These things are examples. The two women stand for two covenants. One covenant comes from Mount Sinai. It gives birth to children who are going to be slaves. It is Hagar.

这都是比方：那两个妇人就是两约。一约是出于西奈山，生子为奴，乃是夏甲。

这是比方：那两个妇人就是两个约；一个妇人是出于西奈山，生子为奴，就是夏甲。

这是比方：那两个妇人就是两个约；一个妇人是出于西奈山，生子为奴，就是夏甲。

这些事都有更深的含义，两个妇人是指两个约。夏甲代表颁布于西奈山的约，她所生的孩子是奴仆。

这都是寓意的说法：那两个妇人就是两个约，一个是出于西奈山，生子作奴仆，这是夏甲。

这些都是有寓意的。就是说，这两个女人是两个约。一个出于西奈山，生子为奴，她就是夏甲。

這都是比方：那兩個婦人就是兩約。一約是出於西奈山，生子為奴，乃是夏甲。

這是比方：那兩個婦人就是兩個約；一個婦人是出於西奈山，生子為奴，就是夏甲。

這是比方：那兩個婦人就是兩個約；一個婦人是出於西奈山，生子為奴，就是夏甲。

這些事都有更深的含義，兩個婦人是指兩個約。夏甲代表頒佈於西奈山的約，她所生的孩子是奴僕。

這都是寓意的說法：那兩個婦人就是兩個約，一個是出於西奈山，生子作奴僕，這是夏甲。

這些都是有寓意的：那兩個婦人就是兩個約：一個屬於西乃山，生子在奴役中，就是夏甲。

這些都是有寓意的。就是說，這兩個女人是兩個約。一個出於西奈山，生子為奴，她就是夏甲。

斯為寓言、蓋二女乃二約、一出自西乃山、所生者為僕、夏甲是也、

斯可為二約譬、一則西乃山、使人為奴、夏甲是也、

斯可為譬、二婦譬二約、一約自西乃山而傳、使人為奴、即夏甲、

於此寓有象徵焉：彼二婦者、即二約也；一約出於西乃山、生子為奴、夏甲是也。

These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar.

Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar.

These two women serve as an illustration of God’s two covenants. The first woman, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai where people received the law that enslaved them.

These things are being taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery— this is Hagar.

This is speaking allegorically, for these women are two covenants: one coming from Mount Sinai giving birth to children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar.

which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar—

Which things contain an allegory: for these women are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar.

These things are illustrations, for the women represent the two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery— this is Hagar.

Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

These things may be treated as an allegory, for these women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai bearing children for slavery; this is Hagar.

These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar.

Those things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us. That’s because we are living at the time when God’s work is being completed.

I will roar like a lion against my enemies. Then the Lord’ s people will follow him. When he roars, his children will come home trembling with fear. They will return from the west.

So the words spoken by the prophet came true. He had said,“ I will open my mouth and tell stories. I will speak about things that were hidden since the world was made.”( Psalm 78:2)

But Sarah saw Ishmael making fun of Isaac. Ishmael was the son Hagar had by Abraham. Hagar was Sarah’s Egyptian slave.Sarah said to Abraham,“ Get rid of that slave woman! Get rid of her son! That woman’s son will never have a share of the family’s property. All of it belongs to my son Isaac.”What Sarah said upset Abraham very much. After all, Ishmael was his son.But God said to Abraham,“ Do not be so upset about the boy and your slave Hagar. Listen to what Sarah tells you, because your family line will continue through Isaac.I will also make the son of your slave into a nation. I will do it because he is your child.”

Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia. She stands for the present city of Jerusalem. That’s because she and her children are slaves.

They all drank the same spiritual water. They drank from the spiritual rock that went with them. That rock was Christ.

His wife Sarai gave him her slave Hagar to be his wife. That was after he had been living in Canaan for ten years.Then he slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. When Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to look down on the woman who owned her.

You have come to Jesus. He is the go- between of a new covenant. You have come to the sprinkled blood. It promises better things than the blood of Abel.

