Genesis: Abraham, Covenant, and Promise

Who is Israel? Part 6 of 6

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2002-02-17

Synopsis: In this sermon, John Weaver expounds Galatians 4:21-31, where Paul uses the historical figures of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, and Isaac as an allegory to contrast the covenant of law (Sinai) with the covenant of grace (the heavenly Jerusalem). Weaver argues that the true Israel of God are not the physical descendants of Abraham but those who are in Christ, the promised seed, born by supernatural grace. He emphasizes that Christianity and Judaism are mutually exclusive, and that believers have no confidence in the flesh but only in Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Alright, let's open our Bibles into the book of Galatians chapter 4. Galatians chapter 4. Galatians chapter 4 and we're going to read verses 21 through 31. Galatians 4, 21 through 31. And I ask that you listen very closely today because the message While it's not that difficult to comprehend or to understand, it really needs to be followed in order for you to see the full force of it. So let's look in Galatians 4 in verse 21.

[John Weaver] Paul says, Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the fledge, but he of the free woman was by promise. Which things are an allegory? For these are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai, which genereth to bondage, which is Hagar. For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem, which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem, which is above, is free, who is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren, that bearest not, break forth and cry, thou that travailest not. For the desolate have many more children than she which hath a husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

[John Weaver] 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 free woman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. May I remind you, just simply by way of introduction, that we have covered Romans 2, verses 28 and 29, where the Apostle Paul then asks, who then is a Judahite? And he goes and proves that the true Judahite are those whose circumcision is of the heart and not of the flesh, whose praise is of God and not of man. We've looked in Romans 4. We've seen that the children of Abraham are those who have the faith of Abraham. We've looked in Romans 9. where the Apostle said very pointedly that they're not all Israel who are of Israel. And then he goes on down and says, those that are the flesh, these are not the children of God. Then we've looked in Galatians chapter three, and especially at verses 16 and 29, which I will mention just a little bit later again.

[John Weaver] And then, of course, we ended last week with Galatians 6 and verse 16, where the word of God says that as many as walk according to this rule, that is this scripture, Peace be upon them and mercy upon the Israel of God. Now when the Apostle Paul begins in Galatians chapter 4, he begins very bluntly. In fact, I might add that he really begins with a rebuke of sorts. For in verse 21 he says, Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? What Paul is saying is, look, you say that you really want to be under the law. But do you not hear it? In other words, you say you want to be under the law, but you don't even know what the law teaches. You don't even know what the law is saying. So the Apostle Paul is basically applying the truth of Matthew 13 in verse 13, where the scripture says they have ears, but they hear not.

[John Weaver] They have eyes, but they see not. Neither do they understand. So Paul says you hear but you don't hear, you see but you don't see, and you really do not understand. And then after he rebukes them in verse 21, Paul then refers them to Abraham, to Sarah, and Hagar, and his sons by those two women, Ishmael and Isaac. And it's important to note at the very beginning, that which you and I normally consider as history, Paul counts it as law. When we read Genesis, the first several chapters, and get over in chapter 12 and 15 and 17, we think of patriarchal history. But the Apostle Paul says it is law. May I remind you that even our Lord considered the Old Testament to be as law, for He said in Luke 24 and verse 27, the law and the prophets.

[John Weaver] And so usually they just simply divided. the Old Testament and the Law and the Prophets, so everything was considered law except the prophets.

[John Weaver] Now, based upon the Apostle Paul's teaching in Romans and in Galatians, he now explains the difference between Abraham's fleshly seed and the promised seed. Now, patriarchal history is indeed employed to illustrate the persecution of the promised seed of Abraham by the fleshly seed of Abraham. For instance, skip down to verse 29, I'll come back to this verse later. He says, But it is then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. So Hagar and her son, Sarah and her son are the prophetic types of the mutual relations between the two seeds of Abraham. As the elder son, Ishmael, the firstborn, was cast out for mocking the freeborn child, Isaac, so fleshly Israel, under bondage to the law, has brought upon themselves and continues to bring upon themselves the judgment of God Almighty by persecuting the true Israel of God whom Christ has endowed with His free spirit. Now, the force of Paul's argument in Galatians chapter 4 is seen more clearly in the light of Galatians 3 and verse 16 and verse 29.

[John Weaver] Let's read those verses again. I spoke on them last week, but look in Galatians 3 and verse 16. He says, now to Abraham and his seed, and notice the word is singular, were the promises made. So all of the promises went to Abraham and his seed. So Paul emphasizes, he saith, not unto seeds as of many, but as of one. And then he identifies who the true seed of Abraham is. He says, and to thy seed, which is Christ. So very clearly then, all of the promises that God gave to Abraham and his seed were given to Jesus Christ, who is the true seed of Abraham. That's why the Bible says in verse 29, look carefully, and if you be Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. So if we belong to Jesus Christ, He says we are the true seed of Abraham and therefore we heirs according to the promise and we receive everything that God promised to Abraham. Now it is in this passage in Galatians chapter 4 as well as Galatians chapter 3 that the Apostle Paul draws a distinction between the mere physical seed of Abraham and the seed of promise.

[John Weaver] Now, Paul informs us that the life of Abraham with Hagar and Sarah are an allegory. Look in verse 24. He says, Which things are an allegory? For these are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai, which gendered to bondage, which is Hagar. Now, I want to just deal with the phrase right now, which things are an allegory. We're going to look at them in order in just a moment. But before we begin, we've got to ask, what in the world is an allegory? Well, the Greek word is allogoroumena, and it's made up of two Greek words. The first one is allos, A-L-L-O-S, which means other. And then, of course, agorino, which means to speak in public. Other, to speak in public, or to speak in public other. The word agorino is from the noun agora, which is the marketplace. Now, the marketplace was a public place in ancient Greece where all the teachers taught, all the public proclamations were made. So here's the word allegory, and it basically means to speak in public.

[John Weaver] However, what it means is this. It means that what one speaks of means not only what he says, but there is far greater impact and importance. in what he says. In other words, it not only reveals something that is being said, it reveals something else that is far greater and far more important. Let me spell it out like this. An allegory is a parabolic method of conveying instruction, of conveying spiritual truths that are being set forth under material figures. So you have the material figure of Abraham, And Hagar, and Sarah, and Ishmael, and Isaac, those were real, historical, material individuals. And yet, although there is historical truth there, there is a far greater spiritual truth that the Apostle Paul is talking about. Thus, when God then gives us the history of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, the history is factually correct. It is real. It is genuine. But what he's saying is there's something far greater and far more important and far more revealing if we understand that their lives are indeed an allegory.

[John Weaver] Now, there are allegorical books around today. In fact, the greatest allegorical book, and some of you may have read it, is John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. It's a tremendous book, and everything that is said there has a far deeper meaning than what is just simply being written. So it is indeed an allegory.

[John Weaver] Now, let me give you a little warning. Let me give you a caveat. Simply because Paul uses an allegory and says, which things are an allegory? It does not in any way cast doubt upon the actual historical events recorded about Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar. In fact, what Paul does is he stresses The historical reality of this, in verse 22, look what he says, for it is written. He says, yes, the history is real and genuine. It is written. The Word of God gives us this historical reality, but he goes on to say there's more truth than just simply the historical reality. So let's begin today.

[John Weaver] With my first point, which is a divinely ordained illustration. We're going to find that in verses 21 and 22. A divinely ordained illustration. He says, Tell me ye that desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman.

[John Weaver] Now the historical facts are exceedingly clear. In fact, every Israelite knew them by heart. God had promised Abraham and his posterity that in time they would inherit at least all of those areas of the earth which were familiar to them in Genesis chapter 15. Later on, God made it clear to Abraham and his seed that they would be the heirs of all things and that they would be the source of blessing to many nations. You'll find that in Genesis 22, verses 17 and 18. Now, when Sarah saw herself childless, she undoubtedly assumed that while the promise applied to Abraham, it did not apply to her. Therefore, in an act of faith, and out of love and regard to Abraham, She gave her maid, Hagar, to Abraham to conceive a child by in Genesis chapter 16.

[John Weaver] Now, I know there is no woman alive today that would say to her husband, well we're childless and I want you to have a child and so what I'm going to do is I've got a maid here and I'm going to let you marry her and have a child by her. I want you to understand something. What Sarah did in giving her handmaid to Abraham was in perfect conformity to the customs and the legalities of the time. I want you to hold Galatians 4, but go back in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 15. Let me show you, according to the customs and the legalities of the time, What would have happened had Abraham not had a seed? Okay? Look in Genesis chapter 15, because Abraham is talking to the Lord. The Lord is going to enter into a covenant. And let's begin reading with Genesis 15 verse 1.

[John Weaver] After these things, the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram. I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward. Look what Abram says. And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eleazar of Damascus. And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed, and, lo, one born in mine house is mine heir." Do you hear what Abraham is saying? Lord, you haven't given me a seed. And one born in my house is my heir. And my eldest servant is this Eliezer of Damascus." In other words, Lord, if I die without a seed, Eliezer, my servant, gets everything. So Sarah gave Abraham Hagar at least where he could have a son, not necessarily by her, but at least by his maid, at least that child would be his flesh and blood and not just simply a servant like Eliezer. So Sarah's act was not unconscionable. Sarah's act was a very practical way, although a fleshly one, to bring to pass the promise and to acquire an heir for Abraham.

[John Weaver] However, later on God made exceedingly clear that Ishmael was to be rejected and it would be Sarah herself who would give actual birth to the promised seed in Genesis chapter 17. Now, the point that I want to give you about this illustration is very simple. The entire episode was under the control of divine providence from the beginning. When you and I look at the simple historical facts, we tend to see, here's a man and woman doing everything in a normal way. Here's a man and woman living their everyday lives, coping with circumstances, and trying to work all of these circumstances out to the best of their abilities. Yet, in all their daily struggles, Abraham and Sarah were under the sovereign providential care of the sovereign God of heaven and earth, and He was ordaining and bringing to pass their everyday normal circumstances to teach a far greater truth than what they were just simply going through. In other words, this illustration was divinely ordained. Sarah gave Abraham Hagar and through Hagar Ishmael was produced. Later on, God came to Sarah and blessed her and Isaac was given.

[John Weaver] So here is an illustration then taken out of actual history and God was in control and God says here is a greater truth than just these mere historical figures. Now let's get back to Galatians chapter 4. Let's go to verses 23 and 24 and look at the divinely ordained declaration. We've seen the divinely ordained illustration where God superintended the lives of Abraham and Sarah and Hagar to produce these two children to give us an excellent picture. But here's the declaration in verses 23 and 24. Galatians 4 verse 23.

[John Weaver] But he that was of the bond woman was born out of the flesh. But he of the free woman was by promise. Which things are an allegory? For these are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai which gendered the bondage, which is Hagar.

[John Weaver] Now Paul has already given us a doctrinal dissertation on justification by faith alone and the truth of God's sovereign grace as being the foundation of salvation. What the Apostle Paul is about to do now is to give us a picture. He's going to draw a picture to enable us to have a greater understanding. So here's what I want you to do this morning. I want you to picture in your minds Sarah and Hagar. I want you to think of two women, Sarah and Hagar. Then I want you to picture in your minds their two sons, Ishmael, the son of Hagar, and Isaac, the son of Sarah.

[John Weaver] Now God makes some declarations not only concerning the sons, but He also makes some declarations concerning the mothers. So let's look first at the declarations concerning the sons. Notice, if you would please, in verse 23. He says, but he who was born of the bondwoman was born after the flesh. Now, verse 23 informs us that Ishmael was born after the flesh. That is, he was born through natural procreation. There was nothing special about Ishmael. Husbands and wives have produced children in exactly the same way down through the ages that Abraham and Hagar produced Ishmael. There was nothing different about the way that Ishmael was conceived. He was born after the flesh. He was born without a special promise from God. He was born without a special word from God. He was born merely at the request of Sarah. God did not command Abraham to take nor did God promise to bless that union. So it is evident then that Ishmael is a son of Abraham after the flesh, and not after the promise. That's what he says in verse 23, but he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh.

[John Weaver] Everything natural, everything normal, The verse doesn't mean that Abraham lusted after Hagar. When it says, born after flesh, it just means the natural way of producing children. That's all there was to it. He was just another kid. Nothing special. God never promised anything to Ishmael or to Abraham and to Hagar.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to contrast the birth of Isaac. He says in verse 22, For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by the free woman, verse 23, but he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh, but he of the free woman was born of promise. So God gives us a contrast, Isaac is the child of promise. Not only had God promised Abraham a seed, but he also promised that seed through Sarah. And God, through His supernatural power and His miraculous grace, brought that promise to pass when Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90.

[John Weaver] Let me put it to you very bluntly. Isaac would have never been born except by divine intervention. I know of no 100-year-old woman that can bear a child. I don't know of any 90-year-old man that can beget a child. So everything about Isaac was special. Everything about Isaac was supernatural. His birth was not natural, although it was produced and brought about by natural means, but it was not natural in the sense that it was brought about by God's divine and sovereign power and promise. So had there not been a divine intervention by God, Isaac would have never been born, humanly speaking. So you have then this declaration here, Ishmael is born out of the flesh, nothing special about him. But here is Isaac, the child born of promise by the power of God, that it is something that God did that man could not do, and it would have never been done had not God miraculously intervened.

[John Weaver] Now, notice secondly, There is also a declaration concerning the mothers. Let's go back to verse 22. For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman. Verse 23, But he that was born of the bondwoman was born out of the flesh, but he of the free woman was born of promise. Now Hagar was a bondmaid. She was a servant. She was a slave. She was an Egyptian. Sarah, whose name means princess, was the wife of Abraham, who was with Abraham when God called him to leave Ur of the Chaldees. Now look in verse 24. Look what God says. He's making the declaration now concerning Hagar and Sarah.

[John Weaver] Which things are an allegory? For these are the two covenants. The one from the Mount Sinai, which gendered bondage, which is Hagar. For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem, which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, who is the mother of us all." Now, God tells us that Sarah and Hagar represent two covenants. When God says these two are allegory, these are two covenants, we understand that they mean they represent two covenants. They were not actual covenants in and of their own persons, but rather they embodied, they represented, they were pictures of the two covenants. Now the Bible tells us that Hagar represents Mount Sinai.

