Galatians 4 FSI - HEAR, O EARTH

> [!title|noicon] **Galatians 4 Notes** > [[Galatians 3 FSI|<Prev]]   [[Galatians 5 FSI|Next>]] > [[Galatians 4|Verse list view]] > **Galatians 4 Overview:** *Adoption by Grace* > > Having shown that those who are in Christ are the true heirs according to God's promise, Paul now explains that to receive their inheritance, these heirs must first be adopted as sons of God at the "fulness of time". Paul reminds the Galatians of the loving relationship they had with him when he first came with the Gospel of grace, and expresses his concern that, in light of their recent return to the law, they might not have become saved after all. > > Finally, Paul uses Ishmael and Isaac, the two sons of Abraham, as an analogy to illustrate the difference between those who are enslaved to the law and those who have been freed from that bondage by the grace of God. ^gal4-overview > [Galatians 4:1](Galatians%204.md#^1) - [2](Galatians%204.md#^2) note > > While everyone that God has chosen to save is potentially an heir to receive an inheritance, his standing before God is no different from that of an unsaved person until he has actually become saved. This is analogous to a child who has been named to receive an inheritance. Until he is actually given authority over his estate, he must still follow the instructions of his tutors, guardians and trustees. To the extent that he is subject to the commands of others, he is really no different from a servant. ^gal4-1-2 > [Galatians 4:3](Galatians%204.md#^3) note > > The word "elements" here is from the Greek stoicheion, which is also used in [Colossians 2:20](Colossians%202.md#^20): "Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances." There, it is translated "rudiments". From the context of that verse, we can see that stoicheion has to do with the ordinances that God has given humanity. Thus, the phrase "elements of the world" refers to the law of God. All unsaved people are in bondage under the law of God. > > This verse is thus saying that until we become saved, we are like that child in the analogy, remaining in bondage under the law of God. ^gal4-3 > [Galatians 4:4](Galatians%204.md#^4) note > > The analogy of a child applies to God's elect in another sense. While they were all named in God's will to receive the inheritance, they had remained in bondage to the demands of the law until God the Father sent forth His Son to earth at the fullness of time. Jesus Himself talked about His having come at the fullness of time when He started His earthly ministry. Right after He had been baptized, He went into Galilee and began preaching the good news of God, saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel" ([Mk 1:15](Mark%201.md#^15)) > > **Made of a Woman** > > The fact that Christ was born of a woman is important on two counts. First, it shows that Christ was fulfilling a prophecy God had made right after man's fall in the Garden of Eden. Back in Genesis 3, after Satan had deceived Eve into eating the forbidden fruit, God cursed him, saying in [verse 15](Genesis%203.md#^15): " I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." This verse makes it clear that Christ is that seed of the woman. At the cross, Satan bruised Christ's heel in having Him crucified, but Jesus bruised the serpent's head. He destroyed the devil. > > Secondly, it underscores that Jesus was a real man. He did not just come in the form of a man, as He had when He appeared to the Old Testament patriarchs, for example. It was man who had sinned against God and it is man who is under the wrath of God. To atone for the sin of those whom He had come to save, Jesus Himself must be a man Himself. These two truths about Christ having been made of a woman are also implicit in [Hebrews 2:14](Hebrews%202.md#^14): > > *Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.* > > **Under the Law** > > As the one who wrote and gave the law, God is above the law. But Christ came to save humanity, who are under the law. To fulfill God's justice, He > > had to be born under the law. That's why Jesus says in [Matthew 5:17](Matthew%205.md#^17), "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." Jesus fulfilled the law by living a perfectly righteous life. Though He was tempted just as we are, He never committed a sin. We read in [Hebrews 4:15](Hebrews%204.md#^15), "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." > > Christ was made under the law also in the sense that He came under the curse of the law. Jesus became sin for us. [2 Corinthians 5:21](2%20Corinthians%205.md#^21) says: > > *For he has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.* ^gal4-4 > [Galatians 4:5](Galatians%204.md#^5) note > > Why did God send forth His Son at the fullness of time? To redeem or buy the elect from under the law. There are many who teach that Christ came to die for every human being, but that only those who accept Him are redeemed. Christ came to redeem only those whom God had chosen to save. > > When Joseph first discovered that Mary was with child, remember, he was going to put her away quietly. But an angel came and told him in [Matthew 1:20](Matthew%201.md#^20) - [21](Matthew%201.md#^21): > > *Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.* > > He came to save His people, not all people. Of these people of His, Jesus said in [John 6:39](John%206.md#^39): > > *And this is the Father's will which has sent me, that of all which he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.