SERIES: GALATIANS – BE FREE
TEXT: GALATIANS 4:21-31
God promised Abraham that He would have thousands of descendants. Abraham and Sarah showed a lack of faith when they launched the Hagar solution to their problem. Our passage today talks about two mothers, two sons and two races of people.
We are in a section of the Epistle of Galatians where the Apostle Paul pleads with the Christians to resist the false teachers who had infiltrated the churches in Galatia. The Jewish Teachers demanded that the Gentiles had to become good Jews before they could become Christians. To these Jewish teachers (Judaisers) thought that in order to get to heaven these Gentile Christians had to be Circumcised, Obey the sabbath rules, refrain from eating non-kosher foods and the list went on.
The Jewish teachers were proud of being “sons of Abraham.” Paul uses part of his letter to take a sarcastic poke to their pride. He reminds them that Abraham had two wives Sarah and Hagar, the Egyptian slave; and had two sons: Ishmael and Isaac.
To push the needle deeper, Paul tells them by going to Judaism bondage of legalism these leaders were proving Hagar was their mother not Sarah. Spiritually speaking we all need to answer the question “WHO IS YOUR MOTHER”
Jesus Christ loved to the parable, Analogies and metaphors. Paul was a great teacher; He was a spiritual straight shooter. However, in this passage Paul used an allegory in the story of Sarah and Hagar. Let us learn:
SARAH AND HAGAR.
- In order to understand the point Paul is trying to make, you must first understand the background story of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar.
- God entered into a covenant with Abraham and with All Abraham’s descendants.
- God promised to bless Abraham and His descendants, so that they would be a blessing to the nations-(Gen 12:1-6).
- One evening God told Abraham to look up into the star–filled sky. He asked Abraham to count them.
- God told Abraham that his descendant would be more than the stars in the sky and more than the sand on the shore!!-(Gen 15).
- That was God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah and it is called the “Abrahamic Covenant.”
- Abraham got excited, because he knew Sarah was going to become pregnant soon, But it did not happen that soon.
- They waited for decades until Abraham was 85 years and Sarah was 75 years!!
- If this point, Sarah came up with a plan, to “Help God out.” She had a younger maid called Hagar, who was actually a slave girl from Egypt. Sarah hatched a plan which we call “The Hagar Solution.”
- The “Hagar Solution” to problems of delay was one of the biggest mistakes made in human history.
- What Sarah did was logical, she thought she could use Hagar as a “surrogate mother.”
- Not all logical things are right. Hagar became pregnant and there were three terrible consequences of the “Hagar Solution.”
Two Jealous Women:
- From the point onwards, Sarah and Hagar became enemies.
- Hagar became proud saying, “I am carrying mzee Abraham’s baby.” Sarah started treating Hagar harshly.
- Sarah started squabbles, hatred and jealousy, she Literally Abused Hagar by whipping her. Hagar ran away and returned only when God told her to go back and have the baby and obey Sarah.
Two competing Sons:
- “Hagar solution” had another consequence, two competing sons.
- Hagar gave birth to son and Abraham called him Ishmael which means “God is listening” or “God is paying Attention.”
- For (13) thirteen years, Ishmael was the only son of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar hostility was now increasing!!
- God remembered His promise and Sarah gave birth to a son.
- Sarah was 90 years – she did what 90-year-old women do-she laughed. So her son was called “Isaac” which means “Laughter.”
- When Isaac was three years old and Ishmael was seventeen (17) Ismael started to mock and torment Isaac.
- Ishmael thought he would inherit his father, now he has a competition. Ishmael laughed at laughter!!
- When Sarah saw it, she blew her stack, she said to Abraham, “Enough is Enough” I have had enough with the Egyptian woman.
- Kick her out and do it now. The weaning birthday party was destroyed!!
- It broke Abraham’s heart, but he had to kick Hagar and Ishmael out- Abraham said to Sarah “Yes , My dear , if you insist.”
Two hostile races and two hostile religions.
- The third terrible consequences of “Hagar solution” was two hostile races of people and two hostile religions, Christianity and Islam.
- The descendants of Ishmael are the Arabs, the descendants of Isaac are the Israelites-the Jews.
- From that day until today these two races are enemies.
- The Arabians gave birth to Islam and Muslims hate Israel. All the turmoil in the Middle East today is a family feud!!
- When Ishmael was born, God made this prophesy about the Arabs, “He will be a wild donkey of man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand will be against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brother’s”–Gen. 16:12.
- The Arab people are some of the most violent people on earth.
- They are not only hostile to Israel but are constantly killing each other.
- The reason all these Islamic nations are committed to the destruction of Israel goes all the way back to the story of Sarah and Hagar.
HISTORY LESSONS FOR US.
- Paul now points out that Sarah and Hagar has produced two ways of salvation, works and grace.
- He compared it to two covenants; the Old Covenant of the law and the New Covenant of grace. Here are the lessons for us:-
Ishmael (God is paying attention) is frustrating performance-based religion-(5 pillars of Islam), Shahada–(declaration of faith), Salat (prayer), Zakat (Alms), Sawm (fasting) and Hajj (pilgrim) plus Jihad (struggle).
- Isaac (laughter) is joyful living under grace.
- Ishmael represents the belief that you can make yourself more attractive to God through works.
- Isaac was born supernaturally (90 years old) woman gave birth. It was a miracle birth-Salvation is a miracle of the second birth.
- Ishmael was proud-legalism is pride.
- Isaac knew he did not deserve the blessing as a second son, he accepted it as a gift.
- Legalism brags, grace humbles.
Ishmael (legalism) and Isaac (grace) can’t live in the same tent.
- Ishmael and Hagar lived with Abraham for 17 years. When Isaac came there was no room for both to live in the tent. Ishmael must go out.
- Law and grace don’t live together.
- Every day fall to your knees and say “Lord have mercy upon me, a sinner”-Luke 18.
- Jesus “Paid it all, all to Him I owe.” There is nothing I can add for Jesus paid it all.
PERSONAL POWER POINTS.
- There are three personal applications we can learn from the Hagar solution.
God always keeps His promises.
- God promised Abraham that he would have thousands of descendants-Abraham and Sarah lacked faith-Hagar solution.
- God has given you promises. I will give you rest, I will never leave you nor forsake-why worry?
God isn’t in a hurry.
- We try shortcuts, we want instant gratification, we are in a hurry, God isn’t.
When I replace God’s plan with mine, there are always unpleasant consequences.
- Hagar solutions will always bring you trouble.
- God does not “help those who help themselves.”
- God helps the helpless, God doesn’t need your help at all-Jeremiah 29:11.
CONCLUSION
- Who is your mother? If your spiritual mother is Hagar, then you are in bondage to religion.
- Religion demands that you must do something to be saved.
- If your spiritual mother is Sarah, then you have been set free by God’s grace.
- God invites you to simply believe and receive God’s plan with your plan. There are unpleasant consequences to you and your children.
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