What Old Testament examples support the message in Galatians 3:5? Setting the Scene: What Paul Is Arguing Galatians 3:5: “So then, does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you practice the law, or because you hear and believe?” Paul reminds the Galatians that God pours out His Spirit and performs miracles on the basis of faith, not law-keeping. To prove this, Paul leans on Old Testament history—the very Scriptures his readers cherished. Abraham: Faith Credited as Righteousness • Genesis 15:6 — “Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” • Before circumcision (Genesis 17) and centuries before the law, Abraham simply trusted God’s promise. • Paul immediately cites Abraham in Galatians 3:6 to show the pattern: hear God’s word, believe, receive blessing. Sarah’s Miraculous Conception • Genesis 18:10-14 — God promises a son; Sarah laughs, yet ultimately believes (Hebrews 11:11). • The miracle of Isaac’s birth comes through faith, not law. God’s Spirit brings life where human ability fails. The Passover and Red Sea: Deliverance Through Trust • Exodus 12:7-13 — Israel applies the lamb’s blood in obedience to God’s word; the angel of death passes over. • Exodus 14:13-31 — Israel walks through the sea on dry ground after Moses declares, “Stand firm and see the salvation of the LORD.” • No law code has been given yet (Sinai comes in Exodus 19-20). Their rescue flows from believing God’s promise and acting on it. The Bronze Serpent: Healing by Looking in Faith • Numbers 21:4-9 — Those bitten by serpents look at the bronze serpent and live. • John 3:14-15 links this picture to saving faith in Christ. The lesson: hear, believe, look, and live—no ritual performance earns the cure. Gideon: Spirit-Empowered Service Through Trust • Judges 6:34 — “So the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon.” • Gideon is no law expert; he’s a hesitant farmer. Yet when he believes God’s call, the Spirit clothes him for victory. David’s Anointing: Spirit Reception Apart from Ritual • 1 Samuel 16:13 — “The Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward.” • David is a shepherd boy, not a priest. His heart of faith (1 Samuel 13:14) draws the Spirit’s empowering presence. Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath: Provision Tied to Belief • 1 Kings 17:14-16 — A Gentile widow believes Elijah’s promise, and her flour and oil never run out. • No Mosaic sacrifices, no temple rituals—just simple faith meeting miraculous supply. Naaman: Cleansed When He Yielded in Faith • 2 Kings 5:10-14 — Naaman dips in the Jordan seven times and is healed of leprosy once he believes Elisha’s word. • His cleansing prefigures the gospel reality: obedience springing from trust brings God’s gracious power. Summing It Up Across the Old Testament, God’s pattern is unmistakable: 1. He speaks a promise. 2. People hear and believe. 3. God supplies His Spirit, performs miracles, or grants deliverance—apart from law performance. Paul leverages that consistent storyline in Galatians 3:5 to assure believers that the Spirit still comes by hearing with faith, just as He always has. |
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