Children of the Free Woman

Galatians 4:21-31

21 Tell me, you who want to live under the law, do you know what the law actually says? 22 The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife. 23 The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of his promise.

24 These two women serve as an illustration of God’s two covenants. The first woman, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai where people received the law that enslaved them. 25 And now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai in Arabia, because she and her children live in slavery to the law. 26 But the other woman, Sarah, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. She is the free woman, and she is our mother. 27 As Isaiah said,

“Rejoice, O childless woman,
you who have never given birth!
Break into a joyful shout,
you who have never been in labor!
For the desolate woman now has more children
than the woman who lives with her husband!”

28 And you, dear brothers and sisters, are children of the promise, just like Isaac. 29 But you are now being persecuted by those who want you to keep the law, just as Ishmael, the child born by human effort, persecuted Isaac, the child born by the power of the Spirit.

30 But what do the Scriptures say about that? “Get rid of the slave and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” 31 So, dear brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman; we are children of the free woman.

This is another reason why I love God so much. He explains things so that it is easy to understand what message He is trying to relay to us. These verses make it abundantly clear that when you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior that you are a part of the children of the free woman. You are an heir of our Father in heaven. Verses 4-7 show us how that is:

4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.

Since we are His heirs to His Kingdom, we then are entitled to all the promises that are found in His Word. His Word is the source of all truth and there is no lie found in it. Since His Word is truth and He is a God who does not change, if He promised it to anyone in the Word, then it is our promise as well. These promises are what the devil tries so hard for us to not accept. He knows that if we do we will trample all over him and his angels and will be victorious in all areas of our lives and will impact this world with the Good News of Jesus. We need to stand up and take a hold of our rights as heirs to our Father and carry them with us so we know what they are and how they work for us. Praise God!

Father I thank You for Your Word and for the promises in it that apply to me as Your child. I thank You that I am a child of the free woman and am not bound by the law. I will take a hold of Your promises for me and will claim those promises so that I can impact this world with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)

The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you; The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).

Published by Erik L. Vakula
Daily Bread From the Word
Copyright © 2009 Erik Vakula, All Rights Reserved