The covenant of circumcision
Genesis 17
Key verse 17:4,5
Good morning. Happy new year. Last week, P. Jacob said he loves Genesis chapter 17 because God changed Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai’s name to Sarah and transformed Abraham to be a faithful and blameless person. Today, in chapter 17, we are going to learn about God who had a great vision for Abram and Sarai that he changed their names to Abraham and Sarah each. He also commanded Abraham to be circumcised as the sign of the covenant. Through this passage, what does God speak to us today? What can we learn from? I pray God may speak to our heart through this message.
First, walk before me faithfully and be blameless.
In verse 1, when Abram was 99 years old, God appeared to him. According to Genesis 16:16, when he was 86 years old, he got his son Ishmael. 13 years have passed since then. My two little children were born in my 40s. They are my joy. They make me happy and of course busy every day. Since Abram had Isamael at age 86, how happy and joyful he would be every day. When he saw Ishmael growing each day, he was proud of his son. Also, he was rich, not worrying about his retirement at all. He had 318 trained men to protect his house. He had a noble character wife Sarai and a young wife Hagar. He thanked God who blessed him to enjoy a good life. His life seemed to be perfect.
However, in verse 1, God said to him, “I am God almighty. Walk before me faithfully and be blameless”. God first reminded Abram who he is. “I am God almighty”. In the past, Abram lived in Ur, an idol worshipping place. There, he worshipped idols. He lived a sinful life. But God saved him, called him as a blessing and put him in Cannan. In Genesis 13, when he messed up in Egypt, God had pity on him. God inflicted serious diseases on Pharoah that Pharoah let him and his wife go freely. In Genesis 14, God delivered even the armies of 5 kings into his hands that he defeated them. In Genesis 15, when Hagar, in pregnancy, ran away from Sarai, God found her and helped her realize that God is the one who sees her. She came back to his house safely. In each step of his life, God has helped him and displayed his almighty power.
Now in verse 1, the almighty God said to him, “walk before me faithfully and be blameless.” Based on what God said to him, we can guess in the eyes of God, Abram did not walk before God faithfully. In Genesis 12, there is a reason why God called him. It says “You will be a blessing. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you”. This was God’s vision for him. But he did not live up to God’s calling. However, God did not give him up. God is going to do a new thing in his life.
When I read verse 1, it convicted me that I need to walk before God faithfully and be blameless this year. When I moved to DE 3 years ago, everything was new. I was very afraid. But now, getting familiar to this area, comfortable, and campus ministry is slowly growing. I am thankful to God. However, this verse speaks to me that ‘I am God almighty. Walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Are you walking before God faithfully? Do you live a blames life before him? If not, let us repent sincerely this time. I think God is going to do something new and great for us this year, however before that, God wants us to change our attitude first before him.
Second, your name will be Abraham.
In verse 2, God made his covenant between him and Abram. What is his covenant? Shall we read verses 4 and 5? “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram ; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. God’s covenant is to make Abram the father of many nations. H changed Abram’s name to Abraham. Abram means ‘an exalted father or a noble father’. Abraham means ‘a father of many’.
In general, changing names has a big meaning. In America, you can change your name legally when you get married, or you become a US citizen or you really hate your name that you appeal to the court to change your name. In my life, when I became a USA citizen, I changed my name from kiho to Joshua. I stood before a judge at the Baltimore US court and swearing that from now on, I am going to live as Joshua Kim. In verse 4, God gave Abram a new name, Abraham: a father of many. This is God’s vision to him. So far, he lived as Abram (a noble father – a good father to his son Ishmael, a good husband to his wife – that is what most of the men want to do), but God has a different plan for him. God wanted him to live as a father of many nations –in other words, living as a source of blessing, all peoples on earth will be blessed through him. Through him, many people may get to know about who God is.
This was Jesus’ vision to his disciples too. In Luke’s gospel, Jesus changed Simon’s name to Peter. Simon means ‘sand’, Peter means ‘rock’. In the past, Simon lived as a fisherman. He lived as a noble husband. But his life, as his name meant, like sand, outwardly, look strong and a big mouth, however, when even a small temptation or persecution comes, he easily falls immediately. But Jesus called him and changed his name to Peter, ‘rock’. Jesus had vision for him to build up God’s church. When he accepted Jesus’ calling and lived as Peter, many souls came to God. He became a father of many souls.
P. Jacob lost his parents during the Korean war. His life mottos might be success, safety, and security. But in college, he heard what Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3; you must be born again to enter the kingdom of God. God saved him from darkness and sinful life. After college, he got a good job: LG company – Life is good. He could live a comfortable Christian life. But God had a bigger plan for him; not to live as a noble father, but live as a father of many college students. Though he had to deny himself, when he responded to God’s calling, God has made him from a sorrowful boy to a spiritual father of many college students in Korea, Maryland, and now in Delaware.
Verse 4 and 5 shows God has a great vision for each of us to live a father of many young people. College students look healthy, strong, and energetic. However, many are in darkness. They do not know what the truth is. They live a sinful life. Many of them are depressed, hopeless, fearful, burdened, and weary. They need a spiritual father, a spiritual mother who pray for them, teach them the words of God. God is calling me and you not to live as Abram (just a comfortable life or Sunday Christians), instead live as Abraham (a father of many) that God can use us to bring many young people back to him.
Now look at verse 7. The end of verse 7 says to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. This is God’s ultimate purpose of his covenant: to be the God of Abraham and the God of his descendants. When Abraham lived as a father of many, who would receive the most benefit? Abrahma himself. He could experience God more than anyone. In fact, later, in chapter 18, God said, shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Also, James 2:23 says Abraham was God’s friend. God became his God. Abraham become God’s people. Living as a father of many is burdensome. It is uncomfortable. It is against our sinful nature. However, when we accept God’s vision for us, he will bless us to know him very personally and he will be our God as well.
