CAST OUT THE BONDWOMAN

NKJ Galatians 4:21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. 

In order to fully understand this passage let us go back to the Old Testament and review the historical account of Abraham and his first two sons.

NKJ Genesis 11:29 Then Abram and Nahor took wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah. 30 But Sarai was barren; she had no child.

Abram married a beautiful woman name Sarai; however, he later found her unable to become pregnant.

NKJ Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you.  2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.  3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."  4 So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.  5 Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan.

God promised to make Abram a great nation implying that Abram would have many children.  Abram was 75 years old and Sarai 65 when God made the promise of children to them.

NKJ Genesis 16:1 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar.  2 So Sarai said to Abram, "See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her." And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai.  3 Then Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan.  4a So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived.

A decade had passed since God promised to give Abram children.  Sarai (the freewoman) was now 75 years old and decided that God needed help; therefore, she gave her Egyptian slave Hagar (the bondwoman) to Abram to impregnate.  Rather like pinch-hitting in baseball.  Hagar is from Egypt and in the Bible Egypt represents the World system.

What can we learn here?  God has promised you something, you wait what you consider long enough, and then you turn to the World for the fulfillment of God’s promise.  In our instant gratification society, we can hardly wait a day for fulfillment of a promise.  Have you been waiting 10 years for a promise from God?

NKJ 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

KJV Genesis 16:4 So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes. 

The bondwoman and her children will always despise the freewoman.  Those that serve God in the flesh (in their ability) will always despise those that serve God in the spirit (in God’s ability).

KJV Genesis 16:4 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, "My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The LORD judge between you and me."  6 So Abram said to Sarai, "Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please." And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence.  7 Now the Angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur.  8 And He said, "Hagar, Sarai's maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?" She said, "I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai."

Note that God, via the angel, calls Hagar “Sarai’s maid.”

KJV Genesis 16:4 9 The Angel of the LORD said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand."  10 Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, "I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude." 

God will bless even our mess!  Ishmael is a son of Abraham; therefore, the blessings of the covenant between God and Abraham are upon him, too.  Caution Church!  Do not assume that large numbers indicate God’s plan!  God may just be blessing our mess!  How will we know if the large numbers are God’s plan or our mess?

KJV Genesis 16:4 11 And the Angel of the LORD said to her: "Behold, you are with child, And you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, Because the LORD has heard your affliction.  12 He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, And every man's hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren."

We are not to judge by the size of the tree but rather its fruit (Matthew 7:15-20).  Do you see the character of Christ in the people?  How humble are they?  Do not look just while they are in church but while they are at home and at work? 

Ishmael is the father of the Arabs.  The Arabs are Israel’s thorn in the flesh to this day!

KJV Genesis 16:13 Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, "Have I also here seen Him who sees me?"  14 Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; observe, it is between Kadesh and Bered.  15 So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.  16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

Abraham is 86 when Ishmael is born and Sarai is 76.  Ishmael means “the God that hears” and Hagar called God “El-roi” which means “the God that sees.”  What happens when we try to help God fulfill His promises?  We give birth to Ishmaels and God uses them to afflict us into perfection!  That is called learning the hard way!

NKJ Jeremiah 2:19a Your own wickedness will correct you, And your backslidings will rebuke you.

NKJ Genesis 17:15 Then God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.16 "And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her."  17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, "Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?"  18 And Abraham said to God, "Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!" 

We love our Ishmael’s!  Again, Ishmael’s are things that are born or created from our self-effort.  Even large Adult Bible Fellowships can be an Ishmael!  Think about this – Coca-Cola has evangelized the planet but that does not make it a work of God.

NKJ Psalm 127:1a A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it;

NKJ 1 Corinthians 3:11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.  14 If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.  15 If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

NKJ Genesis 17:19 Then God said: "No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.  20 "And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.  21 "But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year."

Are we today building churches the way corporate America builds companies?  Are we begging God to bless “our” work?  Are we trying to be CEO’s or Shepherds?  Are we proud of our ability to get all of the volunteers to work or are we on our face realizing our inability to do anything correctly without God?

