Galatians – Week 8 – Day 3

READ 

Galatians 4:21-23 

21 Tell me, you who want to live under the law, do you know what the law actually says? 22 The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife. 23 The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of his promise. 

Paul used an example from Abraham and Sarah’s life. Abraham was impatient in waiting for the fulfillment of God’s promise. Sarah suggested he use her slave woman to bring a child into the world. This was not what God had promised. Eventually Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah to fulfill God’s promise that through Isaac the everlasting covenant would be fulfilled. 

REFLECT 

Have you sometimes gone ahead of God in doing something because you were not willing to wait longer for Him to fulfill His promise? 

RESPOND 

Join a friend in reading Genesis 17:18-20 to see the background regarding Ishmael, born to the slave wife, and Isaac who was the fulfillment of God’s promise. God’s grace extended to both sons, but His everlasting covenant was through Isaac.