SPIRITUAL ADOPTION AND HEIRS OF GOD
THE OLD AND THE NEW COVENANTSGalatians 4. 1-10
In these verses Paul compares Israel to "a child" that does not yet that he inherited the Estate of his Father, but the "child" is under guardians and managers, which means under the Rules and Regulations of the Law of Moses. During this time, Israel is only submitted to "elemental things" (or "elemental spirits" or rudiments. NRSV).
The Guardians and Managers are the basic and simple Laws and Regulations of the Ritualistic Laws and Behavioral Laws of GOD given to Moses in order to pass them to Israel. It also may mean the material world, pagan traditions, worship, doctrines, and rules of this world, all of which Israel inherited from their pagan neighbors. But most likely it relates to the elementary Laws of Moses, because Israelites at that time are not Spiritually ready for the higher standards of the Spiritual Laws.
In verse 4, religious position and Spiritual environment of Israel completely changed with the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD, Who was born of physical woman, and born under the Law of Moses under which Israel obligated to obey it and fulfill it as their Covenant with GOD through the flesh of circumcision and through its Spiritual Commandments. Despite the fact that Jesus brought the Spiritual Commandments of the Law of Moses to Israel as their New Covenant to replace the Covenant of Rituals in the same Law of Moses, Jesus followed the Ritualistic Laws as it is prescribed in the Law of Moses, but at the same time He teach Spiritual Commandments of the Law of Moses in order to brings the people of Israel to a higher level of Spirituality and Spiritually connected them to their GOD. So, under Jesus, only Spiritually connected to GOD can save their spirits, but the physical Rituals (works of the Law) left behind as outdated things to give way to the Spiritual conditions of the Law under Jesus Christ.
~ 4. See also Genealogy of Christ: Luke 3.23-28, Matthew 1.1-17.
Verse 5 specifies one very important aspect of Jesus coming, He came to "Redeem those who were under the Law" means under the Ritualistic Law of Moses, because of numerous violations of it by the leaders and by the people. Redemption of Christ came in form of Spiritual Commandments of the Law of Moses-the Gospel, to adapt Israel and the world by Spiritual adoption of the Spiritual Commandments of the Law of Moses. To bring for GOD not physical sons and daughters, but the Spiritual sons and daughters who are Spiritually ready to enter His Spiritual Kingdom.
This signifies a new era in Spiritual worship and service of GOD.
John 4.23-24
23. "But an hour is coming and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.
24. GOD is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
Romans 12.1
1. "I urge you therefore brethren, by the mercies of GOD to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to GOD, which is your spiritual service of worship."
To Philippians 3.3
3. "It is we who are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of GOD, and boast in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,"
Verse 6 goes even further declaring Spiritual worshipers of GOD as "sons," to whom "GOD has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts." This is very similar to a statement made in other places of the Bible.
~ Writing on the hearts: (2Chronicles 30.12) (Psalm 40.7-8) (Proverbs 7.3) (Isaiah 44.3) (Jeremiah 24.7, 30.22, 31.33, 32.38.40) (Ezekiel 36.26-27, 39.29) (Zephaniah 3.9) (Hebrews 10.16-17) (2Corinthians 3.3).
Verses 7-8 describes the change from submission "slavery" to the Ritualistic Laws and the world in general, to a "son" of GOD and "heir" of GOD'S Kingdom "through GOD," precisely through Spirituality of Jesus Christ.
Verses 9-10 Paul wrote with rebuke, because the course of the church turned back to "elementary things" as Paul describe it in verses 3 and 9.
The verse 10 perhaps describes some of these "elementary things" with a word "observe" and in some Bibles with words "observe special." This may indicate some kind pagan worship of heavenly bodies, or some special occasions or events related to sorcery or some kind magic forbidden by GOD.
In general, the description is the result of such transition from "elementary things" of the Ritualistic Laws of Moses to much higher level of Spiritual Laws of Moses reveal itself in magnificent transformation like metamorphosis, from ordinary to extraordinary, from mortal physical flesh (23.29) to a Spiritual everlasting being, inside of whom lives the Spirit the Christ.
Following verses 21-31, they describe the difference between Sarai and Hagar and the difference between Ishmael and Isaac. Paul emphasize difference between slave and one who is free. Hagar, Paul related her to as the ordinary earthly woman who produces ordinary earthly child Ishmael and his earthly ordinary descendants.
On the other hand, Paul portrait Sarai as not ordinary earthly but extraordinary, to whom special Spiritual Promises of GOD concerning her son Isaac and his descendants are made. (Genesis 17.1-22).
While Hagar and Ishmael also received from GOD their revelation concerning their future, but this revelation very different and not bright and not pleasant at all (Genesis 16.9-12, 17.20, 25.12-18) and lack the Spiritual blessing, which is very different from the Spiritual Promises of GOD to Sarai and Isaac.
Verse 29 also gives us some clue concerning One Special Descendant of Isaac. In the second part of the verse Paul stated that Ishmael persecuted Isaac, means the descendants of Ishmael persecute descendants of Isaac, and it is evident even today, and we are witnesses to such persecution.
From Isaac's descendants will come Jesus Christ who will be persecuted and eventually Crucified by Gentiles, Paul made here excellent comparison with Isaac, the genealogical forefather of Christ, Isaac "was born according to the Spirit," the Spirit of GOD Christ. This entire verse 26 reveal the everlasting struggle between descendants of Ishmael who represent the ungodly evil world that constantly persecute descendants of Isaac who represent in this world Jesus Christ. In other words, those who persecute Jews and Judeo-Christians, persecute also Jesus Christ.
In verse 26 Paul now relate Sarai as our spiritual mother just like he often reminded us that all who have Faith of Abraham, they are his spiritual sons. So, in this sense we have not only Spiritual Father but also and Spiritual Mother, we have Spiritual Family which is much more important and higher than our ordinary earthly family, because Spiritual Family is the Family of GOD that never feud, never argue, never betray, never disappoint, and never separates, like the ordinary families on Earth.
In general, here Paul presented Old and New Covenant, both related to the descendants of Abraham and those who are Spiritual sons of Abraham.
The Old Covenant of GOD with Abraham (Genesis 17.1-22) and all other following Blessings, Oaths, and Promises of GOD to Abraham and his descendants are too numerous to count here and they are written through entire Holy Scripture from its beginning its end.
The Promises of the New Covenant in the Old Testament (Old Covenant): (Isaiah 40.9, 41.27, 42.6, 49.8, 52.7, 54.10, 60.6, 61.1) (Jeremiah 31.31-34, 32.37-41) (Ezekiel 16.59-60.62) (Nahum 1.15) (Malachi 3.1).
The New Covenant in the New Testament (New Covenant): (Matthew 20.28) (Mark 14.24) (Luke 22.20) (2Corinthians 3.6) (Hebrews 8.8.10.13).