Dear Friends,
After Abraham and Sarah lost their patience and "used" Hagar to bring forth a child there is a thirteen year period before God appeared to Abraham again. But here God reaffirmed His covenant with him and then gave him the sign of circumcision as the mark of that covenant. "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty (El-shaddai); walk before me and be blameless (mature, be wholeheartedly Mine). I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers." This is the fourth time the Lord appeared to Abraham after he was in the land. We see three new names in this chapter and the first is El-shaddai – a name for God that has not been used to this point. Though the exact meaning of this name for God is not certain it relates to both the word for "mountain" and for "breast" and together may imply the God of abundant supply or the all-sufficient One. Scripture assures us of this many times over that God's grace is sufficient for us even in the midst of great trials. (See 2 Cor. 12:7-10) It is in knowing this that enables us to be wholeheartedly His for we find Him to be all we need.
"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." Abram means exalted father and refers to his noble lineage (looking back) whereas Abraham means father of many nations as God calls him by faith to look to the future. Through both Isaac and Ishmael and later through his children with Keturah (after Sarah died) Abraham was truly the father of many nations.
"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. Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants. Every male among you shall be circumcised." Abraham's temporal participation in God's blessing was conditioned on his faithfulness and obedience to God's commands; he believed and obeyed and that very day circumcised every male in his household and his servants who had come to faith. Immediate and painful obedience! It was shortly after his radical obedience that Sarah became pregnant with the miracle baby. God honors faith and obedience. Likewise for New Covenant believers; we are saved by grace not works but God blesses and rewards obedience both now and for eternity. God's empowering grace does not preclude our efforts but without His grace our efforts would be futile. (Phil. 2:12-13)
Circumcision was an outward sign of being in covenant with God (belonging to God – He owns us) but both the Old and New Testament emphasize that inward circumcision of the heart is what joins us to God. Circumcision stood for a thorough commitment to God and Moses and the apostle Paul spoke of how the heart needs to circumcised to God. (Deut. 10:12-22; Rom. 2:25-29) Some say this is a sign that shows the impurity of nature (original sin) at the very source of life (sexual reproduction) and the need to depend on God for life itself (the ability to conceive – as shown through the miracle of birth from the aged Abraham and Sarah) and a life purified and owned by God (like the new birth). God wants godly seed (children) both physical and spiritual. (See Malachi 2:13-16; John 3:3-8)
"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." Commentators disagree on the meaning of Sarai but Sarah means a princess of kings, and many descendants. As God inspires Abraham's faith to have children here in chapter 17, He inspires Sarah's faith to conceive in the next chapter as the Lord (Gen. 18:1) spoke these words: "Is anything too hard for God? I'll be back about this time next year and Sarah will have a baby." (Gen. 18:13-14) Sarah heard these words herself and "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ." (Rom. 10:17) "By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised." (Heb. 11:11 NASB- the NIV is a poor translation on this point for it does not acknowledge Sarah's faith.)
"Abraham fell facedown; he laughed."(Isaac means laughter – v.19) Some believe he laughed in doubt but from the commentary from Scripture (Rom. 4:16-21) it seems he rejoiced in the power of God and the sure blessing of a child through Sarah (within the year, per God's promise- v. 21) who would bear the promised seed (Isaac) and through which the Messiah would come. In fact, every time he hears people call him by his new name, "Abraham, father of many nations", with only one son and him from a servant not his wife, it builds his faith in God's promise to him to have descendents as many as the stars in the heavens. (Gen 15:5) "Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring-not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed-the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead-since he was about a hundred years old-and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised." (Rom. 4:16-21) Peter says by faith we, like Abraham, can rejoice now with an inexpressible and glorious joy as we believe God's promise for heaven. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:3-9 – salvation of your souls: This phrase refers to our glorification in heaven and perhaps the rewards we will receive for following Christ (Matt. 16:24-27; James 1:21 – Nelson Bible Commentary) {"Note, If God's promises be our joy, his mercies promised shall in due time be our exceeding joy. Christ will be laughter to those that look for him; those that now rejoice in hope shall shortly rejoice in having that which they hope for: this is laughter that is not mad." Matthew Henry}
Questions for reflection/application
El-shaddai – God of abundant supply or the all-sufficient One. Scripture assures us of this many times over that God's grace is sufficient for us even in the midst of great trials. (See 2 Cor. 12:7-10) It is in knowing this that enables us to be wholeheartedly His for we find Him to be all we need. Where do you need to believe this truth for your life?
Abraham's faith grows through obedience. Notice the reciprocal relationship between obedience to God and a greater revelation of God that deepens our faith to obey Him more. "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." (John 14:21) Where is God calling you to obedience and thus a greater revelation of Him?
"Abraham did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised." (See Rom. 4:16-21) Where can your strong faith in the goodness and power of God bring glory to Him right now?
Until He comes,
Len and Kristen