Abraham's blessings are ours. He is the Father of our Faith and these first verses show us what it is like when a father dies and gives his inheritance to his son. The son has to obey the rules until a certain age and then everything belongs to him. But what God did is send His Son Christ when the right time came and He bought our freedom so that all of Abraham's promises became ours as we become the Sons of God. His Spirit enters our hearts and causes us to see Christ as our "Abba Father", our very own father. We are no longer slaves, but we are sons, His heirs!
Paul is ministering to the Gentiles who were seen by the Jews as being very unworthy to know Christ. His whole ministry made a way for us to come to Christ just like the Jews. If it wasn't for Paul I wonder how long it would have taken for the Gentiles to know Christ and to be included in the "family of God"??
In verse 28 Paul calls us "children of promise just like Isaac." Ishmael was born by the law (human effort) but Isaac was born by the power of the Spirit - a miracle of God. These last verses of chapter 4 are a message for those that don't feel worthy - all of us - to be chosen by God to belong to Him. God doesn't choose the worthy - He chooses the willing.
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