The Prophets

Isaiah

Isaiah prophesied from 739-681 BC. He saw Assyria attack and scatter Israel (10 northern tribes) from their land and fail attempting the same with Judah. This book is 66 chapters long, second longest book in the entire Bible, and has two parts: chapters 1-39 (focusing on judgment) and 40-66 (comfort & salvation).

“Isaiah abounds with mentions of Messiah including a virgin conceiving, a child born, the name Immanuel, a sacrificial death, resurrection, the salvation of the Gentiles and more. In fact, Isaiah’s words are quoted more times in the New Testament than any other Old Testament book. Because of the number of messianic references found in the book, Isaiah has been referred to as a fifth gospel.” ¹

Jeremiah-Lamentations

These are two separate books, both written by Jeremiah. He prophesied from 626-587 BC. He saw the Babylonians attack Judah, destroy Jerusalem and the temple, and carry most of the people to Babylon.

He ministered “with matchless zeal and fidelity in the midst of a most crooked and perverse people, by whom he was continually persecuted, and whom he boldly reproved, often at the hazard of his life. The pitch of desperate wickedness to which the Jews had arrived previously to their captivity was truly astonishing. They had exhausted all the means that infinite mercy, associated with infinite justice, could employ for the salvation of sinners; and they became in consequence desperately wicked; no wonder, therefore, that wrath fell upon them to the uttermost. Were ever people more highly favored, more desperately ungrateful, or more signally punished! What a lesson is their history to the nations of the earth, and especially to those who have been favored with the light of revelation!” (Adam Clarke) 

He is sometimes called “the weeping prophet.”

Ezekiel

Ezekiel’s entire prophetic ministry was in Babylon, prophesying to the captive Jews. I think he is the harshest of the prophets. He saw in a vision the glory of God leave the temple and the city of Jerusalem, but in chapters 40-48 he saw the rebuilding of the temple and the city. His very last words are, and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there (YHWH shammah; Yahweh is there). Amen! He spoke of the valley of dry bones (restoration of Israel), the new birth, the Good Shepherd, and the covenant of peace (millennial kingdom).

Daniel

Daniel was carried into Babylon as a youth and then rose to great power and prestige in Babylon. For some reason the Jews do not consider Daniel and his book is not listed in their Bible among the prophetic writings. Nevertheless, he had some amazing prophecies! In this book we read of what Christ called the times of the Gentiles (that period from Babylon to right before the second coming), the second coming and the kingdom of God on the earth the dreadful antichrist the resurrection and the most amazing prophecy, seventy weeks are determined upon thy people…unto the Messiah the Prince (9:24-27), in other words, Messiah will come in 490 years!! And he did. Amen and Hallelujah!

The Twelve

Hosea – prophesied for 50 years in Israel

Joel – spoke of revival and the outpouring of the Spirit

Amos – a shepherd in Judah, called to prophesy to Israel

Obadiah – denounced Edom; may have prophesied around Babylonian Captivity

Jonah – and the whale (or huge fish); prophesied to Ninevah

Micah – prophesied in Judah along with Isaiah

Nahum – prophesied to Ninevah

Habakkuk – prophesied the coming of the Babylonians

Zephaniah – prophesied in Judah, about the time of Josiah

Haggai - prophesied during Nehemiah’s restoration of Jerusalem and the temple

Zechariah – prophesied during Nehemiah’s restoration of Jerusalem and the temple

Malachi – the last prophet of the Old Testament

 

They are often referred to as “The Minor Prophets” because of their length (most are short books – 8 are less than 5 chapters long), but I think this confuses folks, so I prefer to call them The Twelve, as do the Jews (since they are all on one scroll).

Hosea through Zephaniah all prophesied during the period covered by 2 Kings. Haggai (520 BC) and Zechariah (520-518 BC) prophesied in Nehemiah’s day, when the Jews returned from Babylon. Malachi’s ministry was 450 BC. He was the last prophet until the appearance of John the Baptist. This is known as the 400 years of silence.

How fitting that our Old Testament ends with a prophecy of both John the Baptist and Jesus the Christ:

Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

¹ https://women.lifeway.com/2022/09/07/isaiah-as-the-fifth-gospel/

The Poetical Books

Job

“Except the two first chapters and the ten last verses, which are prose, all the rest of the book is poetic: it is therefore properly called a Poem.” (Adam Clarke)

The why of the book is, “Why do bad things happen to good people? Is God really in control of this world? Is He just?

