Abrahamic Covenant Terms, Genesis 17:9-14

Posted on November 13, 2015 by KD Manes under Bible Study

My last post covered God’s perfect timing as He clarified His covenant with Abraham prior to launch (Gen. 17:1-8). This post covers God’s expectations of Abraham and his descendants in relation to His covenant. We’ll explore Abraham’s reaction to God and the remainder of chapter 17 next week.

You may read Genesis 17 here: Bible Gateway.

God’s Terms

A covenant is a contract. While most contracts require an even trade, God’s terms were quite lopsided.

What exactly were God’s terms?

Abraham’s responsibility: “Walk before me and be blameless. . . . This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised . . . . It will be the sign of the covenant between me and you.” – Gen. 17:1, 10-11

And God’s part?

He would give Abraham property, heirs, wealth, and power (Gen. 17:4-8).

God’s requirement for Abraham to circumcise the males in his household, however, was not conditional to His promise. But disobedience to this command would be costly: “Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

Typically, this is a reference to execution, sometimes by the Israelites, but usually by God, in the form of premature death.” – Layman’s Bible Commentary

Circumcision: The Sign of the Covenant

(todayiamblessed.com)

The word circumcision means ‘cutting around.’ It refers to a minor operation that removes the foreskin from the male organ. Only males underwent circumcision. In the patriarchal society of the ancient Near East, people considered that a girl or woman shared the condition of her father if she was single, or her husband if she was married. . . . It [circumcision] is to an Israelite what a wedding ring is to a bridegroom.” – Layman’s Bible Commentary

Circumcision was personal for the individual concerned, his parents, and his wife. This outward sign symbolized an inward commitment.

Reflect

Although following God requires commitment and obedience, His benefits and blessings far outweigh our cost of discomfort or inconvenience.

How does the biblical command for circumcision relate to us today?

Once an individual was circumcised, there was no turning back. Similarly, God wants us to commit our lives to Him, walking blamelessly before Him by not turning back and indulging in sin. Deuteronomy 30:6 speaks of the kind of circumcision that counts—circumcision of the heart—operated by the Holy Spirit. It involves cutting away the old sinful nature instead of mechanically observing the written code.

For more on this concept please see The Meaning of Circumcision. . . . Have a wonderful week!

God’s Perfect Timing: Abrahamic Covenant, Genesis 17:1-8

Posted on November 6, 2015 by KD Manes under Bible Study

Thirteen years passed since Ishmael was born. Although Abram seemed to be doing well financially and Ishmael was growing into young manhood, Scripture is silent during this time. It would be easy for Abram to give up hope of having a son through Sarai and forget God’s covenant promise.

But God—who is not bound to our time table or expectations—didn’t forget. He would carry out His plan in His perfect timing.

And His time was ripe.

Although God had spoken His covenant to Abram four different times (Gen. 12:1-3; 12:7; 13:14-17; 15:5-21) and used the term “covenant” (Hebrew berith) once defining the boundaries of the promised land (Gen. 15:18), God sharpens the focus by using the term “covenant” thirteen times in chapter 17.

The adjectives attached to the word (covenant) are significant. Nine times it is called “my covenant,” three times it is called “an everlasting covenant,” and once it is called “the covenant betwixt me and you.” – Henry Morris (The Genesis Record)

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This post covers Genesis 17:1-8. But you may read the entire chapter here: Bible Gateway.

When God appears again, Abram is 99 years-old. He and Sarai are well beyond child bearing age. In response to God’s powerful and glorious presence Abram falls face down.

I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”

“The LORD will have compassion on Jacob; once again He will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land. Aliens will join them and unite the house of Jacob,” Isaiah 14:1.
God intended for the world to be blessed through His faithful people (Gen. 12:3). Through King David’s family line, the entire world would have opportunity to be saved through faith in Jesus Christ.

God’s admonishment to be blameless is not conditional to His covenant. Rather, it is a command.

God sharpens His promise: 1) He would give Abram many descendants. 2) Many nations would descend from Abram. God changed Abram’s name to Abraham “father of a multitude”. 3) God would keep His covenant with Abraham’s descendants. 4) God would give the land of Canaan to Abraham’s descendants.

Only God’s strong arm would accomplish all of this in His perfect timing.

Morris writes: “No action on the part of Abraham’s descendants can ever permanently sever the land from them . . . . ‘I will be their God’: Though many have gone astray, and the history of Abraham’s seed has been long and sad, there has always been at least a remnant in every generation that continues to worship and obey the God of Abraham. . . . This promise no doubt applied primarily to those who are his seed according to the flesh, but also encompassed the spiritual seed of Abraham, who is the father of all them that believe.”

Reflect

God’s command to Abram, “Walk before me and be blameless” still applies to us today. My NIV Study Bible sums it up: “We are to obey the Lord in every respect because He is God – that is reason enough. If [we] don’t think the benefits of obedience are worth it, consider who God is – the only One with the power and ability to meet [our] every need.”

