanted
to and was satisfied with what remained. And it's very significant. And we read these points about
Abraham and God's promises to him, those covenantal blessings
to him. We read as we come down towards
the end of this, well to the end of this chapter actually,
then Abraham removed his tent and came and dwelt in the plain
of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto
the Lord. A very different scene from Lot,
between Lot and Abraham. And it's a good scene therefore
if we follow the example of Abraham. And Abraham clearly was able
to give thanks for the occasion that God had blessed him with
those wonderful promises and given him that godly contentment.
Now we know of course those promises were tried and of course God's
promises are tried, they are tested because what it does it
tests our faith and it makes us pray to God Abraham had to
pray often to God, and his people today have to pray often to God. Well, I wanted just to mention
that, it seems so relevant in one sense. Well, what was the
position? Brethren, you see he addresses
the people as 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. 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. And what was he really directing
them to? And what does he really direct us to today? Well, I believe
it is. It's a promised rest, which the
Lord has promised to his people. And we're thankful, therefore,
that such a promise is really a covenant and something which
can't be broken. Now, it's like a testament. A testament can't be broken.
But of course, it only comes into being when the testator
has died. And this, of course, is true
with regard to the Lord Jesus Christ has come into force since
the blessed Saviour has died. And that's why we have the Word
of God in the New Testament before us, those sure and certain things
which the Lord has given us. And with regard to this promised
rest, the Apostle Paul, when he wrote to the Hebrews, he encourages
us and he says, for if Jesus had given them rest, That's,
we might think, a temporal rest. Then would he not afterward have
spoken of another day? There remaineth therefore a rest
to the people of God. Now that's a promise. And that's
a covenant. And that's something that you
and I can rest upon. so that as Abraham traveled about
from one place to another, God was with him. He didn't leave
him, he didn't forsake him, and he brought him safe home at last
to the promised rest. And he does that today to the
church of God. Remember, there is therefore,
there remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. Now, Abraham
died in faith. God's people today die in faith. And what a blessing it is to
trace out the paths of God's people, trace out Abraham's path,
and see how God was with him. And we're told in the 11th chapter
to the Hebrews, these all died in faith. All those that the
Hebrews referred to, the many witnesses, the many who walked
by faith, they died in faith. They all died in faith and all
the Church of God died in faith, resting on what the Lord has
said, resting upon his word, resting upon his promises, resting
upon the truth of God. What a blessing it is then to
be found like that amongst the heavenly seed. Yes, and that
which comes from and that which is in the Lord Jesus Christ. And then also with regards to
Abraham himself. As he journeyed, was he like
Lot looking at all the wonderful green plains and well-watered
land? We're told about Moses. Sorry,
about Abraham. This is what we're told. For
he looked for a city, which hath foundations, whose builder and
maker is God. He wasn't looking for a natural
city. He wasn't looking for that which
would just benefit him in time. He was looking for that celestial
city. Oh, what a blessing, my friends,
if you and I today are of this heavenly seed, with this heavenly
desire to be found concentrating upon heavenly things and seeking
earnestly that we might be joined with those of old and with Abraham
who look for the city which hath foundations, whose builder and
maker is God. And then the apostle goes on
further in that 11th chapter. He tells us in the 16th verse,
he tells us, but now, they desire a better country. While there
may be a time in our lives when a change by the grace of God
has occurred, when he's turned our hearts to the things of God
and we can say by his grace, but now they desire, but now
we desire a better country that isn't heavenly. Wherefore God
is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for
them a city." And we know, of course, the Lord Jesus Christ
said he'd gone to prepare a place for us. And if he's gone to prepare
a place for us, he will come again. and receive us unto himself,
that where he is, there we shall be also. It is, therefore, the
covenant, the promise of almighty God to us today, and to bless
God if we are of that heavenly seed. What a mercy. You see, in Abraham's day, there
were many who were of the seed, but there were few of the natural
seed who were actually truly amongst those that God called. Many wandered away. There are
only a few, and there are today, in the Church of God, only a
few, who are blessed with this wonderful favor. And to realize
that here we have a God who finds us. We read about the Apostle
Paul, and he said, and be found in him. Well, and to seeds as
of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ. Well, the apostles' desire was,
and may it be our great concern, and be found in him. Nowhere
else, not outside, but in Christ. Be found in him. Again, not having
on mine own righteousness, which is of the law. but that which
is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of
God by faith. And so may we tonight have the
evidence that we are amongst the true seed, the children of
the promise, the spiritual promise, and that we, like Abraham, were
journeying through this sinful world with our eyes looking toward
that heavenly city and to view there the King of Kings and the
Lord of Lords, the blessed Saviour who has gone before, has made
the way and waits to receive us into glory. Well, the covenant
was made with Christ as our head and the seed of Christ and these
covenant things are eternal. They will never be put away. They will never be dispersed
because of the truth and the promises of God. So may we thank
God for words like this to encourage us to believe we are of the heavenly
seed and that we have an eternal home to go to when we leave this
earth. Amen.