[John Weaver] That is where the law was given. Sarah represents the covenant of grace, or Jerusalem, which is above.

[John Weaver] Now, this type of symbolism occurs many times in Scriptures. Let me give you just two illustrations. If you would flip back in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 10, whole Galatians 4, look in 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 4. Look at what is said. Here we're talking about the children of Israel out in the wilderness. The Bible says that they did all drink that same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you a question. Is Jesus Christ a real, literal rock? No. He is the rock of ages, that is sure. But the rock symbolized Christ. The rock was a type of Christ. If you look in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel chapter 23, let me show you another one. Ezekiel chapter 23, and look at verse 4. Ezekiel 23, verse 4.

[John Weaver] He says, And the names of them were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister, and they were mine, and they bear sons and daughters Thus were their names, Samaria is Ahola and Jerusalem Aholibah. You see he's using names there to represent two literal cities. And so what he's doing in Galatians chapter 4 is the same thing. He's using two names, Sarah and Hagar, to represent two real covenants. So thus far we have two mothers, we have two sons, And we have two covenants.

[John Weaver] You've seen a divinely ordained illustration, a divinely ordained declaration. Look, thirdly, at a divinely ordained interpretation.

[John Weaver] Now, we've got to ask this simple question. What do we make out of all this? What does it mean? What are we to learn? Well, first let's go back and consider Hagar and Ishmael. Hagar, of course, is the bondwoman. And Ishmael, her son, who was born after the flesh, he tells us that this bondwoman is Mount Sinai. Look, if you would please, verse 24. He says, Which things are an allegory, for these are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Hagar.

[John Weaver] Now, I want to call your attention to the word gendereth. Everybody knows what that word means. But if you don't, let me explain it. The Greek word is gnao. And it means to procreate. It means to beget. It means to produce children. It means to bear. It means to bring forth.

[John Weaver] Now look what he says in verse 24. Which things are an allegory? For these are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai, who is Agar. What does Agar do? What does Mount Sinai, the covenant from Mount Sinai, do? It produces bondage, servile individuals. It produces slaves.

[John Weaver] Now the same word is used in 2 Timothy 2 and verse 23. You don't have to turn there. But there Paul writes,"...but foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strife." Did you know that back during the medieval times, there was a great theological dispute over how many angels could stand upon the head of a pen? Can you imagine people being so silly as to waste their time to try to prove or disprove how many angels could stand on the head of a pin?

[John Weaver] What difference does it make? See, that's what the Apostle Paul says, but foolish unlearned questions avoid knowing that they do gender or procreate or beget strife.

[John Weaver] Now, the same word is used here. When it says that Hagar begets or produces children with a servile spirit.

[John Weaver] Now look in verse 25. He wants you to understand this interpretation. He says, for this Hagar, that is Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia, an answer to Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children. Now Mount Sinai is where the law was given. And he was saying that that law begets children with a servile spirit, and their mother, Hagar, is in bondage with her children, and then he says, which is a picture of Jerusalem, which now is, or let me explain it like this, or that exists by fleshly means. Just like Ishmael was born out of the flesh, he says undoubtedly that this Hagar is Mount Sinai, which Antsrip, which represents Jerusalem, which now is and is in bondage with her children. In other words, the order of things under which the nation of Israel was placed at Mount Sinai, appointed for the purpose of keeping them a separate people, and which, because of its legalistic nature, was fitly foreshadowed by the bond slave, Hagar. Now this covenant, he says, from Mount Sinai, produces those of a servile spirit, for it made slaves of all who sought to be justified by their own works, by their own efforts, or by obedience to that law.

[John Weaver] I want you to listen carefully to this statement, and this will explain verse 25. The relation entered into between God and Israel at Mount Sinai was entirely a natural one, just like the birth of Ishmael. You say, how could you say it was entirely a natural one? Well, if you were to go back to Exodus chapter 19 and verse 8, you don't have to turn there, I'll quote it for you, God offered, and Israel accepted. And here's what Israel said, all that the Lord has said, that we will do. Which was just simply a natural covenant. Now, listen carefully. It was natural in the sense that once that covenant was made with the nation, consequently all their descendants upon being circumcised, automatically became subjects of the covenant without any spiritual change wrought in them. You could be a thief and a robber, but as long as you were circumcised, you were part of that covenant back then.

[John Weaver] You see what I'm saying? You could be a murderer, but as long as you were circumcised, you were part of that covenant.

[John Weaver] Now, it is true, God told them not to do that. But I can assure you there are plenty of whoremongers and adulterers and thieves back then who had been circumcised and were members of that covenant nation, but it was all flesh. If you were born and were circumcised, then you were just simply part of that covenant without any spiritual change being wrought in you. Let me give you a quote. Patrick Fairbairn, One of the greatest scholars on Old Testament and Old Testament law said this concerning the covenant. I want you to listen carefully, and this will help explain where we are in New Testament. He said, and I quote, so far as this covenant gave birth to any children, those were not the true children of God, free, spiritual, with hearts of filial confidence and devoted love, but rather miserable bondmen, selfish, carnal, full of mistrust and fear. Of these children of the Sinaitic Covenant, we are furnished with the most perfect example in the scribes and Pharisees in our wartime.

[John Weaver] And that's exactly the truth. The scribes and the Pharisees were the most perfect example. Because they had all of their rules, they had all of their customs. You notice the Sabbath day's journey? You could only walk so far on the Sabbath day. Did you know that those Jews had so perverted the law, and so perverted it to fill it with legalistic interpretations, that many of them would not even walk on grass on the Sabbath, because they were afraid that if they walked on grass and the grass was headed out and their foot hit it, and some of the seed fell to the ground, they would be guilty of sowing on the Sabbath. See? That's the scribes and the Pharisees.

[John Weaver] Well, look at what he says in verse 25. Watch carefully now. He says, For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children." The word answereth, or you could say corresponds with, the origin, the status, and condition of Hagar supplied an exact analogy of the state of Jerusalem not only in the Apostle's time, but subsequently to Judaism after the Apostle's time and all of those who trust. in the flesh. Judaism was nothing more than an endless round of ceremonial institutions which were totally unbearable. Hold Galatians 4 and look back in your Bibles at chapter 15. Look at verse 10. Look at what the apostles said concerning the ceremonies contained therein. In Acts chapter 15 and verse 10, the apostles say, and this is the Jerusalem Council, now therefore why tempt you God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? And they're talking about all those ceremonies and legalities of the ceremonial law.

[John Weaver] They said it was a yoke which neither our forefathers nor we are able to bear. You see, those people, even those who were genuinely converted under the Old Covenant, they did not possess, nor did they enjoy, the spiritual freedom that we have in the New Covenant. They did not understand the freedom that we have in Jesus Christ. And I might say this very bluntly, the larger part of Israel, the larger part of the nation had no interest in the promise of the covenant made to Abraham whereby faith was a necessity. They didn't want to be justified by faith.

[John Weaver] Instead they were like Hagar and Ishmael. They were born in a servile spirit and all of their outward obedience was a slavish character and their privileges were nothing more than carnal Now, so here he says, this Hagar is Mount Sinai. And this Mount Sinai, this Hagar answers to Jerusalem that now is. So just like Ishmael was produced by the flesh, nothing more. So he says the Jerusalem that now is, is produced by the flesh, nothing more.

[John Weaver] Now, let's go Secondly, the contrast Sarah and Isaac. Look, if you would, what he says in Galatians chapter 4 and beginning there with verse 26. He says, but Jerusalem, which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. Now, Sarah and Isaac were free born and born of promise. And the Bible says in verse 26 that Sarah then corresponds or answers to the Jerusalem that is above. In other words, Sarah then represents the covenant of grace in Christ Jesus, who is the true seed of Abraham. He says, but Jerusalem which is above is free, who is the mother of us all. Now, the word above is the Greek preposition ano, which indicates above, and what he is here doing is this, he is drawing a contrast between the earthly Jerusalem and the heavenly Jerusalem. Or, let's put it another way, he's drawing a contrast between the natural Jerusalem and the spiritual Jerusalem. We can put it another way, he's drawing a contrast between the fleshly seed I'm the promised or the spiritual seed.

[John Weaver] I want you to hold Galatians 4, but turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 12. Because we're going to read Galatians 4 and then a verse from Hebrews chapter 12. Go back to Galatians 4 now and look at verse 26 again. He says, but Jerusalem which is above is free. who is the mother of us all. Now, Jerusalem, which is above. Look in Hebrews 12 and verse 22. He says, But you are coming to Mount Zion, unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels. Now, watch this. If Hagar represents the Jerusalem that now is and is in bondage with her children, then Sarah represents that heavenly or spiritual Jerusalem or that Jerusalem which is in Christ, the true promised seed whereby we have freedom in Jesus Christ. So he says in Galatians 4 and verse 26, but Jerusalem which is above is free. And suitably does Sarah represent the liberty that we have in Jesus Christ. Because in Jesus Christ, we're not only redeemed from all of our sins and from bondage and death, But we're also redeemed and we're also free from the curse of the moral law, and we're also free from all the ordinances, basically, of the ceremonial law, because that law has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ,

[John Weaver] and in Jesus Christ we now have the substance and the reality of all those ceremonies back in the Old Covenant. So we are free in Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, look in verse 27. Galatians 4 verse 27. Before I read it, let me put it to you one other time like this. I want you to see this contrast once again between these two covenants. Watch carefully. Hagar was earthly, carnal, slavish, and temporary. Sarah is heavenly, spiritual, free, and eternal. That's the difference between the two covenants. Now Paul quotes verse 27. He says, 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 a husband. Now in verse 27 the Apostle Paul quotes from Isaiah 54 and verse 1. Now Paul quotes Isaiah 54 verse 1 to confirm his interpretation of the covenant allegory. How does Isaiah 54 verse 1 confirm the apostles interpretation?

[John Weaver] Well, you've got to remember that the grand promise to Abraham in Genesis chapter 17 verse 4 was that he would be the father of many nations. and the promise to Sarah and Genesis 17 in verse 16 that she should be the mother of many nations. Now just as the historical Sarah was barren for many years after she became a wife, so likewise the spiritual Sarah, the heavenly Jerusalem so to speak, for centuries lay fruitless until the time of the promise.

[John Weaver] You say, what are you talking about? Well, look in Galatians 4, beginning with verse 4. Galatians 4, verse 4. Are you ready? But when the fullness of time is come, God sent forth His Son, made of woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Did you hear what I just read? But in the fullness of times, when the fullness of times was come, do you realize there were 400 silent years between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant? Look at the promise that God gave to Abraham, and for centuries it basically lay dormant. Oh yes, there were some people converted in the Old Testament. God has always had His elect. He's always had His remnant. But when the fullness of time was come, just like when Sarah, when she was nine, when the fullness of time was come, God gave her Isaac. So in the fullness of time, God sent Christ to redeem His people. And just as Sarah became fruitful, so the church is now fruitful.

[John Weaver] And God is redeeming his people through Jesus Christ. I want you to understand, as the historical Sarah ultimately became a mother, and had a numerous seed, so likewise, when the promise fully came, there is a numerous seed given to Jesus Christ. In fact, before it's over, there's going to be far greater individuals who convert it. Because he said, what does he say in verse 27? For it is written, Rejoice thou barren that bearest not, break forth and cry, thou that travailest not. For the desolate, that is the one that waited so long, Sarah, hath many more children than she who had a husband. So God's grace is going to be poured out.

[John Weaver] Now, let's look fourthly today at the divinely ordained application, and you'll find this in verses 28 through 31. Let's read them. Verse 28, Now we brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But it's then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit, even so it is now. 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 free woman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free." Now, let's put two and two together. So far we've seen two mothers, we've seen two sons, we've seen two covenants, and two ways of worshiping. One in the flesh. and one in the Spirit. One based upon the works of man, and the other based upon the work of Jesus Christ alone. Let me try to put it together for you.

[John Weaver] First of all, let me say it like this. The marriage between Abraham and Sarah symbolized the covenant union between God and His people. Secondly, For many years, Sarah was barren, foreshadowing that lengthy period of time in which the promise of God was dormant. Thirdly, Hagar, the bond slave, took Sarah's place in the family of Abraham, typifying his natural descendants being placed under the Sinaitic covenant. Fourth, Hagar did not permanently supplant Sarah, typifying the fact that Judaism and all that was merely temporary and was to be done away with. Fifthly, in God's time, Sarah ultimately came into her own and was divinely enabled to bear a supernatural seed which illustrated the children of promise under the new covenant.

[John Weaver] Now, look at what Paul said in verse 28. I don't see how you can get around this.

[John Weaver] Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. What's he saying? If we are in Christ, we have been specially supernaturally and sovereignly called, chosen, regenerated, converted and justified. We are the special children just like Isaac was. Just like Isaac would have never existed without the supernatural sovereign power and grace of God. Likewise, we would never exist and never be converted. except for the sovereign supernatural work of God in our lives. We are the children of promise.

[John Weaver] Ah, look if you would please at verse 28 again. Now, we brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. Once again, there's a contrast. If we're the children of promise, What does that make all the others? Children of the flesh. Children of the flesh. We are the children of promise. Our standing is entirely different from that of Ishmael and those like him who are still under the curse of the law, who endeavor to earn or merit or bring forth their own salvation through the works of the flesh.

[John Weaver] The relationship that we stand in with God the Father is a miraculous, supernatural one given of grace through Jesus Christ. Now, look in verse 28 again. He says, Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. Now skip down to verse 29. We're still making applications. Verse 29, But it is he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

[John Weaver] Now, in this passage, the Apostle Paul is referring and quoting from Genesis 21 and verse 9. Because in that passage, Ishmael, Sarah called Ishmael, mocking Isaac. Ridiculing him, making fun of him, denouncing him, denigrating him, vilifying him. Look at verse 29 again. Help me out now. Watch this carefully. But as then he that was born after the what? The flesh. Persecuted who? Him that was born after the what? The Spirit.

[John Weaver] Even so it is now. The persecution and mocking of Ishmael has found its counterpart in the Jews and Judaizers who hate and persecute the true Christians. Those who are adhering to the Sinaitic covenant, that is, trying to be saved by their works, hate and despise those who are in the covenant of grace. And one objection the Apostle Paul is dealing with in verse 29 is very evident. One of the objections that he's overcoming is this. Someone is going to ask, Well, if we're God's call, if we're God's chosen, why is it we're so bitterly hated and opposed by all of those who call themselves Jews? Paul said, here's the answer.

