The Children of Promise:
To Whom Are Given the Promises of God?

Galatians 4:21-31; 5:1

Unbelieving Jews

• Hagar is figurative of
  • physical Jerusalem,
  • Mt Sinai (the Ten Commandments / the Mosaic Law) (Gal 4:25), and
  • Jews who are in bondage to the Mosaic Law (Gal 4:22, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31).
• Ishmael also is figurative of Jews who are still under the Mosaic Law (Gal 4:25) - and thus, not spiritually circumcised / converted by Christ Jesus,
  • Like Ishmael, unbelieving Jews are not heirs to the eternal promises of God (Gal 4:30).

Believing Jews

• Sarah is figurative of
  • spiritual (heavenly) Jerusalem,
  • the new covenant, and
  • spiritual Jews.
• Spiritual Jews are freed from (are not under) the Mosaic Law (Gal 4:22, 23, 26, 30, 31).
• Spiritual Jews are greater in number than physical Jews (Gal 4:27).
• Isaac also is figurative of spiritual Jews.
  • Like Isaac, spiritual Jews are the children of God's eternal promises (Gal 4:28).
  • Christ has set spiritual Jews (believing Jews and Gentiles) free from slavery to the Mosaic Law (Gal 4:31; 5:1).
  • Those who are set free from the Mosaic Law should not return to be enslaved under it again (Gal 5:1).

Believing Gentiles and believing Jews receive the same promises.

• "Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." Ephesians 2:11-13
  
  
• "And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance." Hebrews 9:15
  
  
• "That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel" Ephesians 3:6

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Galatians

4:21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
4:27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
4:28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
4:30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
4:31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
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L.D. Hammons © 2006 This article may be freely copied and distributed without charge if it is copied in its entirety (without editing) along with this notice - including the author's name and copyright notice.

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