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Spirit that we may rise above our own remaining indwelling sin and that we may truly commune with you that in our fellowship one with another it would be a sanctifying experience that our exposure to your word would be to our sanctification.

Be with us through the entirety of this day. Hear us Lord and even in this first hour as we again look into your word may you grant us your help and blessing for these things we pray in Jesus name. Amen.

The Mountain Peaks of Redemptive History

In our adult bible class we have been dealing with the mountain peaks of biblical redemptive history. And already we have considered creation and the beginning of everything. And then on the sixth day the creation particularly of man the crowning work of God's creation to act as mediatorial rulers over God's work of creation.

And then we have the fall of man into sin his rebellion against God and the ruin it brought to the entire creation. And then we have the universal flood at the time of Noah where after the flood God entered into covenant with all humanity and even the animals of dry land that he will never again destroy the earth by flood that he will allow humanity to multiply and fill the earth in order that through that he will accomplish his purposes of redemption.

And then after the universal flood the tower of Babel where God forced humanity as it were to fill the earth by dividing them by confusing their languages. And then we have the call of and covenant God made with Abraham Isaac and Jacob.

The principal promise of this covenant of God with Abraham is that through his seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed. The reversal of the curse due to human sin the promise of messiah. And then we have the exodus and the first covenant God made with Israel after he delivered them from the bondage in Egypt God entered into covenant with Israel that first covenant he made with them in Mount Sinai.

And then after that the establishment of the mediatorial kingship at the time of David that David was made a mediatorial ruler over God's covenant people his kingship extending even to the other nations around Israel and God promised him that through his seed a king will arise whose kingdom will last forever and ever.

And then we have the establishment I'm sorry. The period of the exile because David's descendants and the people of Israel were unfaithful to that covenant God made with them in Mount Sinai God banished them from the land of Canaan.

The period of the exile and because God promised during that time that he will replace that first covenant with a new covenant enacted on better promises. Then comes the next mountain peak of biblical history the period of the return of the exiles.

Then after some time the fulfillment of God's promise to Abram the birth of messiah. And then from the birth of messiah another great mountain peak the greatest the death of messiah. Through his death God will accomplish redemption for his people redemption from the bondage of the guilt and power of sin.

And then we have the resurrection and exaltation of messiah where he began his mediatorial rule as king and priest over God's covenant people and even of the entire creation. And then from that we have the next great mountain peak that we have been considering the coming of the holy spirit in the day of Pentecost.

This event in redemptive history is so crucial and significant because our understanding of how we are to live as believers of Christ hinges on our understanding of this significant event in redemptive history.

Failure to grasp that event in human history lead to many confusion in the christian life as we deal with the subject i told you that we will divide it under two headings. First the promise of the coming of the holy spirit.

And we have seen that this promise of the coming of the spirit was prophesied in the old testament scriptures by the old testament prophets. And it was the message also of john the baptist as the one who prepared the coming of messiah.

And Jesus himself speaks of this coming of the holy spirit on the day of Pentecost although the holy spirit was present and active in creation and in the old covenant community. And yet the old testament prophets prophesied of a coming of the holy spirit never known in the past.

And then having considered the promise of the coming of the holy spirit we then considered the multifaceted significance of the coming of the holy spirit. And in doing that we have looked at the significance the multifaceted significance of the coming of the spirit from the witness of the apostle john.

And there were there's a multifaceted significance of that as developed in the writings of the apostle john. And then we also look at the great significance of the coming of the holy spirit from the witness of luke the great historian.

Paul’s Witness to the Coming of the Holy Spirit in Galatians

And then having completed that we now come to the next witness the coming of the holy spirit on the day of Pentecost from the witness of the apostle paul. Now this is something that we find in many of the apostle paul's writings in the new testament scriptures.

In fact we already indicated that the writings of luke as he develops the history of the coming of the spirit was impacted by the very teachings of the apostle paul the wisdom that god gave to him. But now we want us to focus particularly on the witness of the apostle paul the witness of the apostle paul regarding the coming of the holy spirit in the fullness of his saving work as the spirit sent by the glorified messiah is particularly given to us from the redemptive standpoint in his letter to the churches of galatia from the historical standpoint his letter to the churches in galatia.