[John Weaver] It's always been like that. Because they're flesh and we're spirit. They're the children of the flesh. We're the children of promise.

[John Weaver] Now, look in verse 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 free woman."

[John Weaver] Now Paul quotes from Genesis 21 verses 10 through 12. And what did Sarah say to Abraham? Cast out this bondwoman and her son, for she will not be heir with my son Isaac. And when Abraham came to God, God said, Abraham, you listen to Sarah in this. You get rid of them. You see, God was superintending. Here is the final point in the apostles allegory which incontestably clinched the apostles argument that Israel after the flesh is finally set aside by God.

[John Weaver] because Hagar represented the Sinaitic Covenant, and Ishmael is Carl worshippers. They're being cast out of Abraham's household prophetically, signifying God had set aside Judaism, God had set aside all the works of the law and all the flesh and all the ceremonies, and that the children of the flesh would not inherit with the children of the promise. Let me say this again. I started out this series of messages with this statement.

[John Weaver] I hope you see it. Christianity and Judaism are mutually exclusive. There is no such thing as a Jewish Christian. You may be a Christian or you may be a Jew in the religious sense, but you cannot be both. You're either Christian or you're embracing Judaism. It's just that simple. And by the way, Judaism is really broad. When I say broad, it would include all of those who are after the flesh and follow the works of the flesh and try to earn their salvation any other way.

[John Weaver] None who are outside of Christ, or the covenant of grace, and none who are outside of Christ, can be considered Abraham's true children. That's what he said in verse 29. And if you be Christ, that is Galatians 3 verse 29, if you be Christ then Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. Now look in verse 31, Galatians 4, Paul's conclusion is impossible to escape. So then brethren, We're not children of the bomb woman, but of the free. He said if we're Abraham's true children, we belong to Christ. We belong to Him alone. We do not look to our flesh in any way whatsoever.

[John Weaver] We don't depend upon our ancestry, our works, our merits, our deeds, our righteousness. We depend only upon Jesus Christ. Let me ask that you turn one more time to the book of Philippians chapter 3 and look at verse 3. Philippians 3 and verse 3. What does Paul say? In fact, let's read beginning with verse 1. I like this. He said, Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.

[John Weaver] To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you to say, beware of dogs, and he's not talking about the four-legged kind. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision, that is the circumcision. For we are the circumcision who worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. So if you could prove to me undeniably that you were a direct fleshly descendant of Abraham, it really means nothing. We have no confidence in the flesh. Our confidence is not in our ancestry.

[John Weaver] It's not in our works. It's not in our merits. It's only in Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, look at what Paul has done in this allegory. I ask you to begin with, to picture two women. Sarah Hagar. Their two sons, Isaac Ishmael. Their two covenants. They represent two different ways of worshiping. And I want you to see, in these two covenants you have birth by nature as opposed to birth by grace. Hagar and Ishmael was by nature. Sarah and Isaac was by grace. You have a state of bondage as opposed to a state of liberty. Hagar, Ishmael in bondage. Sarah, Isaac, liberty, freedom.

[John Weaver] You have a status of temporary tenure. That is, Hagar temporarily supplanted Sarah, but not for long. And you contrast that with the permanent possession that we have in Jesus Christ. That's what Paul is saying. Here's a picture. Just as Hagar was rightfully the handmaid of Sarah, but wrongfully accorded the position of Abraham's wife. So the Sinaitic covenant was designed to supplement the Abrahamic covenant, but it was perverted by the Jews when they tried to seek salvation by it.

[John Weaver] I'm going to tell you something, everyone. already knows, but I want to end this series with this statement. There has never, ever been but one way of salvation. And that's by grace through faith. And those Old Testament Israelites who were saved, were saved by grace through faith, looking forward to the coming work of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. Likewise, we in the New Covenant, we're saved only by grace through faith, looking back at the finished work of Jesus Christ. And the Apostle Paul says, Brethren, you've got to understand something. What does he want you to understand? He wants you to understand that we are the children of promise. Everything that God gave to Abraham, and everything that God gave to Christ, He now gives to us. For we're in Him, and as Scripture says, we're heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. So Paul said, if you can't understand my teaching, look at the picture. You'll understand. God's true seed is Jesus Christ. Let's pray.

[John Weaver] Father, we ask that Your blessing and help would be upon us, that You would teach us and build us up in the most holy faith. And Father, we do ask that You would give us grace to serve Thee acceptably with reverence and Godly fear. In Thy name we pray. Amen.

Who is Israel? Part 6 of 6

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	12903161959
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Genesis: Abraham, Covenant, and Promise
Genre	Sermon
Date	2002-02-17
Dictation Name
Book	Book 168: Who is Israel? — Chapter 6
Source Timed Segments	73

Formatted Transcript

Opening

Alright, let's open our Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter 4. Galatians chapter 4. Galatians chapter 4 and we're going to read verses 21 through 31. Galatians 4:21-31. And I ask that you listen very closely today because the message, while it's not that difficult to comprehend or to understand, it really needs to be followed in order for you to see the full force of it. So let's look in Galatians 4 in verse 21. Paul says,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 4:21-31

"Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh, but he of the free woman was by promise. Which things are an allegory? For these are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Hagar. For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem, which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem, which is above, is free, who is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren, that bearest not, break forth and cry, thou that travailest not. For the desolate have many more children than she which hath a husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

Introduction and Review

Weaver reviews previous messages in the series, covering Romans 2:28-29, Romans 4, Romans 9, Galatians 3:16, 29, and Galatians 6:16, which establish that true Israel are those of faith, not flesh.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 4:21-31

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 free woman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free."

May I remind you, just simply by way of introduction, that we have covered Romans 2:28-29, where the Apostle Paul then asks, who then is a Judahite? And he goes and proves that the true Judahite are those whose circumcision is of the heart and not of the flesh, whose praise is of God and not of man. We've looked in Romans 4. We've seen that the children of Abraham are those who have the faith of Abraham. We've looked in Romans 9, where the Apostle said very pointedly that they're not all Israel who are of Israel. And then he goes on down and says, those that are the flesh, these are not the children of God. Then we've looked in Galatians chapter 3, and especially at verses 16 and 29, which I will mention just a little bit later again.

And then, of course, we ended last week with Galatians 6:16, where the word of God says that as many as walk according to this rule, that is this scripture,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 6:16

"Peace be upon them and mercy upon the Israel of God."

Now when the Apostle Paul begins in Galatians chapter 4, he begins very bluntly. In fact, I might add that he really begins with a rebuke of sorts. For in verse 21 he says, "Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?" What Paul is saying is, look, you say that you really want to be under the law. But do you not hear it? In other words, you say you want to be under the law, but you don't even know what the law teaches. You don't even know what the law is saying. So the Apostle Paul is basically applying the truth of Matthew 13:13, where the scripture says they have ears, but they hear not.

Paul's Rebuke and the Law

Paul rebukes those who desire to be under the law but do not truly hear it, and he refers to Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar as law, not just history.

They have eyes, but they see not. Neither do they understand. So Paul says you hear but you don't hear, you see but you don't see, and you really do not understand. And then after he rebukes them in verse 21, Paul then refers them to Abraham, to Sarah, and Hagar, and his sons by those two women, Ishmael and Isaac. And it's important to note at the very beginning, that which you and I normally consider as history, Paul counts it as law. When we read Genesis, the first several chapters, and get over in chapter 12 and 15 and 17, we think of patriarchal history. But the Apostle Paul says it is law. May I remind you that even our Lord considered the Old Testament to be as law, for He said in Luke 24:27, "the law and the prophets."

And so usually they just simply divided the Old Testament into the Law and the Prophets, so everything was considered law except the prophets. Now, based upon the Apostle Paul's teaching in Romans and in Galatians, he now explains the difference between Abraham's fleshly seed and the promised seed. Now, patriarchal history is indeed employed to illustrate the persecution of the promised seed of Abraham by the fleshly seed of Abraham. For instance, skip down to verse 29, I'll come back to this verse later. He says, "But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now." So Hagar and her son, Sarah and her son are the prophetic types of the mutual relations between the two seeds of Abraham. As the elder son, Ishmael, the firstborn, was cast out for mocking the freeborn child, Isaac, so fleshly Israel, under bondage to the law, has brought upon themselves and continues to bring upon themselves the judgment of God Almighty by persecuting the true Israel of God whom Christ has endowed with His free spirit. Now, the force of Paul's argument in Galatians chapter 4 is seen more clearly in the light of Galatians 3:16 and verse 29.

Let's read those verses again. I spoke on them last week, but look in Galatians 3:16. He says,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:16

"Now to Abraham and his seed,"

and notice the word is singular,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:16

"were the promises made."

So all of the promises went to Abraham and his seed. So Paul emphasizes,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:16

"He saith, not unto seeds as of many, but as of one."

And then he identifies who the true seed of Abraham is. He says,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:16

"And to thy seed, which is Christ."

So very clearly then, all of the promises that God gave to Abraham and his seed were given to Jesus Christ, who is the true seed of Abraham. That's why the Bible says in verse 29, look carefully, "And if you be Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise." So if we belong to Jesus Christ, He says we are the true seed of Abraham and therefore we are heirs according to the promise and we receive everything that God promised to Abraham. Now it is in this passage in Galatians chapter 4 as well as Galatians chapter 3 that the Apostle Paul draws a distinction between the mere physical seed of Abraham and the seed of promise.

The Seed of Abraham is Christ

Weaver explains from Galatians 3:16, 29 that the promises were made to Abraham's singular seed, which is Christ, and those in Christ are Abraham's seed and heirs.

Now, based upon the Apostle Paul's teaching in Romans and in Galatians, he now explains the difference between Abraham's fleshly seed and the promised seed. Now, patriarchal history is indeed employed to illustrate the persecution of the promised seed of Abraham by the fleshly seed of Abraham. For instance, skip down to verse 29, I'll come back to this verse later. He says, "But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now." So Hagar and her son, Sarah and her son are the prophetic types of the mutual relations between the two seeds of Abraham. As the elder son, Ishmael, the firstborn, was cast out for mocking the freeborn child, Isaac, so fleshly Israel, under bondage to the law, has brought upon themselves and continues to bring upon themselves the judgment of God Almighty by persecuting the true Israel of God whom Christ has endowed with His free spirit. Now, the force of Paul's argument in Galatians chapter 4 is seen more clearly in the light of Galatians 3:16 and verse 29.

Let's read those verses again. I spoke on them last week, but look in Galatians 3:16. He says,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:16

"Now to Abraham and his seed,"

and notice the word is singular,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:16

"were the promises made."

So all of the promises went to Abraham and his seed. So Paul emphasizes,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:16

"He saith, not unto seeds as of many, but as of one."

And then he identifies who the true seed of Abraham is. He says,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:16

"And to thy seed, which is Christ."

A Divinely Ordained Illustration

The historical events of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar were under divine providence to teach a greater spiritual truth; Ishmael was born after the flesh, Isaac by promise.

With my first point, which is a divinely ordained illustration. We're going to find that in verses 21 and 22. A divinely ordained illustration. He says, "Tell me ye that desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman."

Now the historical facts are exceedingly clear. In fact, every Israelite knew them by heart. God had promised Abraham and his posterity that in time they would inherit at least all of those areas of the earth which were familiar to them in Genesis chapter 15. Later on, God made it clear to Abraham and his seed that they would be the heirs of all things and that they would be the source of blessing to many nations. You'll find that in Genesis 22:17-18. Now, when Sarah saw herself childless, she undoubtedly assumed that while the promise applied to Abraham, it did not apply to her. Therefore, in an act of faith, and out of love and regard to Abraham, she gave her maid, Hagar, to Abraham to conceive a child by in Genesis chapter 16.

Now, I know there is no woman alive today that would say to her husband, "Well we're childless and I want you to have a child and so what I'm going to do is I've got a maid here and I'm going to let you marry her and have a child by her." I want you to understand something. What Sarah did in giving her handmaid to Abraham was in perfect conformity to the customs and the legalities of the time. I want you to hold Galatians 4, but go back in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 15. Let me show you, according to the customs and the legalities of the time, what would have happened had Abraham not had a seed? Okay? Look in Genesis chapter 15, because Abraham is talking to the Lord. The Lord is going to enter into a covenant. And let's begin reading with Genesis 15:1.

"After these things, the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram. I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward." Look what Abram says. "And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed, and, lo, one born in mine house is mine heir." Do you hear what Abraham is saying? "Lord, you haven't given me a seed. And one born in my house is my heir. And my eldest servant is this Eliezer of Damascus." In other words, Lord, if I die without a seed, Eliezer, my servant, gets everything. So Sarah gave Abraham Hagar at least where he could have a son, not necessarily by her, but at least by his maid, at least that child would be his flesh and blood and not just simply a servant like Eliezer. So Sarah's act was not unconscionable. Sarah's act was a very practical way, although a fleshly one, to bring to pass the promise and to acquire an heir for Abraham.

However, later on God made exceedingly clear that Ishmael was to be rejected and it would be Sarah herself who would give actual birth to the promised seed in Genesis chapter 17. Now, the point that I want to give you about this illustration is very simple. The entire episode was under the control of divine providence from the beginning. When you and I look at the simple historical facts, we tend to see, here's a man and woman doing everything in a normal way. Here's a man and woman living their everyday lives, coping with circumstances, and trying to work all of these circumstances out to the best of their abilities. Yet, in all their daily struggles, Abraham and Sarah were under the sovereign providential care of the sovereign God of heaven and earth, and He was ordaining and bringing to pass their everyday normal circumstances to teach a far greater truth than what they were just simply going through. In other words, this illustration was divinely ordained. Sarah gave Abraham Hagar and through Hagar Ishmael was produced. Later on, God came to Sarah and blessed her and Isaac was given.

