THE JERUSALEM WHICH IS ABOVE
Gal 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
Gal 4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Gal 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
Gal 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
In accordance with the overall issue of God’s design and purpose for the earth, and particularly in accordance with the issue of Him replicating what He has in His Heaven on the earth in the very land of the earth wherein He has chosen to establish His residence, God has established along with other parallels the earthly city of Jerusalem in the land of Israel in correspondence to His Heavenly Jerusalem, or the “Jerusalem which is above,” which will be brought down to the earth when He takes up permanent residence on the earth in fulfillment of His program with Israel. There are a number of physical and environmental parallels that exist between things God established especially in the land of Israel, and what He says exists with Him in His Heaven. And as such they are of course constant witnesses and reminders to Israel of God’s plan, purpose, and program with them in the earth, and of God’s overall design for the earth, and what it is all about in the midst of His creation. And this is primarily what Israel was to think about when they thought of their land and its location on the earth; when they thought of Jerusalem and where it is situated in the land; when they thought of the tabernacle and its basic structure, and later on the temple and its expanded structure; etc., etc.
God, however, also attached further significance to some of these parallels which go beyond just the issue of real, physical counterparts. And, of course, this is what an “allegory” does as it teaches its lesson, which is why some of these things come up in Galatians 4. In connection with this, God attached great ‘spiritual’ significance to some of these real, physical counterparts, especially in connection with teaching issues pertaining to the various implementations of His “Jehovah-ness” and grace. And in particular, when it comes to the ‘spiritual’ issue of whether a man was a ‘child of God’ or not, God attached spiritual significance to the two Jerusalem’s, designating them as ‘mothers’ which give birth to two different kinds of children. This God particularly did, for example, back in Isaiah 50 through 54.
Isa 51:15 But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts is his name.
Isa 51:16 And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.
Isa 51:17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.
Isa 51:18 There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up.
Isa 51:19 These two things are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for thee? desolation, and destruction, and the famine, and the sword: by whom shall I comfort thee?
Isa 51:20 Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God.
Simply put, the earthly Jerusalem, “Jerusalem which now is,” is the one which gives birth to children after the flesh; in particular by her rejecting the issue of the need for the implementation of God’s “Jehovah-ness” and grace for justification in His sight, and instead promoting and operating on the old covenant. On the other hand, the heavenly Jerusalem, “Jerusalem which is above,” is the one which gives birth to children after the Spirit, by her promoting the issue of the need for the implementation of God’s “Jehovah-ness” and grace, and the promise of it in “Christ.” And this is what Paul is citing and dealing with in Galatians 4 as he sets forth the fullness of the “allegory” on this matter that actually began with the issue of Abraham and his two sons.
Gal 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
Gal 4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Gal 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
Gal 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
The “Jerusalem which is above,” as per the “allegory,” is the mother of the children of God, for she like Sarah brings forth “the children of promise.” Hence those who believe the promise are “born after the Spirit” and have the “Jerusalem which is above” as their mother. And now this is just what we have done in this dispensation of Grace, and thereby this is just who we have become, as Paul declares in Galatians 4:26-27.
In particular, we believed the promise of the implementation of God’s “Jehovah-ness” and grace in providing for our justification when we heard the good news of “the faith of Jesus Christ” and believed in Him. And we heard the good news of “the faith of Jesus Christ” because God graciously made Paul an able minister of the new testament to us Gentiles in this present dispensation when He raised up Paul, separated him unto that gospel of God, and gave him “grace and apostleship, for the obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name.” And when we believed “the gospel of Christ,” we were “born after the Spirit,” which as per the “allegory” makes it so that we “as Isaac was, are children of promise.” But as Paul goes on to say in connection with the fullness of the “allegory,” that also makes it so that we are “children of the freewoman,” having “Jerusalem which is above” as our “mother.” And she being “free” is free from any kind of bondage to sin, and/or death, and even to “the elements of the world,” seeing that she is in living union relationship with God based upon the new covenant and not the old. Hence, knowing that we are children “of the free,” we are to ‘stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free,’ living by and operating on the new covenant, and not be ‘entangled with the yoke of bondage’ of the old covenant.
Isa 52:6 Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.
Isa 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
Isa 52:8 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.
Isa 52:9 Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.
Isa 52:10 The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
Isa 52:11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.
Isa 54:12 And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.
Isa 54:13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
Isa 54:14 In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.
Keith Blades
Enjoy The Bible Ministries