Next week we’ll look at the covenant terms God gave Abraham (Gen. 17:9-27). Have a great week!

Hagar and Ishmael, Genesis 16

Posted on October 30, 2015 by KD Manes under Bible Study

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; so she said to Abram, ‘The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her.’ Abram agreed to do what Sarai said.” –Genesis 16:1-2

Genesis 16 is bittersweet.

Bitter from the consequences of Abram and Sarai’s efforts to “help God by helping themselves”, which have snowballed into the Israeli-Arab conflict we see today. (The Arabs descended from Ishmael.)

But this chapter is not without some sweet spots. In compassion, God reaches out to Hagar—who is forced into an ugly situation—and graciously promises that her son, Ishmael, will also have many descendants.

You may read Genesis 16 here: Bible Gateway.

The Back Story

“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.” – Hebrews 10:35-36

Abram and Sarai, now 85 and 75 respectively, have demonstrated great faith in God’s promise of many descendants. But after years without conceiving—not to mention the human impossibility to birth babies in their old age—the thin scraps of their faith finally snap.

Unwilling to forfeit the possibility of having a family, Sarai proposes a last-ditch effort that aligns with the common practice of their day.

Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her.”

Since Hagar is their own personal property, any children she might bear to Abram would belong to Sarai (according to customs).

Abram concedes. And Hagar conceives.

Naturally, sparks begin to fly between Sarai and Hagar with this newly arranged marital affair. As tension builds, Sarai—who instigated this plan—blames Abram. So Abram allows Sarai to handle Hagar however she pleases.

The result? Sarai’s burning anger and frustration—against Abram, herself, and Hagar—boil into harsh mistreatment. In desperation, Hagar runs away.

El Roi: The God Who Sees

As the journey through the wilderness (probably towards her home in Egypt) would be tough, the “angel of the Lord” meets Hagar and tells her to go back to Abram.

This is the first use of the “angel of the Lord” in the Bible. The context (vs. 13) implies that this “angel” was God Himself, another preincarnate appearance of the Messiah.

I love that God addresses Hagar by name. Although He gave special promises to Abram, His love and concern for individuals are shown here. And though it wasn’t God’s will for Abram and Hagar’s union, He promised Hagar a son who would also have many descendants. God gave him the name, Ishmael, which means “God hears”. Hagar would likely remember how God met her need. She also named the well where God spoke to her “the well of the Living One who seeth me” (Beer-lahai-roi), and called God El Roi: “the God who sees”.

God also reveals Ishmael’s future disposition to Hagar: “a wild donkey of a man” who will live in hostility toward all his brothers (vs. 12).

Hagar Returns

Encouraged from her encounter with God, Hagar returns to Abram. She must have told Abram her experience because when their baby is born, Abram (86 yrs.) names him Ishmael.

Reflect

Sometimes our biggest test is waiting for God to act. The temptation to fix things is strong, but even our best intentions—apart from God—interfere with His plans. Although our motives may begin with a pure heart, God never justifies sinful means.
Anger, if left unchecked, can be dangerous. . . . Instead of blaming others, do we need to fess’ up and ask forgiveness in an area?
God often wants us to face our problems head-on instead of running away (even though it may be justified) . . . . Do we need an attitude adjustment? Which promise(s) of God do we need to stand on?

God Seals His promise to Give Abram the Land: Part 2, Genesis 15:12-21

Posted on October 23, 2015 by KD Manes under Bible Study

My last post covered God’s renewal of His promise to give Abram the land (Part 1, Genesis 15:7-11).

In Summary

After inquiring God about possessing the land of Canaan, Abram obeys God’s instructions regarding an animal sacrifice. On completion of the sacrifice, Abram’s patience and perseverance are stretched as he drives away birds of prey swooping down on the carcasses. In the meanwhile, Abram waits for God’s response to his question.

We pick up with Genesis 15:12-21. You may read this section here: Bible Gateway.

As the sun sets Abram falls into a deep sleep. God is about to connect Abram’s sacrifice with His promise through a vision.

Terror

“Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him (Genesis 15:12).”

Although fear is often the response of people in the Bible who have encountered God, Henry Morris (The Genesis Record) suggests: “This [dreadful darkness] could only symbolize death itself, from which Abram was to be delivered by God’s covenantal grace. In the case of the nation sired by Abram, it also symbolized their long tribulation in the land of Egypt before they could inherit the promised land. Perhaps ultimately it also symbolized, as Adam’s ‘deep sleep’ had symbolized, the death of Christ and the glory that would follow.”

During Abram’s vision God prophesies the enslavement of Abram’s descendants in Egypt for 400 years. (The book of Exodus tells this story and how God powerfully delivers them.) Abram wouldn’t live through this horrible enslavement, however, or see the fulfillment of the promised land. But God advised him that he would die peacefully at a ripe old age.