So here is an illustration then taken out of actual history and God was in control and God says here is a greater truth than just these mere historical figures. Now let's get back to Galatians chapter 4. Let's go to verses 23 and 24 and look at the divinely ordained declaration. We've seen the divinely ordained illustration where God superintended the lives of Abraham and Sarah and Hagar to produce these two children to give us an excellent picture. But here's the declaration in verses 23 and 24. Galatians 4:23. "But he that was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh. But he of the free woman was by promise. Which things are an allegory? For these are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai which gendereth to bondage, which is Hagar."

A Divinely Ordained Declaration

Paul declares that the two women represent two covenants: Hagar is Mount Sinai, producing bondage; Sarah represents the heavenly Jerusalem, which is free.

Now Paul has already given us a doctrinal dissertation on justification by faith alone and the truth of God's sovereign grace as being the foundation of salvation. What the Apostle Paul is about to do now is to give us a picture. He's going to draw a picture to enable us to have a greater understanding. So here's what I want you to do this morning. I want you to picture in your minds Sarah and Hagar. I want you to think of two women, Sarah and Hagar. Then I want you to picture in your minds their two sons, Ishmael, the son of Hagar, and Isaac, the son of Sarah.

Now God makes some declarations not only concerning the sons, but He also makes some declarations concerning the mothers. So let's look first at the declarations concerning the sons. Notice, if you would please, in verse 23. He says, "But he who was born of the bondwoman was born after the flesh." Now, verse 23 informs us that Ishmael was born after the flesh. That is, he was born through natural procreation. There was nothing special about Ishmael. Husbands and wives have produced children in exactly the same way down through the ages that Abraham and Hagar produced Ishmael. There was nothing different about the way that Ishmael was conceived. He was born after the flesh. He was born without a special promise from God. He was born without a special word from God. He was born merely at the request of Sarah. God did not command Abraham to take nor did God promise to bless that union. So it is evident then that Ishmael is a son of Abraham after the flesh, and not after the promise. That's what he says in verse 23, "But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh."

Everything natural, everything normal. The verse doesn't mean that Abraham lusted after Hagar. When it says, "born after the flesh," it just means the natural way of producing children. That's all there was to it. He was just another kid. Nothing special. God never promised anything to Ishmael or to Abraham and to Hagar.

Now I want you to contrast the birth of Isaac. He says in verse 22, "For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by the free woman," verse 23, "but he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh, but he of the free woman was born of promise." So God gives us a contrast, Isaac is the child of promise. Not only had God promised Abraham a seed, but he also promised that seed through Sarah. And God, through His supernatural power and His miraculous grace, brought that promise to pass when Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90. Let me put it to you very bluntly. Isaac would have never been born except by divine intervention. I know of no 100-year-old woman that can bear a child. I don't know of any 90-year-old man that can beget a child. So everything about Isaac was special. Everything about Isaac was supernatural. His birth was not natural, although it was produced and brought about by natural means, but it was not natural in the sense that it was brought about by God's divine and sovereign power and promise. So had there not been a divine intervention by God, Isaac would have never been born, humanly speaking. So you have then this declaration here, Ishmael is born after the flesh, nothing special about him. But here is Isaac, the child born of promise by the power of God, that it is something that God did that man could not do, and it would have never been done had not God miraculously intervened.

Now, notice secondly, there is also a declaration concerning the mothers. Let's go back to verse 22. "For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman." Verse 23, "But he that was born of the bondwoman was born after the flesh, but he of the free woman was born of promise." Now Hagar was a bondmaid. She was a servant. She was a slave. She was an Egyptian. Sarah, whose name means princess, was the wife of Abraham, who was with Abraham when God called him to leave Ur of the Chaldees. Now look in verse 24. Look what God says. He's making the declaration now concerning Hagar and Sarah.

"Which things are an allegory? For these are the two covenants. The one from Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Hagar. For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem, which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, who is the mother of us all." Now, God tells us that Sarah and Hagar represent two covenants. When God says these two are an allegory, these are two covenants, we understand that they mean they represent two covenants. They were not actual covenants in and of their own persons, but rather they embodied, they represented, they were pictures of the two covenants. Now the Bible tells us that Hagar represents Mount Sinai.

A Divinely Ordained Interpretation

Weaver interprets the allegory: Hagar and Ishmael picture the earthly Jerusalem and fleshly Israel under law; Sarah and Isaac picture the heavenly Jerusalem and spiritual Israel under grace.

Now, we've got to ask this simple question. What do we make out of all this? What does it mean? What are we to learn? Well, first let's go back and consider Hagar and Ishmael. Hagar, of course, is the bondwoman. And Ishmael, her son, who was born after the flesh, he tells us that this bondwoman is Mount Sinai. Look, if you would please, verse 24. He says, "Which things are an allegory, for these are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Hagar."

Now, I want to call your attention to the word "gendereth." Everybody knows what that word means. But if you don't, let me explain it. The Greek word is gennao. And it means to procreate. It means to beget. It means to produce children. It means to bear. It means to bring forth.

Now look what he says in verse 24. "Which things are an allegory? For these are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai, which is Hagar." What does Hagar do? What does Mount Sinai, the covenant from Mount Sinai, do? It produces bondage, servile individuals. It produces slaves.

Now the same word is used in 2 Timothy 2:23. You don't have to turn there. But there Paul writes, "...but foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strife." Did you know that back during the medieval times, there was a great theological dispute over how many angels could stand upon the head of a pin? Can you imagine people being so silly as to waste their time to try to prove or disprove how many angels could stand on the head of a pin? What difference does it make? See, that's what the Apostle Paul says, "but foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender or procreate or beget strife."

Now, the same word is used here. When it says that Hagar begets or produces children with a servile spirit. Now look in verse 25. He wants you to understand this interpretation. He says, "For this Hagar," that is Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia, "and answereth to Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children." Now Mount Sinai is where the law was given. And he is saying that that law begets children with a servile spirit, and their mother, Hagar, is in bondage with her children, and then he says, which is a picture of Jerusalem, which now is, or let me explain it like this, or that exists by fleshly means. Just like Ishmael was born after the flesh, he says undoubtedly that this Hagar is Mount Sinai, which answereth, which represents Jerusalem, which now is and is in bondage with her children. In other words, the order of things under which the nation of Israel was placed at Mount Sinai, appointed for the purpose of keeping them a separate people, and which, because of its legalistic nature, was fitly foreshadowed by the bond slave, Hagar. Now this covenant, he says, from Mount Sinai, produces those of a servile spirit, for it made slaves of all who sought to be justified by their own works, by their own efforts, or by obedience to that law.

I want you to listen carefully to this statement, and this will explain verse 25. The relation entered into between God and Israel at Mount Sinai was entirely a natural one, just like the birth of Ishmael. You say, how could you say it was entirely a natural one? Well, if you were to go back to Exodus 19:8, you don't have to turn there, I'll quote it for you, God offered, and Israel accepted. And here's what Israel said,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 19:8

"All that the Lord has said, that we will do."

Which was just simply a natural covenant. Now, listen carefully. It was natural in the sense that once that covenant was made with the nation, consequently all their descendants upon being circumcised, automatically became subjects of the covenant without any spiritual change wrought in them. You could be a thief and a robber, but as long as you were circumcised, you were part of that covenant back then.

You see what I'm saying? You could be a murderer, but as long as you were circumcised, you were part of that covenant. Now, it is true, God told them not to do that. But I can assure you there are plenty of whoremongers and adulterers and thieves back then who had been circumcised and were members of that covenant nation, but it was all flesh. If you were born and were circumcised, then you were just simply part of that covenant without any spiritual change being wrought in you. Let me give you a quote. Patrick Fairbairn, one of the greatest scholars on Old Testament and Old Testament law said this concerning the covenant. I want you to listen carefully, and this will help explain where we are in New Testament. He said, and I quote, "So far as this covenant gave birth to any children, those were not the true children of God, free, spiritual, with hearts of filial confidence and devoted love, but rather miserable bondmen, selfish, carnal, full of mistrust and fear. Of these children of the Sinaitic Covenant, we are furnished with the most perfect example in the scribes and Pharisees in our Lord's time."

And that's exactly the truth. The scribes and the Pharisees were the most perfect example. Because they had all of their rules, they had all of their customs. You notice the Sabbath day's journey? You could only walk so far on the Sabbath day. Did you know that those Jews had so perverted the law, and so perverted it to fill it with legalistic interpretations, that many of them would not even walk on grass on the Sabbath, because they were afraid that if they walked on grass and the grass was headed out and their foot hit it, and some of the seed fell to the ground, they would be guilty of sowing on the Sabbath. See? That's the scribes and the Pharisees.

Well, look at what he says in verse 25. Watch carefully now. He says, "For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children." The word "answereth," or you could say "corresponds with," the origin, the status, and condition of Hagar supplied an exact analogy of the state of Jerusalem not only in the Apostle's time, but subsequently to Judaism after the Apostle's time and all of those who trust in the flesh. Judaism was nothing more than an endless round of ceremonial institutions which were totally unbearable. Hold Galatians 4 and look back in your Bibles at Acts chapter 15. Look at verse 10. Look at what the apostles said concerning the ceremonies contained therein. In Acts 15:10, the apostles say, and this is the Jerusalem Council, "Now therefore why tempt you God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?" And they're talking about all those ceremonies and legalities of the ceremonial law.

They said it was a yoke which neither our forefathers nor we are able to bear. You see, those people, even those who were genuinely converted under the Old Covenant, they did not possess, nor did they enjoy, the spiritual freedom that we have in the New Covenant. They did not understand the freedom that we have in Jesus Christ. And I might say this very bluntly, the larger part of Israel, the larger part of the nation had no interest in the promise of the covenant made to Abraham whereby faith was a necessity. They didn't want to be justified by faith. Instead they were like Hagar and Ishmael. They were born in a servile spirit and all of their outward obedience was a slavish character and their privileges were nothing more than carnal. Now, so here he says, this Hagar is Mount Sinai. And this Mount Sinai, this Hagar answers to Jerusalem that now is. So just like Ishmael was produced by the flesh, nothing more. So he says the Jerusalem that now is, is produced by the flesh, nothing more.

Now, let's go secondly, the contrast Sarah and Isaac. Look, if you would, what he says in Galatians chapter 4 and beginning there with verse 26. He says, "But Jerusalem, which is above is free, which is the mother of us all." Now, Sarah and Isaac were free born and born of promise. And the Bible says in verse 26 that Sarah then corresponds or answers to the Jerusalem that is above. In other words, Sarah then represents the covenant of grace in Christ Jesus, who is the true seed of Abraham. He says, "But Jerusalem which is above is free, who is the mother of us all." Now, the word "above" is the Greek preposition ano, which indicates above, and what he is here doing is this, he is drawing a contrast between the earthly Jerusalem and the heavenly Jerusalem. Or, let's put it another way, he's drawing a contrast between the natural Jerusalem and the spiritual Jerusalem. We can put it another way, he's drawing a contrast between the fleshly seed and the promised or the spiritual seed.

I want you to hold Galatians 4, but turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 12. Because we're going to read Galatians 4 and then a verse from Hebrews chapter 12. Go back to Galatians 4 now and look at verse 26 again. He says, "But Jerusalem which is above is free, who is the mother of us all." Now, Jerusalem, which is above. Look in Hebrews 12:22. He says,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:22

"But you are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels."

Now, watch this. If Hagar represents the Jerusalem that now is and is in bondage with her children, then Sarah represents that heavenly or spiritual Jerusalem or that Jerusalem which is in Christ, the true promised seed whereby we have freedom in Jesus Christ. So he says in Galatians 4:26, "But Jerusalem which is above is free." And suitably does Sarah represent the liberty that we have in Jesus Christ. Because in Jesus Christ, we're not only redeemed from all of our sins and from bondage and death, but we're also redeemed and we're also free from the curse of the moral law, and we're also free from all the ordinances, basically, of the ceremonial law, because that law has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ,

and in Jesus Christ we now have the substance and the reality of all those ceremonies back in the Old Covenant. So we are free in Christ. Now, look in verse 27. Galatians 4:27. Before I read it, let me put it to you one other time like this. I want you to see this contrast once again between these two covenants. Watch carefully. Hagar was earthly, carnal, slavish, and temporary. Sarah is heavenly, spiritual, free, and eternal. That's the difference between the two covenants. Now Paul quotes verse 27. He says, "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 a husband." Now in verse 27 the Apostle Paul quotes from Isaiah 54:1. Now Paul quotes Isaiah 54:1 to confirm his interpretation of the covenant allegory. How does Isaiah 54:1 confirm the apostle's interpretation?

Well, you've got to remember that the grand promise to Abraham in Genesis 17:4 was that he would be the father of many nations, and the promise to Sarah in Genesis 17:16 that she should be the mother of many nations. Now just as the historical Sarah was barren for many years after she became a wife, so likewise the spiritual Sarah, the heavenly Jerusalem so to speak, for centuries lay fruitless until the time of the promise. You say, what are you talking about? Well, look in Galatians 4, beginning with verse 4. Galatians 4:4. Are you ready?

Scripture Reading — Galatians 4:4

"But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."

Did you hear what I just read?

Scripture Reading — Galatians 4:4

"But when the fullness of the time was come,"

do you realize there were 400 silent years between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant? Look at the promise that God gave to Abraham, and for centuries it basically lay dormant. Oh yes, there were some people converted in the Old Testament. God has always had His elect. He's always had His remnant. But when the fullness of the time was come, just like when Sarah, when she was ninety, when the fullness of the time was come, God gave her Isaac. So in the fullness of time, God sent Christ to redeem His people. And just as Sarah became fruitful, so the church is now fruitful.

A Divinely Ordained Application

Believers are children of promise like Isaac, persecuted by the fleshly seed, but the bondwoman and her son are cast out; we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.

Now, let's look fourthly today at the divinely ordained application, and you'll find this in verses 28 through 31. Let's read them. Verse 28, "Now we brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 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 free woman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free." Now, let's put two and two together. So far we've seen two mothers, we've seen two sons, we've seen two covenants, and two ways of worshiping. One in the flesh and one in the Spirit. One based upon the works of man, and the other based upon the work of Jesus Christ alone. Let me try to put it together for you.

