Sermon Tone Analysis

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Prayer

Too bad there is not much to talk about!

I guess the word is keep looking up.

For our redemption draws nigh.

Last time you might remember that we saw Sarai and Abram take matters into their own hands.

(Usually not a good idea when it come to things of the Spirit.)

We discussed waiting on God and pondered the question of “how long?”

We also learned a lot about Hagar and the family dynamics of plural marriage.

We ended with the birth of Ismael to Abram at the young age of 86.

Tonight, we pick up the story some 13 years later in Chapter 17. Please stand as we read;

When we read and study these stories we can lose track of the time that is passing.

We tend to think that this narratives are one right after the other in short time spans.

But often as he that is not the case.

The last verse of Chapter 16 verse 16 is;

Now in Chapter 17 we are told Abram is 99! Abram is undoubtedly thinking that it was through Ishmael the Promises would be fulfilled and he is Ok with that outcome.

But here in verse 1 God (specifically Yahweh) shows up and re-introduces Himself as “God Almighty.”

In Hebrew this is “El Shadai.”

This title means the all powerful or all sufficient.

This title is important as God is about to reveal some mind blowing things.

As a quick aside, the name of God - El Shadai and its relationship to the Hebrew word Lamb.

Video- Biblical Hebrew For Beginners: The Meaning Of The Lamb In Hebrew 1.30 - 4:18

Jesus is every where in this book!

Verse one ends with a command,

Walk before Me, and be blameless.

Here walk is an imperative meaning to live your life.

The words used here for before me is the Hebrew word face, pannim.

As if to say I God am always watching you.

God adds that Abram is to walk in a blameless manner.

If you have a KJV the word is translated perfect.

We have seen this word previously in the life of Noah.

Genesis 6:9 (NASB95)

9 These are the records of the generations of Noah.

Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.

“or perfect in his generations.”

The Hebrew word for Blameless or Perfect is tāmîm.

There we discussed Noah as having no blemishes in his genealogy.

Here in verse 1 God is commanding Abram to live in wholeness or integrity before God.

Now as a Born Again believer In Jesus Christ, in light of the high calling given to Abram, look at what Jesus has done for us;

Colossians 1:21–23 (NASB95)

21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,

22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—

23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

Now the story continues with Yahweh re-stating His promises or His covenant to Abram but adds a twist.

Genesis 17:2–5 (NASB95)

2 “I will establish My covenant between Me and you,

And I will multiply you exceedingly.”

3 Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying,

4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you,

And you will be the father of a multitude of nations.

5 “No longer shall your name be called Abram,

But your name shall be Abraham;

For I will make you the father of a multitude of nations.

God changes his name to Abraham.

Literally Father of Nations.

Think about it, how many children did he have?

1, Ishmael.

So when he met someone he would introduce himself as the father of nations.

So the other party would ask how many children do you have?

We continue;

So here God is restating His covenant after giving it originally in Chapter 12;

Genesis 12:1–3 (NASB95)

1 Now the Lord said to Abram,

“Go forth from your country,

And from your relatives

And from your father’s house,

To the land which I will show you;

2 And I will make you a great nation,

And I will bless you,

And make your name great;

And so you shall be a blessing;

3 And I will bless those who bless you,

And the one who curses you I will curse.

And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

and again in Chapter 15; when Yahweh “cut” His covenant with Abram making unilateral covenant with Abram thus assuring Abram that God was Alone responsible to keep its terms.

Now, Here in Ch 17, God adds to the covenant between He and Abram’s descendants.

With the token or the sign of circumcision;

Notice, circumcision was not optional to any male who was to be part of the seed of Abraham.

Verse 13 tells us that it was to be an everlasting covenant.

As Christians we can understand why it was such a big issue for the church in the first century.

On circumcision, Henry Morris writes;

Furthermore, it is primarily a sign only to the individual concerned, his parents, and his wife.

It was not a sign to be a shown to people in general, but was uniquely personal.

To his parents it would confirm that they had been faithful in transmitting the seed to the son with whom God had blessed their nation, and that they were trying to follow God’s will in training him.

To his wife, it would give assurance that he indeed was a descendant of Abraham, to whom she could joyfully submit in the marriage relation, in faith that God would bless their home and their children.

To the man himself, it would be a daily testimony that he and his family were consecrated to the God of Abraham and that they shared in his calling and ministry to the world.

Of course, what started as a truly meaningful rite became a simply religious exercise.

Much like infant baptism today.

The issue is obviously one of the heart.

A problem that religious rites and rituals cannot cure.

On this Jeremiah prophesies;

Paul picks up on this in Romans;

Its all about a personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ!

Now notice that in 17:12 we are told that circumcision is to be performed on the 8th day.

It just so happens that It is of significant medical importance that male circumcision be carried out on the eighth day after birth since the level of vitamin K is highest on this day and vitamin K plays a pivotal role in regulation and control of the important clotting factors in the coagulation pathway that helps in stopping bleeding.

It just like God knew that the 8th day was the perfect day.

wow!

Finally, circumcision is practiced by virtually all semitic cultures and even the Egyptians.

Now, we get to an interesting point in that we learn it wasn’t only Abraham that was called here but Sarah was divinely called as well.

Genesis 17:15–22 (NASB95)