* > > Christ came to redeem those God had predestined to save by dying on the cross. Does this mean that no one could be saved before the cross? No, because theoretically, Christ was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world ([Rev 13:8](Revelation%2013.md#^8)). It's just that at the appointed time, He had to be actually crucified. > > **Adoption** > > By redeeming us from under the law, Christ paved the way for our adoption by God as sons. God speaks of this adoption as a two-step process in Romans 8. In [verses 15](Romans%208.md#^15) and [16](Romans%208.md#^16), He says: > > *For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.* > > That is the first step; it takes place at the moment we are saved. We become sons of God. But while we have a born-again spirit, we still have a sin-cursed body. Thus, we read in [verse 23 of Romans 8](Romans%208.md#^23): > > *And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.* > > The second step, the redemption of our body on the last day, completes the adoption process. We will then be the sons of God in the fullest sense of the word. As I John 3:2 puts it, "we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." And we will be with Him forevermore. ^gal4-5 > [Galatians 4:6](Galatians%204.md#^6) note > > Once God has taken the first step to adopt us as sons, He will surely take the second. We read in Philippians 1:6, "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ"; and in [Ephesians 1:13](Ephesians%201.md#^13) - [14](Ephesians%201.md#^14): ". . .ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." > > Sealing with the Holy Spirit is what this verse is also saying. Having adopted us as sons, God has sent the Spirit of Christ into our hearts. This miracle is difficult for our finite minds to comprehend. But we can see it in the changed lives of believers as they increasingly display the fruit of the Spirit. > > It says here that the Spirit of Christ cries "Abba, Father" as He comes into our hearts. But in [Romans 8:15](Romans%208.md#^15), we have just read that we are the ones who cry "Abba, Father" as we receive the Spirit of adoption. Taken together, these two statements point to the close union that exists between our spirit and the Spirit of Christ. > > **Great Intimacy** > > "Abba" is an Aramaic word for father. Significantly, the only other place in the Bible where "Abba, Father" appears is Mark 14. On the eve of His crucifixion, the Lord was deeply troubled in the garden of Gethsemane. He prayed in [verse 36 of Mark 14](Mark%2014.md#^36), "Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt." That the Lord addressed His Father "Abba, Father" in His moment of deep distress reveals that "Abba, Father" is an expression of the greatest intimacy between father and son. It is an expression of total dependence on and total obedience to the Father. > > This, then, is the relationship we have with God. The Holy Spirit that indwells us helps us realize deep in our hearts that we are totally dependent on Him, and that we are to be totally obedient to Him. ^gal4-6 > [Galatians 4:7](Galatians%204.md#^7) note > > The word "servant" here is translated from the Greek word doulos, which means "slave" or "bond servant". It is the same word Paul, James, Peter and Jude used in the letters they wrote when they introduced themselves as "the servants of Jesus Christ". In saying that we are no more a servant, however, this verse is not contradicting those statements in the epistles. Here, God is saying that once we have been adopted as a son of God, we are no longer a slave under the demands of the law. But out of sheer gratitude, we automatically want to devote our lives to serve Christ; we joyfully consider ourselves to be His slaves. > > To drive home the point that we believers are indeed the ones whom God had named in His will to receive the inheritance, this verse points out that if we are sons of God, then we are heirs of God through Christ. We are heirs through Christ because, as we learned from Chapter three, Christ is the prime beneficiary of that will; He is the promised Seed of Abraham. ^gal4-7 > [Galatians 4:8](Galatians%204.md#^8) note > > Paul now begins to express his concerns as to whether the Galatians have really become saved. He starts by reminding them that when he brought the Gospel to them, they did not know God at all; instead, they were serving those who by nature are not gods. This is true of all unbelievers. They "changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator", according to [Romans 1:25](Romans%201.md#^25). Man should be able to see in the creation that there is a God, but he rejects God and makes his own god out of created things. ^gal4-8 > [Galatians 4:9](Galatians%204.md#^9) note > > Notice the way Paul phrases this question as he refers to those who had become saved. Although "knowing God" is a term frequently used in the Bible to denote a personal relationship with God, Paul takes pain to point out that to be precise, it is God who knows us. God is the one Who seeks us out from among the lost and saves us. > > The phrase "weak and beggarly elements" ties back to the "elements of the world" spoken of in [verse 3](Galatians%204.md#^3). It contrasts with "all spiritual blessings in heavenly places" that God's children enjoy, according to [Ephesians 1:3](Ephesians%201.md#^3). Paul is effectively asking the Galatians if they, after having been blessed with all spiritual blessing, really want to go back under the bondage of the law. The latter is weak and beggarly because it cannot save people; it is spiritually bankrupt. ^gal4-9 > [Galatians 4:10](Galatians%204.md#^10) note > > The "elements" that the Galatians are returning to are, in particular, the ceremonial laws. In the Old Testament, God commanded that certain sacrifices be made daily, monthly at the new moon, seasonally and yearly at various feasts. Those sacrifices all pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ, who would come as the Lamb of God, the only sacrifice that could atone for our sins. > > The trouble with ancient Israel was that they missed the whole point of the sacrifices. They