First of all, let me say it like this. The marriage between Abraham and Sarah symbolized the covenant union between God and His people. Secondly, for many years, Sarah was barren, foreshadowing that lengthy period of time in which the promise of God was dormant. Thirdly, Hagar, the bond slave, took Sarah's place in the family of Abraham, typifying his natural descendants being placed under the Sinaitic covenant. Fourth, Hagar did not permanently supplant Sarah, typifying the fact that Judaism and all that was merely temporary and was to be done away with. Fifthly, in God's time, Sarah ultimately came into her own and was divinely enabled to bear a supernatural seed which illustrated the children of promise under the new covenant.

Now, look at what Paul said in verse 28. I don't see how you can get around this. "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise." What's he saying? If we are in Christ, we have been specially supernaturally and sovereignly called, chosen, regenerated, converted and justified. We are the special children just like Isaac was. Just like Isaac would have never existed without the supernatural sovereign power and grace of God. Likewise, we would never exist and never be converted except for the sovereign supernatural work of God in our lives. We are the children of promise.

Ah, look if you would please at verse 28 again. "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise." Once again, there's a contrast. If we're the children of promise, what does that make all the others? Children of the flesh. Children of the flesh. We are the children of promise. Our standing is entirely different from that of Ishmael and those like him who are still under the curse of the law, who endeavor to earn or merit or bring forth their own salvation through the works of the flesh.

The relationship that we stand in with God the Father is a miraculous, supernatural one given of grace through Jesus Christ. Now, look in verse 28 again. He says, "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise." Now skip down to verse 29. We're still making applications. Verse 29, "But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now."

Scripture Reading — Genesis 21:9-12

Now, in this passage, the Apostle Paul is referring and quoting from Genesis 21:9. Because in that passage, Ishmael, Sarah called Ishmael, mocking Isaac. Ridiculing him, making fun of him, denouncing him, denigrating him, vilifying him. Look at verse 29 again. Help me out now. Watch this carefully. "But as then he that was born after the what? The flesh. Persecuted who? Him that was born after the what? The Spirit."

"Even so it is now." The persecution and mocking of Ishmael has found its counterpart in the Jews and Judaizers who hate and persecute the true Christians. Those who are adhering to the Sinaitic covenant, that is, trying to be saved by their works, hate and despise those who are in the covenant of grace. And one objection the Apostle Paul is dealing with in verse 29 is very evident. One of the objections that he's overcoming is this. Someone is going to ask, "Well, if we're God's called, if we're God's chosen, why is it we're so bitterly hated and opposed by all of those who call themselves Jews?" Paul said, here's the answer. It's always been like that. Because they're flesh and we're spirit. They're the children of the flesh. We're the children of promise.

Now, look in verse 30.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 21:9-12

"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 free woman."

Now Paul quotes from Genesis 21:10-12. And what did Sarah say to Abraham?

Scripture Reading — Genesis 21:9-12

"Cast out this bondwoman and her son, for she will not be heir with my son Isaac."

And when Abraham came to God, God said, "Abraham, you listen to Sarah in this. You get rid of them." You see, God was superintending. Here is the final point in the apostle's allegory which incontestably clinched the apostle's argument that Israel after the flesh is finally set aside by God.

Because Hagar represented the Sinaitic Covenant, and Ishmael is carnal worshippers. They're being cast out of Abraham's household prophetically, signifying God had set aside Judaism, God had set aside all the works of the law and all the flesh and all the ceremonies, and that the children of the flesh would not inherit with the children of the promise. Let me say this again. I started out this series of messages with this statement. I hope you see it. Christianity and Judaism are mutually exclusive. There is no such thing as a Jewish Christian. You may be a Christian or you may be a Jew in the religious sense, but you cannot be both. You're either Christian or you're embracing Judaism. It's just that simple. And by the way, Judaism is really broad. When I say broad, it would include all of those who are after the flesh and follow the works of the flesh and try to earn their salvation any other way.

None who are outside of Christ, or the covenant of grace, and none who are outside of Christ, can be considered Abraham's true children. That's what he said in Galatians 3:29, "And if you be Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise." Now look in verse 31, Galatians 4, Paul's conclusion is impossible to escape. "So then brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free." He said if we're Abraham's true children, we belong to Christ. We belong to Him alone. We do not look to our flesh in any way whatsoever. We don't depend upon our ancestry, our works, our merits, our deeds, our righteousness. We depend only upon Jesus Christ. Let me ask that you turn one more time to the book of Philippians chapter 3 and look at verse 3. Philippians 3:3. What does Paul say? In fact, let's read beginning with verse 1. I like this. He said, "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord."

Conclusion: One Way of Salvation

Weaver concludes that there has always been only one way of salvation—by grace through faith—and that believers are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.

I'm going to tell you something, everyone already knows, but I want to end this series with this statement. There has never, ever been but one way of salvation. And that's by grace through faith. And those Old Testament Israelites who were saved, were saved by grace through faith, looking forward to the coming work of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. Likewise, we in the New Covenant, we're saved only by grace through faith, looking back at the finished work of Jesus Christ. And the Apostle Paul says, Brethren, you've got to understand something. What does he want you to understand? He wants you to understand that we are the children of promise. Everything that God gave to Abraham, and everything that God gave to Christ, He now gives to us. For we're in Him, and as Scripture says, we're heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. So Paul said, if you can't understand my teaching, look at the picture. You'll understand. God's true seed is Jesus Christ. Let's pray.

Father, we ask that Your blessing and help would be upon us, that You would teach us and build us up in the most holy faith. And Father, we do ask that You would give us grace to serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Allegorical Interpretation of Scripture

Summary: Paul uses the historical figures of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, and Isaac as an allegory to convey deeper spiritual truths about the two covenants.

Evidence: Weaver explains the Greek word allegoroumena and states, 'Which things are an allegory? For these are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Hagar.'

Contrast Between the Two Covenants

Summary: The sermon contrasts the covenant of law from Mount Sinai (represented by Hagar) with the covenant of grace (represented by Sarah), emphasizing bondage versus freedom.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Hagar was earthly, carnal, slavish, and temporary. Sarah is heavenly, spiritual, free, and eternal.'

True Israel Defined by Faith, Not Flesh

Summary: The true children of Abraham are those who have faith in Christ, not physical descendants; Christianity and Judaism are mutually exclusive.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'Christianity and Judaism are mutually exclusive. There is no such thing as a Jewish Christian.'

Persecution of the Spiritual Seed by the Fleshly Seed

Summary: Just as Ishmael persecuted Isaac, so the fleshly Israel persecutes the true spiritual Israel, the church.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Galatians 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.'

Salvation by Grace Through Faith Alone

Summary: Salvation has always been by grace through faith, looking to Christ; believers have no confidence in the flesh or works.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'There has never, ever been but one way of salvation. And that's by grace through faith.'

Key Arguments

The Promises Were Made to Christ as the True Seed

Summary: Paul argues in Galatians 3:16 that the promises to Abraham were made to his singular seed, which is Christ, and those in Christ are heirs.

Evidence: Weaver reads Galatians 3:16 and 29, emphasizing 'He saith, not unto seeds as of many, but as of one... which is Christ.'

Ishmael Represents Fleshly Birth, Isaac Represents Supernatural Birth

Summary: Ishmael was born through natural procreation without divine promise, while Isaac was born by God's supernatural intervention and promise.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'Isaac would have never been born except by divine intervention.'

Hagar Represents the Sinaitic Covenant Producing Bondage

Summary: Hagar, the bondwoman, corresponds to Mount Sinai and the earthly Jerusalem, producing children in bondage under the law.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'This Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.'

Sarah Represents the Heavenly Jerusalem and Freedom in Christ

Summary: Sarah, the free woman, corresponds to the Jerusalem above, which is free, and is the mother of all believers.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'But Jerusalem which is above is free, who is the mother of us all.'

The Fleshly Seed is Cast Out and Will Not Inherit with the Promised Seed

Summary: The allegory culminates in the command to cast out the bondwoman and her son, signifying that fleshly Israel is set aside and will not share in the inheritance.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Galatians 4:30: 'Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman.'

Scripture References

Galatians 4:21-31

Context: The primary text of the sermon, read at the beginning and expounded throughout.

Romans 2:28-29

Context: Previously covered in the series; true Judahite is one with circumcision of the heart.

Romans 4

Context: Previously covered; children of Abraham are those with the faith of Abraham.

Romans 9

Context: Previously covered; not all Israel are of Israel; fleshly descendants are not the children of God.

Galatians 3:16

Context: Promises made to Abraham's seed (singular), which is Christ.

Galatians 3:29

Context: If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.

Galatians 6:16

Context: Peace and mercy upon the Israel of God; previously covered.

Matthew 13:13

Context: They have ears but hear not; applied to those who desire the law but do not understand it.

Luke 24:27

Context: Jesus referred to the Old Testament as 'the law and the prophets,' showing the law includes historical books.

Genesis 15:1-3

Context: Abraham's concern about having no seed and Eliezer being his heir; explains Sarah's action.

Genesis 16

Context: Sarah gives Hagar to Abraham to conceive a child.

Genesis 17

Context: God clarifies that Ishmael is rejected and Sarah will bear the promised seed.

Genesis 22:17-18

Context: Promise that Abraham's seed would be heirs of all things and a blessing to many nations.

Exodus 19:8

Context: Israel accepted the covenant at Sinai, saying 'All that the Lord has said, that we will do.'

Acts 15:10

Context: The apostles call the ceremonial law a yoke that neither they nor their fathers could bear.

Isaiah 54:1

Context: Quoted in Galatians 4:27; the barren woman rejoices because she has more children than the married wife.

Galatians 4:4

Context: When the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son to redeem those under the law.

Hebrews 12:22

Context: Believers have come to Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem.

Genesis 21:9-12

Context: Ishmael mocked Isaac; Sarah demanded they be cast out; God confirmed it.

Philippians 3:1-3

Context: Believers are the true circumcision who worship God in the Spirit and have no confidence in the flesh.

Historical References

John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

Context: Mentioned as an example of an allegorical book.

Patrick Fairbairn

Context: Quoted as a scholar on Old Testament law, describing the children of the Sinaitic covenant as 'miserable bondmen.'

Medieval theological dispute over angels on a pin

Context: Used as an example of foolish questions that gender strife.

Important Quotes

Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?

Significance: Paul's rebuke to those who claim to follow the law but do not understand its true meaning, setting the stage for the allegory.

Which things are an allegory? For these are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Hagar.

Significance: Key declaration that the historical figures represent two covenants, with Hagar representing the law that produces bondage.

But Jerusalem which is above is free, who is the mother of us all.

Significance: Identifies the heavenly Jerusalem (represented by Sarah) as the source of freedom for all believers.

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

Significance: Affirms that believers, like Isaac, are born by divine promise and supernatural grace, not by fleshly means.

But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

Significance: Explains the ongoing persecution of true Christians by those who rely on the flesh and law.

Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman.

Significance: The climactic command showing that fleshly Israel is set aside and will not share in the inheritance of the promised seed.

So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

Significance: Paul's conclusion that believers belong to the covenant of grace, not the covenant of law.

There has never, ever been but one way of salvation. And that's by grace through faith.

Significance: Weaver's summary that salvation has always been by grace through faith in Christ, both in Old and New Testaments.

Discussion Questions

What does Paul mean when he says the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar is an allegory? How does this affect our understanding of the Old Testament?

Context: Weaver explains that an allegory conveys deeper spiritual truths under material figures, and that the historical events were divinely ordained to teach about the two covenants.

How does the contrast between Ishmael and Isaac illustrate the difference between salvation by works and salvation by grace?

Context: Ishmael was born naturally, without divine promise; Isaac was born supernaturally by God's promise and power, picturing the new birth.

In what ways does the Sinaitic covenant produce bondage, and how does the new covenant bring freedom?

Context: Weaver describes the law as producing a servile spirit and outward obedience without heart change, while grace brings spiritual freedom and adoption.

Why does Paul say that the earthly Jerusalem is in bondage with her children? What does this mean for modern Judaism?

Context: Weaver interprets this as referring to the fleshly, legalistic system of Judaism that relies on physical descent and works, which is set aside in Christ.

How should the reality that believers are 'children of promise' like Isaac affect our identity and confidence?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that our standing is entirely by grace, not by fleshly ancestry or works, and we are heirs with Christ.

What does the persecution of Isaac by Ishmael teach us about the relationship between the church and those who rely on the flesh?

Context: Weaver explains that the fleshly seed always persecutes the spiritual seed, and this explains the hostility believers face from legalistic religion.

What does the command to 'cast out the bondwoman and her son' signify for the relationship between Christianity and Judaism?

Context: Weaver argues it signifies that God has set aside Judaism and the works of the law; the children of the flesh will not inherit with the children of promise.

How does Philippians 3:3 reinforce the message of Galatians 4 that we should have no confidence in the flesh?

Context: Weaver reads Philippians 3:3 to show that true worshipers rejoice in Christ and put no confidence in physical descent or works.

Applications

Examine Your Foundation for Salvation

Summary: Believers must ensure their confidence is in Christ alone, not in ancestry, works, or religious rituals, as the allegory shows the futility of the flesh.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'We have no confidence in the flesh. Our confidence is not in our ancestry. It's not in our works. It's not in our merits. It's only in Jesus Christ.'

Embrace Spiritual Freedom in Christ

Summary: Christians should live in the liberty of the new covenant, free from the bondage of legalism and the curse of the law, as children of the free woman.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'In Jesus Christ we now have the substance and the reality of all those ceremonies back in the Old Covenant. So we are free in Christ.'

Expect Persecution from Fleshly Religion

Summary: Believers should not be surprised when they face opposition from those who rely on works or physical descent, as this has been the pattern since Ishmael and Isaac.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'The persecution and mocking of Ishmael has found its counterpart in the Jews and Judaizers who hate and persecute the true Christians.'

