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Genesis 16.13-end Part I
October 16th 2022
So, we left off at verse 12 in chapter 16 where the Angel of the Lord describes the nature of Hagar’s future Son, Ishmael. Let’s read to the end of the chapter.
Genesis 16:13 And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
14 Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. {Beerlahairoi: that is, The well of him that liveth and seeth me}
15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
16 And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.
Alright back to verse 13
13 And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
Because Hagar discovered that God was mindful of her, she named him, “Thou God seest me!”
And then adds, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?”
Which is obscure and is translated differently in various Bible versions.
The Revised Standard version puts it this way:
“So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “Thou art a God of seeing”; for she said, “Have I really seen God and remained alive after seeing him?”
This statement adds to the complexity of Jesus saying that no man has seen God at any time but the general sense seems to be that Hagar was now convinced that God himself had appeared unto her, and was surprised to find that, notwithstanding this, she was still permitted to live.
14 Wherefore the well was called Beerla(chai)roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
Beerla(chai) roi appears to mean “the well of Him that liveth and seeth me”
Based on verse seven, it seems that Hagar had sat down by a fountain or well of water in the wilderness of Shur, at which the Angel of the Lord found her; and, to commemorate the wonderful event where God had somehow revealed himself, she called the name of the well,
“A well to the Living One who seeth me.”
15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
From this it appears that Hagar returned at the command of the angel, believing the promise that God had made to her. So even Hagar was a woman of faith as is the nation that came from her.
Guess what? I think I mentioned this this week but this is the first instance of God giving the name of a child before it was born – the name of Ishmael.
In chapter 15 we have a very detailed account of the covenant which God made with Abram, which stated that his seed would possess Canaan; and this promise, on the Divine authority, Abram steadfastly believed, and then waited for its accomplishment.
16 And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.
Or 87 years of age. Now Chapter 17 will open with the following words:
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
So this would mean that Ishamael was somewhere between 12 and 13 years old when Isaac the Son of Promise entered the world.
Before moving on with the story of Isaac and all that comes with it, I want to take a moment and speak (again) on how Paul looks back in Galatians and talks about these two women and their two sons.
In order to set the stage for what Galatians chapter 4 says, I want to read chapter 3 first – so here we go:
Galatians 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
19 ¶ Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
And now we enter into Galations chapter 4 where we read:
At verse 1-2:
1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
These passages describe a person who has come to faith but remains a babe or child in Christ.
And while babes or children, Paul says, even though they are heirs to God and Lord’s of all, they are not seen any differently than a servant and are UNDER tuturs and governors UNTIL the time appointed of the Father.
As long as the heir is a babe-child, or until he arrives at the age of true ability – account-ability and respons-ability – he, the child, paidon, (which best means infant or babe) “differs not one bit from a common servant.”
Meaning, that he or she has no more control of anything relative to his fathers estate than a servant does. In fact, he has less command of the property than a servant. Why? He or she has no cap-ability to serve the Father in the capacity of loving maturity.
What do babes and children do in Christ?
They have no control over their flesh yet – so carnality continues to dominate over them.
They lack understanding of spiritual things, and understand the faith carnally and with the carnal mind.
Because of this they cause disruptions, divisions, uproars, and infighting – due to their immaturity. Remember what Paul said to the Church at Corinth. He wanted to teach and speak to them important things, things of the Spirit, things that move a babe into maturity to become Sons and daughters – but they would not.
And he says to them:
1st Corinthians 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
At the end of Hebrews chapter 5 the writer is speaking of Melchizedek and writes:
Hebrews 5:11 Of whom (meaning Melchizedek) we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Babes and children are not naturally attuned to the meatier things either in life (babies cannot eat steak) nor from the Word (they cannot fathom or accept the meatier elements of the Word). But perhaps even more pressing is that they lack the capacity of being mature branches and therefore bear no fruits of love.
A babe in Christ can no more produce spiritual fruits of love than a tiny new shoot from a branch can offer the world fruit.
