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1.When Abram was ninety nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. 35:11; Deut. 18:13; 2 Kings 20:3
How God appeared to Abraham we are not told, but we do
know that from John 1:18 Abraham did not see God as he is. We do though have a hint as to How God may have appeared to Abraham by reading how God appeared to Moses on mount Sinai (Compare Exo 3:1-3). It has been approximately thirteen years since God last appeared and spoke to Abram. Why has there been such a long time since their first meeting? God doesn’t reveal this to us in his-story so one can only guess. Could it be that maybe God was testing Abram to see if he would keep the faith and stay true to Gods ways? There are other instances in the bible where certain people lost their faith in God and resorted to Baal worship and pagan practices because they may have felt that God had abandoned them. We don’t see this in Abrams case. Abram undoubtedly kept worshiping God and obeying Him, loving Him, and keeping remembrance of Him. When God approaches Abram for the first time in thirteen years or so He starts by reminding Abram That He (God) is all powerful, that is also to say “there is nothing He can’t do” it is to remind Abram who and what He is. And God tells him “walk before me” (be like Me and be blameless as I am Holy and without blame or sin). God is telling Abram “you can be like Me if you will indeed keep the faith and do as I say. There has only been one human who has ever walked this earth that lived His whole life blameless and without sin, that is our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, who, by His perfect life, was sacrificed once for all mans sin, that we all can share in the promises God will give Abram. Where God can look upon us all, blameless and without sin, a holy people, complete in all our being, and become part of Gods family and be able to walk uprightly as we enter into Gods kingdom. Just as Abram, through his faith, was found righteous in Gods eyes, we who have the faith of Abraham share in this promise (Gal 3:26-29).
2. “And I will make my covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” 15:18
3 Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him saying:
4 “As for Me, behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. Rom. 4:11, 12, 16
In my opinion, Because God has now found Abram to have passed this test that I spoke of earlier, that he can now expand on the covenant that he previously made with him and remind him of the promise that He (God) will multiply Abram and his seed exceedingly. Abram, in recognition of who God is, and out of respect, bows down before Him and gives honor to the Almighty One, in a show that he does and will indeed walk with God. Just a reminder to the reader here, a covenant is a contract between two parties who make a promise to one another to fulfill certain obligations with the other.
5 “No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. Neh. 9:7
Abraham: (H85): אברהם: ‘abrâhâm
BDB Definition: Abraham = “father of a multitude” or “chief of multitude”
1) friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God’s elective covenant
I have purposely been calling Abraham by his birth name Abram throughout the course of my studies up until now. I do out of respect for God and His word. Up until now God called him Abram and his wife’s birth name of Sarai. Who am I to go against my fathers will? So, Now that God is changing their names I too will be calling the “father of faith” Abraham, and Sarai by her new name Sarah (in which we see God telling Abraham that this will be their new names). Bible scholars from the past to present pretty much agree as to the reason for this. With this in mind I will quote from the church that I attend which is The United Church of God; as to why the name change:
Up to Genesis 16 the Scriptures always use the birth names Abram, which means “Exalted Father,” and Sarai, meaning “Princess.” But, here in Genesis 17, God bestows new names on them. Abraham means “Father of a Multitude” and Sarah, while still retaining the sense of “Princess,” seems to mean one of an even higher station (e.g., it is derived from the same word translated “queen” in Isaiah 49:23). Interestingly, both new names differ from Abram and Sarai by the addition of one letter in the Hebrew—the letter He, pronounced, like the English H, as a breath of air, which is often a symbol of God’s Spirit. Though there may be no significance to this, becoming new persons and circumcision can both picture spiritual conversion. In any event, whether Abraham and Sarah received the indwelling of God’s Spirit at this particular time or not, we do know for certain that they did receive it at some point (compare 1 Peter 1:11)—for they will be in the Kingdom of God, and only the converted have that honor (Rom 8:9, 11).
6 “I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.
◊7″And I will establish my covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. 26:24; Ezek. 16:60
8″Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” Ex. 6:7
This is the first time we see God include in His promise to Abraham that he will be the father of many nations and that Kings will come from his seed. Before this time all God told Abraham is that his descendants would as many as the stars in heaven and the sands of the earth. God also tells Abraham for the first time that this covenant between him and God includes his descendants forever and ever, (Which are the descendants of Isaac and Jacob), not Ishmael and his descendants. And the land in which Abraham now lives will be handed down from generation to generation for ever and ever, and that He who created all things, the Alpha and the Omega, the Great Elohim will be their God.