thought they could be righteous before God by performing these rituals and observing the law. In short, they did not see the need of a Savior. Paul now chastises the Galatians for committing the same sin. ^gal4-10 > [Galatians 4:11](Galatians%204.md#^11) note > > Paul has no doubt spent much time and energy witnessing, teaching and discipling them, and he must have prayed much for them as well. Seeing that they have started to go back to the law, therefore, he is afraid that his labor has been in vain; the Galatians may not have become saved after all. > > Behind Paul's concern is the fact that those who are truly saved cannot be deceived by false prophets. In John 10, the Lord Jesus, describing Himself as the Good Shepherd, says of His sheep, "And a stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers " ([Jn 10:5](John%2010.md#^5)). Like Paul, every pastor and every Bible teacher should ascertain that the ones they teach truly understand what salvation by grace really means and recognize the danger of following a gospel involving works of any kind. ^gal4-11 > [Galatians 4:12](Galatians%204.md#^12) note > > Paul now urges the Galatians to become a follower of Christ just as he himself is. Is he being conceited here? No, using himself as an example is especially pertinent here because he himself was once a zealous keeper of the law. But after God enabled him to see the truth, he has become the champion of the Gospel of grace. > > That's why Paul emphasizes that he is no different from what they are. In another passage in the Bible, he even calls himself the "chief of sinners" because he once persecuted the church vigorously. His point is, in God's sight, everyone stands on the same ground. We are all sinners; we all must come humbly to the foot of the cross of Christ begging for mercy. > > The word "injured" here means "hurt" or "wronged". Paul is telling the Galatians that their turning away from the truth has not hurt or wronged him personally; his pride is not the issue. At issue, rather, is their salvation. ^gal4-12 > [Galatians 4:13](Galatians%204.md#^13) note > > Paul now reminds the Galatians of the close relationship they shared when he first preached the Gospel to them. At that time, he had an "infirmity of the flesh"; he was not physically well. Somehow, in fact, it was because of that infirmity that he came to preach to them. That Paul had some physical problem is also indicated in [2 Corinthians 10:10](2%20Corinthians%2010.md#^10). There, his critics are quoted as having said this of him: "For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible." > > Exactly what his problem was, the Bible has not revealed. Possibly, he was suffering from poor eyesight. in [verse 15](Galatians%204.md#^15), as we'll soon see, he says that the Galatians would have given their own eyes to him, had it been possible. And in [verse 11 of Chapter 6](Galatians%206.md#^11), he talks about the "large letters" in which he has written this letter. But since the Bible is silent on this infirmity, it does no good for us to speculate. > > **Thorns in the Flesh** > > We need not speculate, however, that this infirmity has nothing to do with the "thorn in the flesh" spoken of in II Corinthians 12, although many do teach that the latter refers to his bad eyesight. That thorn in the flesh could not be a physical illness because Paul describes it in [2 Corinthians 12:7](2%20Corinthians%2012.md#^7) as " the messenger of Satan". The fact is, illness is neither a messenger nor of Satan. It is something God gives humanity after man's fall. We read in [Exodus 4:11](Exodus%204.md#^11), where God asks Moses rhetorically, "Who hath made man's mouth? or who makes the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I the LORD?" > > Moreover, Paul says in [verse 10 of 2 Corinthians 12](2%20Corinthians%2012.md#^10), "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." The emphasis is on the sufferings he endures for Christ's sake, the persecution he receives because of his service for the Lord. By comparing scripture with scripture, we can find the meaning of that thorn in the flesh in Numbers 33. There, God commanded ancient Israel to drive out all the Canaanites from the promised land. He warned: > > *But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.* ([Nu 33:55](Numbers%2033.md#^55)) > > Notice that the wicked people who would harass Israel are described by God as thorns in their sides. So, by the thorn in the flesh, Paul is referring to someone who is harassing him because of his efforts to bring forth the Gospel. That person is a messenger of Satan. ^gal4-13 > [Galatians 4:14](Galatians%204.md#^14) note > > The word "temptation" here is from the Greek peirasmos, which means trial. It is the same word we find in the Lord's prayer where it says, "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil", and in [James 1:2](James%201.md#^2), which reads, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations." You see, we beseech the Lord not to give us too many trials. But when we do go through difficult times, we are to rejoice nevertheless, knowing that God uses trials to strengthen our faith and help us mature spiritually. > > Here, Paul is talking about the physical problems mentioned in the preceding verse. It was evidently trying even to the Galatians who had attended to him. But in spite of that, they did not despise nor reject him; they did not treat him with contempt or scorn. Instead, they welcomed him as though he was an angel or messenger of God, or even as though he was Christ Jesus Himself. ^gal4-14 > [Galatians 4:15](Galatians%204.md#^15) note > > Their relationship with Paul was so good and their reception of the Gospel was so enthusiastic that they spoke of that time as a period of blessedness, a period of great joy. They were