Job’s friends suggest that perhaps there’s some sin for which God is now punishing him.

When God finally spoke to Job at the end of the book He answered differently: In essence, He told Job that ‘I am God, and you are only a tiny, finite human being – you can’t possibly hope to understand the way I run My world. Everything I do is just, even if you can’t see the justice.’” ¹

Is Christ in this book? Yep! 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

Psalms

This is Israel’s song book. The psalms celebrate the goodness, love, power, wisdom, and faithfulness of God; they also chronicle people struggling with God, wrestling with Him; expressing dismay, doubt, fear, and faith. This is the longest book in the Bible.

“The Hebrews divide the Psalms into five books. The origin of this division is not easily ascertained; but as it was considered a book of great excellence, and compared for its importance to the Pentateuch itself, it was probably divided into five books, as the law was contained in so many volumes.” (Adam Clarke)

The five books are: Book I 1–41, Book II 42–72, Book III 73–89, Book IV 90–106, Book V 107–150. The first four books end with a doxology. Psalm 150 serves as a doxology for the entire collection.

Throughout the Book of Psalms we see and hear Christ, the Spirit of Christ speaking of the life, ministry, death, resurrection, ascension, return, and kingdom of our Lord.

Proverbs

“I think it very likely that Solomon did not compose them all; but he collected every thing of this kind within his reach, and what was according to the Spirit of truth, by which he was inspired, he condensed in this book; and as the Divine Spirit gave it, so the providence of God has preserved it, for the use of his Church.” (Adam Clarke)

Proverbs 1:1-4,7

The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Ecclesiastes

“In his declining years, perhaps a bit cynical about life, Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes. He uses his vast personal experience to teach us about the emptiness of a life devoted to anything but the Lord. If anyone could say “I’d tried this world and it’s not worth it,” it was this man. As he says, there is nothing eternal, nothing of lasting value “beneath the sun”” ² . He ends with this advice, 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments.

Song of Songs

“In his youth, he wrote the eternally optimistic (and deeply symbolic) “Song of Songs”.” ²

This is a love story. Some see it as a simple love story. The Jews saw it as a love story about God and Israel. Many in the church see it as a love story about Christ and the Church.

Psalm 98:1-3

O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.

The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.

He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 

NEXT: The Prophets

The Kingdom Years

 

The Book of Judges ends, 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes. This is stated four times in Judges 17-21 and is kind of a set up for what follows in Samuel and Kings.

1&2 Samuel

The period of the judges is still in force as 1 Samuel begins: Eli the priest was judge for 40 years; he raised Samuel who was judge for many years; when Samuel grew old he set his sons up as judges, but they were wicked (not counting Samuel’s sons, the Bible names 15 judges). Samuel ministered as seer (prophet), priest, and judge for Israel. When he was old, the people said unto him … now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. (8:5) So Samuel anointed Saul, son of Kish, who was tall and looked like a king. (10:23-24). His reign began well, but quickly deteriorated. After a couple of big failure, he is told, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God… for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart (13:13-14). Then in ch 16 Samuel anoints David, son of Jesse, as king, but he does not begin to reign immediately. In fact, the rest of 1 Samuel is devoted to Saul’s attempt to kill David. 1 Samuel ends with the death of Saul (ch 31).

2 Samuel is devoted to David’s reign. He enjoyed much success as king, the highlight of his reign and life is in ch 7, where God tells him, And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. (7:16) That is, the Promised One will be your son. Hallelujah! But, David is not perfect. There was Bathsheba and at the end of 2 Samuel he, contrary to the will of God, conducts a census of the people.

1&2 Kings

1 Kings opens with David old and stricken in years. He appoints Solomon as his successor and in 2:10 David dies. Solomon reigns as king for 40 years, chapters 2-11.

When Solomon dies, Israel goes on a wild roller coaster ride! The people divide into the northern 10 tribes, Israel, and the southern 2 tribes, Judah. Israel rebels against the house of David while Judah remains faithful. There were 19 kings in Judah (and one queen), all of the house of David, some evil and some righteous. Israel also had 19 kings, but from 9 different families, none of whom were the house of David. All 19 kings of Israel were wicked. In 2 Kings 17 Israel (the northern 10 tribes) was carried away by Assyria (721 BC). 2 Kings ends with Judah being carried into Babylon (605 & 597 BC; in 587 the Babylonians destroyed the temple). Israel scattered to the winds, Judah in Babylon. Very sad times indeed.

