Illegitimate Kids

Galatians 4:21-5:1

Abraham was seventy five years old when God promised to give the land of Canaan to his children. About ten years later, Sarah became convinced that she would never be able to conceive a baby naturally. Because there were no fertility clinics and artificial insemination was not available, She gave Abraham her maid, Hagar to be a surrogate mother, and Ishmael was born when Abraham was eighty six. Sarah was content to call Ishmael her son, although there were conflicts between her and Hagar for several years.

About fifteen years after Sarah and Abraham decided The it was up to them to cause what God had promised by having a child using Hagar, Sarah gave birth to Isaac, just as God had promised. God does not need the flesh to accomplish his plan, and as Romans 14:23 says, “for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Ishmael was the result of the flesh trying to accomplish a spiritual goal. He was an illegitimate son, and as such, could not claim the right of the firstborn, since Abraham never married Hagar.

Paul says this story is an allegory or illustration of the relationship of Law and grace through faith. The Law covenant with Israel was different than the Faith covenant with Abraham. As he described earlier, the Law was instituted as a result of sin, and is in effect the illegitimate substitute for the promise.

“Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.” (Galatians 4:21-25)

Because he was an illegitimate child, and his mother was a servant, Ishmael was a servant as well. He would legally always be subservient to Isaac, who had legal standing as the legitimate son. Ishmael represents the Law, and Isaac represents faith..

“But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.” (Galatians 4:26-29)

Ishmael apparently resented Isaac’s favored status, and began to tease and make fun of Isaac. That made Sarah angry, and she demanded that Ishmael be sent away because he had no right to inherit. Those who have not been born in faith still hate and attack those who are living by faith, because they do not have the same freedom and privilege.


The very law the Jews lived under specified that illegitimate children could not have an equal part,. They could not even claim full membership as Jews according to Deuteronomy 23:2. “A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD.” They were in the same position as the Ammonites and Moabites who tried to destroy and curse Israel.

“An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever: Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee. Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee. Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever.” (Deuteronomy 23:3-6)

Those who are saved by grace through faith are kept by the power of God. They are the children of Abraham by faith, according to Romans 4, but as legitimate children. They are not under that curse of never being acceptable. They have been made free.

“Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 4:30-5:1)

Why would anyone want to go back into that state of slavery, giving up what Christ has done for them? Galatians 5:4 says “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” They have thrown away his gift, to live by fleshly standards. Colossians 2:20-22 asks the same question.

“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, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?”