TITLE:  The First Amendment
TEXT:  Galatians 3:18-22
PROPOSITION:  God amended the covenant with Israel.
QUESTION:  Why?
KEY WORD:  Purposes
READING:  Same

INTRODUCTION:

1. God made a covenant with Abraham (and his descendants)
2. At Mount Sinai, the covenant was adjusted, re-worked, added to
3. Galatians 3:19 – Law was “added”

Purpose of Amending the Covenant:

 To establish a nation

1. Israel went into Egypt as a family
2. They came out as a nation
3. For 400 years they were slaves
4. What did they know about being a nation?

 To give the people a way to recognize sin

1. The law makes sin clear, evident, known
2. Romans 7:8-10
3. Now, no excuse for sin

 To demonstrate how much the people needed God

1. On our own – we could not keep the covenant
2. The law was given to bring us to Christ
3. Galatians 3:21-23

 To protect His people from:

1. Idolatry – Leviticus 18:3-4
2. Immorality and Perversion – Leviticus 18:24-29
3. Health problems of heathens – Exodus 15:26

 To offer special blessings

1. Divide the people into 2 groups
2. Deuteronomy 11:29 – On two hills
   Mt. Gerizim – Mount of blessings; Mt. Ebal – Mount of Curses
3. Deuteronomy 28:1-14

 To announce curses for breaking the covenant

1. Deuteronomy 28:15-20 – Introduction to curses
2. Deuteronomy 28:15-68

 To make them aware that breaking this covenant will result in God divorcing them

1. Jeremiah 3:8-9 – God wrote a divorce and gave it to Israel, Judah did not learn
2. Romans 11:19-22 – Jews broken off, Gentiles grafted in