But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
The one born after the flesh is Ishmael, and the one born after the Spirit is Isaac, and Ishmael persecuted Isaac. That persecution marks the beginning of the four-hundred-year period of affliction, reckoned from about thirty years after the promise to Abraham.
The surrounding passage of Galatians 4:21-31 sets forth the true position on the covenants, with evidences in regard to the covenants so clear and convincing that every candid, unprejudiced mind would receive them. Agreement with that position is having the truth, and that true position is the position Waggoner has presented. To expend investigative power to produce a different covenant position from the passage is for naught.
Opposition to this light fulfills the even so it is now by repeating what was done then and is done now. It imitates the Jews in interpretation and misconstrues the Scriptures, hanging on words to catch them. It follows with spies to mark words to repeat and misinterpret and twist them to mean what unsanctified minds want them to mean, deceiving the people, making false issues, and handling things so as to cloud and mislead minds. Turning away from this plain light comes from fear that the law question in Galatians would have to be accepted. No one is prepared to receive light either to establish or to refute a position until truly converted before God.
The one born after the flesh is Ishmael, and the one born after the Spirit is Isaac, and Ishmael persecuted Isaac. That persecution marks the beginning of the four-hundred-year period of affliction, reckoned from about thirty years after the promise to Abraham.
The surrounding passage of Galatians 4:21-31 sets forth the true position on the covenants, with evidences in regard to the covenants so clear and convincing that every candid, unprejudiced mind would receive them. Agreement with that position is having the truth, and that true position is the position Waggoner has presented. To expend investigative power to produce a different covenant position from the passage is for naught.
Opposition to this light fulfills the even so it is now by repeating what was done then and is done now. It imitates the Jews in interpretation and misconstrues the Scriptures, hanging on words to catch them. It follows with spies to mark words to repeat and misinterpret and twist them to mean what unsanctified minds want them to mean, deceiving the people, making false issues, and handling things so as to cloud and mislead minds. Turning away from this plain light comes from fear that the law question in Galatians would have to be accepted. No one is prepared to receive light either to establish or to refute a position until truly converted before God.