NKJ Genesis 18:1 Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day.  2 So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground,  3 and said, "My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant.  4 "Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.  5 "And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant." They said, "Do as you have said."  6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, "Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes."  7 And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it.  8 So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.  9 Then they said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" So he said, "Here, in the tent."  10 And He said, "I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son." (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.)  11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. 

Sarah, who could never have children to begin with, is now 90 years old.  She has gone beyond the age at which woman have babies.

NKJ Genesis 18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"  13 And the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?'  14a "Is anything too hard for the LORD?

We need a solution to the number of people attending our church?  It seems like there is no best answer.  One question: Is anything too hard for the Lord?

NKJ Genesis 18:14b At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."  15 But Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. And He said, "No, but you did laugh!"

NKJ Genesis 21:1 And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had spoken.  2 For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.  3 And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him -- whom Sarah bore to him -- Isaac.

Isaac means “he laughs.”  At the news of Sarah bearing a child Abraham laughs (Genesis 17:17), Sarah laughs (Genesis 18:12), but God has the last laugh – “He laughs!”

NKJ Genesis 21: 4 Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.  5 Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.  6 And Sarah said, "God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me."  7 She also said, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age."  8 So the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the same day that Isaac was weaned. 
How much time elapsed between God promising children to Abraham until Isaac being born?  That would be twenty-five years!

Hebrews 11:11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.  12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude -- innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

The key – she judged God faithful!

NKJ Genesis 21: 9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing.  10 Therefore she said to Abraham, "Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac."  11 And the matter was very displeasing in Abraham's sight because of his son.  12 But God said to Abraham, "Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called.

Husbands, God says to listen to your wives!  I believe many wives would like God to tell their husbands to listen to them.  Well, you must treat your husbands the way Sarah treated Abraham if you desire God to come to your aid.

NLT 1 Peter 3:6 For instance, Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, when she called him her master. You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do.

NLT Ephesians 5:33 So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Sarah treated Abraham with respect even after he twice gave her away to a king!  Passing your beautiful wife off as your sister is not showing unconditional love (willing to die for another John 15:13).  Even if your husband does not give you unconditional love, you must unconditionally submit to him trusting God to be your judge (1Peter 2:23).  You can do this without fear if you have your faith in God and not your husband.  You must give unconditional submission; however, only conditional obedience.  For example, your husband does not want you to attend church.  With respect (unconditional submission) you tell him that you love him and that his food, house, and children have been provided for but the Bible says not to not to neglect meeting together – so I will meet you after church (conditional obedience).  Again, you must obey your husband up to the point of sin – then the higher law of obedience to God’s Word supercedes your husband’s word.

NKJ Galatians 4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise,  24a which things are symbolic.

We have reviewed the true story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar because they also provide us a symbolic lesson for today.

NKJ Galatians 4:24b For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar --  25 for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children --  26 but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.  27 For it is written: "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."  28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 

The physical Jews today are born of this Earth and are in bondage today.  They are in bondage to a religion (rules) that they can never keep and only condemns (Hebrews 10:1-5).  The spiritual Jews (Christians – Romans 2:28,29) are born of Heaven and free to have a living relationship with God the Father through Jesus His Son.

NKJ Galatians 4:29 But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. 

Again, those that live in the flesh will always persecute those that walk in the spirit.  Recall the lively discussions between the Pharisees (flesh walk) and Jesus (spirit walk).

NKJ Galatians 4:30 Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? "Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman."  31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

The World and Religion are the bondwoman and have a common message: you must perform properly to be accepted.  In other words, salvation is based on works.  The genuine church has a far different message: your works can never save you; therefore, God has made a way to give you unconditional acceptance.  This way was and is the way of the cross of Jesus Christ.  Jesus has paid the price (Hebrews 10:6-25) for us to have the liberty to enjoy God.  We do not have to hope we can please God so that He might accept us.  He has already accepted us by the blood of the New Covenant – the blood of our lamb – Jesus’ blood.  We must not tolerate anything of the World or Religion in our relationship with God.  We must cast out this bondwoman and all her children!  I am not just talking about obvious sin but also doing things the way the world does things.  We must examine our personal walk, ministry, and church for the bondwoman and then cast her out!

Pray with me:

Heavenly Father, please show where I have allowed the bondwoman to come into my life, ministry, and church.  Father help me remove the bondwoman from my life, ministry, and church.