December 1996
GENESIS CHAPTERS 17-18
In earlier chapters of Genesis, God's covenant with Abram is committed, yet not fully revealed or implemented.
God, initially in broad terms, has promised to Abram that Abram will be the father of a great nation and that Abram's seed will number as many as the sands of the seashore or the stars in the heaven, and that Abram's nation will inherit the promised land. In the 17th chapter of Genesis, God begins to lay out to details of His covenant with instructions to Abram and Sarai. It is here we begin to fully recognize the implementation of God's plan for His chosen people.
In the 16th Chapter, Abram and Sarai try to implement God's covenant on their own: Sarai knows she cannot have children so she offers her Egyptian maid, Hagar, to Abram. The child Ishmael is born of Abram and Hagar. While it becomes clear from God that Ishmael is not the seed of Abram that is part of God's covenant, God promises to make Ishmael a great nation, thus creating the vast Arab nation as we know it today.
The 17th chapter begins by telling us that Abram is now 99 years old; and we know Sarai is now 90: both well beyond child-bearing years. God begins the details of His covenant by first instructing Abram of a name change from Abram and Sarai, to Abraham and Sarah.
"Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
"And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God." Gen. 17:5-8.
God then details the requirements of Abraham as a token of Abraham's part of the covenant. God requires circumcision of every man child of Abraham's generations: every child born, adopted or purchased. Gen. 17:10-14. The requirement of circumcision was to serve as an outward sign of man's inward dedication to God. While the practice of circumcision continues among the general populations today for both medical and personal religious reasons, it remains among the Jewish faith as a continuing commitment to God's covenant.
God then explains to Abraham His covenant's meaning for Sarai. Gen. 17:15. First He says that Sarai's name is changed to Sarah. Then comes God's surprise for the elderly Abraham and Sarah:
"And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her."
Abraham could not believe Sarah could conceive a child after turning 90 years old and remaining barren, and he being 99. Abraham laughed at God's words; and suggested Ishmael, his son by Hagar, should be the start of Abraham's promised nation.
God responded clearly:
"Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him."
And as for Ishmael God promised to bless him and make him a great nation,, beginning with 12 sons who will become princes.
"But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year." Gen. 17:19-21.
Abraham then went about following God's instructions, taking his 13-year old son Ishmael and assembling all the other boys and men in his house to be circumcised as God had instructed; including Abraham at 99 years of age.
Beginning in the 18th chapter of Genesis, Sarah learns of God's covenant plans for her to bear a son. She also cannot believe it at first.
Three men appeared at Abraham's tent, the Lord and apparently two angels. As Abraham went about providing them food and making them comfortable, the three spoke that Sarah would have a son. Sarah overheard them and laughed to herself because she knew she was too old for child. The Lord read Sarah's mind, knew Sarah had doubt and said: "Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son." Gen. 18:14.
Thus, God has now revealed the details of His covenant. He required the token symbol of circumcision of all males and promised the inheritance of Canaan. He changed Abraham's and Sarah's name, revealed that Sarah will indeed bear a son named Isaac, and that Isaac, not Ishmael, will be the beginning of the great nation of God's chosen people.