Growth and maturity comes by hearing the word and then understanding it and then having the maturity to follow it – which is why we focus on the word here – to help nourish all people and strengthen them so as to be able to grow, bear fruits of love, and one day be adopted (or called) by the Father to be a son and daughter.
Speaking of the secular world of his day, Paul adds in his illustration in Galatians 4 of the heir who is a child, saying:
2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
He or she is subject to the control and direction of tutors and governors of the household, servants of the Lord of the House, really, who were there to teach and instruct the child to maturity.
For how long?
“Until the time appointed of the father.”
The time when the father of the house sees that the child has now become a capable son or daughter, who has responsibility and accountability and the capability to actually represent him as His own.
It’s the time set for the child to enter into his inheritance. So now Paul makes the parallel for us, saying at verse 3
3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
Remember, Paul is teaching the gentile believers from Gaul why they were foolish to embrace the Law the Jews were under. This is the context of the chapter and so care needs to be taken when reading to see if Paul is speaking of the Jews (and their Law) or gentile who are saved by grace through faith.
And so he says, teaching them why they were wrong to embrace the Law as believers, “Even so,” (relative to the story or illustration he had just given them) “Even so we, when we were children, were in BONDAGE under the elements of the world.”
When we the Jews were under the Law we were under bondage to the elements of the world
(and remember, what does the presence of the law produce? Sin. Shame. Guilt, Wrath. And Death).
So, Paul says that when they were under the Law (as children of Israel) they were “in bondage, under the elements of the world.”
Now, a little trickiness is needed here to understand what Paul means using these terms to describe what put the Nation in Bondage as children.
The word rendered “elements” here means “a row or series of something” or it can mean, “a little step” or anything rudimentary – like a simple sound or a letter or row of letters, like ABCDE etc.
In the New Testament it is often applied to the first lessons or principles of the faith. In chemistry or geology it is applied to the elements or component parts of the physical world.
So remember, Paul is talking about infants and babes under the rules and governance of tutors.
This is the context.
And he now speaks to what the Children of Israel were under that kept them “in bondage to the elements of the world.”
I suggest that what he is speaking of is the Law, which, like a child being under tutors and governors, kept them in bondage to the most elemental things relative to God.
We note that Paul says that this was bondage to them. Couple that line with my interpretation that it was the Law that kept them in bondage and we have a basis to check my assertion.
It is not a mistake that throughout the Apostolic Record that the word Bondage is often tied to the law – and that Paul is constantly telling believers not to allow themselves to get trapped up in its web.
I mean, this very epistle opens up with Paul saying in Galatians 2:4
“And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage.”
Then later in this chapter (verse 9) Paul will write:
“But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?”
And then he will reiterate in Galatians 5:1:
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
In Colossians 2:8 and then in verse 20 Paul writes
Colossians 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments (same Greek term here Paul uses in Galatians) of the world, and not after Christ.
He adds 12 verses later:
20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
And finally, the writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews 9 beginning at verse 8, and saying (to them at that time and in that age):
8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the sanctuary is not yet opened as long as the outer temple is still standing
9 (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper,
10 but deal only with food and drink and various ablutions, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.
11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect temple (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation)
12 he entered once for all into the Holy Place, taking not the blood of goats and calves but his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.
13 For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh,
14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
So, back to Galatians, Paul is telling them that the COI were kept in bondage to the fundamentals, the rudiments, first principles of the Law. Then he adds at verse 4
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
But when the fulness of the time was come, of course, speaks to the time appointed by the Father when the completion (fullness) of every pre-requisite had occurred.
Some openly wonder why Yeshua did not come sooner and why mankind did not have the benefit of his incarnation and atonement immediately after the fall?
Why were four thousand dark and gloomy years allowed to roll on allowing the world to sink into deeper ignorance and sin?
(long beat)
No idea.
Why have thousands of years passed before we had a vaccination for polio?
All I can say is I trust that it has something to do with freedom, God working His will into the world of man, his foreknowledge, and there is not much more to say on this.
I will trust that it was the right time all things considered that “God sent forth his Son.”
