A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold is as pictures of silver.(Prov.25:11) It is so important to speak the right words to people at the right time to produce the right results. When you think of apples of gold in pictures of silver, then you are thinking of wealth and excellence. When we speak wisdom into the lives of others we are making them wealthy. Therefore we must seek God for He is the source of all wisdom and He will give us just the right words needed at the right time.
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#Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1
The Greek word for entangled is Enecho; meaning to hold in or upon, to ensnare, by implication to keep a grudge. From en and echo; to hold upon i.e. to hold a grudge and have a quarrel against or urge.2 Thessalonians 1:4-7 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure; which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that are troubling you, and to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels. Paul is encouraging the Galatians to rest in Christ who will avenge them of those who are troubling them
#So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. Galatians 4:31
The Greek word for free is Eleutheros: meaning not a slave or not under restraint. At liberty, probably from the alternative of erchomai; unrestrained (to go at pleasure), i.e. (as a citizen), and exempt from all obligation or liability. John 8:33 They answered Him, we are Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou Ye shall be made free? The Pharisees questioned the words of the Lord Jesus, in that they did not know that the freedom Jesus was talking about was freedom from sin. Jesus is the seed of Abraham and the Savior of the world. All those who place their faith in Him are set free from the power of sin by the Holy Spirit. So the children of the bondwoman are those who are under the Mosiac law and not grace. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you 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 free woman. Galatians 4:30
The Greek word for bondwoman is Paidiske: meaning a young girl,mainservant. Feminine diminutive of Pais; a girl, i.e. (especially) a female slave or servant, or maid. Ruth 4:12 And let thy house be like the of the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman. Paul is talking about Hagar, who was the slave of Sarah, and Bare Ismel the son of Abraham, who was not heir to the promise because of the flesh. Sarah bears Isaac, the son of the freewoman who is the heir to the promise. In Jesus Christ, we are all heirs to the promise when we place our faith in Him.
#But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Galatians 4:29
The Greek word for flesh is Sarx; meaning flesh; Probably from the base of Saroo; flesh (as stripped of the skin), i.e. the meat of an animal (as food) the body (as opposed to the soul (or spirit) or as the symbol of what is external, or as the means of kindred) or by human nature (with its frailties physically or morally) and passions, carnaly minded. 1 Corinthians 15:39 All flesh is not the same flesh but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. Paul is saying just as Ismael persecuted Isaac that was born after the Spirit, so we who are born again of the Spirit have a fleshly nature that will persecute us so that we cannot do what is normal. If we walk in the Spirit, then we will not yield to the lusts of the flesh. For greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world. Let us put on the whole armor of God so that we can overcome this war of the flesh. The shield of faith protects us from all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Having done all stand therefore for we wrestle not with flesh and blood, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.
#Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. Galatians 4;28
The Greek word for promise is Epangelia; meaning a summons. From Epagello; an announcement (for information, assent, or pledge; especially a divine assurance of good) 2 Timothy 1:1,2 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father of Christ Jesus our Lord. Just as Paul had the assurance from the Lord Jesus Christ that he was an apostle according to the promise of the Father, the Galatians could be assured of being heirs to the promise of faith in the Lord Jesus as children of Abraham. Praise God, He keeps all His promises and finishes what He started. Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ Jesus our Lord. We can take that to the bank with full of assurance that it will be deposited into our faith account.
#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 a husband. Galatians 4:27
The Greek word for barren is Steiros; a contraction from Stereos (as stiff and unnatural) sterile of a woman who does not conceive. Luke 1:7 And they had no child because Elisabeth was barren and they were both well stricken in years. It is God who opens the womb and it was the will of God for Sarah was barren to conceive by faith, just as Elizabeth conceived in her old age John the Baptist, who would be the forerunner of the Messiah. Nothing is impossible with God. Only believe and trust in His word. Those of you out there trying to conceive do not give up, for at the proper time God will open your womb.
#But Jerusalem, above is free, the mother of us all. Galatians 4:26
The Greek word for free is Eleutheros; meaning not a slave or under restraint. Jesus delivered us from the bondage of the law, which Hagar represents. Sarah is the mother of Jerusalem and gave birth to the promise of Isaac. John 8:33 They answered Him, We are Abraham's seed and were never in bondage to any man: how Sayers thou, Ye shall be made free? The Pharisees did not believe in Jesus and were in bondage to the law. Paul is telling the Galatians that if the Son has set you free, then you are of Jerusalem.
#For this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children. Galatians 4:25
The Greek word for Agar is Hagar, a concubine of Abraham. which is of Hebrew origin (Hagar) a bondmaid of Abraham and by him the mother of Ishmael. The apostle in the passage referred to employs the name Hagar allegorically to denote the servile sense of fear with which the Mosaic economy imbued its subjects. So why did God allow Abraham to have a concubine? Does that mean it is ok for men to have a concubine? 1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Acts 17:30,32 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent because He hath appointed a day in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead. So do not use your liberty in Christ Jesus as an opportunity to sin. For it is appointed once for all men to die, and after that to stand before the judgment. Christians will stand before the Bema Seat, and non-Christians will stand before the Great White throne Judgment where all those deeds done in the flesh are recorded. All those whose names that are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire. We are no longer in bondage to sin, for Christ has reconciled us to God and given us the ministry of reconciliation.
#Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. Galatians 4:24
The Greek word for allegory is allegoreo; meaning to speak allegorically., or to allegorize. from Allos and agoreo (to harangue (compare agora)) to allegorize be an allegory. (the Greek word itself) Matthew 27:42 He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross and we will believe Him. This is what Paul is saying about the allegory of the Law from Sinai which leads to bondage, for it cannot save us, it only condemns us. That is why Jesus could not come down from the cross to save Himself, for He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. That is what Sarah the promise comes from, the seed of Abraham Isacc the firstborn. Jesus is the firstborn the only begotten of the Father full of truth and glory. What a beautiful picture this is of salvation, for there is one name given unto us, Jesus Christ the righteous One. No man comes unto the Father but by Him. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thine house.
#Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? Galatians 4:21
The Greek word for desire is thelo; meaning to will, wish, be disposed toward, or intend. Which are otherwise obsolete; strengthened from the alternate form of Haireomai; to determine; whereas Boulomai; properly denotes rather a passive acquiescence in objective considerations. Revelation 11:5 And if any man hurts them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies and if any man hurts them, he must in this manner be killed. Jeremiah 23:29 Is not my word like as a fire? Saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Paul is like unto these witnesses who will have the power to use flames of fire from their mouths to stop their enemies. The word of God is a fire and a hammer. The Judieazers want to keep the Galatians under the law, and Paul wants them to live in the Liberty of grace that has freed them from the Mosiac law. This is an allegory of Hagar, which is the flesh, and Sarah who represents the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ. Hegar is the bond woman and she is not heir to the promises of Abraham. Today, we are divided as the Galatians were divided over keeping the law to be saved. The law is our schoolmaster who leads us to Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ completed the law and redeemed us from the curses of the law in His death on the cross, burial, and resurrection.