So i want us to take a look at the key text in galatians chapter four. Galatians chapter four beginning from verse one to seven. Now i say as long as the heir is a child he does not differ from all at all from a slave although he is owner of everything but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father.

So also we while we were children were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. But when the fullness of the time came god sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law that he might redeem those who are under the law that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Because you are sons god sent forth the spirit of his son into our hearts crying abba father. Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son. And if a son then an heir through god. Now first i wanted to consider in this passage the analogy given in verses one and two.

Now i say as long as the heir is a child he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. In the analogy that the apostle paul uses here he is highlighting one vital aspect of the relationship between israel under the old covenant and israel under the new covenant.

That new covenant that replaced the old covenant. And the analogy highlights both the continuity as well as the difference between those two covenants god made with israel. With whom did god made the old covenant.

That first covenant it was with the physical descendants of abraham through isaac and jacob those descendants whom god delivered from the bandits in egypt. After god delivered them from the bandits in egypt he organized them into a community and god made a covenant with them in mount sinai giving him his laws.

That is israel under that first or sometimes called in the new testament as the old covenant. And with whom did god made a new covenant. It was with the spiritual descendants of abraham believers like abraham in genesis 31 31.

I'm sorry in jeremiah 31 31 to 34 when god made clear to jeremiah and to his people that he was going to replace that first covenant he made with them in mount sinai with a new covenant enacted on better promises.

Jeremiah 31 31 behold days are coming saith the lord when i will make a new covenant with the house of israel with the house of judah not like the covenant which i made with their fathers in the day i took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of egypt.

My covenant which they broke even though i was a husband to them declares the lord. But this is the covenant that i will make with the house of israel after those days declares the lord i will put my law within them and on their heart i will write it and i will be their god.

They shall be my people. They shall not teach again each man his neighbor and each man his brother saying know the lord. For they will all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them declares the lord.

For i will forgive their iniquities and their sin i will remember no more. Now the new testament is clear that this prophecy has been fulfilled at the first coming of christ and particularly when christ shed his blood on calvary.

John the baptist as the forerunner of christ came to prepare a people for the lord a repentant and believing remnant of the house of israel and judah with whom the lord will make the new covenant that would replace the old covenant.

Then the new covenant was ratified when christ shed his blood on calvary. And that is clear in hebrews 9 15 to 28. So israel under the old covenant has become israel under the new covenant. God made that new covenant with the believing remnant of the house of israel the nucleus of whom were the twelve apostles who were all jewish.

And then during the apostolic era the gentiles were grafted into the new covenant community. Israel under the new covenant the church of the lord jesus christ. The new testament is very clear on this romans 11 13 to 24 ephesians 2 11 to 22 and other portions of god's word.

Now we will explore that in the next mountain peak the incorporation the grafting in of the believing gentiles. Now what is the relationship between the old and the new covenants. As i have said our passage highlights both continuity and difference.

And the this is illustrated in the analogy of childhood to adulthood. Childhood to adulthood. Israel under the old covenant was still in the state of childhood and israel under the new covenant that replaced the old covenant has become israel under the state of adulthood.

Now the development note the development of the analogy. Remember that any human analogy has its limitation and we are not to carry it beyond what it is supposed to illustrate. And here we have a father who died while his son is still a minor leaving his son to inherit his great estate.

As a son he owns everything that his father has left him. However as a minor he cannot immediately be entrusted with the father's estate and possessions. He would not be able to manage it well and properly.

He is still too young to do it. Therefore until a certain date set by his father however this son will have to be under guardians to guide and teach him and managers to handle the estate and property left to the son.

That's the analogy verse one of galatians. Now i say. As long as the heir is a child he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father while still in that state of being a minor his condition therefore is not that much different from a slave.

