Nice post Bob, enjoyed reading this.
To add another dimension to this as well. BONDAGE being referred to here is SIN as ties in nicely with ROMANS 3:19-20 and also JOHN 8:31-36 and not God's LAW (10 Commandments) as some believe.
As it is also written in..
JOHN 8:31-36 [31], Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed; [32], And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. [33], They answered him, We are Abraham's descendants, and were never in BONDAGE to any man: how say you, You shall be made free? [34], Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, WHOSOEVER COMMITS SIN IS A SERVANT OF SIN. [35], And the servant abides not in the house forever: but the Son abides ever. [36], IF THE SON SHALL MAKE YOU FREE <from SIN> YOU SHALL BE FREE INDEED.
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BONDAGE= SIN and being a servant to SIN (we cannot serve two masters)
PROMISE = FREEDOM FROM SIN
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links also to Gal 4:21-31...
GALATIANS 4:21-31 [21], Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? [22], For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman. [23], But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the free woman was by promise. [24], WHICH THINGS ARE AN ALLEGORY: FOR THESE ARE THE TWO COVENANTS; THE ONE FROM MOUNT SINAI, WHICH BRINGS FORTH TO BONDAGE WHICH IS HAGAR. [25], For this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. [26], But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. [27], For it is written, Rejoice, you barren that bear not; break forth and cry, you that travail not: for the desolate has many more children than she who has a husband. [28], Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. [29], But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. [30], Nevertheless what says the scripture? Cast out the BONDWOMEN AND HER SON (OLD COVENANT ): for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman.
HAGAR = OLD COVENANT (Exodus)
SARAH = NEW COVENANT PROMISE (Jer 31:31-33; Heb 8:10-12)
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links to Rom 3:19-20...
ROMANS 3:19-20 [19], Now we know that whatsoever things the law says, it says to them who are UNDER THE LAW: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. [20], Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: FOR BY THE LAW IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF SIN.
back to John 8...
[34], Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, WHOSOEVER COMMITS SIN IS A SERVANT OF SIN. [35], And the servant abides not in the house forever: but the Son abides ever. [36], IF THE SON SHALL MAKE YOU FREE <from SIN> YOU SHALL BE FREE INDEED.
NEW COVENANT PROMISE IS FREEDOM FROM SIN BY WALLKING IN GOD'S SPIRIT.
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CONCLUSION: HAGAR and her son represent the OLD COVENANT and those who are in BONDAGE to SIN. God's LAW gives a KNOWLEDGE of what SIN is.
SARAH represents the NEW COVENANT and freewomen and those who have found forgiveness through FAITH in the BLOOD of CHRIST.
Continuing in God's WORD by FAITH we have Christs promise of freedom from SIN to LOVE as he has first LOVED us. LOVE is the fulfilling of the LAW in those who BELIEVE and walk in his SPIRIT.
The problem is many do not know what the OLD COVENANT is and mix up the SHADOW laws with those which are eternal and give us a KNOWLEDGE of SIN that lead us to the Savior and are the standard in the OLD and NEW COVENANTS and the Judgement to come.