That’s why Christ is the go- between of a new covenant. Now those God calls to himself will receive the eternal gift he promised. They will receive it now that Christ has died to save them. He died to set them free from the sins they committed under the first covenant.What happens when someone leaves a will? It is necessary to prove that the person who made the will has died.A will is in effect only when somebody has died. It never takes effect while the one who made it is still living.That’s why even the first covenant was not put into effect without the spilling of blood.Moses first announced every command of the law to all the people. Then he took the blood of calves. He also took water, bright red wool and branches of a hyssop plant. He sprinkled the Book of the Covenant. He also sprinkled all the people.He said,“ This is the blood of the covenant God has commanded you to keep.”( Exodus 24:8)In the same way, he sprinkled the holy tent with blood. He also sprinkled everything that was used in worship there.In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be made“ clean” with blood. Without the spilling of blood, no one can be forgiven.So the copies of the heavenly things had to be made pure with these sacrifices. But the heavenly things themselves had to be made pure with better sacrifices.Christ did not enter a sacred tent made with human hands. That tent was only a copy of the true one. He entered heaven itself. He did it to stand in front of God for us. He is there right now.

The Spirit you received doesn’t make you slaves. Otherwise you would live in fear again. Instead, the Holy Spirit you received made you God’s adopted child. By the Spirit’s power we call God Abba. Abba means Father.

Abraham did this, because he believed that God could even raise the dead. In a way, he did receive Isaac back from death.

Here is the story of the family line of Abraham’s son Ishmael. Hagar gave birth to Ishmael by Abraham. Hagar was Sarah’s slave from Egypt.

Then I said,“ Lord and King, people are talking about me. They are saying,‘ Isn’t he just telling stories?’ ”

Because God gave his word, Jesus makes certain the promise of a better covenant.

The angel said,“ Hagar, you are Sarai’s slave. Where have you come from? Where are you going?”“ I’m running away from my owner Sarai,” she answered.

Then Jesus took bread. He gave thanks and broke it. He handed it to them and said,“ This is my body. It is given for you. Every time you eat it, do this in memory of me.”In the same way, after the supper he took the cup. He said,“ This cup is the new covenant in my blood. It is poured out for you.

But Jesus has been given a greater work to do for God. He is the go- between for the new covenant. This covenant is better than the old one. The new covenant is based on better promises.Suppose nothing had been wrong with that first covenant. Then no one would have looked for another covenant.But God found fault with the people. He said,“ The days are coming, announces the Lord. I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel. I will also make it with the people of Judah.It will not be like the covenant I made with their people of long ago. That was when I took them by the hand. I led them out of Egypt. My new covenant will be different because they didn’t remain faithful to my old covenant. So I turned away from them, announces the Lord.This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds. I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God. And they will be my people.People will not teach their neighbor anymore. They will not say to one another,‘ Know the Lord.’ That’s because everyone will know me. From the least important to the most important, all of them will know me.I will forgive their evil ways. I will not remember their sins anymore.”( Jeremiah 31:31–34)God called this covenant“ new.” So he has done away with the first one. And what is out of date and has been done away with will soon disappear.

Brothers and sisters, let me give you an example from everyday life. No one can get rid of an official agreement between people. No one can add to it. It can’t be changed after it has been made. It is the same with God’s covenant agreement.The promises were given to Abraham. They were also given to his seed. Scripture does not say,“ and to seeds.” That means many people. It says,“ and to your seed.”( Genesis 12:7; 13:15; 24:7) That means one person. And that one person is Christ.Here is what I mean. The law came 430 years after the promise. But the law does not get rid of God’s covenant and promise. The covenant had already been made by God. So the law does not do away with the promise.The great gift that God has for us does not depend on the law. If it did, it would no longer depend on the promise. But God gave it to Abraham as a free gift through a promise.Then why was the law given at all? It was added because of human sin. And it was supposed to control us until the promised Seed had come. The law was given through angels, and a go- between was put in charge of it.A go- between means that there is more than one side to an agreement. But God didn’t use a go- between when he made his promise to Abraham.So is the law opposed to God’s promises? Certainly not! What if a law had been given that could give life? Then people could become right with God by obeying the law.

Our Lord Jesus is the great Shepherd of the sheep. The God who gives peace brought him back from the dead. He did it because of the blood of the eternal covenant. Now may God

He said,“ The Lord came from Mount Sinai. Like the rising sun, he shone on his people from Mount Seir. He shone on them from Mount Paran. He came with large numbers of angels. He came from his mountain slopes in the south.

So Hagar had a son by Abram and Abram gave him the name Ishmael.Abram was 86 years old when Hagar had Ishmael by him.

The Holy Spirit also speaks to us about this. First he says,“ This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts. I will write my laws on their minds.”( Jeremiah 31:33)Then he adds,“ I will not remember their sins anymore. I will not remember the evil things they have done.”( Jeremiah 31:34)Where these sins have been forgiven, an offering for sin is no longer necessary.

Christ has set us free to enjoy our freedom. So remain strong in the faith. Don’t let the chains of slavery hold you again.