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Teaching And Research By: M. E. Arbaugh
Genesis
Chapter Seventeen
V 1. When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him, and said, I am the Almighty God; walk and live habitually before Me, and be perfect--blameless, whole-hearted, complete.
It has now been about twenty-four years since God first spoke to Abram. Ishmael is thirteen years old and dear to his father's heart. God now gives Abram an enlarged vision of himself, He says I am Almighty God. The term used is El Shaddai, the God who is more than enough, the breasty one, the strength giver and satisfier of His people, The All Sufficient one.
How does one live a perfect life before God? Only by faith. Abraham looked forward to the cross and received by faith the righteousness of Christ as his own. John 8:56 We look back to calvary and receive by faith, the righteousness of Christ. This does not mean a long list of things to refrain from. We sometimes think we are to live in the shadow of the cross, just hanging around at the feet of Jesus. Instead we should be living the resurrected life, out doing the works of Jesus. Moving on from the milk of salvation to the meat of the word, which teaches us to walk and live habitually before Him.
V 2. And I will make My covenant (solemn pledge) between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.
This is a move of God towards man. He is always abounding in love and grace toward us. We never have to search and wonder where He is, God never hides from people, He is always ready to receive us.
V 3. Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him
It has been suggested that Abram fell on his face as a worshipful attitude toward God, others think he was, "slain in the spirit." Either one fits. You choose.
V 4. As for Me, behold, My covenant (solemn pledge) is with you, and you shall be the father of many nations.
God makes it clear this is an offer. There is no force. In this chapter covenant is mentioned thirteen times. Covenants are important and God does not forget His covenants. There are also ten, "I will's," in the first 21 verses of this chapter. Listen to the tone of His, "I will," as we go through the chapter.
V 5. Nor shall your name any longer be Abram (High father), but your name shall be Abraham (father of a multitude) for I have made you the father of many nations.
God speaks in past tense (I have made) calling those things which be not as though they already were done.
Romans 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickens the dead, and calls those things which be not as though they were.
Romans 4:17 amp. As it is written, I have made you the father of many nations. He was appointed our father, in the sight of God in whom he believed, Who gives life to the dead and speaks of the nonexistent things that (He foretold and promised) as if they already existed.
Abram and Sarai, from the natural point of view had dead bodies concerning the creating of new life. But God gave life to the dead. When God changed Abram to Abraham, the letters (HA) were added, Sarai was changed to Sarah (AH) was added to her name. Both are breathy sounds. God breathed new life into old clay so they could bring forth fruit.
V 6. And I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.
In the book of Revelation, we are called kings and priests, and in Romans it says that we shall reign as kings in life, through the one Jesus. We have this privilege because we are made into the seed of Abraham.
Galatians 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
Galatians 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
V 7. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting solemn pledge to be a God to you and to your posterity after you.
Posterity means all those who come after each of us. Family is very important to God. He established it. When we read history, we discover that nations fall when families disintegrate. Families are to hand down the word of God from parent to child, in this way the nation remains stable.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sit in thine house, and when thou walk by the way, and when thou lie down, and when thou rise up.
The words are to first be in our hearts and then on our lips, while we sit, walk, lie down and when we get up. That sounds like all of the time to me. We are to be teachers of the word by our actions and our words. Unfortunately our households and the people of the world can not always hear the word because our actions speak more loudly than our words. Rome was a world power until their families fell apart.
China has survived longer than any other civilization. Sociologists believe this is so because the Chinese have such a strong sense of family.
Satan loves to work on the root of a structure in order to destroy it. I've been told it is not necessary to chop down a tree to destroy it. All that is necessary is to cut through the bark all around the tree (called ringing it) and the tree will die. If Satan can destroy enough family trees because we fail to be speakers and doer's of the word, then soon the nation will fall. Our nation is filled with ringed family trees. Over 50% of all children live in dysfunctional families. Satan has been chipping away at the bark of the family, because he wants to destroy the nation that was founded upon the words "In God we trust". He is making head way, many now think the national motto should be in gold we trust.
V 8. And I will give to you and to your posterity after you the land in which you are a stranger (going from place to place) all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession: and I will be their God.
The covenant has been confirmed and made everlasting.
V 9. And God said to Abraham, as for you, you shall therefore keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.
