Bible In Poetry: Galatians 4 Poem by Dr John Celes

As long as heir is just a child,
He is not diff’rent from a slave,
Although he owns the whole estate,
Until time set by his father,
He has guardians and too trustees.

When we were children, we were slaves,
Under the basic rules of world;
But when the time had fully come,
God sent his son, born of woman,
Born under law to redeem all,
In law to rights receive of sons;
Being sons, God sent the Spirit
Of His One Son into our hearts,
Who calls out ‘Abba’ or Father;
No longer are you slaves but sons,
And being sons, God made you heirs!

Paul’s Concern for the Galatians:

When formerly, you didn’t know God,
You’re slaves to those who were not gods;
Now that you know the living God,
Or rather known by God Himself,
Why do you turn back to your ways
Of weak, improper principles?
Do you want to be slaves again?
You observe special months, seasons,
And days and years, I fear for you;
Have my efforts all gone awaste?

I plead with you, my brothers then,
Become like me, henceforth in time;
You haven’t done wrong to me at all;
Because I was then ill, I preached
The gospel first to you earlier;
Although my illness troubled you,
You didn’t treat me with contempt, scorn.

Contrariwise, you welcomed me
As if I were God’s angel then:
As if I were Christ Jesus Lord;
What happened to all of your joy?
If you had done, I would have told;
You would have gouged your eyes for me!
Am I your foe for telling truth?

Those people want to win you o’er,
And alienate you from us somehow;
For goodness sake, be zealous then,
Provided good, the purpose be;
And be so always, forever;
My children dear for whom I ache,
With child-birth pains till you get Christ,
Oh, how I wish I be with you,
And change my tone, perplexed with you!

Hagar and Sarah:

You who want to be in the law,
Aren’t you aware of what law says?
’Tis writ: Abraham had two sons
One by the slave woman, Hagar,
Other by free woman, Sarah;
The former came in common way,
But the free woman Sarah’s son
Was born by promise of God’s mouth.

These represent two covenants:
The former one from Mount Sinai,
Which bears children who will be slaves;
And this is Hagar, Arabia,
Presently now Jerusalem,
Which is in bondage with children;
The city that’s above is free,
And she is our mother, Sarah!

For ’tis written:

‘Be glad, O barren woman then,
Who does not bear any children;
Break forth in joy and cry aloud;
You do not suffer labor pains;
Because the children born are more
Of the desolate woman than
Of her, who has a husband own.’

But then, what does the Scripture say?
Get rid of slave woman and son,
For latter never can share in
Inheritance with free woman’s son;
We aren’t children of slave woman,
But are the sons of free woman!

Copyright by Dr John Celes 7-2-2007