Why Did God Delay His Judgment on the Canaanites?

The reason God delayed judgment on the people of Canaan was that “the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure” (vs. 16). God—not willing that anyone perish (2 Peter 3:9)—delayed His judgment just as he did with the Flood for 120 years.

Legalized Agreements

In Abram’s day involved parties legalized an agreement with a graphic ceremony. The dividing of an animal sealed the covenant. After the animal was cut in half the two parties would pass between the halves and repeat the covenant’s terms. In this way they were agreeing: “If I fail to fulfill my commitments to this covenant, may I suffer the same fate as this animal.”

Although Abram had divided the animals in his sacrifice, he could now only observe God pass between the animal halves as he was still engulfed in terrified darkness.

God Seals His Covenant

In an unforgettable scene, God portrays Himself as a smoking firepot with a blazing torch as He alone passes between the pieces and seals His covenant. God—in response to Abram’s believing faith—was not dependent on Abram to fulfill His part of the contract.

The fire and smoke suggests God’s holiness, His zeal for righteousness, and His judgment on the nations. God took the initiative, gave the confirmation, and followed through on his promises.” (The NIV Life Application Study Bible)

After sealing His covenant God specifies the boundaries of the promised land (vs. 18-21). (For more on God’s covenant land borders see: Israeli Frontline.)

Next week we’ll see how Sarai, impatient with God’s timing, devises a plan in hopes of jump-starting God’s promise of many descendants. Have a terrific week!

God Renews His Promise to Give Abram the Land: Part 1, Genesis 15:7-11

Posted on October 16, 2015 by KD Manes under Bible Study

I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.” – Genesis 15:7

This is my third post from Genesis 15 on the Abrahamic Covenant. You may read the first two posts here: The Word of the Lord; God Renews His Promise to Abram.

In summary (Genesis 15:1-6):

God’s word came to Abram in a vision. He told Abram to not be afraid, for He would be his shield and very great reward (15:1-2).
Abram questioned God: “What can you give me since I remain childless?”
As God’s vision to Abram continued, He told Abram that his son would come from his own body. Once again, God renewed His promise to give Abram many descendants. This time He told him to count the stars—if indeed he could count them—“So shall your offspring be,” (15:4-5).
Abram believed God, and God credited (imputed) it to him as righteousness (15:6).

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This post covers Genesis 15:7-11. You may read it here: Bible Gateway.

God renews His promise to give Abram the land, (Part 1).

Unlike us, Abram didn’t have access to a Bible for guidance. We know that Abram believed God’s words (Gen. 15:6). So Abram’s questions were more of an inquiry, seeking confirmation of details and assurance, rather than an expression of doubt:

O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it [the land of Canaan]?” – vs. 8

God’s answer ends in an unforgettable ceremony. But first, God gives Abram specific instructions.

Abram’s Sacrifice

God tells Abram to bring: a heifer, a goat and a ram, (each three years old), along with a dove and a young pigeon.

Animal sacrifices in the Old Testament sound strange. But when Abram practiced God’s instructions, he knew that sin’s curse could only be removed by sacrifice in the shedding of blood.

Layman’s Bible Commentary notes: “The sacrifice that God instructs Abram to make involves the same ceremonially clean animals that are used later in the sacrificial system under the Law of Moses. The use of five different kinds of sacrificial animals underlines the solemnity of the occasion. The text implies that Abram is familiar with the ritual to take place, because God does not explicitly state what to do with the animals; he also sacrifices them and lays them out as an offering (15:9-10).”

God’s Timing

In His perfect timing, God would connect the sacrifice with His promise. When God finally responded, (which we will explore next week), Abram could only observe in an unforgettable, sensory enriched ceremony (vs. 12-21).

But after Abram prepared his sacrifice, God was silent.

Abram waited. . . . And he waited. . . . And he waited.

In the meanwhile, birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses. But Abram held his ground and successfully drove them away.

Why Did God Wait to Respond?

(Picture Source: bklynmed.tumbler.com) Henry Morris suggests: “The delay possibly symbolized the fact that, although God’s covenant would be sure, its accomplishment would take a long time. . . . This experience [having to drive off the birds of prey] no doubt symbolized the attempts of Satan to thwart the plans of God, plus the need for alertness in the believer in order that the enemy not succeed.”

Satan’s tactics include:

Doubt – of God and His Word
Discouragement – taking our focus off of God and onto our problems
Diversion – making the wrong things appear more attractive than the right things
Defeat – making you feel like you’ve failed, so why try?
Delay – convinces us to procrastinate, so we don’t act on the right choice

When you find yourself waiting on God, keep praying and hold tight to His promises (Eph. 6). Our all-knowing God will act in His perfect timing.

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Stay tuned . . . Next week we’ll discover how God seals the deal concerning the land (Part 2, Genesis 15:12-21). Have a great week!