For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondmaid and one by the free woman.
23 But whereas the child of the slave woman was born according to the flesh and had an ordinary birth, the son of the free woman was born in fulfillment of the promise.
24 Now all this is an allegory; these [two women] represent two covenants. one covenant originated from Mount Sinai [where the Law was given] and bears [children destined] for slavery; this is Hagar.
25 Now Hagar is (stands for) Mount Sinai in Arabia and she corresponds to and belongs in the same category with the present Jerusalem, for she is in bondage together with her children.
26 But the Jerusalem above (the Messianic kingdom of Christ) is free, and she is our mother.
27 For it is written in the Scriptures, Rejoice, O barren woman, who has not given birth to children; break forth into a joyful shout, you who are not feeling birth pangs, for the desolate woman has many more children than she who has a husband.
28 But we, brethren, are children [not by physical descent, as was Ishmael, but] like Isaac, born in virtue of promise.
29 Yet [just] as at that time the child [of ordinary birth] born according to the flesh despised and persecuted him [who was born remarkably] according to [the promise and the working of] the [Holy] Spirit, so it is now also.
30 But what does the Scripture say? Cast out and send away the slave woman and her son, for never shall the son of the slave woman be heir and share the inheritance with the son of the free woman.
31 So, brethren, we [who are born again] are not children of a slave woman [the natural], but of the free [the supernatural]. Galatians 4:22-31 AMP
Jesus Christ has paid the price for us and redeemed us from the curse of the Law! There is not one person on the earth who could ever hope to meet God’s approval and be acceptable to Him by means of the Law, because it is impossible for sinful man to keep the Law, for even if you break one small Law, you have broken the whole Law. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23).
In the Old Testament God gives us an allegory – a type and shadow of what is to come. Jesus came, in a supernatural way, to bring us into the liberty of the Spirit. In Galatians we see that the child of the slave woman (Hagar) is born according to the flesh, but the child of the free woman (Sarah) is born in fulfillment of the promise! Ishmael’s birth was something that was possible with man. He was a child of the flesh.
Isaac’s birth was supernatural, because it was impossible with man. Unlike Jesus, Isaac had a natural father and mother, however, because it was impossible for them to have children, because they were so old, and because Sarah was barren, his birth was a miracle – it was all God’s doing. He was a child of the Spirit.
How does this relate to us? All of mankind is born of the flesh initially. They can stay in that bondage if they choose to OR they can choose God’s way; they can choose Jesus; they can choose the miracle of the New Birth and be born again of the Spirit of God – the child of the free and the supernatural! The son of the slave will not inherit with the son of the free. There is only an inheritance for the son of the free woman!
Do you not know, brethren–for I am speaking to men who are acquainted with the Law–that legal claims have power over a person only for as long as he is alive?
2 For [instance] a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives; but if her husband dies, she is loosed and discharged from the law concerning her husband.
3 Accordingly, she will be held an adulteress if she unites herself to another man while her husband lives. But if her husband dies, the marriage law no longer is binding on her [she is free from that law]; and if she unites herself to another man, she is not an adulteress.
4 Likewise, my brethren, you have undergone death as to the Law through the [crucified] body of Christ, so that now you may belong to Another, to Him Who was raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God.
5 When we were living in the flesh (mere physical lives), the sinful passions that were awakened and aroused up by [what] the Law [makes sin] were constantly operating in our natural powers (in our bodily organs, in the sensitive appetites and wills of the flesh), so that we bore fruit for death.
6 But now we are discharged from the Law and have terminated all intercourse with it, having died to what once restrained and held us captive. So now we serve not under [obedience to] the old code of written regulations, but [under obedience to the promptings] of the Spirit in newness [of life]. Romans 7:1-6 AMP
Another allegory is this: while she lives, the married woman is bound to her husband, but if he dies, she is free to be married to another. Once we were “married” to the Law. We have undergone death as to the Law through the crucified body of Christ, so that now we may belong to Another (Christ).
We belong to Jesus! We are married to Him! We are discharged (delivered) from the Law, having terminated all intercourse with it. That old marriage is over – the law no longer applies. We died to that which once held us captive. Now we serve, not in bondage, under obedience to the old code of written regulations, but in freedom, under obedience to the promptings of the Spirit in newness of life! We are no longer governed, guided, constrained, and compelled by the outward force of the written code, but we are led and guided inwardly by the Spirit of God. He is the One who leads us into life and blessing as we yield and submit ourselves to Him in faith!
