Galatians 4:21-31

Galatians 4:21-31
²¹ Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? ²² 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 according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.

Abraham did not like God's time table so he rushed into things and had a son with his slave. Then God fulfilled his promise in the way he'd originally planned.  I think of my life right now and the decisions that need to be made.  I have two choices, God's plan or mine.

²⁴ These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants.

 Even when we screw things up God's plan comes through.  Abraham's impatience and all the concequences that came with it was still used by God as an example.

 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, barren woman,
    you who never bore a child;
shout for joy and cry aloud,
    you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
    than of her who has a husband.”

I'd say self explanatory but that's not true. I'm scratching my head for a commentary here. When in doubt shut up.  So I just used all these words to say "I don't know."

²⁸ Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. ²⁹ At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. ³⁰ But what does 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.”

There are consequences for sin. We can accept forgiveness and there will be condemnation or eternal punishment, but you will have to deal with the results here on earth.  Parents don't like to see their children fight, yet the son born of sin tormented the son born of God's will.  So God told Abraham to send them away.  Think about the gut wrenching ordeal of sending one's own flesh and blood away.


³¹ Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

If we are followers of Christ, we are children of Sarah because we are part of the promise given to Abraham.

God Bless.