“Galatians 4:21-31”

Sunday, July 22, 2018

“Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother. For it is written,
"‘REJOICE, BARREN WOMAN WHO DOES NOT BEAR; BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR; FOR MORE NUMEROUS ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE THAN OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND.’
"And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also. But what does the Scripture say?
"‘CAST OUT THE BONDWOMAN AND HER SON, FOR THE SON OF THE BONDWOMAN SHALL NOT BE AN HEIR WITH THE SON OF THE FREE WOMAN.’ So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman.”

---End of Scripture verses---

Since Abraham was revered as the father of the Jewish race, Paul used his two sons, Ishmael and Isaac, to illustrate the differences that exist between, and the effects that are produced by, the Law of Moses and faith in Christ. The first son, Ishmael, was Abraham’s child by purely natural, physical means. The second son, Isaac, was a part of the fulfillment of God’s promise that Abraham’s descendants would be a great nation and that, through his seed, all nations would be blessed. Ishmael represents the physical lineage of Abraham who obstinately clung to the Law of Moses for justification. Isaac represents the spiritual descendants of Abraham who have accepted the promises of God that are fulfilled by faith in Christ Jesus.

Ishmael was born to Abraham through Hagar, Sarah’s “bond woman” or slave (Genesis 16:1). Isaac was born to Abraham through Sarah, his wife and “free woman”. Both sons had the same father but had different legal standing because of the status of each child’s mother. The bondwoman’s son was born (or conceived) “according to the flesh” (verse 23). That is to say, she conceived him according to the natural laws of conception without the supernatural intervention of God. But Isaac was brought into the world miraculously by God “through the promise” that He had made to Abraham (verse 23). Abraham and Sarah were well past the age for natural childbirth and Sarah’s womb was “barren” (Genesis 18:11; Romans 4:19). 

“These women are the two covenants” (verse 24). Hagar and her child represent God’s covenant with Israel “inaugurated” on Mount Sinai when He gave Moses the Ten Commandments and the full Law of Moses that they represented. Just as surely as Hagar was a bondwoman and her children were destined to be servants, so the Law only offers slavery to those who are “begotten” by it (verse 25). Law only condemns people and cannot save them, therefore it renders them as slaves to sin. Mount Sinai is located in “Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem” (verse 25). Since Arabia was the land given to Ishmael’s descendants, this ties physical Israel (those who cling to the Law of Moses) to Ishmael rather than to Isaac. 

On the other hand, Abraham’s covenant wife, Sarah, was supernaturally blessed with her child, Isaac, according to God’s immutable promise. Sarah represents “the Jerusalem above” (verse 26). This “heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22-23) is the church of Jesus Christ. It is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham that all nations would be blessed through his seed, Jesus; and it is “free” from the slavery of sin and the bondage of law. Christians, who seek justification through faith in the Lord, and not perfect obedience to the Law, “like Isaac, are children of the promise” (verse 28). We are “not children of the bondwoman, but of the free woman” (verse 31). 
Hagar – The bondwoman – Ishmael – The child of the flesh – The Old Covenant –The Law of Moses – Bondage – Earthy Jerusalem
Sarah – The free woman – Isaac – The child of promise – The New Covenant – Faith in Christ Jesus – Freedom – Heavenly Jerusalem
As Hagar and her son were “cast out” of the household of Abraham because Ishmael abused Isaac (Genesis 21:10), so the brethren in Galatia were to “drive out” the “Judaizers” who troubled them with their false doctrine (verse 30). 

Please read Galatians 5:1-6 for tomorrow.

Have a blessed Lord’s Day!

-Louie Taylor

Share