ABRAHAM SERIES: COVENANT RENEWAL AND NAMES CHANGED

From reading the scriptures, it has been twenty-four years since Abram left Haran, and over a decade since God had their last recorded conversation. Now, at the age of ninety-nine, God revisits him. First, declaring who He is, El Shaddai the Almighty God, He then informs Abram to obey Him and do His will. Once again, God reaffirms His previous covenant with Abram, and in response, Abram bowed himself down before God.

God informs Abram that he would be the father of many nations and that his name would be changed to Abraham. Abraham’s seed would be exceedingly fruitful, and from them would come nations and kings. This everlasting covenant was not only to Abram but also to his future seeds with the land of Canaan, where they were a stranger, promised as their inheritance.

As a token in keeping this everlasting covenant between him and God, every male child was to be circumcised. From then on, at eight days old, an infant was to be circumcised. This covenant included circumcision for the house-born slaves and purchased slaves. If there were a male who was not circumcised, they would not be part of the covenant.

Furthermore, God said Sarai’s name would be changed to Sarah, and He would bless her, she would bear a son, and she would be a princess and the mother of nations and kings.

Hearing this information, Abraham fell on his face and laughed. He thought, “Shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?” Remembering Ishmael, his firstborn, who was now thirteen years old, Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live before thee!” God informed him that He had heard his request and would bless Ishmael, who would beget twelve princes, be fruitful, and multiply, and from his seed, a great nation would come. However, Isaac, the child Sarah would bear next year, and Isaac’s descendants would be the ones with whom He would establish His everlasting covenant.

Abraham, who was ninety-nine years old, followed God’s instructions and circumcised all the males in his household after God had departed from him.

In Genesis 17, four new names were introduced. First and foremost, God reveals to Abram that He is God Almighty, which in Hebrew is El Shaddai. Abram’s name was changed to Abraham, which means “father of many nations.” Sarai’s name was changed to Sarah, which means “princess,” and Isaac, the name of their son, which means “laughter,” was given to them.

Biblically, the name El Shaddai, which means “Almighty God” in the Hebrew language, is found forty-eight times in the Old Testament. In this chapter, the words “I will” are found approximately twelve times, and “my covenant, ” which denotes the relationship between God and Abraham, is recorded nine times.

Historically, as recorded in the scriptures, twenty-four years ago, God spoke to Abraham about blessing his seed; however, prior to this time, He never revealed who would bear this seed, and Abraham did not ask. Now, in chapter seventeen, God informed Abraham that the covenant promise was to be for the child he and Sarah would bear. Through the years, Abraham had bonded with his son Ishmael, and accepting the fact that Ishmael was not the chosen child was a bit challenging for him.

Here are the nuggets I gained from Genesis 17:

God desires to pour out blessings on those with whom He has a covenant.

God wants His people to know that He, the Almighty God, is capable of doing impossible things.

In His relationship with humanity, God places requirements on them.

The gracious acts of God cause men to be humbled.

A good, loving father will be concerned about the welfare of his child.

When God wants to bless His people, He gives them land.

Obedience is key in receiving all that God has for you.