Scripture: When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”
And God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”
Genesis 17:1-14 ESV [Click here to read the entire chapter.]
Observation: Recapping Yesterday’s Daily Focus, Sarai tells Abram to conceive an heir through her maid servant, the Egyptian Hagar, which he does. But when Hagar realizes she is pregnant, she holds Sarai in contempt, sparking Sarai to confront Abram and blame him for Hagar’s attitude. Abram tells Sarai to do as she pleases with Hagar since she is under Sarai’s power. Consequently, Sarai treats Hagar harshly, causing her to flee to a wilderness spring. Yahweh’s angel visits her there and questions why she’s on the run. Hagar divulges that she is fleeing from her mistress. The angel then commands Hagar to return to Sarai and submit to her, assuring Hagar that he will multiply her offspring beyond numbering. The angel further instructs her to name her son Ishmael because God has listened to her affliction. Finally, he prophecies that Ishmael will be a wild and stubborn man in conflict with everyone, but he will rule over his kin. Beholding the one who looked after her, Hagar names the Lord: “You are a God of seeing.” Hagar then returns and bears Abram (now eighty-six), a son whom she names Ishmael.
Today’s text picks up the storyline thirteen years later. The Lord appears to Abram and reminds him that he is God Almighty. Thus, Abram will walk blamelessly before him in fulfillment of the covenant. Abram responds with contrition, prostrating himself before God. At this point, God reiterates that Abram will be the father of many nations, renames him Abraham (Hebrew meaning: “father of a multitude”), and reassures Abraham he will prosper him, with even kings seeking his company. Yahweh adds that this covenant will be everlasting to his offspring and that he will be their God and give them all the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession. Thus, as a sign of commitment to the covenant, Abraham and all his male offspring and servants must receive the circumcision of the foreskin. Otherwise, any who refuse circumcision shall be deemed covenant breakers and cut off from God’s people.
Takeaway: According to theologian John Sailhamer, the Hebrew imperative, “be blameless,” as translated above, is better understood in conjunction with the first imperative (“walk before me”) as the outcome, not the condition. Thus, the better translation is “Walk before me, and you will be blameless” (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Genesis, p. 138). Indeed, this translation aligns better with the understanding that God will fulfill both sides of the covenant. But why does Yahweh renew the covenant? Salihammer sees this second covenantal dialogue between the Lord and Abraham not as a renewal but part two: “The simplest answer lies in seeing the two covenants as, in fact, two distinct aspects of God’s covenant with Abraham—the one stressing the promise of the land (15:18–21) and the other stressing the promise of a great abundance of descendants (17:2).” (p.138)
Still, why the outward sign of circumcision? The original audience would be well aware of the ancient Near East practice of circumcision as a rite of passage for puberty and marriage. Thus, they would see this provision not as an innovation but as an adaptation to a unique passage of faith. Given that with the marriage rite, the new brother-in-law would circumcise the groom to symbolize their family’s protection, so being circumcised under the Abrahamic Covenant would denote coming under the protection of God and his people.
Lastly, if God made an everlasting covenant that includes Abraham’s progeny possessing the Promised Land forever, why does history not prove this true? As theologian John Walton notes, the Hebrew word for covenant ʿolam can mean an “everlasting covenant” (as translated above). Still, there are just as many biblical contexts where it refers to open-ended perpetuity (NIV Application Commentary: Genesis, p.450). One example is Hannah’s vow that her son will serve in the house of the Lord forever (ʿolam; 1 Samuel 1:22). Thus, we can understand from our passage that God has made an open-ended vow that later generations would realize his Son has fulfilled in part with his death and resurrection and will fulfill at his return (i.e., when the multitude of saints from all nations will dwell with the Father and Son in the new Promised Land (Revelation 21).
Our takeaway? Following the above questions and answers, we, Abraham’s progeny, under the New Covenant of Grace, do not gain God’s favor by mustering enough spiritual fortitude to be blameless, but by faith in Christ, trust that his substitutionary death has paid the price in full for our inability to be blameless before God. While the apostles established that circumcision is a matter of the heart and not of the flesh, we submit to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit to increasingly become more obedient to God’s will. Finally, as we obey God’s will, we expand the borders of our Promised Land (the Kingdom of God on earth) in anticipation of a new Promised Land when Christ returns. So “walk before God” under the New Covenant of Grace, where he sees us through the sacred and righteous blood of his covenant-keeping Son.
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for your Son, who walked before you blamelessly and fulfilled the requirements of all the covenants you made with your people—thereby providing us the only but sure way to take possession of your eternal Promised Land. And we thank you for your Holy Spirit, who circumcises our hearts so that we might obey your good, pleasing, and perfect will. Still, we are prone to wander, doing life our way. So, please run after us when we stray so that we might consistently walk before you, growing your kingdom and glorifying your name. Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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