obviously grateful to Paul for having shown them the way to salvation. Moreover, the Galatians loved Paul so much that had it been possible, they would have plucked out their own eyes and given them to him. In [John 15:13](John%2015.md#^13), the Lord Jesus says, "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." While the Galatians didn't go that far, their loving attitude did suggest that they had become saved. > > But now, Paul asked, "What has happened to you people? Where is that blessing that you enjoyed so much then?" ^gal4-15 > [Galatians 4:16](Galatians%204.md#^16) note > > Things have since changed a lot. The Galatians, having started to follow other gospels, no longer like what Paul has to say. So Paul now asks them point blank if he has become their enemy because he is teaching them the truth. > > What is the Truth? The whole Word of God, of course. It is the Sword of the Spirit, a two-edged sword. While it brings salvation to the elect, it cuts at the unsaved. It condemns the unsaved to eternal death. That's why people of the world generally resent the Gospel. They don't like to be told that they are sinners who are not good enough to go to heaven on their own merit. Hence, Jesus warns in [Matthew 10:22](Matthew%2010.md#^22), "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endures to the end shall be saved." > > That last point is highly significant; it implies that only the truly saved will stick with the truth to the end. So, if you don't like to hear that you are a sinner headed for eternal death, or if you sugar-coat the Gospel when you witness to others, you need to ask yourself honestly, "Am I really a child of God?" > > In this verse, likewise, Paul is effectively asking the Galatians, "Are you really saved?" ^gal4-16 > [Galatians 4:17](Galatians%204.md#^17) note > > By "they" here, Paul is referring to the false prophets that have infiltrated the Galatian churches. And the word "exclude" here means to shut out. The word "affect" is found only three times in the Bible: twice in this verse, and once in the next. The way it is used in these two verses does not help us define its meaning. But the Greek word zeloo from which it is translated is translated "covet" in [1 Corinthians 12:31](1%20Corinthians%2012.md#^31) and "desire to have" in [James 4:2](James%204.md#^2). Applying those translations here helps us better understand this verse. > > So, Paul is telling the Galatians, in effect, "They zealously desire to have you; they want you on their side. But they are not courting you with well- meaning. They would shut you out so that you would desire to have (fellowship with) them." > > Indeed, false prophets do often work zealously in their attempt to gain converts for Satan. In [Matthew 23:15](Matthew%2023.md#^15), Jesus says to the Jewish religious leaders: > > *Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him two-fold more the child of hell than yourselves.* > > And we can see this vividly in our day. The members of one popular cult, for example, typically come to our doors in pairs, patiently and even passionately trying to make us receive their religion. And the people following those gospels that feature signs and wonders and tongues are noted for their zeal and success in spreading their gospel all over the world. > > But as this verse warns, loving and sincere though they appear, they are keeping people from becoming saved. And as Jesus says of the Pharisees, they are making the unsuspecting victims doubly the children of hell. ^gal4-17 > [Galatians 4:18](Galatians%204.md#^18) note > > There is nothing wrong in being zealous. In fact, it is good to be zealously desirous of a good thing. And the only good thing is that which is in accord with the Word of God. Remember Jesus told the rich young ruler that "there is none good but one, that is God" ([Mk 10:18](Mark%2010.md#^18))? > > Evidently, when Paul first spent time with the Galatians, teaching them the Word of God, they were most eager to learn. So now, the apostle tells them they should continue to have that kind of zeal even though he is not with them. Christ demonstrated His zeal for a good thing when He drove the merchants and money changers out from the temple twice. Those clean-ups were a fulfillment of the prophecy of [Psalm 69:9](Psalm%2069.md#^9): "For the zeal of thine house has eaten me up". They were also a picture showing that Christ came to straighten out the spiritual house of God. > > We believers are the spiritual, eternal temple of God, and we are to keep the temple clean. As this verse teaches, we should zealously and continuously seek the good thing, the true Gospel from the Word of God. Then, like Paul, we can warn others of false prophets trying to exclude them from salvation. ^gal4-18 > [Galatians 4:19](Galatians%204.md#^19) note > > This is an expression of compassion from the heart of Christ toward sinners, or a caring pastor who dearly loves his congregation. Compassionately addressing the Galatians as "My little children", Paul tells them that he is suffering for them the kind of acute pain that a woman experiences when she gives birth to a child. And he says that he will keep on having this pain until Christ is formed in them – that is, until the Galatians conform more and more to the image of Christ. > > In other words, Paul is aching for their salvation. That's because becoming more and more like Christ is an important evidence of salvation. [James 2:20](James%202.md#^20) says, "faith without works is dead." A person who claims to be a Christian but who shows no evidence of turning away from sin is probably not really saved. Nor is anyone who follows a gospel involving works. > > **Compassionate Savior** > > A deep compassion for the unsaved was expressed by Jesus Himself. We read in [Luke 19:41](Luke%2019.md#^41) - [42](Luke%2019.md#^42): > > *And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, "If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.