How Long, Lord?

Introduction

Ours has been called by some “the microwave generation.” Though there is truth behind this, the use of “microwave” is dated. A post-war invention, the microwave is a Baby Boomer generation phenomenon. They used it first, Xers perfected it, and Millennials benefit from it.

God's promises are the central feature of the Abrahamic story.

They occur in almost every chapter (). The promises are spoken by God in the first person, and most of them directly to Abraham (two of them are to Hagar). This appointed Genesis text is focused on promise, spoken regarding both Abraham (verses 1-7) and Sarah (verses 15-16). These promises are at heart nothing new, given the promises in 12:1-3, 7; 13:14-17; 15:1, 4-5, 7, 13-16, 18-21; 16:10-12, but there are elements of freshness. Especially to be noted:

the language of "everlasting" and "kings" the stress on "descendants" (repeated thirteen times) a more global understanding of covenant ("a multitude of nations") a heightened sense of the centrality of the relationship between God and Abraham ("to be God to you") and new names for Abram, Sarai, and God (El Shaddai, either God of the mountains or breasts, not God Almighty, a translation from the Greek and Latin)

A. God and Abram (17:1–14)

1. Abram’s new title (17:1–8): God changes Abram’s name from Abram (“exalted father”) to Abraham (“father of many”).

2. Abraham’s new task (17:9–14)

a. The particulars (17:9–13): As a sign of the covenant, he is to circumcise himself, all males in his camp, and all baby boys eight days after their birth.

b. The penalty (17:14): Those who refuse to be circumcised are to be cut off from the Israelites.

B. God and Sarai (17:15–19)

1. The renaming of Sarai (17:15): God changes her name from Sarai to Sarah (“princess”).

2. The reassuring of Sarah (17:16–19): God promises that this barren woman will indeed become the mother of nations.

C. God and Ishmael (17:20–27)

1. Revealing the future of Ishmael (17:20–22): God tells Abraham that Ishmael will become the ancestor of twelve princes and a great nation.

2. Removing the flesh of Ishmael (17:23–27): At age ninety-nine, Abraham circumcises himself, the thirteen-year-old Ishmael, and all the men in his camp.

Willmington, H. L. (1999). The Outline Bible (). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.