Rejoice in Being Children of Promise

Summary: Christians should find assurance and joy in knowing they are supernaturally born of God, like Isaac, and are heirs of all the promises given to Abraham and Christ.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'We are the children of promise. Everything that God gave to Abraham, and everything that God gave to Christ, He now gives to us.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T16:34:33Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T07:30:18Z

Clean Transcript

Who is Israel? Part 6 of 6

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Alright, let's open our Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter 4. Galatians chapter 4. Galatians chapter 4 and we're going to read verses 21 through 31. Galatians 4:21-31. And I ask that you listen very closely today because the message, while it's not that difficult to comprehend or to understand, it really needs to be followed in order for you to see the full force of it. So let's look in Galatians 4 in verse 21.
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Paul says, "Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh, but he of the free woman was by promise. Which things are an allegory? For these are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Hagar. For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem, which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem, which is above, is free, who is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren, that bearest not, break forth and cry, thou that travailest not. For the desolate have many more children than she which hath a husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
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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 free woman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free." May I remind you, just simply by way of introduction, that we have covered Romans 2:28-29, where the Apostle Paul then asks, who then is a Judahite? And he goes and proves that the true Judahite are those whose circumcision is of the heart and not of the flesh, whose praise is of God and not of man. We've looked in Romans 4. We've seen that the children of Abraham are those who have the faith of Abraham. We've looked in Romans 9, where the Apostle said very pointedly that they're not all Israel who are of Israel. And then he goes on down and says, those that are the flesh, these are not the children of God. Then we've looked in Galatians chapter 3, and especially at verses 16 and 29, which I will mention just a little bit later again.
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And then, of course, we ended last week with Galatians 6:16, where the word of God says that as many as walk according to this rule, that is this scripture, "Peace be upon them and mercy upon the Israel of God." Now when the Apostle Paul begins in Galatians chapter 4, he begins very bluntly. In fact, I might add that he really begins with a rebuke of sorts. For in verse 21 he says, "Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?" What Paul is saying is, look, you say that you really want to be under the law. But do you not hear it? In other words, you say you want to be under the law, but you don't even know what the law teaches. You don't even know what the law is saying. So the Apostle Paul is basically applying the truth of Matthew 13:13, where the scripture says they have ears, but they hear not.
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They have eyes, but they see not. Neither do they understand. So Paul says you hear but you don't hear, you see but you don't see, and you really do not understand. And then after he rebukes them in verse 21, Paul then refers them to Abraham, to Sarah, and Hagar, and his sons by those two women, Ishmael and Isaac. And it's important to note at the very beginning, that which you and I normally consider as history, Paul counts it as law. When we read Genesis, the first several chapters, and get over in chapter 12 and 15 and 17, we think of patriarchal history. But the Apostle Paul says it is law. May I remind you that even our Lord considered the Old Testament to be as law, for He said in Luke 24:27, "the law and the prophets."
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And so usually they just simply divided the Old Testament into the Law and the Prophets, so everything was considered law except the prophets.
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Now, based upon the Apostle Paul's teaching in Romans and in Galatians, he now explains the difference between Abraham's fleshly seed and the promised seed. Now, patriarchal history is indeed employed to illustrate the persecution of the promised seed of Abraham by the fleshly seed of Abraham. For instance, skip down to verse 29, I'll come back to this verse later. He says, "But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now." So Hagar and her son, Sarah and her son are the prophetic types of the mutual relations between the two seeds of Abraham. As the elder son, Ishmael, the firstborn, was cast out for mocking the freeborn child, Isaac, so fleshly Israel, under bondage to the law, has brought upon themselves and continues to bring upon themselves the judgment of God Almighty by persecuting the true Israel of God whom Christ has endowed with His free spirit. Now, the force of Paul's argument in Galatians chapter 4 is seen more clearly in the light of Galatians 3:16 and verse 29.
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Let's read those verses again. I spoke on them last week, but look in Galatians 3:16. He says, "Now to Abraham and his seed," and notice the word is singular, "were the promises made." So all of the promises went to Abraham and his seed. So Paul emphasizes, "He saith, not unto seeds as of many, but as of one." And then he identifies who the true seed of Abraham is. He says, "And to thy seed, which is Christ." So very clearly then, all of the promises that God gave to Abraham and his seed were given to Jesus Christ, who is the true seed of Abraham. That's why the Bible says in verse 29, look carefully, "And if you be Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise." So if we belong to Jesus Christ, He says we are the true seed of Abraham and therefore we are heirs according to the promise and we receive everything that God promised to Abraham. Now it is in this passage in Galatians chapter 4 as well as Galatians chapter 3 that the Apostle Paul draws a distinction between the mere physical seed of Abraham and the seed of promise.
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Now, Paul informs us that the life of Abraham with Hagar and Sarah are an allegory. Look in verse 24. He says, "Which things are an allegory? For these are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Hagar." Now, I want to just deal with the phrase right now, "which things are an allegory." We're going to look at them in order in just a moment. But before we begin, we've got to ask, what in the world is an allegory? Well, the Greek word is allegoroumena, and it's made up of two Greek words. The first one is allos, A-L-L-O-S, which means other. And then, of course, agoreuo, which means to speak in public. Other, to speak in public, or to speak in public other. The word agoreuo is from the noun agora, which is the marketplace. Now, the marketplace was a public place in ancient Greece where all the teachers taught, all the public proclamations were made. So here's the word allegory, and it basically means to speak in public.
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However, what it means is this. It means that what one speaks of means not only what he says, but there is far greater impact and importance in what he says. In other words, it not only reveals something that is being said, it reveals something else that is far greater and far more important. Let me spell it out like this. An allegory is a parabolic method of conveying instruction, of conveying spiritual truths that are being set forth under material figures. So you have the material figure of Abraham, and Hagar, and Sarah, and Ishmael, and Isaac, those were real, historical, material individuals. And yet, although there is historical truth there, there is a far greater spiritual truth that the Apostle Paul is talking about. Thus, when God then gives us the history of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, the history is factually correct. It is real. It is genuine. But what he's saying is there's something far greater and far more important and far more revealing if we understand that their lives are indeed an allegory.
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Now, there are allegorical books around today. In fact, the greatest allegorical book, and some of you may have read it, is John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. It's a tremendous book, and everything that is said there has a far deeper meaning than what is just simply being written. So it is indeed an allegory.
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Now, let me give you a little warning. Let me give you a caveat. Simply because Paul uses an allegory and says, "which things are an allegory," it does not in any way cast doubt upon the actual historical events recorded about Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar. In fact, what Paul does is he stresses the historical reality of this, in verse 22, look what he says, "for it is written." He says, yes, the history is real and genuine. It is written. The Word of God gives us this historical reality, but he goes on to say there's more truth than just simply the historical reality. So let's begin today.
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With my first point, which is a divinely ordained illustration. We're going to find that in verses 21 and 22. A divinely ordained illustration. He says, "Tell me ye that desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman."
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Now the historical facts are exceedingly clear. In fact, every Israelite knew them by heart. God had promised Abraham and his posterity that in time they would inherit at least all of those areas of the earth which were familiar to them in Genesis chapter 15. Later on, God made it clear to Abraham and his seed that they would be the heirs of all things and that they would be the source of blessing to many nations. You'll find that in Genesis 22:17-18. Now, when Sarah saw herself childless, she undoubtedly assumed that while the promise applied to Abraham, it did not apply to her. Therefore, in an act of faith, and out of love and regard to Abraham, she gave her maid, Hagar, to Abraham to conceive a child by in Genesis chapter 16.
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Now, I know there is no woman alive today that would say to her husband, "Well we're childless and I want you to have a child and so what I'm going to do is I've got a maid here and I'm going to let you marry her and have a child by her." I want you to understand something. What Sarah did in giving her handmaid to Abraham was in perfect conformity to the customs and the legalities of the time. I want you to hold Galatians 4, but go back in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 15. Let me show you, according to the customs and the legalities of the time, what would have happened had Abraham not had a seed? Okay? Look in Genesis chapter 15, because Abraham is talking to the Lord. The Lord is going to enter into a covenant. And let's begin reading with Genesis 15:1.
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"After these things, the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram. I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward." Look what Abram says. "And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed, and, lo, one born in mine house is mine heir." Do you hear what Abraham is saying? "Lord, you haven't given me a seed. And one born in my house is my heir. And my eldest servant is this Eliezer of Damascus." In other words, Lord, if I die without a seed, Eliezer, my servant, gets everything. So Sarah gave Abraham Hagar at least where he could have a son, not necessarily by her, but at least by his maid, at least that child would be his flesh and blood and not just simply a servant like Eliezer. So Sarah's act was not unconscionable. Sarah's act was a very practical way, although a fleshly one, to bring to pass the promise and to acquire an heir for Abraham.
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However, later on God made exceedingly clear that Ishmael was to be rejected and it would be Sarah herself who would give actual birth to the promised seed in Genesis chapter 17. Now, the point that I want to give you about this illustration is very simple. The entire episode was under the control of divine providence from the beginning. When you and I look at the simple historical facts, we tend to see, here's a man and woman doing everything in a normal way. Here's a man and woman living their everyday lives, coping with circumstances, and trying to work all of these circumstances out to the best of their abilities. Yet, in all their daily struggles, Abraham and Sarah were under the sovereign providential care of the sovereign God of heaven and earth, and He was ordaining and bringing to pass their everyday normal circumstances to teach a far greater truth than what they were just simply going through. In other words, this illustration was divinely ordained. Sarah gave Abraham Hagar and through Hagar Ishmael was produced. Later on, God came to Sarah and blessed her and Isaac was given.
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So here is an illustration then taken out of actual history and God was in control and God says here is a greater truth than just these mere historical figures. Now let's get back to Galatians chapter 4. Let's go to verses 23 and 24 and look at the divinely ordained declaration. We've seen the divinely ordained illustration where God superintended the lives of Abraham and Sarah and Hagar to produce these two children to give us an excellent picture. But here's the declaration in verses 23 and 24. Galatians 4:23.
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"But he that was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh. But he of the free woman was by promise. Which things are an allegory? For these are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai which gendereth to bondage, which is Hagar."
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Now Paul has already given us a doctrinal dissertation on justification by faith alone and the truth of God's sovereign grace as being the foundation of salvation. What the Apostle Paul is about to do now is to give us a picture. He's going to draw a picture to enable us to have a greater understanding. So here's what I want you to do this morning. I want you to picture in your minds Sarah and Hagar. I want you to think of two women, Sarah and Hagar. Then I want you to picture in your minds their two sons, Ishmael, the son of Hagar, and Isaac, the son of Sarah.
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Now God makes some declarations not only concerning the sons, but He also makes some declarations concerning the mothers. So let's look first at the declarations concerning the sons. Notice, if you would please, in verse 23. He says, "But he who was born of the bondwoman was born after the flesh." Now, verse 23 informs us that Ishmael was born after the flesh. That is, he was born through natural procreation. There was nothing special about Ishmael. Husbands and wives have produced children in exactly the same way down through the ages that Abraham and Hagar produced Ishmael. There was nothing different about the way that Ishmael was conceived. He was born after the flesh. He was born without a special promise from God. He was born without a special word from God. He was born merely at the request of Sarah. God did not command Abraham to take nor did God promise to bless that union. So it is evident then that Ishmael is a son of Abraham after the flesh, and not after the promise. That's what he says in verse 23, "But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh."
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Everything natural, everything normal. The verse doesn't mean that Abraham lusted after Hagar. When it says, "born after the flesh," it just means the natural way of producing children. That's all there was to it. He was just another kid. Nothing special. God never promised anything to Ishmael or to Abraham and to Hagar.
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Now I want you to contrast the birth of Isaac. He says in verse 22, "For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by the free woman," verse 23, "but he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh, but he of the free woman was born of promise." So God gives us a contrast, Isaac is the child of promise. Not only had God promised Abraham a seed, but he also promised that seed through Sarah. And God, through His supernatural power and His miraculous grace, brought that promise to pass when Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90.
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Let me put it to you very bluntly. Isaac would have never been born except by divine intervention. I know of no 100-year-old woman that can bear a child. I don't know of any 90-year-old man that can beget a child. So everything about Isaac was special. Everything about Isaac was supernatural. His birth was not natural, although it was produced and brought about by natural means, but it was not natural in the sense that it was brought about by God's divine and sovereign power and promise. So had there not been a divine intervention by God, Isaac would have never been born, humanly speaking. So you have then this declaration here, Ishmael is born after the flesh, nothing special about him. But here is Isaac, the child born of promise by the power of God, that it is something that God did that man could not do, and it would have never been done had not God miraculously intervened.
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Now, notice secondly, there is also a declaration concerning the mothers. Let's go back to verse 22. "For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman." Verse 23, "But he that was born of the bondwoman was born after the flesh, but he of the free woman was born of promise." Now Hagar was a bondmaid. She was a servant. She was a slave. She was an Egyptian. Sarah, whose name means princess, was the wife of Abraham, who was with Abraham when God called him to leave Ur of the Chaldees. Now look in verse 24. Look what God says. He's making the declaration now concerning Hagar and Sarah.
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"Which things are an allegory? For these are the two covenants. The one from Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Hagar. For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem, which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, who is the mother of us all." Now, God tells us that Sarah and Hagar represent two covenants. When God says these two are an allegory, these are two covenants, we understand that they mean they represent two covenants. They were not actual covenants in and of their own persons, but rather they embodied, they represented, they were pictures of the two covenants. Now the Bible tells us that Hagar represents Mount Sinai.
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That is where the law was given. Sarah represents the covenant of grace, or Jerusalem, which is above.
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Now, this type of symbolism occurs many times in Scriptures. Let me give you just two illustrations. If you would flip back in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 10, hold Galatians 4, look in 1 Corinthians 10:4. Look at what is said. Here we're talking about the children of Israel out in the wilderness. The Bible says that they did all drink that same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ.
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Now let me ask you a question. Is Jesus Christ a real, literal rock? No. He is the rock of ages, that is sure. But the rock symbolized Christ. The rock was a type of Christ. If you look in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel chapter 23, let me show you another one. Ezekiel chapter 23, and look at verse 4. Ezekiel 23:4.
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He says, "And the names of them were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister, and they were mine, and they bear sons and daughters. Thus were their names, Samaria is Aholah and Jerusalem Aholibah." You see he's using names there to represent two literal cities. And so what he's doing in Galatians chapter 4 is the same thing. He's using two names, Sarah and Hagar, to represent two real covenants. So thus far we have two mothers, we have two sons, and we have two covenants.
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You've seen a divinely ordained illustration, a divinely ordained declaration. Look, thirdly, at a divinely ordained interpretation.
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Now, we've got to ask this simple question. What do we make out of all this? What does it mean? What are we to learn? Well, first let's go back and consider Hagar and Ishmael. Hagar, of course, is the bondwoman. And Ishmael, her son, who was born after the flesh, he tells us that this bondwoman is Mount Sinai. Look, if you would please, verse 24. He says, "Which things are an allegory, for these are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Hagar."
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Now, I want to call your attention to the word "gendereth." Everybody knows what that word means. But if you don't, let me explain it. The Greek word is gennao. And it means to procreate. It means to beget. It means to produce children. It means to bear. It means to bring forth.
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Now look what he says in verse 24. "Which things are an allegory? For these are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai, which is Hagar." What does Hagar do? What does Mount Sinai, the covenant from Mount Sinai, do? It produces bondage, servile individuals. It produces slaves.
