Breathingbook

Hi all. I just wanted to quickly put up another post illustrating how God sometimes uses Symbolism to communicate to believers. Shadows, Parables and Representations offers a few examples, but here’s another: God also has been known to use symbolism through the use of allegories.

Allegories make use of actual events that have taken place (real people in real places) to illustrate what God’s doing on a larger scale.

The best example of this allegorical type of symbolism can be found in Gal 4:22-31 where the historical written record of the relationship concerning Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Ishmael, and Hagar is used to illustrate the two different covenants – one which leads into bondage and the other into freedom.

Gal 4:22-31 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 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.
25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth 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, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an 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 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 freewoman. 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

Please take note that although Abraham and Sarah had their own free will, they chose to bring the bondwoman Hagar into play wherein Ishmael was born. God, knowing the ends from the beginnings, utilized the story of their lives as an allegory representing the two covenants of bondage and freedom.

I apologize that allegories got left out of the Shadows, Parables and Representations posting. I hope this will suffice for further reference. Thanks!

Peace out!

Loris James