Galatians 4:21-5:1 ~ children of promise

Galatians 4:21-5:1   ~   (New International Version)

Listen – click for new tab

 ²¹ Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says?  For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. ²³ His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise.

 ²⁴ These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. ²⁵ Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written:
   "Be glad, O barren woman,
      who bears no children;
   break forth and cry aloud,
      you who have no labor pains;
   because more are the children of the desolate woman
      than of her who has a husband." 

 ²⁸ Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. ²⁹ At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. ³⁰   But what does the Scripture say? "Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son." ³¹ Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

Galatians 5

 ¹ It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Paul stood in the crossroads of time and used an analogy of the Old Covenant to the New Covenant.  When we believe our Scriptures, the family of Abraham set in motion the problems similar to divorce, re-marriage (Abraham is recorded as marrying after Sarah’s death), favoritism, limits of life, poverty, power, legitimacy, holiness and envy carried into generations. 

Consider how so many feel about the Mountain of the Temple.

Why? Why did this happen? 

We are supposed to follow the Lord when life is too complex and the choices are too few or too many. My son recently said his religion professor said her favorite chapter in the Bible is Judges 19 – the man treats his concubine terribly and she is killed by the tribe of Benjamin. My son asked me why this terrible passage in the Bible occurs.  Just what you want to be asked out of the blue. But the Lord gave me a good answer for my child, my college student. I said it is like finding out your dad raped a 12 year old. It is like finding out your child tortured and killed a small animal, you are supposed to put aside the consequences of your pain and do the right thing for the Lord. 

Abraham had good intentions to create for himself a son, but he divided his inheritance. And God told Abraham not to share. God was begged to bless Ishmael.  And out of the havoc created by one man, God plan still worked. Not without some feeling as seeds cast among thorns. 

It was a mess.

How was man to continue? The children of Ishmael and the children of Noah, cast aside.  Once God gave us His Son, we were to look to the Son of God to know we are all adopted into the Family of God. No matter if the generations and the situations of life cast you into slavery of sin. You are worthy in the Holy Spirit. 

You are not a child under law, you are blessed to be a child of the Holy Spirit.  You are chosen, special, loved.  Because you are a child of God, you rise above the circumstances of your family sin.  Like Paul, you find your joy instead of any other emotion. You rise above our personal limitations and sin. When you are a child of the new covenant, the story of Abraham, Isaac, and all the saints is your story.  You are a child of Promise, you are a child of the Most High God. 

Luke 12:32

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.

<><