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Now the same word is used in 2 Timothy 2:23. You don't have to turn there. But there Paul writes, "...but foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strife." Did you know that back during the medieval times, there was a great theological dispute over how many angels could stand upon the head of a pin? Can you imagine people being so silly as to waste their time to try to prove or disprove how many angels could stand on the head of a pin?
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What difference does it make? See, that's what the Apostle Paul says, "but foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender or procreate or beget strife."
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Now, the same word is used here. When it says that Hagar begets or produces children with a servile spirit.
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Now look in verse 25. He wants you to understand this interpretation. He says, "For this Hagar," that is Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia, "and answereth to Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children." Now Mount Sinai is where the law was given. And he is saying that that law begets children with a servile spirit, and their mother, Hagar, is in bondage with her children, and then he says, which is a picture of Jerusalem, which now is, or let me explain it like this, or that exists by fleshly means. Just like Ishmael was born after the flesh, he says undoubtedly that this Hagar is Mount Sinai, which answereth, which represents Jerusalem, which now is and is in bondage with her children. In other words, the order of things under which the nation of Israel was placed at Mount Sinai, appointed for the purpose of keeping them a separate people, and which, because of its legalistic nature, was fitly foreshadowed by the bond slave, Hagar. Now this covenant, he says, from Mount Sinai, produces those of a servile spirit, for it made slaves of all who sought to be justified by their own works, by their own efforts, or by obedience to that law.
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I want you to listen carefully to this statement, and this will explain verse 25. The relation entered into between God and Israel at Mount Sinai was entirely a natural one, just like the birth of Ishmael. You say, how could you say it was entirely a natural one? Well, if you were to go back to Exodus 19:8, you don't have to turn there, I'll quote it for you, God offered, and Israel accepted. And here's what Israel said, "All that the Lord has said, that we will do." Which was just simply a natural covenant. Now, listen carefully. It was natural in the sense that once that covenant was made with the nation, consequently all their descendants upon being circumcised, automatically became subjects of the covenant without any spiritual change wrought in them. You could be a thief and a robber, but as long as you were circumcised, you were part of that covenant back then.
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You see what I'm saying? You could be a murderer, but as long as you were circumcised, you were part of that covenant.
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Now, it is true, God told them not to do that. But I can assure you there are plenty of whoremongers and adulterers and thieves back then who had been circumcised and were members of that covenant nation, but it was all flesh. If you were born and were circumcised, then you were just simply part of that covenant without any spiritual change being wrought in you. Let me give you a quote. Patrick Fairbairn, one of the greatest scholars on Old Testament and Old Testament law said this concerning the covenant. I want you to listen carefully, and this will help explain where we are in New Testament. He said, and I quote, "So far as this covenant gave birth to any children, those were not the true children of God, free, spiritual, with hearts of filial confidence and devoted love, but rather miserable bondmen, selfish, carnal, full of mistrust and fear. Of these children of the Sinaitic Covenant, we are furnished with the most perfect example in the scribes and Pharisees in our Lord's time."
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And that's exactly the truth. The scribes and the Pharisees were the most perfect example. Because they had all of their rules, they had all of their customs. You notice the Sabbath day's journey? You could only walk so far on the Sabbath day. Did you know that those Jews had so perverted the law, and so perverted it to fill it with legalistic interpretations, that many of them would not even walk on grass on the Sabbath, because they were afraid that if they walked on grass and the grass was headed out and their foot hit it, and some of the seed fell to the ground, they would be guilty of sowing on the Sabbath. See? That's the scribes and the Pharisees.
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Well, look at what he says in verse 25. Watch carefully now. He says, "For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children." The word "answereth," or you could say "corresponds with," the origin, the status, and condition of Hagar supplied an exact analogy of the state of Jerusalem not only in the Apostle's time, but subsequently to Judaism after the Apostle's time and all of those who trust in the flesh. Judaism was nothing more than an endless round of ceremonial institutions which were totally unbearable. Hold Galatians 4 and look back in your Bibles at Acts chapter 15. Look at verse 10. Look at what the apostles said concerning the ceremonies contained therein. In Acts 15:10, the apostles say, and this is the Jerusalem Council, "Now therefore why tempt you God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?" And they're talking about all those ceremonies and legalities of the ceremonial law.
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They said it was a yoke which neither our forefathers nor we are able to bear. You see, those people, even those who were genuinely converted under the Old Covenant, they did not possess, nor did they enjoy, the spiritual freedom that we have in the New Covenant. They did not understand the freedom that we have in Jesus Christ. And I might say this very bluntly, the larger part of Israel, the larger part of the nation had no interest in the promise of the covenant made to Abraham whereby faith was a necessity. They didn't want to be justified by faith.
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Instead they were like Hagar and Ishmael. They were born in a servile spirit and all of their outward obedience was a slavish character and their privileges were nothing more than carnal. Now, so here he says, this Hagar is Mount Sinai. And this Mount Sinai, this Hagar answers to Jerusalem that now is. So just like Ishmael was produced by the flesh, nothing more. So he says the Jerusalem that now is, is produced by the flesh, nothing more.
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Now, let's go secondly, the contrast Sarah and Isaac. Look, if you would, what he says in Galatians chapter 4 and beginning there with verse 26. He says, "But Jerusalem, which is above is free, which is the mother of us all." Now, Sarah and Isaac were free born and born of promise. And the Bible says in verse 26 that Sarah then corresponds or answers to the Jerusalem that is above. In other words, Sarah then represents the covenant of grace in Christ Jesus, who is the true seed of Abraham. He says, "But Jerusalem which is above is free, who is the mother of us all." Now, the word "above" is the Greek preposition ano, which indicates above, and what he is here doing is this, he is drawing a contrast between the earthly Jerusalem and the heavenly Jerusalem. Or, let's put it another way, he's drawing a contrast between the natural Jerusalem and the spiritual Jerusalem. We can put it another way, he's drawing a contrast between the fleshly seed and the promised or the spiritual seed.
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I want you to hold Galatians 4, but turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 12. Because we're going to read Galatians 4 and then a verse from Hebrews chapter 12. Go back to Galatians 4 now and look at verse 26 again. He says, "But Jerusalem which is above is free, who is the mother of us all." Now, Jerusalem, which is above. Look in Hebrews 12:22. He says, "But you are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels." Now, watch this. If Hagar represents the Jerusalem that now is and is in bondage with her children, then Sarah represents that heavenly or spiritual Jerusalem or that Jerusalem which is in Christ, the true promised seed whereby we have freedom in Jesus Christ. So he says in Galatians 4:26, "But Jerusalem which is above is free." And suitably does Sarah represent the liberty that we have in Jesus Christ. Because in Jesus Christ, we're not only redeemed from all of our sins and from bondage and death, but we're also redeemed and we're also free from the curse of the moral law, and we're also free from all the ordinances, basically, of the ceremonial law, because that law has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ,
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and in Jesus Christ we now have the substance and the reality of all those ceremonies back in the Old Covenant. So we are free in Christ.
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Now, look in verse 27. Galatians 4:27. Before I read it, let me put it to you one other time like this. I want you to see this contrast once again between these two covenants. Watch carefully. Hagar was earthly, carnal, slavish, and temporary. Sarah is heavenly, spiritual, free, and eternal. That's the difference between the two covenants. Now Paul quotes verse 27. He says, "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 a husband." Now in verse 27 the Apostle Paul quotes from Isaiah 54:1. Now Paul quotes Isaiah 54:1 to confirm his interpretation of the covenant allegory. How does Isaiah 54:1 confirm the apostle's interpretation?
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Well, you've got to remember that the grand promise to Abraham in Genesis 17:4 was that he would be the father of many nations, and the promise to Sarah in Genesis 17:16 that she should be the mother of many nations. Now just as the historical Sarah was barren for many years after she became a wife, so likewise the spiritual Sarah, the heavenly Jerusalem so to speak, for centuries lay fruitless until the time of the promise.
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You say, what are you talking about? Well, look in Galatians 4, beginning with verse 4. Galatians 4:4. Are you ready? "But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." Did you hear what I just read? "But when the fullness of the time was come," do you realize there were 400 silent years between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant? Look at the promise that God gave to Abraham, and for centuries it basically lay dormant. Oh yes, there were some people converted in the Old Testament. God has always had His elect. He's always had His remnant. But when the fullness of the time was come, just like when Sarah, when she was ninety, when the fullness of the time was come, God gave her Isaac. So in the fullness of time, God sent Christ to redeem His people. And just as Sarah became fruitful, so the church is now fruitful.
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And God is redeeming his people through Jesus Christ. I want you to understand, as the historical Sarah ultimately became a mother, and had a numerous seed, so likewise, when the promise fully came, there is a numerous seed given to Jesus Christ. In fact, before it's over, there's going to be far greater individuals who convert. Because he said, what does he say in verse 27? "For it is written, Rejoice thou barren that bearest not, break forth and cry, thou that travailest not. For the desolate," that is the one that waited so long, Sarah, "hath many more children than she who had a husband." So God's grace is going to be poured out.
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Now, let's look fourthly today at the divinely ordained application, and you'll find this in verses 28 through 31. Let's read them. Verse 28, "Now we brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 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 free woman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free." Now, let's put two and two together. So far we've seen two mothers, we've seen two sons, we've seen two covenants, and two ways of worshiping. One in the flesh and one in the Spirit. One based upon the works of man, and the other based upon the work of Jesus Christ alone. Let me try to put it together for you.
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First of all, let me say it like this. The marriage between Abraham and Sarah symbolized the covenant union between God and His people. Secondly, for many years, Sarah was barren, foreshadowing that lengthy period of time in which the promise of God was dormant. Thirdly, Hagar, the bond slave, took Sarah's place in the family of Abraham, typifying his natural descendants being placed under the Sinaitic covenant. Fourth, Hagar did not permanently supplant Sarah, typifying the fact that Judaism and all that was merely temporary and was to be done away with. Fifthly, in God's time, Sarah ultimately came into her own and was divinely enabled to bear a supernatural seed which illustrated the children of promise under the new covenant.
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Now, look at what Paul said in verse 28. I don't see how you can get around this.
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"Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise." What's he saying? If we are in Christ, we have been specially supernaturally and sovereignly called, chosen, regenerated, converted and justified. We are the special children just like Isaac was. Just like Isaac would have never existed without the supernatural sovereign power and grace of God. Likewise, we would never exist and never be converted except for the sovereign supernatural work of God in our lives. We are the children of promise.
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Ah, look if you would please at verse 28 again. "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise." Once again, there's a contrast. If we're the children of promise, what does that make all the others? Children of the flesh. Children of the flesh. We are the children of promise. Our standing is entirely different from that of Ishmael and those like him who are still under the curse of the law, who endeavor to earn or merit or bring forth their own salvation through the works of the flesh.
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The relationship that we stand in with God the Father is a miraculous, supernatural one given of grace through Jesus Christ. Now, look in verse 28 again. He says, "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise." Now skip down to verse 29. We're still making applications. Verse 29, "But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now."
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Now, in this passage, the Apostle Paul is referring and quoting from Genesis 21:9. Because in that passage, Ishmael, Sarah called Ishmael, mocking Isaac. Ridiculing him, making fun of him, denouncing him, denigrating him, vilifying him. Look at verse 29 again. Help me out now. Watch this carefully. "But as then he that was born after the what? The flesh. Persecuted who? Him that was born after the what? The Spirit."
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"Even so it is now." The persecution and mocking of Ishmael has found its counterpart in the Jews and Judaizers who hate and persecute the true Christians. Those who are adhering to the Sinaitic covenant, that is, trying to be saved by their works, hate and despise those who are in the covenant of grace. And one objection the Apostle Paul is dealing with in verse 29 is very evident. One of the objections that he's overcoming is this. Someone is going to ask, "Well, if we're God's called, if we're God's chosen, why is it we're so bitterly hated and opposed by all of those who call themselves Jews?" Paul said, here's the answer.
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It's always been like that. Because they're flesh and we're spirit. They're the children of the flesh. We're the children of promise.
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Now, look in verse 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 free woman."
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Now Paul quotes from Genesis 21:10-12. And what did Sarah say to Abraham? "Cast out this bondwoman and her son, for she will not be heir with my son Isaac." And when Abraham came to God, God said, "Abraham, you listen to Sarah in this. You get rid of them." You see, God was superintending. Here is the final point in the apostle's allegory which incontestably clinched the apostle's argument that Israel after the flesh is finally set aside by God.
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Because Hagar represented the Sinaitic Covenant, and Ishmael is carnal worshippers. They're being cast out of Abraham's household prophetically, signifying God had set aside Judaism, God had set aside all the works of the law and all the flesh and all the ceremonies, and that the children of the flesh would not inherit with the children of the promise. Let me say this again. I started out this series of messages with this statement.
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I hope you see it. Christianity and Judaism are mutually exclusive. There is no such thing as a Jewish Christian. You may be a Christian or you may be a Jew in the religious sense, but you cannot be both. You're either Christian or you're embracing Judaism. It's just that simple. And by the way, Judaism is really broad. When I say broad, it would include all of those who are after the flesh and follow the works of the flesh and try to earn their salvation any other way.
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None who are outside of Christ, or the covenant of grace, and none who are outside of Christ, can be considered Abraham's true children. That's what he said in Galatians 3:29, "And if you be Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise." Now look in verse 31, Galatians 4, Paul's conclusion is impossible to escape. "So then brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free." He said if we're Abraham's true children, we belong to Christ. We belong to Him alone. We do not look to our flesh in any way whatsoever.
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We don't depend upon our ancestry, our works, our merits, our deeds, our righteousness. We depend only upon Jesus Christ. Let me ask that you turn one more time to the book of Philippians chapter 3 and look at verse 3. Philippians 3:3. What does Paul say? In fact, let's read beginning with verse 1. I like this. He said, "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord."
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"To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs," and he's not talking about the four-legged kind. "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision," that is the circumcision. "For we are the circumcision who worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh." So if you could prove to me undeniably that you were a direct fleshly descendant of Abraham, it really means nothing. We have no confidence in the flesh. Our confidence is not in our ancestry.
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It's not in our works. It's not in our merits. It's only in Jesus Christ.
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Now, look at what Paul has done in this allegory. I ask you to begin with, to picture two women. Sarah, Hagar. Their two sons, Isaac, Ishmael. Their two covenants. They represent two different ways of worshiping. And I want you to see, in these two covenants you have birth by nature as opposed to birth by grace. Hagar and Ishmael was by nature. Sarah and Isaac was by grace. You have a state of bondage as opposed to a state of liberty. Hagar, Ishmael in bondage. Sarah, Isaac, liberty, freedom.
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You have a status of temporary tenure. That is, Hagar temporarily supplanted Sarah, but not for long. And you contrast that with the permanent possession that we have in Jesus Christ. That's what Paul is saying. Here's a picture. Just as Hagar was rightfully the handmaid of Sarah, but wrongfully accorded the position of Abraham's wife, so the Sinaitic covenant was designed to supplement the Abrahamic covenant, but it was perverted by the Jews when they tried to seek salvation by it.
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I'm going to tell you something, everyone already knows, but I want to end this series with this statement. There has never, ever been but one way of salvation. And that's by grace through faith. And those Old Testament Israelites who were saved, were saved by grace through faith, looking forward to the coming work of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. Likewise, we in the New Covenant, we're saved only by grace through faith, looking back at the finished work of Jesus Christ. And the Apostle Paul says, Brethren, you've got to understand something. What does he want you to understand? He wants you to understand that we are the children of promise. Everything that God gave to Abraham, and everything that God gave to Christ, He now gives to us. For we're in Him, and as Scripture says, we're heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. So Paul said, if you can't understand my teaching, look at the picture. You'll understand. God's true seed is Jesus Christ. Let's pray.
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Father, we ask that Your blessing and help would be upon us, that You would teach us and build us up in the most holy faith. And Father, we do ask that You would give us grace to serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T16:34:33Z