The fact that God has been reminding Abraham that he is a stranger in this land, and God reiterates this throughout the Bible; has lead me to think about this remark and brought me to this thought. Now mind you this is my opinion and I have not heard this preached at my church, or on any websites that I have gone to, or any commentaries I have read thus far, but I believe that all of Gods children that have ever lived, are now living, and those in the future who have the faith of Abraham, and God’s spirit, are in a world where we are strangers. Let me explain: God created the heavens and earth, and all things that were made, were made by Him. No matter where we live on this planet we had no hand in it’s creation. We did not create the herbs of the fields nor the trees of the forest. We did not create the animals or the creatures of the sea, or the birds of the air. We did not make the rock or the soil in which we use to make our skyscrapers and places of dwelling. We did not make the ore of the earth in which we use to make so many things. Not just that it was God who gave us the brain we use to come up with the inventions that man has made to make life easier and more enjoyable for us. We are all truly strangers in a land that God calls the dry land earth and the waters the seas. If you are a student of the bible then you are familiar with the saying that we who have been called and chosen are not of this world (John 17:14-16). We are told that one day, we will be joint Heirs with Christ, that God will give us all things. we are told that we will be like God, (mind you I said like God not God). He will always be the one true God and there will never be another. But with this in mind maybe, just maybe, that in Gods kingdom we will be able to create our own heavens and earth and there we will not be called strangers anymore. I once took my family far out in the country where we were far enough away from all the city lights. When the sun went down and it was totally dark we all laid down on the ground and looked up into the heavens (you see so many more stars without the city lights), and I gave them my opinion on what I think could be a part of our inheritance. This is just one mans vision of the Kingdom. I told them that I believe that God will give all those in his kingdom (His children), a planet that has our own personal name on it which we can create however we like, pro-create man in the image of God and have our own children and bring them up in the knowledge of the Lord, just as God did here on planet earth.
9 And God said to Abraham: “As for you you shall keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. Ex. 19:5
The covenant here between Abraham and God is one that will be passed down from generation to generation. I have already explained in some part what the actions of a covenant represent when two parties enter into this pact. But now I feel it my duty to explain in great detail the Covenants that are strictly between God and man. Instead of me trying to put into my own words of that what is taught as doctrinal beliefs in the church I attend, I will instead just copy and paste certain portions of the doctrinal
papers that was approved by the council of elders for the United Church of God back in August of 2002. You can click on the link if you care to read our doctrinal beliefs in its entirety. Here now are excerpts from their doctrinal papers:
From Genesis to Revelation, there are numerous covenants God establishes with mankind. In the Scriptures, when a covenant is
made by God, it is in the context of instituting a positive, loving
relationship with the person or persons involved. Since all these
covenants were initiated by Him, they are consequently based on
His perfect and holy character. Each one reflects His love and
concern for man at different stages of human history. As James
states, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and
comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17). This principle applies to God’s covenants as well. Therefore, it is important to note from the start that all of God’s covenants descend from Him and are always given for man’s benefit. They are based on the premises of love, grace, faith and obedience. Although the conditions of these different covenants would vary, being greatly
influenced by man’s decisions to obey or disobey God’s holy laws, the underlying loving principles of God’s covenants would remain the same.
Covenant Relationships At the heart of the biblical meaning of a covenant is the concept of God and man, or man and fellow man, forming a special relationship or bond. In that vein, the covenants of God formally declare His will and purpose in different situations. God’s covenants are an expression of His deep love for humanity and are major benchmarks along the way of His developing plan For all of humanity. They serve as a kind of divine constitution or ordinance governing human relations with Him.
10 “This is my covenant which you shall keep, between me
and you and your descendants after you: every male child
among you shall be circumcised;
11 “and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your
foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me
and you. 9:13; Ex. 31:13, 17
12 “He who is eight days old among you shall be
circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who
is born in your house or bought with your money from any
foreigner who is not your descendant. Luke. 2:21
13 “He who is born in your house and he who is bought
with your money must be circumcised, and my covenant
shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
14 “And the uncircumcised male child, who is not
circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be
cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”
Again I will refer to the doctrinal paper of the United Church of God to explain this special Covenant between not only Abraham (as we will see) but with his descendants (including Ishmael and his descendants) and for all mankind.