* > > Christ wept over Jerusalem as He made His triumphal entry into the city. He was grieved by Israel's failure, as a nation, to recognize that He was the Messiah. They were blind to the true Gospel. > > These are examples for all of us to follow. When we see our unsaved friends and loved ones misled by the wrong gospel so that their salvation is suspect, we, too, should feel such a pain deep down in our heart that we want to compassionately bring them back onto the right path. ^gal4-19 > [Galatians 4:20](Galatians%204.md#^20) note > > Paul so wants to correct the Galatians that he says, in effect, "Oh, how I wish I could be there with you personally. I wish I could straighten you out so I don't have to write to you in such a stern and apprehensive tone. I wish I could be with you in person because I'm afraid you are in deep spiritual trouble." > > Remember we learned just a few verses earlier that when Paul first brought the Gospel to the Galatians, they embraced it enthusiastically? The fact that Paul now has doubts about their salvation points to another important truth: > > We cannot assume that a person is truly saved just because he responded positively to the Gospel once or even because he was active in the church for a period of time. If he falls away from the obedience that comes from the faith, we have a good reason to doubt his salvation. > > **Parable of the Sower** > > This principle is vividly enunciated by Christ in the Parable of the Sower, found in Matthew 13, Mark 4 and Luke 8. Of the four groups of people in the parable, the first very obviously remained unsaved. Jesus says, "these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan comes immediately, and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts" ([Mk 4:15](Mark%204.md#^15)). > > The second and the third groups, however, both respond to the Gospel positively at first; some "receive it with joy". But they either fall away "when affliction or persecution arises for the word's sake" ([v17](Mark%204.md#^17)) or become unfruitful because of "the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things" ([v19](Mark%204.md#^19)). Only the last group brings forth fruit ([v20](Mark%204.md#^20)). > > Remember, Jesus said in [John 15:2](John%2015.md#^2), "Every branch in me that bears not fruit he takes away." So, only the last group is truly saved. Let me hasten to clarify that this parable is not teaching that a so-called backslider can lose his salvation. Once a person is truly saved, he is eternally saved. What it is teaching is that no matter how much a person appears to be a good Christian, if he falls away and dies in that condition, such a person was never saved to begin with. > > On the other hand, the Bible does not teach that believers do not stumble. We still live in a body that has a sinful nature. But a truly saved person, led as he is by the indwelling Holy Spirit, is bound to show an underlying spiritual growth throughout his Christian walk. He becomes more and more like Christ. ^gal4-20 > [Galatians 4:21](Galatians%204.md#^21) note > > Paul now tackles the Galatians' problem with yet another argument. He asks those who want to go back to observing the law if they are aware of what the law really says. He is going to show them that even in the Old Testament, God was talking about the Gospel of grace. > > Ironically, there are many theologians today who believe and teach that salvation by grace is something available only in the New Testament time. But take Romans 1, for instance. It introduces the Gospel in [verses 2](Romans%201.md#^2) and [3](Romans%201.md#^3) as that "which (God) had promised before by his prophets in the holy scriptures, concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord". > > Likewise, [Hebrews 4:2](Hebrews%204.md#^2) declares, "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." The "them" there refers to the Israelites that perished in the wilderness. The same Gospel that is preached to us now was preached to them then. It didn't bring them salvation because they did not hear it with faith. ^gal4-21 > [Galatians 4:22](Galatians%204.md#^22) note > > Paul begins his new line of argument by pointing to something that was written in the law, the fact that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, and the other by a freewoman. The account of Abraham having two sons, of course, is recorded in Genesis, the first book of the Bible. This is significant because people often equate the law to the Ten Commandments, which were given some five hundred years after Abraham had had two sons. This reference to Abraham thus makes it clear that when the Bible speaks of the law, it is not talking about the Ten Commandments only. > > God actually uses many terms to describe the Word of God. In Hebrews 1, for instance, we read, "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken unto us by his Son" ([Heb 1:1](Hebrews%201.md#^1) - [2](Hebrews%201.md#^2)). There, the Old Testament, the only written Word of God then available, is identified as that which was spoken unto the fathers by the prophets. > > In [Luke 24:27](Luke%2024.md#^27), where the resurrected Christ was talking to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, we read: "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." > > In [Revelation 22:7](Revelation%2022.md#^7), Jesus says, "Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keeps the sayings of the prophecy of this book." There, "this book" refers to the entire Bible since the commands that believers are to keep are given throughout the Bible. ^gal4-22 > [Galatians 4:23](Galatians%204.md#^23) note > > To better understand Paul's argument, let's review briefly the account of Abraham's two sons. When the Lord first told Abram to leave his home in Ur of the Chaldees to go unto a land that He would show him, God promised, "I will make of thee a great nation" ([Gen 12:2](Genesis%2012.md#^2)). It implied that Abram would eventually have many offspring. Abram was 75 years old then and his wife Sarai was 65, and they had no children. > > After they had gone into the land of Canaan, God repeated that promise, saying: > > *I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.