1&2 Chronicles

These books cover the same period as 2 Samuel-2 Kings, but with a spiritual emphasis. Saul is mentioned but almost in passing. Israel’s Assyrian captivity is not mentioned. The final chapter of 2 Chronicles has Judah in Babylon but ends with the proclamation of Cyrus, 36:23 the LORD God of heaven… hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. And thus the restoration is anticipated!

Ezra-Nehemiah

I’m combining these books because the Jews have traditionally considered them one book and they treat the same subject – the return of the Jews from Babylon. They were separated when the Jews translated the Hebrew Bible into Greek, the Septuagint, probably because they are about two strong and godly leaders, Ezra and Nehemiah. These books have a three-fold significance:

1) This is the history of the return of the Jews to Judah and the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

2) Jeremiah had prophesied that the Babylonian captivity would last 70 years (Jer 25). Daniel noticed that while himself a captive in Babylon and prayed for restoration. This is the record of the fulfillment of that prophecy and answer to that prayer.

3) Daniel prophesied that there would be 70 weeks or 490 years from the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem to the coming of the Messiah. These books provide the starting point for this amazingly specific prophecy!

Esther

The main characters are two Jews, Mordecai and his niece Esther, who were living in Persia 100 years after the Babylonian exile; apparently, not all the Jews returned to Jerusalem.

The book was written to explain the origin of the (still celebrated) Jewish feast of Purim. You’ll have to read the book for the story!

Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?  (Exodus 15:11)

NEXT: The Poetical Books

Conquest and Compromise

 

Conquest and Compromise

Joshua

Joshua logically begins in Deuteronomy 34 when Moses died on the top of Pisgah, after the LORD showed him the promised land.

Joshua wrote this book (see 24:26) to remind Israel how they entered in and conquered the land, as it says in Psalm 44:3 (Easy-to-Read Version)

It was not our fathers’ swords that took the land.

    It was not their strong arms that brought them victory.

It was your power. 

    It was because you accepted them and smiled down on them.

The book has 24 chapters. The first 12 describe the conquest; beginning with ch 13 things change:

14:15 And the land had rest from war.

18:1 And the land was subdued before them.

Since the land was subdued, they received new orders:

13:7 Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance

This pretty much takes up the rest of the book. In chapter 24 Joshua encourages them to serve the LORD and then we read, And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance. (24:29-30)

Judges

Chapter 1 begins well, but halfway through the chapter things change for the worse.

Judges 2:7, 10-12 And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel.

And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:  And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.

There is a pattern that runs throughout the book:

SIN • SERVITUDE • SUPPLICATION • SAVIOR

 Judges 2:13,14,16 And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.

Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.

There are 13 judges or deliverers described in the book itself (but see 1 Samuel).

Ruth

This is a short book, the story of a Jewish family, Elimelech, Naomi, and their two boys, who in time of famine move to Moab. The boys marry Moabite girls. Then tragedy strickes: the father and his sons die. Naomi decides to return to Israel and encourages her daughters-in-law to go back home, but Ruth stays. Her well-known words:

1:16-17 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

This is just chapter 1!! The rest of the book describes how she met and married a man named Boaz.

Why the book of Ruth?

4:13,17 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife…and she bare a son… and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

The David stream begins here. This is really the Messianic river, but David plays a major role.

 

and Joshua... and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?

And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come.

(Joshua 5:13-15)

NEXT: Historical III

Historical: The Torah

 

66 books means I can’t deep dive into each one individually – this series would be over a year long! And I can’t really look at the Historical books in one post, because there are 17 of them!! Therefore my plan is 6 posts, and I will strive to be as concise as possible.

The Torah

The Torah is the five books of Moses, the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy; the Word of God given to Moses on Mount Sinai.

Genesis

This book explains the beginning of everything: Creation, man, sin, death, salvation, the nations, with the emphasis on Israel - the origin of the world, people, sin, death, and the nations is covered in chapters 1-11; the rest of the book, chapters 12-50, is about Israel!

In 1-11 we read about creation, the garden of Eden, Adam & Eve, the Fall, the promise of a redeemer, Noah and the flood, the tower of Babel, the nations.

In 12-50 we read of Abraham Sarah, the promise to Abraham (the theme of the rest of the Bible), Isaac & Rebekah, Jacob & his wives, Jacob’s 12 sons and daughter Dinah. We also learn how this small family, 70 souls at the time, wound up in Egypt.