V 10. This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your posterity after you : every male among you shall be circumcised.
V 11. And you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin: and it shall be a token or sign of the covenant, (the promise or pledge) between Me and you.
Circum is Latin for around. Cision means to cut. Circumcision was established as the seal or sign of the covenant, and ratified the covenant. It was a sacrament, an external sign of a covenant relationship with God and was required of every male. Being circumcised indicated belonging to God. Circumcision did not save Abraham or bring him and his posterity into vital relation with God any more than baptism in water today saves a person: both are outward signs of an inner relationship and trust in God. They are sacraments. The Book of Common Prayer defines a sacrament as an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. The prophet Jeremiah spoke out strongly against having the external evidence without first having the spiritual change of heart. Jer.9:25
V 12. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male through your generations, whether born in (your) house or bought with (your) money from any foreigner not of your offspring.
V 13. He that is born in your house, and he that is bought with your money, must be circumcised: and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
V 14. And the male who is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from His people: he has broken My covenant.
Everyone within the confines of the tribe, came under the blessing and protection of God as long as they had the mark of the covenant and were a part of Abraham's household.
Eight in the scripture is considered to be the number of new beginning. Seven days completes the cycle, eight begins the new. Eight souls went into the ark and came out to a new beginning. There are also medical reasons for the eighth day being the right time to perform this surgical procedure. It has been determined (in 1947) that the blood clotting factor develops in an infant between the fifth and seventh day of life. By designating the eighth day, God who designed the body, protected the infant males from possible hemorrhage.
In later years non-believers would adopt this rite for health reasons. It took awhile, but medical science finally began to understand that male circumcision would help to protect both male and female from cancer of the genitals.
All that is born in your house or bought with your money. These people were members of Abraham's household for various reasons. Some were indentured by their parents in payment of a debt. Some were given as gifts, some were sold by members of their own family for money and some were traded for cattle or provisions. The principal reasons for slavery were, poverty in peace time and plunder in war. Slaves of the Hebrews had a better life in general than slaves of other nations. There were rules for humane treatment, redemption, and time limits on length of service. In the New Testament the church did not issue a sweeping edict against slavery, the apostle Paul said:
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 6:5-9 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eye service, as men pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man does, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
In time the love shed abroad by the gospel of Christ caused men to see slavery as wrong.
V 15. And God said to Abraham, As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah (princess) her name shall be.
Sarah was a feminine form of the Semites common title sar. It was used to designate a ruler of great rank.
V 16. And I will bless her, and give you a son also of her: yes, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations: kings of peoples shall come from Her.
V 17. Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, shall a child be born to a man who is 100 years old? And shall Sarah who is 90 years old, bear a son?
Abraham and Sarah were well past the re-productive years. When Abraham looked at his body and at Sarah's body, the notion of a child being born from them seemed ridiculous. After looking at his body, he chose to believe the word of God rather than the obvious circumstances.
Romans 4:19-22 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
V 18. And he said to God, O that Ishmael might live before You!
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V 19. But God said, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son indeed: and you shall call his name Isaac (laughter), and I will establish My covenant or solemn pledge with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his posterity after him.
V 20. And as for Ishmael, I have heard and heeded you: behold, I will bless him and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly: he shall be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.
Genesis 25:12-16 Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bare unto Abraham: And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations.
Abraham had grown to love Ishmael and so interceded for him. When we talk with God we can be sure that He hears and will heed and bless.
V 21. But My covenant, My promise and pledge, I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this season next year.
V 22. And God stopped talking with him, and went up from Abraham.
V 23. and Abraham took Ishmael his son and all that were born in his house and all that were bought with his money, every male among (those) of Abraham's house, and circumcised (them) the very same day, as God had said to him.
V 24. And Abraham was 99 years old when he was circumcised.
V 25. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised.
According to the Koran, Arab males are circumcised when they are thirteen years old, following the pattern established with Ishmael.
V 26. On the very same day Abraham was circumcised and Ishmael his son.
V 27. And all the men of his house, both those born in the house and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised along with him.
Though Abraham was slow to respond on earlier occasions, he did not hesitate this time. On the day God spoke, Abraham acted.
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Teaching And Research By: M. E. Arbaugh
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