Hendrickson commenting on this and i quote. Until he attains to the age previously stipulated by the father he is heir the juror that is by right but not yet de facto. In fact for the time being this child is under guardians to whose care he has been personally entrusted and under stewards often slaves to whom the oversight of his estate has been committed and of good he must follow.

The son must follow the instruction of his guardians and the managers are the one who will take care of the estate for him. However when the date set by his father is reach has arrived everything changes.

The son will no longer be under guardians and managers. He will receive his inheritance and will have the control over it. Now as i mentioned earlier we are not to turn this analogy into an allegory by focusing on the father who died because that is only incidental in the analogy it is not essential.

The focus of the analogy is entirely on the area of the son from childhood to adulthood to adulthood. That is the focus of the analogy. Now let's note the analogy applied verses three to seven. Now also we while we were children were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world.

But when the fullness of the time came god sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law so that he might redeem those who are under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons. Because you are sons god sent forth the spirit of his son into our hearts.

Crying abba father. Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son. And if a son then an heir through god. Now let's focus on verse three. He says. So also we while we were children were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world.

We have to consider the significance here of the personal pronoun we the we refers of course to paul and all the believers in the churches of galatia they were to. They refer to all those who are part of israel not under the old covenant but under the new covenant the church of the lord jesus christ.

They refer to the believing remnant of the house of israel with whom god originally made the new covenant when christ shed his blood on calvary. And also all gentiles believers who were grafted into that community during the apostolic era romans 11.

Hence the we here refers to both jewish and gentile believers who are now part of the new covenant community. Israel under the new covenant the church of the lord jesus christ the ecclesia. Therefore the history of god's people collectively under the new covenant is inseparably connected to the history of god's covenant.

People collectively under the old covenant it's part of their history. Our history as part of the new covenant community is inseparably linked with the history of israel under the old covenant. The gentile believers are not natural branches but are wild olive branches.

But we have been grafted into that community israel under the new covenant. And therefore the history of israel is under the old covenant is part of our history as god's people under the new covenant.

Our history as god's covenant. People under the new covenant cannot be divorced from the history of israel under the old covenant. We see this principle applied in other portions of scripture. One of the most graphic of them is first corinthians 10 1 to 6.

If you turn to first corinthians 10 1 to 6 the apostle paul writing to a church that was predominantly gentile believers and notice what he says verse one. For i do not want you to be unaware brethren that our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea and all were baptized into moses in the cloud and in the sea.

And all were baptized into moses in the cloud and the sea and all ate the same spiritual food and all drunk the same spiritual drink. For they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them and the rock was christ.

Nevertheless with most of them god was not well pleased for they were laid low in the wilderness. Now these things happen as an as examples for us. Our fathers remember that the church in corinth were predominantly composed of gentile believers and yet they are included in the past history of israel under the old covenant.

Why is that. Because there is a continuity in the history of israel under the old covenant and israel under the new covenant. The history of god's people under that first covenant is part of the history of god's people under the new covenant that replace that first or old covenant now that is vital to our interpretation of our passage in galatians.

Failure to factor the truth to our interpretation of galatians will lead to a difficulty in interpreting the passage and also therefore great confusion it would be to isolate our passage from the rest of what paul is dealing with in galatians and in other portions of god's word now not again.

Verse three. So also we while we were children god's people under the old covenant were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. The phrase while we were children refers to god's covenant people collectively under the old covenant.

What was the condition of god's people under that first covenant. Paul says that under the old covenant we were like children who were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. And what are these elemental things of the world.

The context is clear. This elemental things of the world refers to the temporary rules and regulations god imposed upon his people through moses under the old covenant. It included a religious calendar of days and months and seasons and years to observe as a religious duty and there were many of them.

It also included the dietary laws that israel must observe to remain ceremonially clean in order that they will not become mixed with the other nations of the world. It also included various rituals of ceremonial cleansing and washing for god's people to observe.

It included the regulations of worship for god's people under the old covenant that included animal sacrifices and various other sacrifices and offering. All this are referred to as the elemental things of the world because they were only temporary.

