For vv. 1-13 in this chapter, see notes in Gal. 4:22-31.

See note Gen. 18:14^1b.

God’s goal in His economy is to bring forth Christ as the seed for the fulfillment of His eternal purpose (Gen. 3:15; 12:7; 22:18; Gal. 3:16; 2 Sam. 7:12-14a). The birth of Isaac signifies the bringing forth of Christ as the promised seed through God’s work of grace at God’s appointed time. The prerequisite to this is the termination of our natural life and strength through spiritual circumcision (Gen. 17:10-16).

Meaning he laughs.

See note Gen. 17:10^1a.

See note Gen. 17:12¹.

The growth of Isaac signifies the growth of Christ in the New Testament believers after He is born in them. The growth of Christ in us is needed that Christ may be formed in us (Gal. 4:19 and note Gal. 4:19⁴).

See note Gal. 4:29^2b and note Gal. 3:17^3a.

The casting out of Hagar and Ishmael signifies the casting out of the law and the result of the effort of the flesh, which have no place in God’s economy (see note Gal. 4:24^5d and note Gal. 4:30¹).

A well signifies the source of one’s living. Ishmael’s well was in the wilderness close to Egypt (vv. 14, 20-21). Ishmael’s source of living made him an archer (v. 20; cf. Gen. 10:8-9), a hunter, a killer of life, and eventually joined him to Egypt, signifying the world (v. 21).

The well for Isaac is a type of Christ as the life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45; 2 Cor. 3:6, 17), who is the source of the living water as the divine supply for God’s people (John 4:14; 7:37-39; 1 Cor. 12:13; Rev. 22:17). Isaac’s source of living made him a burnt offering for God’s satisfaction and led him up to Mount Moriah (Gen. 22:2), which eventually became Mount Zion, where God’s temple was built in Jerusalem (2 Chron. 3:1). Ultimately, the proper source of living makes us Isaacs and leads us to the New Jerusalem (Gal. 4:26-28).

Abraham redeemed the well at the cost of seven ewe lambs. In typology the seven ewe lambs signify the full redemption of Christ, indicating that the divine living water has been redeemed, bought back, by Christ’s full redemption (John 19:34).

Meaning well of an oath.

The covenant here, involving the redeeming of the well at Beer-sheba, is a seed of the new covenant (Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:8-12), enacted through Christ’s redeeming blood (Matt. 26:28; Luke 22:20). Isaac drank of redeemed water, the water of the covenant. Likewise, the living water drunk by the New Testament believers is redeemed and covenanted water.

In typology, the Philistines signify a people who accept God but handle the things of God according to human cleverness, not according to God’s economy (1 Sam. 6:1-9 and note 1 Sam. 6:4¹).

Lit., he.

A tamarisk, having slender branches and very fine leaves, portrays the flow of the riches of life, the issue of the experience of the tree of life (Gen. 2:9-10; cf. John 7:37-38). Thus, the tamarisk tree signifies the tree of life experienced and expressed.

Heb. El Olam. El, meaning the Mighty One, is one of the names of God. Olam, meaning eternal or eternity, comes from a Hebrew root meaning to conceal, to hide. The divine title El Olam implies eternal life (cf. John 1:1, 4). Hence, by calling on the name of Jehovah, the Eternal Mighty One, Abraham experienced God as the ever-living, secret, mysterious One, who is the eternal life.