Galatians 4, continued
Galatians 4:12-20 – “So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?”
- Galatians 4:13 – Whatever this illness was, it gave Paul the occasion to preach to them the first time. See Philippians 1:12. We need to adjust to God’s plan. Remember the lesson of Jonah.
Galatians 4:21-31 – Allegory of Abraham’s two sons
- Galatians 4:21 – See Genesis 12:1-3; 13:16; 15:1-6; 16:1-11, 15-16. After ten years, Sarai decided to use Hagar, which was not God’s plan. See Genesis 17:1-5, 15-21; 18:10-15; 21:1-5, 9-15. Abraham had been waiting 25 years for Isaac. Ishmael was already 14 years old!
- Galatians 4:23 – Isaac was not a natural birth – both Abraham and Sarah were well past child-bearing age. God did the same thing with Gideon in Judges 7:2. He made it clear that it happened purely because God promised it.
| Hagar (bondwoman) | Sarah (free woman) |
|---|---|
| Ishmael | Isaac |
| Born according to the flesh | Born through the promise |
| Old Covenant | New Covenant |
| Present Jerusalem | Jerusalem above |
| Slavery | Freedom |
- Galatians 4:25 – See Hebrews 12:18.
- Galatians 4:27 – The quote is from Isaiah 54:1.
- Galatians 4:28 – We are only children of God because of God fulfilling His promise. We can’t do it on our own!
- Galatians 4:29 – See Genesis 21:9.