Third, on that very day, Abraham was circumcised.
So far, we have learned about God’s part in his covenant. Then, what is Abraham’s part? Look at verse 10 and 11. It is circumcision. Verse 11 says it will the sign of the covenant between you and me. Circumcision is appeared for the first time in the Bible. Since Adam to Noah, God did not tell anyone to be circumcised. When God made his covenant with Noah, the rainbow was as the sign of his covenant. But this time, God commanded Abraham to cut off the foreskin covering the tip of his personal thing. Circumcision is painful. It sheds blood. It takes one week to be healed completely. Nevertheless, why circumcision? Because this is most private between God and Abraham. Each day, when he goes to bathroom, he is going to see his circumcised personal thing, what could come to his mind? ‘Why did I do this? Yes, God’s covenant; I am not Abram but Abraham – a father of many. I should live for God.’
Look at verse 15. God did not forget Abraham’s wife Sarai. She was a sorrowful woman. She had a loving husband. She was rich. But she could not have a baby. She was getting very old. But God had mercy upon her. He changed her name, Sarai to Sarah; Sarai means ‘a princess’, Sarah means ‘a mother of many’. It is a good match. Abraham – a father of many, Sarah – a mother of many. What if Abraham wants to live a father of many while Sarah wants to be a princess? Or vice versa, it is going to be chaos. This is God’s vision for Sarah and all women as well; not live as a princess nor just a good wife but as a mother of many. Through them, many spiritual sons and daughters may come out and praise God.
How was Abraham’s response to God’s covenant? In verse 17 and 18, he laughed. And then he said, ‘If only Ishmael might grow under your blessing’. It is hard to believe what Abraham did. Often, we praise his faith. But his faith is not perfect. He showed his doubt about God’s covenant.
However, God did not rebuke him. God still endured his shortcomings and weaknesses. In verse 20, God said, ‘yes, but your Sarah will bear a son to you by this time next year’. Also, God gave the son’s name Isaac. Even though Abraham was 99 years old and Sarah 89 years old, God said ‘yes, she will have a son, Isaac’. How? Because God said, ‘I WILL’. It is not what Abraham and Sarah could do, but it is what God will do for them. In this chapter, ‘I WILL’ is repeated 13 times. It is God’s firm decision to make it happen regardless of human circumstance.
Two weeks ago, I visited M. Jacob’s house to have lunch together. There, there were M. Moses and Sarah Chang from Belize. I asked him how Belize UBF ministry is doing? How many are coming to Sunday worship service? He said around 30-40 people are joining. I was surprised. They went to Belize as a silver missionary when they were in 60s. Now they are in their 70s. However, God is doing great work through the two senior people in Belize. Young people are coming to hear the words of God. They are a father of many, and a mother of many. M. Moses told me that he just endures patiently there, then, in God’s time, all of sudden it grows to 30-40 members. I could see when God does, in this chapter, God repeated, ‘I will, I will’. he literally did to Abraham and Sarah, M. Moses and Sarah in Belize. I believe God will do the same work through me and Ruth when we patiently endure and live up to God’s vision.
Back to verse 21, it says, “But my covenant I will establish with Isaac”. Why God’s covenant with only Isaac? Why not both Ishmael and Isaac? Both are Abraham’s sons. But because only Isaac was born through God’s promise. Ishmael was born through human flesh way. Though he would be blessed as a father of twelve rulers, but only Isaac would be God’s people and God would be the God of Isaac. This teaches us that God is not the God of everyone in terms of his covenant. Not everyone is God’s people. Only those who accept God’s calling, obey him, live by faith are God’s people and God will be their God.
Look at verse 23. It says on that very day, Abram had himself, Ishmael, all males in his household circumcised. At age 99, circumcision must have been very painful. But he did not delay. On that same day, he made his decision. As a sign of his faith, he was circumcised first. And then, he made all men circumcised too. His action shows that he decided to walk before God faithfully and be blameless as well.
Today, how should we approach circumcision? Since God commanded Abraham to be circumcised, should everyman do so? Let’s look at what the Scriptures says to us. In the early church history, the Jewish Christians demanded the new converted Gentiles, to be saved, they must be circumcised because it is the sign of God’s people. However, the Bible says one soul is to be saved not by circumcision but by the blood of Jesus by faith. John 3:16 says ‘God so loved the world that he sent his one and only son, whoever believes him shall not perish but have eternal life’. We are only saved when we believe God’s son Jesus. In Christ Jesus, we have freedom: it is up to your personal conviction. But more importantly, Apostle Paul said ‘be circumcised in the heart’ (Rom 2). He said even if a person is circumcised, unless he lives up to God’s calling, circumcision is no point. But honestly, be circumcised in the heart’ is much difficult than circumcision in the flesh. Because in our sinful nature, we want to live like Abram, a noble father, a comfortable life under God’s blessing. Nobody wants to struggle, deny himself. However, in today’s passage, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, Sarai’s name to Sarah. It was God’s vision for them to live a father of many, a mother of many for God’s glory. In the same way, through this passage, God is calling us not to live as a noble father or a princess, but instead as Abraham and Sarah. All we need to do is to accept God’s vision and decide to live such a life. Then, as God said, I WILL, I WILL 13 times, God will make us a spiritual father and a spiritual mother for UD. How can we ignore his great calling? Our of thankfulness, let us decide to walk before God faithfully and be blames this year. Also, let us accept God’s vision that we may cut off our old life of Abram and Sarai, but live as Abraham and Sarah for the kingdom of God. Lastly, let us be circumcised in the heart every day through prayer and the words of God.