Galatians 3:17
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. 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.
Four hundred and thirty years passed from the making of the covenant with Abraham to the giving of the law at Sinai. The reckoning dates from the promise given to Abraham when he was commanded to leave Ur of the Chaldees, and it includes the time when Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob sojourned as strangers in Canaan before the descent into Egypt. It therefore does not mean that the Israelites were in Egypt for four hundred years, for the actual time in Egypt was only about two hundred and fifteen years. The four hundred years of affliction date from thirty years later than the promise to Abraham, about the time Ishmael persecuted Isaac.
The surrounding passage in Galatians 3:15-25 gives plain light about the covenants with clear and convincing evidence that every candid, unprejudiced mind would receive. The covenant of grace given to Abraham belongs to Gentiles as well as to Jews. Those who knew nothing of circumcision are brought under that covenant, and the blessings given to the Jewish nation are given equally to Gentiles who accept Christ as Saviour.
Efforts to make the passage produce a different position on the covenants waste investigative power for nothing and repeat a misconstruing, misinterpreting, and twisting of Scripture that hangs on words to make them mean what is wanted and creates false issues to cloud and mislead minds. Turning from this plain light comes from fear of having to accept what it says about the law in Galatians. No one is prepared to receive light to establish or refute a position on the passage until truly converted before God.