GENESIS: Circumcision, the Establishment and Keeping of the Covenant between God the Name Changer, Abraham and All His Descendants; "This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you."

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. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” (Genesis 17:1-2) 

Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations." (Genesis 17:3-5) 

Names have meanings with God. Names are an identifier of who a person is and God's purpose for their life.  We will continue to see examples of this throughout the scriptures.  We need to be mindful of what we name our children and what we call ourselves and others. There's an old saying, "Don't call him out his name." In other words, call people what God created them to be, not what they may be acting like.

So now Abram's name is Abraham, and it means father of many nations. "I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. 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. 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.” (Genesis 17:6-8) 

God first made this promise when Abram was seventy-five years old... (Genesis 12:4) Now he is ninety-nine years old. He has waited for God to fulfill His promise for twenty-four years.  Somewhat taken out of context, But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness,... (II Peter 3:8-9) God will do what He says He will do, but He will not do it before He determines that it is time to do it.  We have to learn to trust His timing and stay faithful while we wait.

And God said to 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; and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you." (Genesis 17:9-11) 

"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 money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. 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. 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.” (Genesis 17:12-14) 

Tithing was initiated by Abraham to God for blessing him, and now God institutes another form of keeping the covenant between Abraham and his descendants, circumcision. Why circumcision?  We could ask why tithe a tenth of all we have? Because it pleased God. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1) I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart. (Psalm 40:8)

Circumcision may be helpful in reducing the risk of getting certain infections or spreading diseases, but the purpose of God was to establish His covenant with Abraham and his descendants, not only his blood relatives, but also he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised. 

This is the first indication from the beginning that God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (I Timothy 2:4) Circumcision would continue throughout the Jews history to today. Even Jesus was circumcised. And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. (Luke 2:21) This practice is performed by people of all nations, not just Jews.

But circumcision doesn't have to be done if a person chooses not to. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. (Romans 3:29-30)

Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 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.” (Genesis 17:15-16) Again, names are an identifier of who a person is and God's purpose for their life.  As we studied in the previous lesson, even though Abraham had a son with Hagar, she was not his wife, and God promised him that "...one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” (Genesis 15:4)

Again, God was reiterating that a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. (Genesis 2:24) Hagar was not his wife, Sarah was, so therefore only a child conceived by Abraham and Sarah would be from his body because a husband and wife, the two are one flesh. 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?” And Abraham said to God, “Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!” (Genesis 17:17-18) 

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. 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. But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year.” Then He finished talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. (Genesis 17:19-22) 

Well, the wait was finally over. God gives Abraham the date that he and Sarah will finally have their own child. They would conceive at the ages of ninety-nine and eighty-nine. By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. (Hebrews 11:11)

But, until Sarah had actually conceived and bore a son, Abraham kept God's covenant; 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. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. That very same day Abraham was circumcised, and his son Ishmael; and all the men of his house, born in the house or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him. (Genesis 17:23-27)