* ([Gen 13:16](Genesis%2013.md#^16)) > > **Human Action** > > Ten years went by and they still didn't have any children. Sarai, now 75, knowing that she had well passed her child-bearing age, said to Abram, "Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her" ([Gen 16:2](Genesis%2016.md#^2)). Abram agreed and soon the maid Hagar was with child. Hagar then became proud and began to despise Sarai, who in turn dealt with her harshly – so much so that Hagar had to flee from her. But the angel of the Lord appeared to Hagar and told her, > > *Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.* ([Gen 16:9](Genesis%2016.md#^9) - [10](Genesis%2016.md#^10)) > > Thus, God promised Hagar that she, too, would have innumerable offspring. Hagar went back and bore Abram a son, whom they named Ishmael. Abram was 86 years old then. > > **Son of Promise** > > Thirteen years later, when Abram was 99 years old, God appeared to him once more and said, "I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly." Stressing that point, He changed Abram's name to Abraham, which means "the father of many nations". He also changed Sarai's name to Sarah, which means "princess", and said, > > *And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.* ([Gen 17:16](Genesis%2017.md#^16)) > > To make it clear that Ishmael was not the son of promise, God said to Abram in [verse 21](Genesis%2017.md#^21), "But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year." The following year, when Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90, Isaac (which means “laughter”) was indeed born. Sarah then said, "God has made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me" ([Gen 21:6](Genesis%2021.md#^6)). > > This, then, is the background to which Paul is referring. Ishmael, the son of the bondmaid, was born after the flesh – that is, he was born in the ordinary human way. On the other hand, Isaac, the son of the freewoman, was born as the result of a promise by God, even after Sarah was past the age of childbearing (which required a miracle of God to accomplish). ^gal4-23 > [Galatians 4:24](Galatians%204.md#^24) note > > While these are historical facts, God now tells us that they are nevertheless an allegory, a symbolic representation of some spiritual truth. This reveals how wisely God has written the Bible. Hidden in most, if not all, of the historical events are deeper spiritual truths that reveal different aspects of salvation. These spiritual truths are meant to be understood only by God's elect. Thus, Paul writes in I Corinthians 2:7-10: > > *But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him. But God has revealed them unto us by his Spirit.* > > Here, Paul reveals that the two women in that Genesis account actually represent the two covenants of God. To understand why there are two covenants, let's review briefly what we studied back in Chapter 3. > > Remember God actually gave Abraham two different promises? In one of them, He promised to give Abraham himself as well as his seed a land for an everlasting possession. We saw that it has to do with salvation. That promise will not be fulfilled in total until the last day, when all believers (the seed of Abraham by faith in Christ), including Abraham, receive their glorified bodies and inherit the new earth. > > But God also promised to give a plot of land on this earth to Abraham's seed, the nation of Israel. God fulfilled that promise when He let them possess the land of Canaan under the leadership of Joshua. It was while the Israelites were there in the wilderness en route to Canaan that God gave them the law through Moses at Mount Sinai in Arabia. > > This Mosaic law, God now explains, is the covenant that is represented by Hagar (Agar in the Greek). And this covenant genders, or begets, children that are in bondage because they are bound to keep the law perfectly. Since that is an impossible task, that covenant effectively bound the children to eternal death. ^gal4-24 > [Galatians 4:25](Galatians%204.md#^25) - [26](Galatians%204.md#^26) note > > The word "answer" in this verse means to correspond. This verse is thus saying that the bondwoman Hagar, which represents the law given at Mount Sinai, corresponds to the earthly city of Jerusalem; she and her children are all in bondage. While it represented the kingdom of God on earth before the cross, this "Jerusalem which now is" is no different than any other earthly city. It will be destroyed by fire on the Last Day. > > By way of contrast, the covenant that is pictured by the freewoman corresponds with the eternal, heavenly, new Jerusalem above. We read about this Jerusalem, among other places, [Revelation 3:12](Revelation%203.md#^12). It is the Israel of God, those who are the children of Abraham by faith in Christ. Jesus says: > > *He that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God....