Chapter 17 picks up the story thirteen years later (Gen 16:16, Gen 17:1). In Gen 17:2, God reaffirms with Abram the covenantal promise he has already made. Abram was 75 when he left Haran to go to Canaan (Gen 12:1-4). He was 86 when Ishmael was born (Gen 16:15). 13 years later, God reaffirms the covenant and gives the conditions: I am God, walk before me blameless (Gen 17:1). All of the covenant promises are based on the fact that God is God. It is not due to any performance of Abram. God's actions toward Abram are based on grace.
Abram's response to God's grace (because God is who He is) is to walk before Him and be blameless. As this relates to the Christian life today...certainly you can see the startling similarities. God has not changed. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8).
Both Abram and Sarai have their names changed in this chapter. This is significant in Hebrew culture and thought. The name reveals aspects of a persons character or attributes. In Gen 17:5, God calls Abram (exalted father), "Abraham" (father of a multitude). That multitude would include many nations and kings...numerous descendents...all of whom would be blessed under this "everlasting covenant" (Gen 17:6). A part of this everlating covenant of blessing was the possession of the land of Abraham's wanderings...the land of Canaan. This is not new, but is a restatement of what God had promised before (Gen 12:7, Gen 13:15, Gen 15:18-20).
Whenever I see God restate something, I ask myself why. What purpose does it serve? I imagine that after 24 years of living in Canaan with God promising Abraham that he would be a father of many, he had to be asking, "When?". I imagine that he asked the same questions of God that you and I ask (or at least wonder in our heart.) God is reaffirming the promise...so that no one (Abraham) forgets who and what they are dealing with and was promised. This is why in the NT church, we celebrate the Lord's Supper (Communion/Eucharist) regularly. It serves as a reminder of who God is, what He has done, and how we are to respond to him because of it.
Gen 17:9-14 gives the sign of the covenant. All of the males were to be circumcised (Gen 17:23-27). From Abraham (age 99) to every male at 8 days old. Every native born Hebrew to every foreigner who was part of Abraham's household. The covenant sign served as a reminder for the people, but also as a testimony before God. This is why God said that the sign of circumcision was required for the covenant promise (Gen 17:13-14). No one refusing to identify with God through this covenant sign had any hope of benefitting from God's covenant promise.
One last element is the specific covenant promise as it related to Sarai. God changed her name as well. She would be called Sarah (princess). Sarah would bear a son for Abraham (Gen 17:16) and God would establish his covenant through that son, Isaac (Gen 17:19). This seemed too difficult for Abraham to swallow (Gen 17:17). He asked God to just let it be that Ishmael would be blessed (Gen 17:18). God granted that Ishmael would be blessed (Gen 17:20), but affirmed that Sarah was to bear the son through whom God would fulfill his covenant promise (Gen 17:21).
For those who are thinking, "Well it seems that Ishmael got the short end of the stick here," Let's be reminded that God blessed him and treated him with grace too. The basis of the covenant was given in Gen 17:1, "I am God Almighty, El Shaddai...(meaning perfect, complete, or having integrity)." The perfect God, entered into the perfect covenant based on His perfect character to unfold His perfect plan. All of it...as an act of grace toward those He created by His perfect will. PRAISE THE LORD!
Proverbs 8:15 is the takeaway today. "Wisdom" personified is the speaker in this verse. The key to success, blessing, and usefulness to God is to do everything with wisdom. Wisdom yields righteousness. There is no wisdom in unrighteousness. If we wish to experience blessings, we first begin with determining the "righteous" thing to do (based on God's revealed will alone) and then act.
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I hate to say the same thing as yesterday but what sticks out to me is how real they are. abram and sarai are a lot like me. sometimes I think I hear from God but it is months or years later that God gives me the rest of the picture. I can see how Abram would chuckle at the idea of a child but then again as I read I am thinking how could you doubt God... (smile) But alas, God is faithful and of course He delivered His promises to Abraham and Sarah.... Praise God for His faithful promises. And for loving a putting up with His faithless servants!
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