Galatians
4:21-31 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Sarah and Hagar: Two Covenants
21 Tell me, those of you who want to be under the
law, don’t you hear the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave
and the other by a free woman. 23 But the one by the slave was born according to the impulse of
the flesh, while the one by the free woman was born as the result of a promise.
24 These things are illustrations,[a]for the women represent the two
covenants. One is from Mount Sinaiand bears children into slavery—this is
Hagar. 25 Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the
present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is
free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written:
Rejoice,
childless woman,
who does
not give birth.
Burst into
song and shout,
you who
are not in labor,
for the
children of the desolate are many,
more
numerous than those
of the
woman who has a husband.[b]
28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac,
are children of promise. 29 But just as then the child born according to the flesh
persecuted the one born according to the Spirit, so also now. 30 But what does the Scripture
say?
Drive out
the slave and her son, for the son of the slave will never be a coheir with the
son of the free woman.[c]
31 Therefore, brothers, we are not
children of the slave but of the free woman.
Questions:
1.Who
were Abraham’s slave wife, and who was her son, who was Abraham’s free wife and
whose was her son?
A=
Abraham’s slave wife and son was Hagar and Ishmael. Abraham and his free
wife were Sarah and Issac.
2. Why did God give
Sarah, Abraham’s freeborn wife, a son?
A=God gave Sarah a
son because he had promised Abraham a son, but Abraham and Sarah doubted him.
They doubted him because Sarah was very old and Isaac was a miracle child.
3. In verse 24, what
do the two women, Sarah and Hagar, represent?
A= Both of the women
represent God’s two covenants. The slaved wife, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai
where the the old testament rules were given to moses and were being promoted
by the jewish leaders in Jersulem. While the freeborn wife illustrates the
heavenly Jerusalem.
4. What is Jerusalem
above?
A= Jerusalem above is
represented by Sarah and Isaac and freedom in Christ, God’s kingdom or heaven.
5. Just like Ishmael
had to be driven away for persecuting Isaac, who does Paul think needs to be
driven away for persecuting the Galatian Churches?
A= Paul thinks that
the rule enforcers about the law needed to be driven out.
6. Are we children of
the enslaved women, Hagar?
A= No, we are
children of the free women just like Isaac, the child born by the power of
spirit. We are not a slave, but free children of God and his spirit.
Summary
Abraham had two sons, one with a
slave, Hagar, and one with a free woman, Sarah. Hagar was beared into slavery
with her children. Hagar had Ishmael, and Sarah had Isaac. Ishmael
was born according to the impulse of the flesh, while Isaac was born as the
result of a promise. God gave Sarah a son because he had promised Abraham
a son. Sarah and Abraham doubted God because Abraham and Sarah were
to old. God says to drive out Hagar and Ishmael because the son of a
slave will never be a coheir with the son of a free woman.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you that we can pray to a holy God. Thank you that you
can allow us to call you “dad”, even though you are beyond more perfect than
us. I pray that we will grow in wisdom as students at Riverview, so we can
share our faith with others. Help us not to be ashamed of speaking the truth,
but stand up for faith in you Lord. Give us words that are gracious and kind so
that people will see Jesus’s love shine through us. Also, help us to remember
to pray steadfastly for our friends and family around us. I thank you for
Mr.Alfaro and his commitment to FCA and our freedom in the USA to speak your
name without being afraid of persecution. Help us to take something out of what
we learned today and show it on the mission field. Help the athletes to do
their best, as we take on the Fugman Marlins and glorify you through it. Help
us to be lights on our campus. In your name we pray, Amen.