* > > Also, in [Revelation 21:9](Revelation%2021.md#^9), an angel said to the apostle John in a vision, "Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife." Then, [verse 10](Revelation%2021.md#^10) continues, "And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God." In short, the Jerusalem above is the eternal kingdom of God into which all true believers enter. > > That's why this verse in Galatians concludes that Sarah, who represents the covenant that corresponds to the Kingdom of God, is the mother of all believers. It ties back to what we read earlier from [Genesis 17:16](Genesis%2017.md#^16), where God said of Sarah, "she shall be a mother of nations, kings of people shall be of her." > > **Only One Salvation Plan** > > Before leaving this subject, an important point needs to be clarified regarding these covenants. Because the Bible talks here in Galatians 4 of two covenants and in Hebrews 8 of a new covenant replacing an old one, some theologians have concluded that the salvation plan God had for the nation of Israel was different from the Gospel of grace that is now offered to all people. Essentially, they teach that God had given the Israelites a gospel of works. Under the old covenant, they were to become right with God by keeping the Mosaic law. There are indeed many passages in which God promised to bless Israel if they kept all His commands, but also warned that if they became disobedient, they would be cursed. > > The trouble is, no Israelite could have been saved under such a gospel, since the Bible declares in [Psalm 58:3](Psalm%2058.md#^3), for example, that every person is in rebellion against God from his mother's womb, speaking lies as soon as he is born; and in [Romans 3:10](Romans%203.md#^10) that there is none righteous, no not one. > > **Same Commands** > > Actually, in the New Testament, God gives the same commands. For example, Jesus says in Matthew [Matthew 5:48](Matthew%205.md#^48), "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." To be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect is just as impossible for any human to attain as it is to keep the Old Testament law. > > The New Testament also warned against disobedience. We read in [2 Corinthians 5:10](2%20Corinthians%205.md#^10): > > *For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad.* > > In both the Old and the New Testament, God declares that the wages of sin is death. > > God reveals elsewhere in the New Testament, however, that despite their imperfection and disobedience, those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ no longer have to appear before the judgment seat because Christ already appeared there on their behalf. Having been found guilty with their sins, He suffered the wrath of God on the cross. But even in the Old Testament days, men like Abraham, Moses and David were also saved by grace through the blood of Christ. None of them kept the law perfectly; they all sinned one time or another. Hence, David was able to sing in [Psalm 32:1](Psalm%2032.md#^1), "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered." He knew that his sin was covered by the blood of Christ. > > **Same Grace** > > Indeed, when we study the Old Testament carefully, we find that it offers the same Gospel of grace. In [Exodus 31:13](Exodus%2031.md#^13), for instance, we read: > > *Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that does sanctify you.* > > It is the Lord, you see, who sanctifies people. One does not become holy before God by keeping the law. In the Old Testament, God puts heavy emphasis on the Sabbath day to underscore the fact that we do not do any work whatsoever toward our salvation; we rest on the finished work of Christ. > > In Deuteronomy 4, God told the Israelites to carefully keep all of His commands. But even in that context, we find this statement of grace in [verse 29](Deuteronomy%204.md#^29): "But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul." That is the same language as "Seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened" that we find in the New Testament. > > Other promises of salvation by grace are sprinkled all over the Old Testament. In fact, it was to let the Israelites know that they could only be saved if their sins were atoned for by the shedding of blood that the law demanded animal sacrifices. The shedding of blood focused, of course, on the coming Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. > > **Corrupted by Israel** > > The trouble is, Israel took the Old Testament covenant of grace and changed it into a covenant of works (just as these false prophets were doing in Galatia). On this point, God says in [Hebrews 8:7](Hebrews%208.md#^7), [8](Hebrews%208.md#^8), [9](Hebrews%208.md#^9): > > *For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.* > > You see, the first covenant was faulty because God found fault with them, them being the people of the nation of Israel. The covenant itself was perfect, but "they (the Israelites) continued not in my covenant". They corrupted it by misapplying it. Instead of waiting for the promised Messiah to come, they tried to earn their salvation by their own efforts. > > That was exactly what Abram and Hagar did, wasn't it? Instead of waiting for God to have Sarah give birth to the promised son, they tried to do it on their own. Ishmael was thus the result of man's attempt to realize the promise of God. That's why the Bible now equates Hagar with the old covenant. ^gal4-25-26 > [Galatians 4:27](Galatians%204.md#^27) note > > Besides the allegory given by Sarah and Hagar, Paul now shows that the Gospel of grace was also long prophesied in the Scripture. To prove his point, he quotes here [verse 1 of Isaiah 54](Isaiah%2054.md#^1): > > *Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.