While israel was in the state of childhood they were meant to last only for as long as it was needed. Since israel under the old covenant was has still not reached the stage of adulthood. In fact many of these temporary rules and regulations that god imposed under the old covenant were similar although not identical with some of the practices of the religions of the world like animal sacrifices various washings that are merely external.

The only difference between the jewish religious calendar rituals and practices under the old covenant and that of the gentile religious calendar rituals and practices is that the first was divinely imposed by god through moses on israel while the others the pagan rituals and calendars were entirely of human origin and device.

But they are not that different now of course under the old covenant why human sacrifices like the animal that like the pagan nations they are very similar the elemental principles of the world. However even those rules and regulations under the old covenant that were never meant to last because they belong to the same category as the elemental things of the world.

Now in verse three we are told that god's people under the old covenant were in bondage to this elementary things or principles of the world. Now what does that mean in verse three. So also we collectively israel under the old while we were children were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world.

What does that mean. In a sense that all of god's people under the old covenant both believers in that covenant and there were a few and unbelievers by and large most of them were unbelievers were required by god to observe.

They were those rules and regulations god imposed on them and in that sense they were very restricting. They were there. They there were food that they could not eat at all which the rest of humanity were allowed by god to eat after the universal flood did not god allow the eating of all animals after the universal flood god never changed that.

But with his people under the old covenant he restricted them with certain dietary laws so that they will not mix with other nations. And as a jewel you could not marry a gentile unless the gentile became a jew.

That's regardless of whether believer or unbeliever ruth had to become a proselyte to marry boas. Because if you were a non-jew believer or if you were a believing jew under the old covenant you could not marry even a believing gentile unless that believing gentile become a jew and just read the book of leviticus.

There were a multiplicity of laws and regulations about almost everything they're even hard to follow through laws that were never meant to last. There were a multiplicity of law regarding animal and grain sacrifices of peace and guilt offering leviticus chapter one all the way to chapter seven.

There was a multiplicity of laws and regulations concerning the levitical priests and the way to approach god's special presence in the tabernacle leviticus chapter 8 to chapter 10. There was a multiplicity of laws and regulations about animals that were regarded as ceremonially clean or unclean and therefore as edible or inedible leviticus 11.

There was a multiplicity of laws and regulations concerning the treatment of people who were leprous leviticus 3 or 13 to 14. There was a multiplicity of laws and regulations concerning bodily discharge because it will make you ceremonially clean or unclean leviticus 15.

There was a multiplicity of laws and regulations concerning the sacrifices to be offered on the day of the atonement sacrifices that could never really at all effectively the sins of god's people but only suspend the judgment of god upon the nation.

Leviticus 23. There was a multiplicity of laws and regulation about the inheritance of the land of canaan that god gave to them leviticus 25. There was a multiplicity of laws and regulation concerning vows verse 26.

There was a multiplicity of laws and regulations about almost anything and everything even who you marry you're even supposed to marry the wife of your brother who died without a son in order to raise up a son for your disease brother deliberate marriage.

All these rules and regulations under the old covenant were good for the time being but they were also temporary and restricting. In fact our confession of faith even defines christian liberty as and i freedom from the yoke of the ceremonial laws to which the jewish community was subjected.

It was a form of bondage because it was very restricting. You cannot just interact with the jews. Think of it this way. Can you imagine what it would be like if as an adult you were to go back to the rules and regulations that your parents made you observe in different periods of your development as a child before you reach adulthood.

That would be very restricting right. So age two almost everything you have to follow dad's rules and mom's rules. You imagine if as an adult you have to go back to those rules and regulations and keep them.

Yes you grow older. The laws are less restricting. You are given more liberty as you develop your ability to discern good and evil wise and foolish decisions. Can you imagine that if as an adult you were treated as if you were a minor as if you cannot make wise and responsible decisions.

But everything you do you have to follow certain rules because you are not expected to make wise and responsible decisions within the boundaries of god's abiding laws. The same is true of those temporary rules and regulations god imposed on israel under the old covenant.