Now, to be fair, this line is quite supportive of the claims of Creedal Trinitarianism – and I do NOT want to only teach the things that make me wonder about it.
I mean in the English this phrase implies that the Son of God, even Jesus if you wish, had a personal being existence before his incarnation.
To add to this idea are passages like:
John 16:28 where Jesus said of Himself:
“I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”
We recall that John wrote in John 13:3
“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God,”
John 8:42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I proceeded and came forth from God; I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.
So, there is ZERO question – at all – that Jesus came from the Father, or as John 13:3 says, Jesus had come from God and was going to God.
No debate here.
But re-read this passage with me and pay particular attention to the wording:
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
God (who is the Father according to Paul) sent FORTH HIS SON who was MADE of a Woman, Made under the Law.
This describes his HUMAN SON
So again, I suggest that Jesus of Nazareth became the Son of God at conception when His Word was made Jesus of Nazareth because he was MADE of a woman and was MADE under the Law.
What came forth from God to earth, again I maintain, was NOT a Son – God’s Son was “MADE of a Woman,” and was “MADE under the Law.” What came forth from God was (according to scripture) God’s logos – His mind, will, emotion, intentions, words and entering into humanity and Becoming God’s Son . . . made of a woman, made under the Law.
Why did God have His only begotten Son made of a woman, made under the Law? (verse 5)
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
We must admit that Paul is speaking still of the House of Israel. And that God sent forth His only human Son, born of a woman, born under the law to
REDEEM THEM THAT WERE UNDER THE LAW THAT WE MIGHT RECEIVE THE ADOPTION OF SONS.
Now, this is really a slippery verse and the only way to get ahold of it is to really examine the verbiage carefully.
Let me re-read it (with emphasis) verses 4 through 6:
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, (who were the Jews, the Children of Israel) that we (those who put their faith on and in Christ) might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because you are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 Wherefore you are no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Them – We – YOU
He came for . . .
Them – The COI under the law, so that
We – the Justified by faith in Him who came – might receive the adoption of Sons (and then Paul says to them them, the Galatians) and because
YOU – those who had been adopted by the Father as Sons,
God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, abba, father.”
One more pass by – by His death as an atoning sacrifice for those under the LAW, those that were under the law (who were sinners because they had violated the Law) were redeemed SO THAT WE (those who look to His offering for sin in faith) Might receive the adoption of Sons.
This was the plan and purpose – first, to redeem them that were under the Law, and a by-product second, so that “we” (all the rest of us from that day forward and forever more) may receive the adoption of sons.
Does that happen at rebirth and receiving Christ by faith? Not any more than a baby is handed the Kingdom of His father and sat on a thone. Only after we have, by the Word, and suffering and spiritual discipline do we become capable, responsible, and accountable and then ready to assume our role.
At that time the Father adopts us as His own, and it is in this state that all Children receive the Spirit of His Son in them, that causes us to call the Father, even God Himself, papa.
I just want to reiterate that like God and his plan for bringing forth His only begotten Son, born of a woman, born under the Law at the right time, we also receive the adoption of Sons and Daughters according to Him and His timing.
The influence and affect of the Word in our lives, the presence of the Holy Spirit, our desire and willingness to trust Him and His will, all seem to play a role in the preparation requisite to adoption – but knowing a little about God – I’m sure He adopts some who never meet such criteria.
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, (who were the Jews, the Children of Israel) that we (those who put their faith on and in Christ) might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because you are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 Wherefore you are no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Them – We – YOU
He came for . . .
Them – The COI under the law, so that
We – the Justified by faith in Him who came – might receive the adoption of Sons (and then Paul says to them then, the Galatians) and because
YOU are son – those who had been adopted by the Father as Sons,
Let’s continue on at verse 6 where Paul writes:
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
As a consequence of our being adopted into the family of God, Paul here says that God does something.
Let us remember that we were first children. By what? By faith. And as children we were under tutors and governors until we are called by God and adopted as Sons and Daughters.
And because you are sons or daughters, verse six says, “God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts.”
