Page 49 - Laying Down the Law

From Children of Israel to Sons of God

he dealings of God with mankind are progressive. Even as the divine day begins
Tin darkness and progresses to light, so too do we find that Yahweh’s revelation of
Himself to man is with an ever increasing brightness. Yahweh has given us many
things in the natural creation to provide insight into His dealings with mankind. One
pattern we see is found in the progression of a human being from a baby, to a child,
unto sonship, culminating eventually in the maturity of fatherhood.
I want to explore with you at this time the evidence given in Scripture that the
Law of Moses entrusted to the Levitical Priesthood was for men and women who were
in their spiritual childhood. When Christ sent forth the Spirit to indwell mankind, the
desire of God to bring a people past childhood into sonship was realized. Let us begin
by examining the following Scriptures.

Galatians 4:3-5
Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements
of the world. But when the fulness of the time had come, God sent forth His
Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under
the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

These words of the apostle Paul reveal that there was a time appointed by God
described as “the fulness of time.” This date set by the Father’s own counsel marked
a profound change in Yahweh’s dealings with mankind. Those who were formerly
“children” were “under the Law.” At the appointed time these children under the Law
were “redeemed.”
The Greek word translated as “redeem” in the passage above is exagorazo.
Strong’s Concordance defines it in the following manner:

exagorazo; to buy up, i.e. ransom; figuratively, to rescue from loss...

The root of this word is the Greek exago. It is defined as, “to lead forth.” The
people of God, in their spiritual childhood, were kept under the Law until a time when
Christ should lead them forth into the maturity of sons.

Galatians 4:1-3, 3:23-25
Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a
slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the
time appointed by the father... Before faith came, we were kept under guard by
the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law
was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after
faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

The message of the apostle is made plain in these words. The Law acted as a