They serve as a useful purpose while israel was in the state of childhood. But they would be very restricting now for israel under the new covenant. Then note what paul says about what god did in redemptive history and why.

Galatians 4 verse 4 to 5. But when the fullness of the time came god sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law so that he might redeem those who are under the law that we might receive the adoption as sons.

That's a development in redemptive history when the fullness of the time came the incarnation. The fullness of the time in verse 4 correspond to the analogy set by the father when his son would no longer be under guardians and managers.

Israel under the old covenant was like a son still in the state of childhood. But at the fullness of the time that changed radically israel under the new covenant is already in the state of adulthood as god's covenant nation on earth.

What exactly happened when the fullness of the time came. We are told god sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law. In what sense was the son born under the law. The context clearly indicates that it refers to the fact that jesus was born as a jew under the old covenant where god gave his laws in words by special revelation all the laws that god imposed on israel under the old covenant christ had the obligation to keep as a member of israel under the old covenant he had to be circumcised on the eighth day he had to follow the dietary rules and laws.

Now why did god in the fullness of the time sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law the old covenant verse five. So that he might redeem those who are under the law that we may receive the adoption as sons.

Remember that paul here is still referring to israel as a nation under the old covenant. That is what paul had in mind. This is not referring to people in terms of their individual life history but the collective history of israel as a nation which all believers in christ are now apart.

Having been grafted into that community under the new covenant israel was a nation as a nation have been redeemed from the bandits in egypt and god made them made a covenant with them in mount sinai. And in common grace israel became god's adopted sons who enjoyed god's special care guidance and protection and provision.

Exodus 4 22. Then you shall say to pharaoh thus saith the lord israel is my son my firstborn. And as part of that common grace adoption as sons the people came under the jurisdiction of the law the entire old covenant system god imposed through moses.

And although the law is good righteous and holy yet because the people were still slaves to sin the law only brought upon them greater judgment and god's curse. They had no heart and power to obey the law.

And even the provision of animal sacrifices could not really take away sin but only provided temporary suspension of judgment. And when the fullness of the time came god sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law so that he might redeem his covenant people from being under the law so that they might receive the adoption as sons.

These adoption of sons is no longer just a common grace adoption a son but the saving grace adoption as sons in the language of john 1 11 to 13. He jesus came to his own the jewish people. But those who were his own did not receive him but as many as received him to them he gave the right to become children of god even to those who believe in his name who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of god.

Now this is saving grace adoption as sons. And what is the principal blessing of saving grace adoption in christ redeeming work. Galatians 4 6 to 7. Because you are sons god has sent forth the spirit of his son into our hearts.

Crying abba note that god the father is here portrayed as having done two things. First he has sent forth past completed action his son in order that we might receive the adoption as sons not common grace adoption as in the case of israel under the old covenant but saving grace adoption that's the first that he did.

In addition because we are sons believers in christ god the father also sent forth past completed action the spirit of his son that we might subjectively enjoy our status as adopted sons crying abba father.

And both have to do with redemptive historical events christ death on calvary and the sending of the holy spirit as the spirit of the exalted christ on the day of pentacles in the fullness of his saving work.

And although gods through people who live before and under the old covenant were regenerated and indwell by the spirit yet they could not receive the holy spirit in the fullness of his saving work as the spirit sent by the exalted messiah because christ has not yet been glorified.

We have seen that from the witness of john right 7 37 to 38. Now on the last day the great day of the feast jesus stood and cried out saying if anyone is thirsty let him come to me and drink. Who believes in me.

As the scripture said from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water. Then john interprets that statement of christ. But this he spoke of the spirit whom those who believe in him were to receive.

Why haven't they received when they already believe. For the spirit was not yet given. Because christ was not yet glorified this original disciples of christ already believe in christ they were already regenerated by the spirit are and are already in a sense indwell by the spirit.

So why did they not receive the spirit in the fullness of his saving work. Because christ was not yet glorified only after christ shed his blood to ratify the new covenant that replaced the old covenant.

