The Tale of Two Brothers Continued… - November 12

Read Galatians 4:27-31 

For it is written, “Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than those of the one who has a husband.” Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.” So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman. 

Reflect 

What benefits do all-believers receive as spiritual children of God? What challenges may we face? 

Yesterday, when we left off with Abraham’s two sons, God had told Abraham that while he’d bless Ishmael, only Isaac was Abraham’s true heir. Isaac was born by Abraham’s wife, a free woman whereas Ishmael was born to Sarah’s slave, Hagar. Isaac was born because God graciously kept His promise to Abraham and Sarah. But Ishmael was born “according to the flesh” when Sarah and Abraham sinfully took matters into their own hands. They tried to force the fulfillment of God’s promise to them by having Abraham sleep with her slave. Ishmael’s birth represents people trying to receive God’s promised blessings based on human effort rather than faith in God’s grace.  

In today’s passage, Paul quoted Isaiah 54:1, here referring to Sarah’s barrenness. Sarah was able to rejoice in Isaac’s birth only because of God’s faithfulness and graciousness toward her. Likewise, all of us who are believers in Christ, are children of the promise. We have spiritual rebirth and have been born into the family of God only because of God’s grace towards us. It was all the work of Christ. It is only through grace alone by faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9).  

Paul wanted the Galatian believers to understand that as spiritual children of the promise, like Isaac, they were spiritually free and would receive an inheritance from the Lord. And so will we! But, those who are spiritual children of Hagar, like Ishmael, who trust in the flesh, will not receive an inheritance from the Lord. They will be cast out. Naturally, this will likely lead to some animosity between the spiritual children of Sarah and the spiritual children of Hagar.  

Genesis 16:4-6 recorded animosity between Hagar and Sarah after Hagar realized she had conceived. She pridefully looked down on Sarah because she was able to conceive but Sarah had not. Sarah retaliated to the disrespect that she was shown by treating Hagar so harshly that Hagar ran away to the wilderness.  

But we continue to see problems between Hagar and Sarah even after Isaac is born. In Genesis 21:9-21, Abraham threw a party to celebrate Isaac’s weaning. During the feast, Sarah spotted Ishmael mocking Isaac and commanded Abraham to “cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac” (v. 10). But even as it was difficult for Abraham to cast out his son, Ishmael, God confirmed that Abraham should send Hagar and Ishmael packing because he was not the child of the promise. Ishmael was not the true heir.  

The moral of the story for us is that no one can earn the status of child of God. It is a work of the Spirit, not a work of the flesh. But those of us who have placed our faith in Christ are spiritually reborn. Because of the grace of God, we are sons of the promise! But that doesn’t mean that life will be smooth sailing down here. We should expect persecution and contempt from those who remain slaves to the flesh. Still, we can find the strength to endure hardship because like Isaac, we are the true heirs with Christ. By God’s grace, through faith, we will receive an eternal inheritance from the Lord. Praise God! 

Respond  

Lord, I thank and praise You for the gift of Your grace. I rejoice because in You, I am a child of the promise and co-heir with Christ. Please give me the strength to endure trials, hardships, and persecution this side of heaven because I know that my eternal inheritance from You is more than worth it. Amen. 

Reveal  

Think about someone you know who always seems to be striving—working hard to prove their worth, to be noticed, or to earn approval. This week, find a simple way to encourage them that they don’t have to carry that weight alone. Maybe you bring them a cup of coffee, leave a kind note on their desk, or tell them something you genuinely appreciate about who they are rather than what they do. Let your kindness remind them that being loved isn’t something to be earned—it’s something freely given. By offering that kind of grace, you reflect the heart of the One who first gave it to you.