Through Abraham’s faith and obedience, God institutes a
special relationship not only with Abraham, but with his
descendants through Isaac and Jacob. Great promises
would be made to Abraham—the physical promises to him
and his descendants and the spiritual promises of God’s
grace to all humanity, through the promised Seed, Christ
(Genesis 22:18; Galatians 3:15-18). The sign of circumcision
is given as a new covenant relationship with Abraham’s
descendants through Isaac and Jacob. God told Abraham: “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child
Among you shall be circumcised” (Gen 17:9-10). Though also included later in the covenant.
THE COVENANTS OF GOD
Doctrinal Paper
Page 7
Approved August 2002
At Sinai (Leviticus 12:3), circumcision was originally introduced as a token of covenantal responsibilities for all of Abraham’s descendants, not just for the nations of Israel and Judah. It came into existence as a token of covenant responsibility, not as a badge of national superiority, as it was later misrepresented in Judaism. One interesting fact we learn about Abraham is that he kept God’s law. Notice Genesis 26:5: “Because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws.” Interestingly, in the midst of a narrative book, we read a comment that indicates clearly that Abraham kept the laws of God, and that those laws, though yet to be codified for the nation of Israel, were in existence well before Sinai. Thus we see that Abraham, referred to as the “father of the faithful” in the New Testament, was one who kept the commandments of God.
The United Church of God references The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, and its comment on Genesis 26:5:
The Lord then added a remarkable note: Abraham “kept my requirements [mismarti], my commands [miswotay], my decrees [huqqotay] and my laws [wetorotay]” (v. 5). It is remarkable that this is precisely the way in which obedience to the Sinai covenant is expressed in Deuteronomy 11:1: “Love the LORD your God and keep his requirements [mismarto], his decrees [huqqotayw], his laws [mispatayw] and his commands [miswotayw]”…. Thus Abraham is an example of one who shows the law written on his heart (Jeremiah 31:33). He is the writer’s ultimate example of true obedience to the law, the one about whom the Lord could say, “Abraham obeyed me” (v. 5). Thus, by showing Abraham to be an example of “keeping the law,” the writer has shown the nature of the relationship between the law and faith. Abraham, a man who lived in faith, could be described as one who kept the law (Vol. 2, pp. 186-187). As a result of this covenant, God promised Abraham and his descendants the land of Canaan. From a small family, the 12 descendants of Jacob would become 12 tribes and Joseph’s descendants would eventually become a great nation and a company of nations (Gen 48:19).
15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you
shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name
Sarai, (H8297): שׂרי: śâray;
BDB Definition: Sarai = “princess” 1)original name of Sarah the wife of Abram or Abraham
Sarah, (H8283): שׂרי: śârâh; BDB Definition: Sarah = “noblewoman”
1) wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac
16 “And I will bless her and also give you a son by her;
then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations;
kings of peoples shall be from her.” v. 6; 35:11
When we look at the distinction of the meanings of the two
names we can see why God changed Sarai’s name to Sarah.
It wasn’t up until this time that Sarah was blessed by God.
The name Sarai is of a lower statue than that of Sarah.
“Sarah” meaning noblewoman can also be interpreted to
mean Queen. The United Church of God explains it this
way:
Genesis 17 also records the renaming of Abram and Sarai.
Up to Genesis 16 the Scriptures always use the birth names
Abram, which means “Exalted Father,” and Sarai, meaning
“Princess.” But, here in Genesis 17, God bestows new names
on them. Abraham means “Father of a Multitude” and
Sarah, while still retaining the sense of “Princess,” seems to
mean one of an even higher station (e.g., it is derived from
the same word translated “queen” in Isaiah 49:23).
Interestingly, both new names differ from Abram and Sarai
by the addition of one letter in the Hebrew—the letter He,
pronounced, like the English H, as a breath of air, which is
often a symbol of God’s Spirit.
17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in
his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred
years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a
child?” v. 1
God knows the hearts of man, we don’t have to speak out in order for God to know what we are feeling inside. Abraham does not speak aloud but in his mind and his heart he thinks to himself that he and Sarah are way beyond their years to bear children. I’ve read some commentaries that
say that Abraham’s laughter was that of joy and not mockery which I can see where they get that, but I would carry that one step further and say that in my opinion his laughter is one of an enlightenment of what God had planned all along, let me see if I can explain myself: it’s like Abraham is thinking to himself “ha ha ha, I get it now, when you said I would be blessed and have many descendants you intended for this blessing to include Sarah; the woman I love, okay, ha ha ha, how could I have been so blind?”