* > > This verse in Isaiah alludes, of course, to Sarah in the first instance. Before she gave birth to Isaac, she had been barren; she was way past her child- bearing age. But having become the mother of all believers, she has far more children than a typical married woman. > > But why does it imply that Sarah did not have a husband? Because the moment Hagar started carrying the child of Abraham in her womb, she was more of a wife to Abraham than Sarah. In a sense, therefore, when Sarah asked Abraham to go into Hagar, she had forfeited her husband to Hagar. > > **Another Picture** > > But in Isaiah 54, God is also alluding to another barren woman who has no husband. This woman is a picture of national Israel. That nation has been barren because, spiritually, it has failed to produce fruit; it has persisted in unbelief. Just as Christ is the husband of the church ([Eph 5:30](Ephesians%205.md#^30), [31](Ephesians%205.md#^31), [32](Ephesians%205.md#^32)), God was for a period the spiritual husband of Israel. But He subsequently divorced her. In [Jeremiah 3:8](Jeremiah%203.md#^8), God said: > > *And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.* > > There, God declared that although He had divorced the northern kingdom of Israel because of her spiritual adultery, the southern kingdom of Judah was not afraid, but continued to commit the same sin of playing the harlot; so, He was going to divorce her also. As a result, the entire nation of Israel became a woman without a husband. > > But [Isaiah 54:1](Isaiah%2054.md#^1) promised that out of the barren nation of Israel will break forth the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. And of course, all those who are in Christ are the children of God and the seed of Abraham. They are so numerous that they become, as [Revelation 7:9](Revelation%207.md#^9) puts it, "a great multitude, which no man could number". ^gal4-27 > [Galatians 4:28](Galatians%204.md#^28) note > > God declares here that every believer is a child of promise as Isaac was. That's because, like Isaac, we become children of God not from any action that we have taken. This fact is amplified in [John 1:12](John%201.md#^12) - [13](John%201.md#^13): > > *But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.* > > Note that verse 13 makes it clear that we are born not of the will of man, but of God. Contrary to a doctrine that is widely taught nowadays, we don't become saved by making a decision to receive Christ. We have received Christ because God, having named us in his will, has given us the faith to trust Him. ^gal4-28 > [Galatians 4:29](Galatians%204.md#^29) note > > This verse refers to an incident recorded in Genesis 21 that also involved Isaac and Ishmael. We read in [verses 8](Genesis%2021.md#^8) and [9](Genesis%2021.md#^9): > > *And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.* > > When Isaac was weaned, his father made a feast to celebrate the event. But his half-brother Ishmael started to mock him, that is, to make fun of him. > > Significantly, this verse in Galatians uses the word "persecuted" to describe what Ishmael did to Isaac. God is thus explaining through Paul that the historical event of Genesis 21 is a picture of the spiritual persecution that comes to all true believers. Paul underscores this point by saying, "even so it is now." Indeed, throughout the centuries, Christians have been persecuted by unbelievers to varying degrees. The more faithful we are in teaching and obeying the Word of God, the more we are ridiculed and persecuted. > > Notice that Ishmael was of the family of Abraham; he was a half-brother of Isaac. It's not surprising, therefore, that some of the most grievous persecutions directed at faithful Christians have come from people within the visible church. Typically, those who preach works or grace-plus-works gospels tend to be the most vigorous persecutors. ^gal4-29 > [Galatians 4:30](Galatians%204.md#^30) note > > After Sarah saw that her son was mocked by Ishmael, we read in [Genesis 21:10](Genesis%2021.md#^10) - [11](Genesis%2021.md#^11): > > *She said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.* > > That request by Sarah was grievous in Abraham's sight. He, like any good father, loved Ishmael. This teaches us that every parent should love his children, regardless of how rebellious or obstinate they may be. Sometimes, we need to show special care for the rebellious child because we realize that he has special needs. But [verse 12](Genesis%2021.md#^12) continues: > > *And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah has said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.* > > **Decreed Separation** > > God tells Abraham to grant Sarah's request and send Hagar and Ishmael away. It is through the seed of Isaac’s line that God will call those He has promised to bring into the kingdom of God. To comfort Abraham, God promised to bless Ishmael also, saying in [verse 13](Genesis%2021.md#^13), "And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed." That promise has since been fulfilled. Ishmael and Esau, a grandson of Abraham, were the progenitors of the Arab nations. > > But God had another reason for telling Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away. He was guiding history so that it conveys the important truth that is now revealed in this Galatians verse: "for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman." Here, God emphasizes once again that those who try to obtain God's promise through their own efforts, as typified by Hagar and Ishmael, shall not become heirs along with the children of promise. They are not eligible to receive the inheritance; they will be cast out. ^gal4-30 > [Galatians 4:31](Galatians%204.md#^31) note > > You see, all those who had been named by God before the foundations of the earth to receive the inheritance will be given the faith to believe in Christ. Like Isaac, we are children of promise. > > We are not children of the bondwoman; we were not born into bondage as Ishmael was. Saved by the grace of God, we are free from the law, free from sin, and free from the penalty of having transgressed God's law. We have been liberated by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. ^gal4-31 Tags: #New_Testament #Galatians #True_Gospel #FSI