And only after christ was glorified did he send the holy spirit to his disciples in the fullness of his saving work. Thus after christ was glorified the moment a person will trust in christ as the crucified messiah then he will see receive the promise of the spirit in the fullness of his saving.

And this spirit of the exalted christ is what enables believers under the new covenant to experience even more deeply and with infallible certainty our divine sonship. Crying abba father the holy spirit that was in messiah who enabled him to cry to the father.

Abba father is the same spirit sent by god to those who believe in the crucified messiah in order to enable them to cry with deep and infallible certainty. That's the significance of the coming of the spirit in the day of pentecost.

Freedom from the Elementary Principles of the World

Now what is the practical or pastoral thrust of this truth. Freedom from the elementary principles of the world. Even those elementary principles of the world that god imposed on his people under the old covenant.

Thus after arguing further in galatians 4 then in galatians 5 the apostle paul applies the truth. In verse 1 of galatians 5 it was for freedom that christ set us free. Therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

Behold i paul say to you that if you receive circumcision a shadow of hard circumcision if you receive circumcision christ will be of no benefit to you. And i testify again to everyone who receives circumcision that he is under obligation to keep the whole law.

You have been severed from christ. You who are seeking to be justified by law you have fallen from grace. For we through the spirit by faith are waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in christ jesus neither circumcision or uncircumcision means anything but faith working through love you were running well.

Who hindered you from obeying the truth. And then in verse 13 he says. For you are called to freedom brethren only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh but through love serve one another.

For the whole law is fulfilled in one word in the statement you shall love your neighbor as yourself. But if you bite and devour one another take care that you are not consumed by one another. But i say walk by the spirit.

And you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the spirit sets its desire against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. For these are in opposition to one another so that you may not do the things that you please.

But if you are led by the spirit you are not under the law. And then he mentions the deeds of the flesh and the deeds of the spirit. And then in chapter six verse three or verse verse six verse seven chapter six verse seven.

Do not be deceived. God is not mock. For whatever a man sows this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But the one who sows to the spirit will from the spirit reap eternal life.

Let not let us not lose heart being good. For in due time we will reap. If we do not grow weary. We are no longer under bondage to the elementary principles of the world even those principles god imposed on israel under the old covenant.

And we are to stand firm in our freedom not allow anyone to bring us again into bondage as if fulfilling those is a religious requirement. But we are not to use our freedom as an opportunity for the flesh but through love serve one another.

Thus israel under the new covenant can mix with the entire nations of the earth while remaining morally separate. They can interact with everyone in the world to bring the light of the gospel for the salvation of the law.

Therefore the coming of the holy spirit in the day of pentecost has a multi-faceted historical and redemptive significance. It is like a multi-faceted diamond. Let us not look at one facet as if that is the only one for we will rub ourselves of the glory of the all other facets.

Moreover let us not think that all the different facets are just the same for that will lead to confusion and misapplication of the scripture. Let us rather clearly understand admire and apply all the facets of that multi-faceted historical event in our lives individually and as a church.

That's the significance. And because was when god sent forth the spirit so that he will be with the church. So may god write these truths in our heart. Every christian has to make wise decisions responsible decisions within the boundaries of god's law in the confidence that he has the spirit of christ to enable him to walk in newness of life that he can live within the boundaries of god's law fulfill its requirements through the indwelling spirit of christ.

Okay. So that is the multi-faceted significance of the coming of the spirit in the day of pentecost. Now there is one more mountain peak that i want us to focus on and that is the incorporation of the gentiles into that community.

We have assumed that in the previous but we want us to focus on that because that is what is focused particularly in the book of acts and in romans 11. I'm glad that we are working through the book of acts in our new testament readings because that is very obvious.

That is what is predominant in the mind of luke as he records the early history of israel under the new covenant that gentiles are incorporated into that community in equal footing with jewish believers.

Prayer for Understanding the Redemptive-Historical Pattern

Let us pray our father. We thank you for your word. We thank you lord. It is plain to anyone who would really want to understand and who has the diligence to look into your word to piece these things together and to see the overall picture given to us in your word.