The other thing I would like to point out here is the similarity between the birth of Isaac and that of Jesus Christ. Just as it would seem impossible for Sarah to have a child at her age so to was our Lord born of a virgin never having slept with a man. There is nothing that God can’t do. This isn’t the only similarity between these two men as we will see Later on in genesis chapter 22.
18 And Abraham said to God, “Oh, that Ishmael might live before you!”
Even though Ishmael is not of Sarah s’ seed he is still Abraham s’ own flesh and blood and he loves him dearly. So he pleads to God to pass this covenant onto Ishmael.
◊19 Then God said: “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a
son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish my
covenant with him for an everlasting covenant and with his
descendants after him. 21:2
Isaac, (H3327): יצחק: yitschâq
BDB Definition: Isaac = “he laughs”
1) son of Abraham by Sarah his wife and father of Jacob and Esau
God has to reiterate to Abraham that the covenant he
makes with Abraham is to be through the seed of Sarah and
not with the mother of Ishmael.
20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold I have
blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply
him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will
make him a great nation. 16: 10-12
21 “But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom
Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year.”
22 Then he finished talking with him, and God went up
from Abraham.
God assures Abraham that he has not forgotten about
Ishmael and that he (Ishmael) is a part of the blessing as far
as the blessing to Abraham being the father of many
nations. Ismael’s seed will be abundant and the nation
that comes out of his seed will be only one of the many
nations that God promises to Abraham. We notice here that
Ishmael s seed will be made up of twelve princes. We can
find the names of these twelve princes in Genesis chapter
25:13-15. one other thing I think worth mentioning is that
when we look at the blessings between Hagar and Sarah we
find the differences between them: first Hagar s name stays
the same and her son will bear 12 princes of only one
nation, whereas Sarai s name was changed to Sarah which
as I showed previously means noblewoman, and that she is
to be a mother of many nations and kings. So Ishmael is
not forgotten by God nor are his descendants to this day.
In my opinion this one nation is the nation of Islam (as it is known today). Also we see here in this prophecy that God does not forget The covenant he establishes with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; this covenant in verse 21. so God finishes Talking with Abraham and he ascends back to His throne which is in heaven. But this will not be the last time in which God speaks to Abraham.
23 So Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very same day, as God had said to him.
24 Abraham was ninety- nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. Rom. 4:10
25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
26 That very same day Abraham was circumcised, and his son Ishmael;
27 and all the men of his house, born in the house or bought with money from a foreigner were circumcised with him.
Abraham does as God commanded him and not only circumcises himself but also his son Ishmael, and all the men that are in his household. This shows to me the faith that Abraham has in God: think of it; to be circumcised at that age without modern pain medication or anything must have been very hard to go through. It probably took weeks for him to heal completely and get back on his feet. Imagine having to urinate, and the thought that every time you did the pain you were going to have to endure. It took tremendous faith on Abraham s part to carry through with this covenant. I must also bring the reader to the attention that Ishmael (Father of the Arab speaking people and the Islamic nation) was circumcised and this practice has carried on to this day in the Islamic nation. We must consider this as we think about how evil the Islamic nation has become. We must remind ourselves (the Christian people) that God loves the Islamic nation (for they are his children also) and one day he will open their eyes and take that hatred they have for the Israelite nation out of their hearts and they will be reconciled with their brothers and sisters of the Israelite nation and we will all be a part of Gods family as it was preordained from the beginning of time.
The fact that even those who were not of Hebrew descent were also circumcised is to me a foreshadow of the fact that we are all grafted into Gods family those of us who have the faith of Abraham. Some of those men that are mentioned as being of Abraham s house are bought from foreigners (which means that these men were from another tribe other than the Hebrews), this could be a foreshadow of things to come as mentioned in Romans chapter four (Compare Rom 4:8-25). One last thing to note here before I close out this chapter and that is about the circumcision and when it was to be performed after the birth. Every male child is to be circumcised on the eighth day. It is not until the eighth day of birth that the clotting of blood is at its peak and it is therefore safe for the newborn to be circumcised after the seventh day. This was not known to Abraham at this time and was not known to man period, until thousands of years later. This however was known to God, for He created man.