Hello everyone! Welcome to today’s Bible study on Genesis 17 – The covenant of circumcision. According to Bible scholars, the events of the book of Genesis 17 took place approximately in 2067 B.C.
I encourage you to turn to Genesis 17 in your Bible. Kindly invite the Holy Spirit to guide you as you read and study Genesis 17 with me. I mention this in all the Bible Studies because it is through the Holy Spirit that we get fresh revelation and knowledge to understand the word of God. I am using the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, just in case you want to know. All the scriptures that you find highlighted in purple in this post are from the NKJV.
In the Bible Study on Genesis 16, we read about Hagar giving birth to Ishmael. Well, in this Bible study on Genesis 17, we will read about God’s covenant of circumcision with Abraham and the males of his household.
Without any further delay, let us study together Genesis Chapter 17, shall we?
God Changed Abram’s Name To Abraham
1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. 2 And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” 3 Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: 4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.
Verses 1-5 of Genesis 17 tells us that Abram was 99 years old when the Lord appeared again to him. He told Abram that He was Almighty God and commanded him to walk before Him and be blameless. He promised to make a covenant between Him and Abram and multiply him exceedingly. Abram fell on his face before God and God continued speaking. The Lord said that His covenant was with Abram and changed Abram’s name to Abraham, because He had made him the father of many nations.
God’s Covenant With Abraham And His Descendants
6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. 7 And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. 8 Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”
In Verses 6-8 of Genesis 17, God said that He would make nations of Abraham and that kings shall come from his line. God made an everlasting covenant with Abraham and his descendants. He gave him and his descendants the entire land of Canaan for a permanent possession and said that He shall be their God.
The Covenant Of Circumcision
9 And God said to Abraham: “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. 10 This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; 11 and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.
12 He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. 13 He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”
In Verses 9-14 of Genesis 17, God commanded Abraham and his descendants to keep the covenant for all generations. Every male child were to undergo circumcision in the flesh of their foreskins. And, it was the sign of the covenant between God and Abraham. All the males in Abraham’s generation, starting from 8-days old, had to undergo circumcision. The covenant was also for those born in Abraham’s house or those that were brought with money from foreigners who were not descendants of Abraham. God’s covenant with Abraham and his descendants was in their flesh for an everlasting covenant. Any male child without the circumcision were to be removed from his people as a result of breaking God’s covenant.
God Changes Sarai’s Name To Sarah
15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16 And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a motherof nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.”
In Verses 15-16 of Genesis 17, God changed Sarai’s name to Sarah. He promised to bless her and give Abraham a son through her. He blessed her and called her a mother of nations and told her that kings of people shall come from her.
Observation
In Genesis 16, we saw that Sarah who was then Sarai was barren and well beyond her fertile years. Hence, she gave her maidservant Hagar as a wife to Abraham to bear a child. However, God saw Sarah as the mother of nations. Many times we judge something in our lives based on outer circumstances and we think so small of ourselves. However, in God’s eyes we are more than how we see ourselves.
Abraham Couldn’t See Past Reality
17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!”
In Verses 17-18 of Genesis 17, Abraham could not fathom all that God told him. Abraham doubted how could an old couple have a biological child. He was already 100 years old and his wife Sarah was already 90 years old. Hence, he surely thought that God was talking about Ishmael whom he begot through Hagar. God’s ways are way higher than our ways, our intellect and what we think is practical. God deals with the impossible.
God Emphasized That Sarah Shall Beget Isaac
19 Then God said: “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. 21 But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year.” 22 Then He finished talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
In Verses 19-22 of Genesis 17, God told Abraham that Sarah, his wife, shall bear him a son named Isaac. He said that He will establish His everlasting covenant with Isaac and his descendants. The Lord God also consoled Abraham that He heard Abraham’s plea about Ishmael. He promised to bless and multiply Ishmael who would beget 12 princes and be a great nation. However, God’s covenant was with Isaac whom Sarah shall bear to Abraham. It was to be the year after at the same time period as Abraham’s current meeting with God . God finished talking with Abraham and went up from him.
The Circumcision Of Abraham And The Males In His Household
23 So Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very same day, as God had said to him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 That very same day Abraham was circumcised, and his son Ishmael; 27 and all the men of his house, born in the house or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.
In Verses 23-27 of Genesis 17, Abraham along with Ishmael and all the males in his household, including those he brought with money, did the circumcision of their foreskins. They did this on the very same day that God had spoken to Abraham. Abraham and his household did not delay in obeying God’s instruction. They were quick to follow, with action, God’s instruction. Abraham was 99 years old and Ishmael was 13 years old during the circumcision.
Conclusion
This brings us to the end of the bible study lesson on Genesis 17. Abraham was obedient to God in all that he did. We also observe that when God promoted Abraham as the father of nations He also changed his name from Abram to Abraham. The covenant of circumcision, just as all covenants that God made and makes, is a permanent one and very sacred just like the rainbow covenant in Genesis 9. I hope you learnt something from this free bible study and found it helpful in your Bible study journey. If you have any comments or questions for me, kindly leave them in the comments box below. I highly appreciate it. I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Until Next Time!