Exodus

Exodus means departure. This book explains how Israel became enslaved in Egypt, and how God raised up Moses to rescue them. We read of Moses and Pharaoh, the ten plagues, the Passover, the exodus (the greatest event in the Old Testament), the crossing of the Red Sea, the 10 Commandments, God entering into covenant with Israel so they would be his people and he would be their God, water from the rock, and the tabernacle (built under the guidance of Bezaleel, then filled with the Shekinah glory of God). The tabernacle must be important – 37½ % of the book is devoted to it!

Leviticus

This is their worship book. It is called Leviticus because it is for the Levites, the priestly tribe. It describes in detail their worship, the sacrifices, and the concept of clean and unclean. Israel was a sanctified people, and the statues show them how they are to be a separate people: through the worship of one only God, their priests and sacrificial system, the sabbath, their diet, their dress, how they built their houses and more. In ch 23 we see their feasts, which guided their year and was God’s prophetic calendar.

Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

Numbers

This is their travelogue. It covers their 40 year wandering in the wilderness. First, why did they wander in the wilderness for 40 years? Did God deliver them from Egypt only to abandon them in the wilderness? Nope. He saved them from Egypt, brought them to Sinai, entered into covenant with them, then brought them straight to Kadesh-barnea, from whence they sent out the 12 spies. When the people believed the report of the 10 instead of Joshua and Caleb, God said, You will not see the promised land, but your children will. So it was 40 years in the wilderness, where he protected and provided for them (manna). We also read the amazing prophecies of Balaam and water from the rock, part 2.

Deuteronomy

After 40 years of wilderness, Israel is on the other side of the Jordan River, poised to cross over and enter the land. These are Moses’ final words to Israel. He reminds them of the covenant, renews the 10 commandments, and encourages them in their faith and confidence in God. At the end of the book Moses dies, being 120 years old. Wait, Moses, the one used of God to rescue Israel from Egypt, the one God spoke to face to face, the one God gave the Law to, the first books of the Bible, the one who guided these obstinate, hard-headed, stubborn people, who were prone to unbelief, this Moses didn’t enter the promised land? Why? This is explained in Numbers 20:1-13, Deut 1:37-38 and 31:2. But in his mercy, God allowed Moses to see the promised land from the top of Mount Pisgah.

And God said to Moses, I Am The One Who Is, and this is what you will say to the sons of Israel, The One Who Is has sent me to you. (Exodus 3:14 LXX)

NEXT: Historical II

A Bird’s-Eye View of the Old Testament - Introduction

 

In November of 2024, I did a four-part series I called A Bird’s-Eye View of the Old Testament (you can read it here. I call this series A Bird’s-Eye View of the Old Testament.

I love the Old Testament! I know many people see only tedious lists of rules and judgment and innumerable sacrifices, but I see something entirely different. I see redemption. I see God. I see Jesus!

New Testament. Old Testament. What is a testament? Covenant is probably a better word. “A covenant is a relationship between two partners who make binding promises to each other and work together to reach a common goal. They’re often accompanied by oaths, signs, and ceremonies. Covenants define obligations and commitments, but they are different from a contract because they are relational and personal.

Covenant relationships are found all throughout the Bible. There are personal covenants between two individuals (David and Jonathan), political covenants between two kings or nations (King Solomon and King Hiram), legal covenants with a nation (such as the laws about freeing Hebrew slaves), and so forth. Entering into covenants was a major part of what it meant to live in the ancient Near East.” ¹

There are six major covenants mentioned in the Bible:

Noahic (Gen 8:20-9:17)
Abrahamic (Gen 12, 15, 17)
Mosaic (Exo 19)
Davidic (2 Sam 7)
New (Jer 31:31-34)
Peace (Eze 37, esp v 26-28)

What we call the Old Covenant (Old Testament) is really the Mosaic Covenant, the giving of the Law and the forming of the children of Israel as God’s covenant people.

Did you notice that all the covenants were revealed in the Old Testament? The Old Testament is the revelation and unfolding of God’s promise of redemption, first revealed to Eve in Genesis 3. I’m telling you, the Old Testament is exciting!!

This series will be fun because the Old Testament is longer than the New. The Bible is made up of 66 books – the Old Testament has 39 of them! (27 in the New.) There are 929 chapters in the Old, compared to 260 in the New; which means on average each Old Testament book has 23.8 chapters, while New Testament books have 9.6. All this means it will take a little longer to cover the Old Testament!

