SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 17
MEMORY VERSE:
“I am God Almighty, walk before me and be blameless.” (Genesis 17:1)
THE COVENANT OF CIRCUMCISION (vs. 1-27)
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”
Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called ‘Abram’; your name will be ‘Abraham’, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.”
Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. this is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner – those who are not your offspring. Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”
God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her ‘Sarai’ her name will be ‘Sarah’. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”
Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessings!” Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear your a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.” When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.
On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as Gods told him. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised., and his son Ishmael wase thirteen; Abraham’s household, including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him.
THOUGHTS: (By Warren Wiersbe)
In Bible history, a new name means a new beginning, a step forward in faith. Abram means “exalted father”, it became Abraham, “Father of a multitude.” Sarai means “contentious” and became Sarah, “a princess”. God revealed a new name for Himself: God Almighty. The only name that did not change was Ishmael, for what is born of the flesh remains flesh and cannot be changed. Instead of looking to the future miracle that God would perform, Abraham and Sarah were impatient to wait for God’s time. Their impatient act of unbelief had brought sorrow and division into the home. And finally, the long-awaited son was born with the name “Isaac” meaning “laughter”. He brought joy to Abraham and Sarah.
THOUGHTS: (From Life Application Study Bible)
WHY DID GOD REQUIRE CIRCUMCISION?
- As a sign of obedience to him in all matters.
- As a sign of belonging to his covenant people. Once circumcised, there was no turning back. The man would be identified as a Jew forever.
- As a symbol of “cutting off” the old life of sin, purifying one’s heart and dedicating oneself to God.
- Possibly as a health measure.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER:
BIBLE AFFIRMS OUR NEED TO RELY ON GOD WITH THE FOLLOWING VERSES::
- “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14)
- “There is nothing too hard for You.” (Jeremiah 32:17)
- “God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20)
- “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
- “For nothing is impossible for God.” (Luke 1:37)
- “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26 / Mark 10:27)
- “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27)
- “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” (Luke 18:27)
- “Everything is possible for him who believes.” (Mark 9:23)
- “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2)