Allegory of Two Promises - Lesson 10

Galatians 4:21 – 5:1

Frequently parables are used in biblical teaching.  Jesus frequently used parables to provoke deeper thought to teach a lesson.  Parables use a substitute story, typically with images that are familiar to the audience, in order to explain the intended meaning of a lesson, often making the point more personal. 

An allegory, however, is not a substitute story, but instead uses symbolic images to represent the meaning of a story and typically requires an explanation from the one providing the allegory.  God’s vision to Peter with the unclean animals is a great example of an allegory.  Many mistake this to be a vision giving Peter permission to eat any food, thus removing the dietary guide given in the Torah.  On the contrary, this was an allegory that God used unclean animals to represent Gentiles, and lifted all of them to heaven, expressing that salvation was not only intended for Jews, but Gentiles as well.  The unclean animals represented Gentiles because, at that time, Jews considered Gentiles so unclean that there was a law prohibiting even associating with unconverted Gentiles. Peter summarize the meaning of the allegory (a vision in this case) in Acts 10:28 and Acts 11:12

Paul uses this method of teaching to further explain the two different covenants. 

·         v4:21 – 23 – This almost reads as though Paul was being sarcastic.  “You want to follow the law, but have actually read it?”

{Edit: Something I noticed after my initial post that is very much worth mentioning.  Verse 21 reads, "you who desire to be under the law."  The desire to be under the law is very different than the desire to obey the law.  Paul does not preach against obedience.  He preaches against using the law as a means to earn salvation.}

·         v24 – 25 – Paul explains that Hagar is represented by Mt. Sanai where the law was given, and the current Jerusalem which is still not transformed.  Abraham, following Sarah’s suggestion, chose to have sex with Hagar as an attempt to speed up God’s promise of an heir.  This represented a lack of faith and an attempt to gain the promise with his works instead of faith in God’s promise.

·         v26 and verse 28– Sarah is represented by new Jerusalem, symbolizing faith and freedom within that faith and the faithful believers are represented by Isaac as the children of that promise. 

·         v27 – Paul references Isaiah chapter 54, which is a chapter dedicated to God reminding Israel of his forgiveness and compassion for them.

o   VERY interesting that just before the passage Paul references, Isaiah 53 is a chapter of prophecy about the coming Messiah and his sacrifice.

·         v29 – 30 – Ishmael persecuted Isaac? 

o   Genesis 21:9 – Sarah saw Ishmael laughing – some versions translate as mocking or scoffing

o   There is no indication of why Ishmael was mocking, laughing, or scoffing, other than it offended Sarah, which was the final straw and initiated Abraham sending Hagar and Ishmael away.

·         v4:31 - 5:1 – We (faithful believers) are children of Sarah – the free – based on the promise of faith and to not take on the "yoke of slavery" meaning do not seek justification from the law.

Consider the full implication of this story.  Paul’s allegory is symbolizing Hagar as Sinai and Sarah as New Jerusalem.  The deeper meaning here is that Ishmael represents the desire for man to not wait for God’s timing and to take matters into our own hands.  Abraham might have produced a child that could have been an heir, but it was not based on the promise God made, instead it was based on Abraham’s lack of faith and not waiting for Sarah to become pregnant. The fact that Sarah did become pregnant tells us a lot.  It tells us that God kept his promise, and miraculously allowed a woman around 90 years old to become pregnant. 

How often have we prayed for God's guidance or for His help, only to take matters into our own hands, charging ahead without waiting?  This is one of my worst habits.  I find myself reacting to situations or acting based off of my emotions or what I think will be best based on my logic, rather than wait for God.  Abraham and Sarah were no different here.  Sarah was convinced that she would not have a child herself because all of the evidence she could see pointed in that direction.  

Abraham chose to follow his wife's emotional response instead of stopping to love her, pray with her, and remind her that God had promised.  Trust in Him.  This is hard for husbands.  Probably wives too, but I can only speak from one perspective.  As a husband that loves his wife dearly, I never want to upset her or see her upset.  I always want to do anything in my power to fix whatever has her upset.  Abraham was probably considering the same thing here.  Sarah desperately wanted children, and I can only imagine the pain she felt, emotionally, when she knew that her body had changed and she had past the child bearing years.  Only to have that hope again renewed by a promise from God.  Desperate to speed things up and not seeing the results fast enough, Sarah decided that she could speed the process up and convinced Abraham.  If I had to guess, there was more said between them than the one sentence recorded in Genesis 16:2.  I would imagine that Abraham objected, maybe tried to reason with her, but her emotions had taken over.  Of course, I'm speculating.

The point I'm making is that we often listen to others, especially our spouses, sometimes our close friends, instead of waiting for God.  I know I am guilty of this.  I'm even guilty of saying something like, "Well if God didn't want it this way, He would have closed the door for me."  Somehow, I have found ways to justify my actions, and blame God for not closing the door.  These decisions usually end up as bad news for me.

I'm sure that it would be much easier for my wife to trust that I'm following God if she saw the evidence of that more often.  If she saw me pray more often, heard me comfort her and listen to her concerns, even validating her concerns, then asking her to pray with me.  I'm not saying it would be easy, but perhaps it would be easier.  I don't have the best track record and she has seen me fall flat on my face, more than once.  She has witnessed decisions I've made, that obviously had nothing to do with God.  Thankfully she is gracious enough to forgive me.  The more I find God's voice and make decisions based on that, the easier it should get for her to trust that I'm listening.  The more I comfort her, validate her emotion, but ask her to trust God and ask her to listen for Him with me, the easier it should get for her to trust that I'm listening.

We must wait.  We must learn to listen for His voice.  Or feel His directional hand.  Employ others to pray for you, with you, and over you.