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"Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made…"

Text: Galatians 3:16

THE COVENANT PROMISES

Paul returns to the subject of God’s covenant-promises to Abraham. To whom did He make these promises?

Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made.
He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as of many,
but as of one, ‘And to your Seed,’ who is Christ.

Galatians 3:16

1. “Now to Abraham… were the promises made”

a) This was traditional thinking.

b) The channel of blessing would be Abraham.

i) Paul added “believing Abraham”.

ii) He was blessed because of his faith in God.

c) God gave many promises to Abraham.

i) Physical/ material blessings

ii) Spiritual/eternal blessings

2. “And his Seed”

a) This was not traditional thinking.

b) This was revelation from God.

c) This was sharp understanding on Paul’s part.

d) Paul introduced the idea that the Heir was “The Seed” of Abraham.

3. “Not to seeds”

a) This could then be argued to be a reference to the ethnic descendants of Abraham.

b) This would limit the promises of blessing to the nation of Israel.

4. But “Seed”

a) The singular “Seed” is carefully noted.

b) This is a reference to Genesis 22:18 where the word “seed” was specifically mentioned.

c) This Seed was identified as the Messiah… the Lord Jesus Christ.

i) The principal Heir of the Abrahamic Covenant was none other than Jesus the Christ.

ii) To Him the promises of Abraham were prophetically given.

iii) There was sadly, a lack of spiritual comprehension of this promise.