“Cast out the salve woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.” Galatians 4:30b/Genesis 21:10

This was what Sarah said to her husband, Abraham.

Who was the salve woman? Hagar and her son was Ishmael, the son of Abraham. But it was Sarah’s idea for her husband to sleep with her slave so Sarah would get a child through her.

What was Sarah trying to do?

Sarah was trying to help God fulfill His promise He made to Abraham.

Listen:

“After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” Genesis 15:1-6 NASB

Did God break His promise that He made to Abram (Abraham)? No, God never breaks His promises. The problem with Abram and Sarai was (is our problem too) they wanted God to act according to their calendar and expectations.

And, Sarai (or her changed name, Sarah) couldn’t wait for God. Instead she came up with an idea “to help God.” God forbid that none of us see and know God as Sarai did!

Listen to Sarai’s idea:

“Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived.” Genesis 16:1-4a NASB

Hagar gave birth to Ishmael. Ishmael is the example of the fruit of human work (Sarah’s word) to bring God’s promise into reality.

Fast forward, God fulfilled His promise to Abraham and gave him a son, Isaac. Now Abraham has two sons, one son from Hagar, Sarah’s slave, and Isaac from his wife, Sarah. Now life couldn’t be the same as it was before Isaac.

Listen:

“But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing. So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.”” Genesis 21:9-10 NASB

Wow! This is hard on Abraham because Ishmael is his son. He cares for his son. Is Abraham going to make his wife happy or his son, Ishmael and his mom, Hagar?

Well, the only way I can answer this question is this way: This story is the story of the Messiah!

The story of Hagar and Sarah “interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants.”  Galatian 4:24 NASB

Hagar represents the Old Testament or the Old or Earthly Jerusalem and Sarah the New Testament or the Heavenly Jerusalem, their sons, Ishmael represents all human beings locked up in sin as they try to make their way to God and failed; and Isaac represents first the Son of God who came to earth as God promised and all the people who are in Christ.

So, Hagar and Ishmael cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. God’s inheritance only belongs to the Son of the Promise, Isaac!

What does this mean to us?

We only inherit the Kingdom of God through the Son of the Promise of God, His name is Jesus Christ, the only Messiah for Human race. Our “good works” and the fruits of our deeds “to help God” and get to God will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

This was what Paul was saying to the Galatian Christians who were bewitched by false teachers and gave their backs to the grace of God revealed in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Please read and study Galatians 4 and Genesis 16-21. ///