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THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may go to the archive and find it.
You are free to download or print these commentaries for yourself.
Bruce McGee
P.O. Box 69
Columbia, LA 71418
GENESIS
CHAPTER 17
1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. 2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. 3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, 4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. 6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. 8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. 9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. 11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. 12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. 13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
This is God's covenant with Abram reiterated and extended:
God called, giving open invitation to join Him by covenant.
This is the way God performs salvation and regeneration for every human being.
Abram accepted in a show of submission and obedience.
Doesn't God give this call to everyone?
How should we receive it?
Abram's name is changed to Abraham - what's the difference?
Abram means exalted father, or one who is lifted up, or given position.
Abraham means father of a multitude.
No other human being has ever been accredited with as many descendents as Abraham.
WOW! Little change: BIG difference!
God's promise is a covenant which continues generation after generation.
God IS God all the time to all people. There is NO OTHER real god.
We should teach this to our children.
The land is also promised as a perpetual possession.
Now, these two promises are made upon a condition.
The condition is that the descendents must SHOW their decision
to believe and follow Jehovah.
This is how they would do that:
1. To bear the "sign" - circumcision,
2. To "obey" God.
Circumcision was the sign that the child was born into a family with knowledge
of God. Obedience, on the other hand, is the sign that the child willingly
accepts God and follows him out of his own free will.
Christians still believe in these two types of "signs" today.
The New Testament teaches that circumcision is not necessary for salvation
(See Rom. 2:25-29)
But obedience and following Christ are "signs" of true conversion.
For instance, we should make our statement of faith in Jesus public
according to Matt. 10:32-33, and Rom. 10:9-10. Then we should exhibit
by our livelihood that we are obedient to Him as Lord.
For God to be our God, we must be His people!
14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant. 15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. 16 And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. 17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? 18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! 19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
Sarai's name is changed to Sarah. This name change was the result of
the covenant that God offered and Abraham accepted.
It is the MAN of the family who will stand before God
and answer for his family. God is consistant to follow
all His former decrees (see Gen. 3:15-16).
Sarai means "my princess." The personal pronoun there indicates princes to one family.
Sarah means "princess," and indicates princess to a multitude.
Though Sarah only had one son, she is known for being "mother of nations,"
or "mother of kings."
Notice in verse 17 that Abraham laughed. And in chapter 18, verse 12,
so did Sarah. Abraham's response at this point may be, "Lord, don't make
me laugh, just let Ishmael be the one."
But in verse 19, God lets Abraham know right quick that it is important
to take His Word LITERALLY.
20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
God promised to bless Ishmael also.
21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
But the covenant of promise is with Isaac.
God already knew that the descendents of Ishmael would not
wholly follow Him.
22 And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. 23 And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him. 24 And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, 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 In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. 27 And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.
God brought the conversation to an end. Now it is time for Abraham
to demonstrate his obedience.
So Abraham circumcised his whole household. At this time Abraham is 99,
and Ishamael is 13. The next year Isaac will be born.
The important thing, I believe, here is that Abraham followed God's
instructions with ALL his family and servants.
The father of a family is responsible for teaching his family, and
for leading his family in acts of righteousness toward God.
Please continue to follow along in Bible study with us.