Hello, this is Pastor Steven Anderson from Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona,
and today I want to continue talking about this allegory in Galatians chapter 4 of Abraham's
two sons, Ishmael and Isaac.
And the Bible tells us that this was an allegory of the two covenants, or the two testaments.
And he says that the physical seed of Abraham are represented by Ishmael, whereas the spiritual
seed of Abraham, those who believe in Jesus Christ, are the sons of Isaac, and we talked
about that in the last moment.
Now, people who believe like we believe about Israel, that they're no longer God's chosen
people but that rather they've been replaced by Christians, they'll often say that, you
know, we tend to spiritualize everything instead of taking it literally.
But here's the thing.
The Bible in Galatians 4 here is spiritualizing things because it says right here that it's
an allegory of two covenants.
So when we read the story of Ishmael and Isaac, you can sit there and interpret it all you
want and say, oh yeah, Isaac represents the Jews and Ishmael represents the Palestinians.
But that's not how the Bible interprets that story.
The Bible says that believers in Christ, even Gentile believers in Christ, are the children
of Isaac or represented by Isaac and that the unbelieving Jews today are spiritual Ishmael.
That's what Galatians 4, 22 through 26 teaches.
But let's continue reading in the chapter beginning in verse 28.
It says, now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise, again, talking to
Gentile believers in Galatia saying we're of Isaac.
He says in verse 29, but as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was
born after the spirit, even so it is now.
So it's saying just as Ishmael persecuted Isaac, it's the same way today that the Jews
today he's saying are persecuting the Christians.
Now let's keep reading.
It says in verse 29, nevertheless, what sayeth the scripture cast out the bond woman and
her son for the son of the bond woman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman.
So then brethren, we're not the children of the bond woman, but of the free.
And he just finished saying that the children of the bond woman are the current inhabitants
of Jerusalem.
It's the physical seed of Abraham that are the spiritual Ishmael.
And you say, wait a minute, Jews persecuting Christians?
What are you talking about?
Well, if you read the book of Acts, the Jews are persecuting the Christians all throughout
the book of Acts.
And you know, we often think of the Romans persecuting the Christians.
You're not going to find it in the book of Acts because when you study the book of Acts,
you'll see that the Romans are constantly defending the apostle Paul against the Jews.
The Jews are trying to tear him apart.
The Jews are trying to kill him and the Romans have to come and rescue him out of their hands.
When we study the book of Acts over and over again, the Jews that come into a town and
stir up the people against the disciples and so forth.
So for Paul to say that just like back then Ishmael persecuted Isaac, that's the way it
is now.
The physical children of Abraham are persecuting the spiritual children of Abraham.
That fits perfectly with what was going on in the book of Acts when this was written.
That was exactly what was taking place.
The Jews persecuting the Christians all throughout the book of Acts.
So it's crystal clear when you read Galatians 4 that the unbelieving Jews are spiritual
Ishmael and that we as Christians, whether we're Jew or Gentile, whether you're the apostle
Paul or whether you're a Gentile from Galatia, you are Israel today if you're saved.
The Jews today are Ishmael.
We're the true Israel.