Gal 4:24-27 What the Law Implies

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What the Law Implies

Gal 4:24-27

These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written: "Be glad, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have no labor pains; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband." (Isaiah 54:1)

Here Paul infers a number of analogies, of which I'll also add a modern extension.

Ishmael	Isaac
Hagar	Sarah
Covenant of Law	Covenant of Grace
from Mt. Sinai (Arabia)	from heaven
Present Jerusalem	The New Jerusalem
Enslaved	Free
Judaism (Then)	Christianity (Then)
Judaism & Islam (Now)	Christianity (Now)

Islam today has much in common with the legalism Paul was dealing with then. And besides, Muslims themselves identify their origin with Ishmael.

The offspring of the desolate woman are spiritual in nature. Like the Gentile Galatians were reckoned children of Abraham. Thus even if a Christian is not married and has no children of their own, they may end up having more offspring that those who are married.

The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources

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