Genesis 17 Commentary
Probably because of the events of Chapter 16 (Sarai, Abram, and Hagar), the LORD God adds more meat to the relationship. Abram becomes Abraham and he must walk blamelessly before the LORD. Could it be a subtle reference to his not-so-clean hands in Hagar’s case?
The LORD God would be Abraham’s God – Abraham and his descendants.
The promise is to run from father to son – each generation defining its own relationship. The ritual of circumcision reflects this ever-present promise. It’s a mark on the reproduction system. It speaks of posterity in terms of life as it passes from father to son.
Each generation defines its own destiny. But the father must circumcise his son in a ritual that renews the relationship for the new intake.
We are not new to the signs. During the time of Noah, the LORD God made the rainbow to function as a sign or a reminder of God’s promise never to destroy mankind. The rainbow is associated with water and water was an agent the LORD God used to destroy humans. Similarly, God’s promise spans generations; a mark on the system that ensures posterity makes a lot of sense.
The LORD God repeats the promises: multiplication and fruitfulness. The gift of land or ground would be a symbol of a spiritual walk back to Eden.
The equation isn’t complete until Sarai is worked on. A male-only society wasn’t God’s idea! The Creator God created mankind as male and female. One can never be a father of nations without a mother of nations! See how Abraham’s blessing of increase or multiplication depends on Sarah! People must first exist before you can talk about fruitfulness!
Sarai’s barrenness represents the curse of difficulties in childbearing – Eve’s curse. The curse has faithfully come down the generations! The LORD God seeks to “undo” this curse and announces a breakthrough with the promise of a miracle birth!
The curse is broken by a miracle operation! It’s all symbolic of the good things that would come with yet another miracle son – the Son born to us. Isaiah 9.
Abraham has every right to laugh! Who bears children this later in their lives! But the Creator God is up to something special!
Ishmael is circumcised. What does this mean? He falls under the same blessing. The generosity of the LORD is such that all are part of it by default! We are all wired for it! It is a natural path for Ishmael!
But circumcision is merely a sign. A road sign without the road means nothing. “Walk before me blamelessly” – that’s the road!
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