We divide the Old Testament into three sections: Historical (Genesis-Esther), Poetic (Job-Song of Solomon), Prophetic (Isaiah-Malachi). The traditional Jewish division is similar but called Torah, Nevi'im, and Ketuvim, also known as the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. The arrangement of books in the Hebrew Bible is a little different than ours, and their Bible contains 24 books because they combine books that we divide (1 & 2 Kings for example). This dividing happened when the Jews translated the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek (Septuagint or LXX). ²

What is the Old Testament about? Simply put, It is the story of Israel. But, with 66 books, surely there is more to it than that. Yes, indeed. The river that runs through the Old Testament is the promise and hope of The Coming One, the Messiah, the Promised Savior. Another current is King David, because Messiah will be of the house of David.

The logical end of the Old Testament is the New, but the New is not the end of the Old as much as the fulfillment of it. It is the flower of the Old; the fruit. If the Bible were compared to a skyscraper, the New would be the Penthouse, built upon the foundation of the Old. We can never understand the New apart from the Old, nor the Old apart from the New, and none of it makes sense without the Son of God, Jesus Christ

NEXT: A Bird’s-eye View of the Old Testament – Historical I

¹ The Five Key Covenants God Makes With Humans in the Bible by Whitney Woollard 

https://bibleproject.com/articles/covenants-the-backbone-bible/#

He says 5 covenants, I say 6. What gives? He combined the New Covenant and the Covenant of Peace. I don’t know why.

² https://torah.org/learning/basics-primer-torah-bible/

Old Testament: saved by grace through faith: What Paul says in Galatians

 

Tuesday I began a three part series asking the question, “How did a person get right with God in the Old Testament?” I offered a very brief survey and came up with the answer, “People in Old Testament days were made right with God by faith.” Wednesday I looked at what Paul said about this in his epistle to the Romans. Today, in my final post I will look at what Paul said in his epistle to the Galatians.

Why is this even important? I believe a fairly common misconception is that Jews in the Old Testament were saved by keeping the Law. But, if folks could ever get right with God by their obedience to the law, under any covenant, then Christ died in vain, it was all for nothing - we don’t need the cross. or Christ. But we do need Christ, and the blood of the cross, because getting right with God has always and only been by grace through faith.

Galatians 3:10-12 

10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. 11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

v 11 No man is justified by the law in the sight of God. What he means is, No one ever has, ever will, or ever can be made right with God by the law.

And why not? Because the principle has been laid down, The just shall live by faith. This is Habakkuk 2:4. In the Old Testament! The one who is righteous by faith is the one who shall live. Anybody, anywhere, anytime who needed to get right with God, did so by faith. There’s no other way.

Galatians 3:16-27 

16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.  17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.  18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

God made a covenant with Abraham in which he promised Christ, a covenant of promise, grace, and faith. 3:7 know ye, then, that those of faith -- these are sons of Abraham (YLT) and 3:9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham (NKJ)

Verse 17 reveals another eternal principle: the law, which came 430 years after the promise, cannot strip the promise of it’s power, make it of none effect. Paul’s point is, the blessing of Abraham was given by promise and received by faith; this is all grace.  This is the original and only way God deals with us. The giving of the law does not change this. In other words, they were not saved by keeping the law.

19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. 22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 

Is the law against or contrary to the promises? That is, God dealt with Abraham by promise, grace, and faith, does the law change that? God forbid or no way!

if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law - Here’s why no one ever could or ever can be made right with God by the law – it can’t give life.

the promise by faith of Jesus Christ - that is the promise of Christ and the blessing of righteousness and life in him, this can and does give life to them that believe.

23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 

This, before faith came, does indeed look like there was no faith until Christ came. But this can’t be true - Hebrews 11. What Paul literally wrote was, before the faith came and the faith revealed. The faith, the faith of Jesus Christ, the gospel. This in no way indicates that people were not saved by grace through faith, that was always God’s way of dealing with us - it’s just official now!

24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 

25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 

26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 

27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 

Once again, v 26 after the faith is come; the faith of Jesus Christ, the gospel.

In Old Testament days, people looked forward to the Christ who was to come, and God forgave sins because Jesus was coming to die for them. Now we look back to the Christ who has come, and God forgives sins through faith in his shed blood. Old Testament, New Testament, our hope is Christ. We are both, we are all, saved by grace through faith in Christ. (see Romans 3:25-26) Thank God!

YLT - Young's Literal Translation

NKJ - New King James