Guaranteed Entrance into the Promised Land

God promised to Abraham and Sarah a son. They grew weary of waiting on God’s promise to be fulfilled, so Sarah gave her servant Hagar to Abraham that he might have a child by her.

The Apostle Paul uses this historic happening to illustrate the Law and the Gospel to the Christians of Galatia. He wrote:

“It is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman [Hagar], the other by a free woman [Sarah]. But he [Ishmael] who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he [Isaac] of the free woman through promise, which things are symbolic.” [1]

“The flesh” refers to unbelief and self-dependence whereas “promise” refers to faith and dependence on God’s promise.

Paul calls Hagar [the Egyptian] Mount Sinai. Mount Sinai is where God gave Moses the Law. Paul refers to Sarah as Jerusalem. The Israelites entered the Holy Land by faith in God’s Promise. Paul refers to human attempts to please God as bondage, and trust in God’s Promise as freedom. The Promise refers to Christ, which will be clarified later.

“Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar… Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.” [2]

Galatians 3:27 is a Hallelujah for those who trust in the Lord’s Promise. Miracles! In Christ: the barren gives birth; those who do not labor receive results; the desolate woman has more children than the woman with husband…

“Rejoice, O barren,
You who do not bear!
Break forth and shout,
You who are not in labor!
For the desolate has many more children
Than she who has a husband.”

Paul emphasizes: “Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are children of promise.” “So then, brothers, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.” [3]

What did Abraham do to deserve such blessings? He believed that God would do for him what he could not accomplish via Sarah… albeit, his faith did falter… he did have a child by Hagar. Still God kept His promise to Abraham. And God credited righteousness to Abraham’s account for believing in Him. Galatians 3:6 says…

“Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Then, Paul turns this story on us and says, “Know, therefore, that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham” and adds, “so then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.” [4]

What faith? Faith in Christ!

Paul wrote, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles [us non-Jews] in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” [5]

The curses of the law are listed in Leviticus 26:14-39 and Deuteronomy 27:11-26. These curses are for those who do not obey the Lord perfectly.

Jesus Christ obeyed the Law perfectly. He is the only who ever lived in human flesh and did so.

Jesus Christ took the curses which our imperfect obedience deserves and gave us the blessing of Abraham, namely God. We receive the Holy Spirit (the presence of God with us) by believing in Christ. The Holy Spirit is God’s gift to believers in Christ. The Holy Spirit helps to live for God.

Ephesians 1:13-14 says, “In Him [Christ] you also trusted… having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance.” The Holy Spirit is God’s down-payment on our eternal salvation. He is a sign that God has purchased our salvation and WILL bring us to heaven.

Why is Abraham’s son Isaac so important?

Isaac represents salvation by grace. Christ is a descendant of Isaac. The Seed through whom all the nations are blessed refers to Christ.

“Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.” [6]

Paul states that the Law which was given to Moses did not cancel out the Promise that was given to Abraham. He states that the inheritance was given to Abraham in the Promise of Christ. [7]

The conclusion of the matter is this: “If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” [8]

“Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the precious Promise. All good things have come to us in Christ Jesus Your Son. Thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit, who is Christ in us, the hope of glory. Thanks to the death of Your Son on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, we have a sure promise of entering Heavenly Jerusalem, which is far greater than any Promised Land that ever preceded it. You are our confidence! You are our sure salvation. All glory to You. In the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.”

[1] Galatians 3:22-23
[2] Galatians 3:24-26
[3] Galatians 3:28, 31
[4] Galatians 3:6, 9
[5] Galatians 3:13-14
[6] Galatians 3:16
[7] Galatians 3:17-18
[8] Galatians 3:29