Hagar and Sarah

Spend time reading and rereading and making note of key words in Gal 4:21-31
21Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? 22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise.
24These 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. 25Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. 27For 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."
28Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. 30But what does the Scripture say? "Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son." 31Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

Questions:
What argument is Paul making here about why the believers shouldn’t return to their old way of life in Judaism? For more on the story of Hagar Read Genesis 16, 21:1-21

Make two lists of the characteristics of the covenant found in Hagar and the covenant found in Sarah.

Things to reflect on:
Paul’s final argument for why the believers should not turn back to Judaism is simple. If you want the old covenant, the covenant of slavery and of this temporary world, then you go back to Judaism and Hagar. The New Covenant, formed in Christ is represented in Sarah, and under it we are free! Which do you want? The old covenant or the new?

One thing to note is that in V. 29, Paul addresses the issue of persecution. The persecutors are the children of the world persecuting the children of promise. The Jews in that day were persecuting those who had converted from Judaism to the new way of Christ, to get them to turn back. Paul is reminding them to stand firm in the face of persecution because the inheritance has no part with the children of the old covenant. In the same way, we’ve got to stand firm when the world is telling us to go back to our former way of life, or to try a way of life that is more appealing. That way has no share with the inheritance with being a child of God. We are no longer slaves to it, Christ has set us free through the cross.

Spend some time in prayer

Friday: Pray for the Church (Big C)
Pray for God’s Guidance in the furthering the development of the universal Church