Slave & Free
Genesis 19
Galatians

Here’s a thought
…because you are sons, God has sent
the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no
longer a slave, but a son…
Galatians 4:6–7 2

Slave & Free
Genesis 19
Galatians

The promised child
The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the
LORD did to Sarah as he had promised. And
Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his
old age at the time of which God had spoken to
him. Abraham called the name of his
Genesis 21:1–7 4

The promised child
son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore
him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son
Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had
commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years
old when his son Isaac was born to him.
Genesis 21:1–7 5

The promised child
And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me;
everyone who hears will laugh over me.” And
she said, “Who would have said to Abraham
that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have
borne him a son in his old age.”
Genesis 21:1–7 6

I love it when a plan comes together
God is as good as his word
Abraham is faithful to covenant
Sarah is happy
7

Promised Sons
Genesis 17:16…I will bless her, and moreover, I
will give you a son by her. I will bless her…
Isaiah 7:14…the Lord himself will give you a sign.
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and shall call his name Immanuel.
8

God’s Assurance
Genesis 18:14…Is anything too hard for the LORD?
Luke 1:37…For nothing will be impossible with God.
9

Isaac and Jesus
Genesis 17:19…you shall call his name Isaac. I will
establish my covenant with him…
Matthew 1:21…you shall call his name Jesus, for
he will save his people from their sins.
10

God’s timing
Genesis 21:2…Sarah conceived and bore Abraham
a son…at the time of which God had spoken…
Galatians 4:4…But when the fullness of time had
come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman…
11

Oh No!
And the child grew and was weaned. And
Abraham made a great feast on the day that
Isaac was weaned. But Sarah saw the son of
Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to
Abraham, laughing.
Genesis 21:8–9 12

Ishmael
13-17 years old
Mocking his little brother
Persecuted Isaac
13

The ultimatum
Cast out this slave woman with her
son, for the son of this slave woman
shall not be heir with my son Isaac.
Genesis 21:10 14

God Speaks
Be not displeased because of the boy and
because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah
says to you, do as she tells you, for through
Isaac shall your offspring be named. And I will
make a nation of the son of the slave woman
also, because he is your offspring.
15

He should have done better
So Abraham rose early in the morning and took
bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar,
putting it on her shoulder, along with the child,
and sent her away. And she departed and
wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
Genesis 21:14 16

Not unforeseeable
When the water in the skin was gone, she put the
child under one of the bushes. Then she went and
sat down opposite him a good way off, about the
distance of a bowshot, for she said, “Let me not look
on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite
him, she lifted up her voice and wept.
Genesis 21:15–16 17

Ishmael prays
And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of
God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her,
“What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has
heard the voice of the boy where he is. Up! Lift up
the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will
make him into a great nation.
Genesis 21:17–18 18

We all need revelation
Then God opened her eyes, and she
saw a well of water. And she went and
filled the skin with water and gave the
boy a drink.
Genesis 21:19 19

Conflict
Promised son
Free woman
New Covenant
Son of the flesh
Bond woman
Old Covenant
20

New Testament Take
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a
slave woman and one by a free woman. But the son of the
slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the
free woman was born through promise.
Galatians 4:22–23 21

A choice
Flesh- human way of
thinking
Promise- God’s way
22

Interpretation
Now this may be interpreted allegorically:
these women are two covenants. One is
from Mount Sinai, bearing children for
slavery; she is Hagar.
Galatians 4:24 23

The Law
Works
The written code
Observances
Slavery
24

Grace
But the Jerusalem above is free,
and she is our mother.
Galatians 4:26 25

New Jerusalem
Salvation by grace
Sonship with God
Relationship possible
Live by the Spirit
26

Us
Now you, brothers, like
Isaac, are children of
promise.
Galatians 4:28 27

Flesh VS. Spirit
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.
Galatians 4:29 28

Old vs New
Flesh VS. Spirit
Old ways VS. New ways
Slave VS. Free
Works of flesh VS. Fruit
of the Spirit
29

You have to get rid of the old ways
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.
Galatians 4:30–31 30

Don’t be a slave
For freedom Christ has set us free;
stand firm therefore, and do not
submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1 31

Adding to Christianity
If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the
world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do
you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not
taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish
as they are used)—according to human precepts and
teachings? These have indeed an appearance of
wisdom in promoting self-made religion and
asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of
no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.
Colossians 2:20–23 32

The Only Law
For the whole law is fulfilled in one
word: “You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.”
Galatians 5:14 33

Only happens when we cast out he old
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the
desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against
the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the
flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you
from doing the things you want to do.
Galatians 5:16–17 34

Slave & Free
Genesis 19
Galatians