Description
Born from Free- and Slave Women
Ishmael and Isaac were both sons of Abraham. Ishmael was born from the slave women, Hagar, and Isaac was born thirteen years later from Abraham’s wife, Sarah. Ishmael came into the world by natural means, while Isaac’s birth was a supernatural event. Ishmael was circumcised at the age of thirteen, the age of daat (awareness), whereas Isaac entered into the covenant of circumcision as an eight-day-old infant, an age at which a baby is not even yet aware of its surroundings, much less of its significance. In other words, Ishmael represents a rational relationship with God, one that is based upon a person’s nature and understanding, but Isaac represents a supranatural, supra-rational bond. As Scriptures explained in the Old Testament, Ishmael made fun of Isaac regarding his birthright. It became clear that these two sons could not live together in harmony. Sarah thus demanded her husband, Abraham, to send Ishmael and his mother, Hagar, away. Paul refers back to this event in his epistle to the Galatians: “22Abraham had two sons, the one out of the slave-woman, and one out of the free woman. 23 But, indeed, he out of the slave-woman has been born according to flesh, and he out of the free woman through the promise; 24 which things are being allegorized; for these are the two covenants, one indeed from Mount Sinai bringing forth to slavery, which is Hagar. 25 For Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to Jerusalem which now is, and is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem from above is free, who is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written, “Rejoice, barren one not bearing; break forth and shout, you not travailing; for more are the children of the desolate than she having the husband.” 28 But brothers, we, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But then even as he born according to flesh persecuted him born according to the Spirit, so it is also now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave-woman and her son; for in no way shall the son of the slave-woman inherit with the son of the free woman.” 31 Then, brothers, we are not children of a slave-woman, but of the free woman (Galatians 4:22-31 MKJV).
Throughout his epistle to the Galatians, Paul repeats the fact that there are two covenants, namely the Old- and the New Covenant. These two covenants are allegorized by the two sons of Abraham, namely Isaac and Ishmael. The first son of Abraham with Hagar, Ishmael, represents the Old Covenant and the ten commandments given to the nation on Mount Sinai. Just as these two sons could not live together, it is also impossible to mingle the law with grace. Paul explains to us that the law is a system of works that brings bondage and that the promise is a system of grace that brings true freedom. The truth will set us free to never again go back into bondage. Many believers have the same Father, but unfortunately only a few has the same mother. Some are born from the slave woman, Hagar, but those born from above, from Sarah, the new heavenly Jerusalem, find their freedom in Christ Jesus, the Messiah.
