Paul the apostle is
declaring to the church members of Galatia the superiority of the
doctrine of grace over the law of God. As we have studied before, it
isn't that the law is not good, but people could not keep the law
because of their sinfulness. Grace is the unmerited favor of God, and
because Jesus died upon the cross, rose from the dead, and paid the
penalty for us who could not keep the law, now by simply believing in
Him we can be saved. Paul has employed an example of how Abraham's
wife Sarah bore him a son of promise whereas Abraham's hand maid bore
him a son of the flesh. In Galatians chapter four and verse
twenty-seven Paul goes on to say more about the benefit of this son
of promise. He wrote:
For it is written, Rejoice, you barren that bear
not; break forth and cry, you that travail not: for the desolate has
many more children than she which has an husband.
Sarah, Abraham's wife, was
not able to bear children for a long time. In fact, she was ninety
before she birthed her son Isaac. Paul wrote, “For it is
written, Rejoice, you barren that bear not; break forth and cry, you
that travail not:” This would be unusual behavior for a woman
who could not have children. Most women who suffer from barrenness
have great difficulty being in that state. However, Paul employs a
quote from the book of Isaiah in chapter fifty-four and verse one:
Sing, O barren, you [that] did not bear; break
forth into singing, and cry aloud, you [that] did not travail with
child: for more [are] the children of the desolate than the children
of the married wife, says the LORD.
Because the timing of God
was different than the timing of Sarah and Abraham it did not mean
that the promise of a son would not come. No rather there was greater
benefit to this son than any other that might have been born from
Abraham. They just could not see it yet.
Paul continued, “for
the desolate has many more children than she which has a husband.”
Abraham and Sarah had many children, descendants, through Isaac,
and although Sarah was desolate for a while, a whole race of people
came from her. The doctrine of grace is like this. Both Jew and
Gentile now have opportunity to have a relationship with God through
grace. The law of God was limited to the Jews and to those who would
follow them. The law of grace is open to everyone. Paul is
emphasizing to the church members in Galatia who are Gentiles that
the law of God was to the Jews, and the only reason they are included
in the salvation plan of God is because the grace of God allowed it
to be so. There are indeed more children, descendants, of grace than
there are of the law of God.
Ethnocentric behavior will
allow any society to believe themselves superior to others, however,
when grace arrived, ethnocentrism fades, and inclusion prevails. We
should realize that the sacrificial substitution of Jesus Christ for
our sins is also available to everyone, everywhere, regardless of
their culture and background. When we realize this we too shall
“break forth into singing, and cry aloud” Jesus Saves, Jesus
Saves to everyone, everywhere, Jesus Saves!
Next time Paul will show us how we are the children of promise, so
read ahead, and let us join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look for
the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation
to Generation” in all major
bookstore
sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to
e-books, and find it locally
at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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