Make Room | Spirit of Sonship

Spirit of Sonship

WARM-UP

How do your immediate family members and closest friends call you? What are your names and nicknames?

Have you ever received an unexpected gift or surprise? Who gave it, and how did it make you feel?

What do you wish you could leave to your children one day? Why?

WORD

4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive adoption as sons. GAL 4:4-5

God’s ultimate plan since the beginning of time was our salvation. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem us, turn us from slaves of sin, and adopt us as sons and daughters into his family. Because of the love of our Father, the finished work of the Son, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are children of God. In this lesson, we will look at three benefits of being sons and daughters of God.

And I will put enmity

between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and her offspring;

he will crush your head,

and you will strike his heel [to bite him]. GEN 3:15

Rashi’s Commentary

And I will put enmity—Your sole intention was that Adam should die by eating it first and that you should then take Eve for yourself (Bereishit Rabbah 20:5), and you came to speak to Eve first only because women are easily influenced and know how to influence their husbands; therefore “I will put enmity.”

And you will strike his heel—As you will have no height (not stand erect) you will be able to strike him only on the heel, but even at that spot you will kill him. The word תְּשׁוּפֶנוּ is of the same import as the verb in (Isa 40:24): “He blew (נָשַׁף) on them.” When a serpent comes to strike, it blows with a kind of hissing sound, and since the two words coincide i.e., they sound alike, Scripture used the expression of נְשִׁיפָה in both cases.

Even as though they were not planted,

even as though they were not sown,

even as though their trunk was not rooted in the ground,

and also he blew on them, and they dried up,

and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff. ISA 40:24

The scepter will not depart from Judah [from David on, (an allusion to) the exilarchs of Babylon, who rule with the scepter by royal edict],

nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet [(an allusion to) the disciples, the princes of the land of Israel],

until Shiloh comes [the king, Messiah, sovereignty being his (שֶׁלוֹ)],

and to him shall be the obedience of the nations. GEN 49:10

Rashi’s Commentary

The scepter will not depart from Judah—Even after the house of David ceases to reign. For this refers to the chiefs of the exile in Babylon who ruled over the people with the rod having been appointed by the government (Horayot 11b; Sanhedrin 5a).

Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet—This refers to the scholars of the law: the princes of the land of Israel (as Hillel and his descendants who were heads of schools only and had no political power) (Horayot 11b; Sanhedrin 5a).

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: Behold, the young woman is with child, and she will bear a son, and will call his name Immanuel. ISA 7:14

Rashi’s Commentary

The Lord himself will give you a sign—He will give you a sign by himself, against your will.

Is with child—This is actually the future, as we find concerning Manoah’s wife, that the angel said to her (Jdg 13:3): “But you shall conceive and give birth to a son,” and it is written, “Behold, you are with child and will bear a son.”

And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and give birth to a son.” JDG 13:3

The young woman—My wife will conceive this year. This was the fourth year of Ahaz.

And will call his name—Divine inspiration will rest upon her.

Immanuel—lit, God is with us. That is to say that our Rock shall be with us, and this is the sign, for she is a young girl, and she never prophesied, yet in this instance, Divine inspiration shall rest upon her. This is what is stated below (8:3): “Then I went to the prophetess, etc.,” and we do not find a prophet’s wife called a prophetess unless she prophesied. Some interpret this as being said about Hezekiah, but it is impossible, because, when you count his years, you find that Hezekiah was born nine years before his father’s reign. And some interpret that this is the sign, that she was a young girl and incapable of giving birth.

Then I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. And the Lord said to me, “Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.” ISA 8:3

1 Adoption

. . . to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive adoption as sons. GAL 4:5

To be adopted into God’s family is to receive full rights and privileges as a son or daughter, equal to other biological children in the family. This means we share legal rights and resources as God’s children. According to Gal 3:28, what barriers has God broken for us to be part of his family?

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. GAL 3:28

But to all who did receive him, even to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God . . . JOH 1:12

I have other sheep, which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. JOH 10:16

. . . and not for that nation only, but also to gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. JOH 11:52

20 I do not ask for these alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you sent me. JOH 17:20-21

2 Intimacy

Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father.” GAL 4:6

God’s Spirit in us now teaches us to relate with our heavenly Father in the most intimate way possible. We now have access to him and have the privilege of a relationship with him. We can now cry “Abba! Father!” which is like saying “Daddy!” or “Papa!” How has your relationship with God taught you more about who he is? How has it led you to trust him above all else?

3 As I will pour water on the thirsty land,

and streams on the dry ground;

I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring,

and my blessing on your descendants.

Rashi’s Commentary

As I will pour water on the thirsty—Just as I pour water on the thirsty, so will I pour my Spirit on your offspring.

