Summary https://marksbiblejourney.blogspot.com/2019/10/genesis.html
"God makes another covenant with Abram, saying that he will be the father of many nations. God changes Abram's name to Abraham. God reaffirms his previous covenant with Abraham. God will give Abraham the lands of Canaan. God establishes a new covenant with Abraham, saying that all the Abrahamic males both slave and free must be circumcised. This will be a sign of the covenant between Abraham and God. God changes Sarai's name to Sarah and tells Abraham that He will give her a son. Abraham doubts God as he and Sarah are very old. However, God affirms that she will bear a son, and his name shall be Isaac. Isaac means "he laughs." After speaking with God, Abraham immediately honors the covenant and has every male in his household, slave and free, circumcised."
Reading from the Amplified Bible (AMP) version..
- “I am God Almighty;
“I will establish My covenant (everlasting promise) between Me and you,
And I will multiply you exceedingly [through your descendants].” v. 1-2
- “No longer shall your name be Abram (exalted father),
For I will make you the father of many nations." v. 5
- "Further, God said to Abraham, “As for you [your part of the agreement], you shall keep and faithfully obey [the terms of] My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. This is [the sign of] My covenant, which you shall keep and faithfully obey, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be the sign (symbol, memorial) of the covenant between Me and you." v. 9-11
- "Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai (my princess), but her name will be Sarah (Princess). I will bless her, and indeed I will also give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” v.15-16
- "Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” v.17
- "But God said, “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son indeed, and you shall name him Isaac (laughter); and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant and with his descendants after him." v.19
- "Then Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all the servants who were born in his house and all who were purchased with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s household, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin the very same day, as God had said to him." v.23
My personal observations and reflections...
- Some time have passed again. Abram was 86 y/o when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael (God hears), now we read that Abram is already 99 y/o.
- GOD'S COVENANT PROMISE. God has been repeatedly assuring Abram of His PLANS and promises through him.. It is not about Abram, but it is all about God and His great plan to save all of us. How great it is to be a PART and instrument in God's plans? I'm sure Abram is humbled and it is a great privilege for him to be used by God, eventhough God's promise of having a son in his old age is hard to believe.
- IMPORTANCE OF NAMES. "Abram’s name is changed to Abraham (17:5) and Sarai’s name is changed to Sarah (17:15). The importance of “a name” (שֵׁם) has already been established in the preceding narrative. When Yahweh changes the name of Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah, he is asserting, or assigning a new identity as well as a purpose and a destiny."(https://www.bibleatchurch.com/biblehistory/genesis/origins-of-the-people-of-god-genesis-12-50/)
- KINGS WILL COME FROM YOU. The greatest King of Kings will come out of Abraham's descendants, King Jesus!👑❤️🙌
* "which He will bring about at the proper time--He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords," 1 Timothy 6:15
* "and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the
dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth To Him who loves us and
released us from our sins by His blood--" Revelation 1:5
* "These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome
them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are
with Him are the called and chosen and faithful." Revelation 17:14
* "And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." Revelation 19:16
- CIRCUMCISION. We are now introduced to another sign of God's covenant. Why, what does it really mean? Does it have a spiritual meaning or significance? I found a great resource to read more about it, https://jewsforjesus.org/publications/issues/issues-v01-n06/circumcision-of-the-heart/
-Practically, we can’t show the world we’ve been circumcised, but God’s covenant extends further than just the physical realm. A way has been provided in which our words and actions can show the nations God has touched us. We read His promise in Deuteronomy 30:6:
“Moreover, the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that you may live.
-Today we have a promise from God, a promise He always keeps. He has promised for every person who places his trust in the Messiah, in the Anointed One of Israel, this Holy Spirit will indwell him and circumcise his heart, making it right with God."
- ABRAM LAUGHED. How natural can it be? Here we are shown how Abram is just like you and me.. I think it's not a laugh that is offending to God, maybe it's out of innocent wonder, how can it be? It seems it was included here to show how ridiculously impossible it is for a man, but gloriously possible with our awesome, powerful God. Abraham is turning 100 y/o, and Sarah is 90 y/o. The baby shall be even named Isaac (laughter).😂
- OBEDIENCE. This is the first time that Abraham has heard and known circumcision, yet he fully trusted and obeyed God. And as a spiritual leader and father, everyone in his household followed. How awesome!
Genesis 17:1 Heb El Shaddai; God is the All-Sufficient One; He gives life; He nurtures; He pours out His blessings.
Genesis 17:6 This prophecy and promise has been literally fulfilled countless times—for example, by all of the kings of Israel and Judah.
Genesis 17:15 The difference in the names can perhaps be seen in a comment made by the rabbis: “At first she became a princess to her own people, but later she became a princess to the entire world” (as quoted from the Talmud).
Read the Bible here:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+17&version=AMP
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