Who is Israel? Part 6 of 6

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

In this sermon, John Weaver expounds Galatians 4:21-31, where Paul uses the historical figures of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, and Isaac as an allegory to contrast the covenant of law (Sinai) with the covenant of grace (the heavenly Jerusalem). Weaver argues that the true Israel of God are not the physical descendants of Abraham but those who are in Christ, the promised seed, born by supernatural grace. He emphasizes that Christianity and Judaism are mutually exclusive, and that believers have no confidence in the flesh but only in Jesus Christ.

Opening

Scripture Reading — Galatians 4:21-31

"Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh, but he of the free woman was by promise. Which things are an allegory? For these are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Hagar. For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem, which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem, which is above, is free, who is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren, that bearest not, break forth and cry, thou that travailest not. For the desolate have many more children than she which hath a husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

Introduction and Review

Weaver reviews previous messages in the series, covering Romans 2:28-29, Romans 4, Romans 9, Galatians 3:16, 29, and Galatians 6:16, which establish that true Israel are those of faith, not flesh.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 4:21-31

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 free woman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free."

And then, of course, we ended last week with Galatians 6:16, where the word of God says that as many as walk according to this rule, that is this scripture,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 6:16

"Peace be upon them and mercy upon the Israel of God."

Paul's Rebuke and the Law

Paul rebukes those who desire to be under the law but do not truly hear it, and he refers to Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar as law, not just history.

Let's read those verses again. I spoke on them last week, but look in Galatians 3:16. He says,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:16

"Now to Abraham and his seed,"

and notice the word is singular,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:16

"were the promises made."

So all of the promises went to Abraham and his seed. So Paul emphasizes,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:16

"He saith, not unto seeds as of many, but as of one."

And then he identifies who the true seed of Abraham is. He says,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:16

"And to thy seed, which is Christ."

The Seed of Abraham is Christ

Weaver explains from Galatians 3:16, 29 that the promises were made to Abraham's singular seed, which is Christ, and those in Christ are Abraham's seed and heirs.

Let's read those verses again. I spoke on them last week, but look in Galatians 3:16. He says,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:16

"Now to Abraham and his seed,"

and notice the word is singular,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:16

"were the promises made."

So all of the promises went to Abraham and his seed. So Paul emphasizes,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:16

"He saith, not unto seeds as of many, but as of one."

And then he identifies who the true seed of Abraham is. He says,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:16

"And to thy seed, which is Christ."

A Divinely Ordained Illustration

The historical events of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar were under divine providence to teach a greater spiritual truth; Ishmael was born after the flesh, Isaac by promise.

A Divinely Ordained Declaration

Paul declares that the two women represent two covenants: Hagar is Mount Sinai, producing bondage; Sarah represents the heavenly Jerusalem, which is free.

A Divinely Ordained Interpretation

Weaver interprets the allegory: Hagar and Ishmael picture the earthly Jerusalem and fleshly Israel under law; Sarah and Isaac picture the heavenly Jerusalem and spiritual Israel under grace.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 19:8

"All that the Lord has said, that we will do."

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:22

"But you are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels."

Scripture Reading — Galatians 4:4

"But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."

Did you hear what I just read?

Scripture Reading — Galatians 4:4

"But when the fullness of the time was come,"

A Divinely Ordained Application

Believers are children of promise like Isaac, persecuted by the fleshly seed, but the bondwoman and her son are cast out; we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 21:9-12

Now, in this passage, the Apostle Paul is referring and quoting from Genesis 21:9. Because in that passage, Ishmael, Sarah called Ishmael, mocking Isaac. Ridiculing him, making fun of him, denouncing him, denigrating him, vilifying him. Look at verse 29 again. Help me out now. Watch this carefully. "But as then he that was born after the what? The flesh. Persecuted who? Him that was born after the what? The Spirit."

Now, look in verse 30.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 21:9-12

"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 free woman."

Now Paul quotes from Genesis 21:10-12. And what did Sarah say to Abraham?

Scripture Reading — Genesis 21:9-12

"Cast out this bondwoman and her son, for she will not be heir with my son Isaac."

Conclusion: One Way of Salvation

Weaver concludes that there has always been only one way of salvation—by grace through faith—and that believers are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.

Who is Israel? Part 6 of 6

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	12903161959
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Genesis: Abraham, Covenant, and Promise
Genre	Sermon
Date	2002-02-17
Dictation Name
Book	Book 168: Who is Israel? — Chapter 6
Source Timed Segments	73

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Review: Weaver reviews previous messages in the series, covering Romans 2:28-29, Romans 4, Romans 9, Galatians 3:16, 29, and Galatians 6:16, which establish that true Israel are those of faith, not flesh.
Paul's Rebuke and the Law: Paul rebukes those who desire to be under the law but do not truly hear it, and he refers to Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar as law, not just history.
The Seed of Abraham is Christ: Weaver explains from Galatians 3:16, 29 that the promises were made to Abraham's singular seed, which is Christ, and those in Christ are Abraham's seed and heirs.
A Divinely Ordained Illustration: The historical events of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar were under divine providence to teach a greater spiritual truth; Ishmael was born after the flesh, Isaac by promise.
A Divinely Ordained Declaration: Paul declares that the two women represent two covenants: Hagar is Mount Sinai, producing bondage; Sarah represents the heavenly Jerusalem, which is free.
A Divinely Ordained Interpretation: Weaver interprets the allegory: Hagar and Ishmael picture the earthly Jerusalem and fleshly Israel under law; Sarah and Isaac picture the heavenly Jerusalem and spiritual Israel under grace.
A Divinely Ordained Application: Believers are children of promise like Isaac, persecuted by the fleshly seed, but the bondwoman and her son are cast out; we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.
Conclusion: One Way of Salvation: Weaver concludes that there has always been only one way of salvation—by grace through faith—and that believers are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

The Promises Were Made to Christ as the True Seed

Paul argues in Galatians 3:16 that the promises to Abraham were made to his singular seed, which is Christ, and those in Christ are heirs.

Weaver reads Galatians 3:16 and 29, emphasizing 'He saith, not unto seeds as of many, but as of one... which is Christ.'

Ishmael Represents Fleshly Birth, Isaac Represents Supernatural Birth

Ishmael was born through natural procreation without divine promise, while Isaac was born by God's supernatural intervention and promise.

Weaver states, 'Isaac would have never been born except by divine intervention.'

Hagar Represents the Sinaitic Covenant Producing Bondage

Hagar, the bondwoman, corresponds to Mount Sinai and the earthly Jerusalem, producing children in bondage under the law.

Weaver explains, 'This Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.'

Sarah Represents the Heavenly Jerusalem and Freedom in Christ

Sarah, the free woman, corresponds to the Jerusalem above, which is free, and is the mother of all believers.

Weaver says, 'But Jerusalem which is above is free, who is the mother of us all.'

The Fleshly Seed is Cast Out and Will Not Inherit with the Promised Seed

The allegory culminates in the command to cast out the bondwoman and her son, signifying that fleshly Israel is set aside and will not share in the inheritance.

Weaver quotes Galatians 4:30: 'Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman.'

Scripture References

Galatians 4:21-31: The primary text of the sermon, read at the beginning and expounded throughout.
Romans 2:28-29: Previously covered in the series; true Judahite is one with circumcision of the heart.
Romans 4: Previously covered; children of Abraham are those with the faith of Abraham.
Romans 9: Previously covered; not all Israel are of Israel; fleshly descendants are not the children of God.
Galatians 3:16: Promises made to Abraham's seed (singular), which is Christ.
Galatians 3:29: If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 6:16: Peace and mercy upon the Israel of God; previously covered.
Matthew 13:13: They have ears but hear not; applied to those who desire the law but do not understand it.
Luke 24:27: Jesus referred to the Old Testament as 'the law and the prophets,' showing the law includes historical books.
Genesis 15:1-3: Abraham's concern about having no seed and Eliezer being his heir; explains Sarah's action.
Genesis 16: Sarah gives Hagar to Abraham to conceive a child.
Genesis 17: God clarifies that Ishmael is rejected and Sarah will bear the promised seed.
Genesis 22:17-18: Promise that Abraham's seed would be heirs of all things and a blessing to many nations.
Exodus 19:8: Israel accepted the covenant at Sinai, saying 'All that the Lord has said, that we will do.'
Acts 15:10: The apostles call the ceremonial law a yoke that neither they nor their fathers could bear.
Isaiah 54:1: Quoted in Galatians 4:27; the barren woman rejoices because she has more children than the married wife.
Galatians 4:4: When the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son to redeem those under the law.
Hebrews 12:22: Believers have come to Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem.
Genesis 21:9-12: Ishmael mocked Isaac; Sarah demanded they be cast out; God confirmed it.
Philippians 3:1-3: Believers are the true circumcision who worship God in the Spirit and have no confidence in the flesh.

Historical References

John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress: Mentioned as an example of an allegorical book.
Patrick Fairbairn: Quoted as a scholar on Old Testament law, describing the children of the Sinaitic covenant as 'miserable bondmen.'
Medieval theological dispute over angels on a pin: Used as an example of foolish questions that gender strife.

Important Quotes

Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?

Paul's rebuke to those who claim to follow the law but do not understand its true meaning, setting the stage for the allegory.

Which things are an allegory? For these are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Hagar.

Key declaration that the historical figures represent two covenants, with Hagar representing the law that produces bondage.

But Jerusalem which is above is free, who is the mother of us all.

Identifies the heavenly Jerusalem (represented by Sarah) as the source of freedom for all believers.

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

Affirms that believers, like Isaac, are born by divine promise and supernatural grace, not by fleshly means.

But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

Explains the ongoing persecution of true Christians by those who rely on the flesh and law.

Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman.

The climactic command showing that fleshly Israel is set aside and will not share in the inheritance of the promised seed.

So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

Paul's conclusion that believers belong to the covenant of grace, not the covenant of law.

There has never, ever been but one way of salvation. And that's by grace through faith.

Weaver's summary that salvation has always been by grace through faith in Christ, both in Old and New Testaments.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

What does Paul mean when he says the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar is an allegory? How does this affect our understanding of the Old Testament?

[Context]

Weaver explains that an allegory conveys deeper spiritual truths under material figures, and that the historical events were divinely ordained to teach about the two covenants.

[Question]

How does the contrast between Ishmael and Isaac illustrate the difference between salvation by works and salvation by grace?

[Context]

Ishmael was born naturally, without divine promise; Isaac was born supernaturally by God's promise and power, picturing the new birth.

[Question]

In what ways does the Sinaitic covenant produce bondage, and how does the new covenant bring freedom?

[Context]

Weaver describes the law as producing a servile spirit and outward obedience without heart change, while grace brings spiritual freedom and adoption.

[Question]

Why does Paul say that the earthly Jerusalem is in bondage with her children? What does this mean for modern Judaism?

[Context]

Weaver interprets this as referring to the fleshly, legalistic system of Judaism that relies on physical descent and works, which is set aside in Christ.

[Question]

How should the reality that believers are 'children of promise' like Isaac affect our identity and confidence?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that our standing is entirely by grace, not by fleshly ancestry or works, and we are heirs with Christ.

[Question]

What does the persecution of Isaac by Ishmael teach us about the relationship between the church and those who rely on the flesh?

[Context]

Weaver explains that the fleshly seed always persecutes the spiritual seed, and this explains the hostility believers face from legalistic religion.

[Question]

What does the command to 'cast out the bondwoman and her son' signify for the relationship between Christianity and Judaism?

[Context]

Weaver argues it signifies that God has set aside Judaism and the works of the law; the children of the flesh will not inherit with the children of promise.

[Question]

How does Philippians 3:3 reinforce the message of Galatians 4 that we should have no confidence in the flesh?

[Context]

Weaver reads Philippians 3:3 to show that true worshipers rejoice in Christ and put no confidence in physical descent or works.

Applications

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