Starla McCarty Supporter

Paul now attacks the Judaisers by using a form of argument that they themselves liked to use. He returns to the story of Abraham to show that law-keeping is slavery and it cannot be mixed with grace. (read Genesis 15:1-6; Genesis 16:1-16; Genesis 17:15-22; Genesis 18:1-15; Genesis 21:1-21.) Abraham had two sons, Ishmael, who was born as a result of human arrangements that lacked any exercise of faith, and Isaac, who was born in fulfilment of God’s promise. The mother of Ishmael was the slave woman Hagar; the mother of Isaac was Abraham’s true wife Sarah (21-23).

Hagar is likened to the covenant of law given by God to Israel at Mt Sinai; Sarah is likened to the covenant of grace given freely to all people from heaven. The spiritual descendants of the slave woman are the Jerusalem Judaisers of Paul’s day; the spiritual descendants of the free woman are those saved by God’s grace through faith (24-26). The Jews, children of Abraham by natural descent, have largely failed to be God’s people; the Gentiles, who previously had neither life nor hope but who now largely make up the church, become Abraham’s spiritual children. Thus, in Paul’s illustration, the slave woman finishes with few offspring, but the free woman, who was formerly childless, now has a multitude of descendants (27).

Ishmael is likened to the Jews who are slaves under the bondage of the law; Isaac is likened to those saved by God’s grace and freed from the law. Just as Ishmael persecuted Isaac, so the Jews under the law now persecute those who are God’s people through his grace. Children of the law and children of grace cannot live together; the former must be thrown out. There is no place for law-keeping in God’s family (28-31)

August 28 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

Although Hagar bore Ishmael to Abraham, she was a slave. She stands for Mount Sinai in a figurative sense because, under the Old Testament, the Jewish people were slaves under the Law given at Mount Sinai, which could not save them, since no one was capable of the perfect obedience that it required.

With the coming of Christ, and through His perfect fuflfillment of the Law (of which He alone was capable), those who believed in Him were set free from the Law through grace and faith. Those who did not accept this freedom (the Jews, who were by then centered at Jerusalem) remained under slavery to the Law in an ongoing futile attempt to gain salvation and eternal life through their obedience to it.

August 23 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Leslie Coutinho Supporter

Galatians 4:25: For this A’-gar is mount Si’-nai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

Paul the Apostle of our Lord Jesus reveals unto us the one who had stood for Mount Sinai in the Arabian Peninsula was the bondwoman. The bondwomen's sons were born to Hagar and Keturah. The free woman's son was born to Sarah, Abraham’s wife. As written in the scriptures, A’-gar is Mount Si’-nai in the Arabian Peninsula. For they answereth to Jerusalem, as they are in bondage with their children for, “Their forefather was Abraham.” This bondage dates back to their forefathers, right from the time of Abraham, Hagar, and her son Ishmael who dwelt in Paran. After Sarah passed away Abraham took Keturah as his wife, who bore six sons. Keturah and her sons were then all sent eastward unto the east country the Arabian Peninsula. (Gen 21:21/25:1-2)

Hagar, after she conceived in her womb, was despised in the eyes of Sarah, and she fled to the fountain of water in the wilderness which is on the way to Shur. This was the land to where Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea and went out into the wilderness of Shur. (Gen 16:5-7/Exo 15:22) This tribe that answereth Jerusalem was right from the beginning having priests worshiping the Lord God. Melchizedek king of Salem was in Jordan, who was the priest of the most high God and Jethro the priest of Midian, who was Moses' father-in-law. (Gen 14:18/Exo 18:1) The sons of Abraham had priests, and during the time of Moses, the scrolls given to Moses and the Torah by God the Father who were worshiping Him. (Exo 24:4,7,12/34:27-28/Deu 31:9) 

Hagar and Keturah’s sons and their children, which stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia today, with Jethro the priest of Midian are the two tribes. (Gen 21:21/25:6) These tribes had followed the written scrolls of the Torah, and today they have their own worship places in Jerusalem. “Having slavery and bondage with the children of Israel a time will come when they shall raise their voice as Prophet Ezekiel reveals unto us.” Sheba and Dedan with the merchants of Tarshish will raise their voices to the Magog chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. For the Lord shall put hooks into their jaws with their company who shall join them that is Persia, Ethiopia, Libya, Gomer and the house of Togarmah with shields and helmet. (Gen 25:3/Eze 38:1-6,13) 

Ezekiel 38:13: She’-ba, and De’-dan, and the merchants of Tar’-shish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, "Art thou come to take a spoil? Hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? To carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?"

6 days ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report