4 And they will spring up as among the grass,

as willows by streams of water.

Rashi’s Commentary

And they will spring up as among the grass—Among Esau (mss. and K’li Paz). The Jewish nation will grow through the proselytes who will join them. The expression, “among the grass” refers to Esau, for it is stated concerning Edom (supra 34:13): “She will be a haunt for jackals, and a home (חָצִיר) for owls.” (Editions reading, “Amalek,” are erroneous cf. reference.)

Thorns will come up in her citadels,

nettles and brambles in its strongholds,

She will be a haunt for jackals,

and a home for owls. ISA 34:13

5 This one will say, “I am the Lord’s”;

and this one will call himself by the name of Jacob;

and this one will write with his hand, “The Lord’s,”

and name himself by the name of Israel. ISA 44:3-5

Rashi’s Commentary

This one will say, “I am the Lord’s”—These are the perfectly righteous.

And this one will call himself by the name of Jacob—These are the children, the sons of the wicked.

And this one will write with his hand, “The Lord’s”—These are the repentant.

And name himself by the name of Israel—These are the proselytes. So it was taught in Avoth d’Rabbi Nathan (36:1).

Will you not from this time cry to me,

“My Father, you are the friend of my youth.” JER 3:4

Rashi’s Commentary

Will you not from now—If only you repent of your evil and call me “My Father.” If you do so, will your Lord bear a grudge forever for what you have sinned? Will he keep it to eternity? He will not keep it.

I said,

“ ‘How shall I place you among my children?

But I will give you a pleasant land,

the most beautiful inheritance of the beauty of hosts of nations!”

And I thought you would call me, ‘my Father’

and not turn away from following me.” JER 3:19

Rashi’s Commentary

I said—To myself, etc. and therefore, I caused your forefathers to inherit them.

How shall I place you among my children?—i.e., how shall I place you, my congregation and my nation, among the other children, mingled with the heathens. I, therefore, selected a handsome portion, and I gave you a pleasant land.

3 Inheritance

So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. GAL 4:7

The natural tendency of a parent is to prepare for and leave an inheritance for the children. God, our heavenly Father, has made us his sons and daughters by adopting us into his family. He has also made us heirs in his kingdom. We have now received his inheritance, guaranteed by the Holy Spirit. Why is the inheritance we will receive as heirs in God’s kingdom and family better than any inheritance or prize the world has to offer?

After these things [the miracles wrought for him in vanquishing the kings, (Abram worrying that he might thereby have received his full reward)], the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying:

“Do not be afraid, Abram.

I am your shield [against punishment] for you [for the men that you have killed; and, as to your concern over having received your full reward],

your reward is exceedingly great.” GEN 15:1

Rashi’s Commentary

After these things—Wherever the term אַחַר is used, it signifies immediately afterwards; אַחֲרֵי signifies a long time afterwards (Bereishit Rabbah 44:5). After this miracle had been wrought for him, that he slew the kings, he was worried and said, “Perhaps I have received reward for all my righteous deeds.” Therefore, the Omnipresent said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield” from punishment, that you will not be punished for all those souls that you have slain, and as far as your being worried about receiving reward, your reward is exceedingly great. [from Midrash Aggadah, Genesis 16:2; Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Lech Lecha 15; Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer ch. 27]

7 I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant, [my covenant being] to be a God to you and to your descendants after you.

Rashi’s Commentary

I will establish my covenant—And what is that covenant? To be a God to you.

8 I will give to you and your descendants after you the land of your sojournings, the whole land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession, and [there] I will be their God [but if one lives elsewhere, it is “as if he has no God”]. GEN 17:7-8

Rashi’s Commentary

As an everlasting possession—And there I will be your God; but whoever resides outside the land is as if he has no God (Ketubot 110b).

APPLICATION

Tell us how you were adopted into God’s family. How has being a son or daughter of God changed the way you view yourself and your life? How has it changed the way you view others?

How can you grow in intimacy with the Father every day, starting this week?

The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance as children of God. What’s one thing you will do differently this week so you will be filled with and be empowered by the Holy Spirit?

PRAYER

Thank God for his love for us and for fulfilling his plan for our salvation and adoption into his family. Pray that you would

always be grateful for the privilege of being a son or daughter of God and for having a relationship with him.

Pray that you would always cry “Abba! Father!” by the power of the Holy Spirit, which lives in you. Pray that you would know and love God more as each day passes.

Pray that you would draw more people to God and help them know all he has done for them. Pray that your family and friends who don’t know God yet will one day be adopted into his family as well.

"The Rashi Chumash" and "The Rashi Ketuvim" by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein is licensed under CC BY 3.0