And we are left holding a somewhat difficult to determine statement that leaves us asking:
What does Paul mean when he says that God has sent forth (to those he has adopted as Sons and Daughters) “the Spirit of His Son into your hearts?”
There are several popular approaches to the interpretation to this.
The first interpretation is that the Spirit is the Holy Spirit, which is often synonymous with the Spirit of His Son or the Spirit of Christ as there is one Spirit and we are all unified in and through that one Spirit.
Scripturally, this seems to be the most consistent as it was the Holy Spirit which animated Jesus in his human life (remember, Matthew says that the child is of the Holy Spirit) and which then descended on Him at His baptism anointing Him in his ministry and priest and King.
Then we know that Romans speaks of the Spirit of Christ synonymously with the Holy Spirit, saying
Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Here Paul uses Spirit of God, Spirit of Christ and Christ as convertible terms.
Add to this the fact that in John 3:34 Christ is described as “dispensing the Spirit,” and in Mark 1:10 and John 1:32 he is described as having the fullness of the Spirit, and in John 15:26, 16:7-15 he sends the Spirit from the Father to the disciples he, Jesus, is said to be the burden of the Spirit’s testimony.
So, this is the first take – that even though we all begin as God’s children by faith, we are under tutors and governors until God adopts us as his Sons and Daughters and in so doing sends us the Spirit of His Son, which according to this stance is the same thing as the Holy Spirit.
However, if this is the case, were we ever given the Spirit when we first believed and became children?
When we were born from above, wasn’t that receiving the Holy Spirit as scripture says, No man can call Jesus Lord but by the Holy Spirit?
If this is the case, what is God sending to our hearts as described here in verse six?
MORE of the same Spirit? A double portion as it were?
Perhaps at belief the Holy Spirit rests upon us as it did the prophets of Old and at the adoption of Sons and Daughters God sends the Holy Spirit into our very hearts – after all, this is what the passage says?
However, at the risk of overextending ourselves theologically, could this passage speak of something different than the Holy Spirit?
Turning to Philippians 1:18-20 we read:
What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
In other words, is there a Spirit of Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, that is different or that is somehow distinguished from the Holy Spirit.
Some commentators suggest so.
I see Jesus as possessing the Holy Spirit from his physical birth which we all get when we first believe. I then see Him being received as God’s beloved Son at His baptism when the Holy Spirit descended upon him – which might be similar to when at spiritual maturity God sends us the Spirit of His Son.
For these reasons and more, I presently side more with the idea that receiving the Spirit of Christ in our hearts from the Father at adoption of Sons and Daughters as somehow different or unique to receiving the Holy Spirit at conversion.
Could be wrong, but there seems to be something more “son and daughter-like” in receiving the Spirit of Christ by God in our hearts at adoption than simply receiving the Holy Spirit upon belief.
And let me say this as long as we are here – perhaps this is the actual tangible difference between people who receive the Holy Spirit in their lives to guide them and lead them to love (like some Buddhists, or Muslims or whatever) and those who have been adopted by God as His own Sons and Daughters.
Those who are His Sons and Daughters have actually received the very Spirit of His only human Son in them!
I mean, let’s go a bit deeper and ask: What was it that animated the man Jesus of Nazareth?
He was the Word of God – the Logos made flesh, right? That was what was in his incarnate body! The very logos of God.
To receive the “Spirit of his Son” in our hearts might take the individual recipient way beyond the pale of merely possessing or being influenced by the Holy Spirit but it actually equips them with the very logos of God – providing them with the same logos that was His only begotten that became flesh!
If those who receive the Spirit of His Son in their hearts are heirs, and joint-heirs with Christ, it seems to me that there could be something to this.
And if there is something to this, then this is the goal and objective of the Christian – to become Sons and Daughters by and through God sending the Spirit of His Son into the hearts of those whom He chooses.
Therefore, the goal is not to be born-again as babes. That is the start. The goal is Christian maturation to the point that we are able to bear fruit of the Spirit and have God become our Father by sending into our hearts the very actual spirit of His Son.
More next week
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PRAYER
