Genesis 17 1 14 Sign of the Covenant

Genesis 17: 1 -14 Sign of the Covenant

Genesis 17: 1 -8 1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, 2 that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly. ” 3 Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, 4 “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 8 And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God. ”

Genesis 17: 9 -14 9 And God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 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 throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, 13 both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant. ”

Main Point • These verses establish the sign of the covenant between God and Abraham • It spreads to the descendants of Abraham • They are to receive the sign of the covenant which is circumcision • Those who refuse will be cut off • Ultimately, the promises on God’s hands, the people simply need to be faithful to God

Application Points • Circumcision • It could be assumed that circumcision is a necessary requirement when it comes to the faith • In order to receive the blessing, one must be circumcised • It should be of no surprise that this became a serious contention with the first century Christians • Is it necessary for Gentiles to be circumcised? • There are those who believed that when Gentiles came to the faith they needed to be circumcised • This became such an issue that the first Jerusalem Counsel was established to discuss the issue

Acts 15: 1 -5, ESV “But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved. ” 2 And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. 3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. 5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses. ”

Acts 15: 6 -11, ESV 6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. 7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10 Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will. ”

Acts 15: 12 -21, ESV 12 And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, 16 “‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, 17 that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things 18 known from of old. ’ 19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. 21 For from ancient generations Moses

Application Points • Circumcision (2) • From this moment on the debate was settled for the Church • They reasoned together, looked at the Law, the Prophets, and ultimately Peter and James made similar declarations • If God’s grace came upon the Gentiles, then circumcision was unnecessary • They then sent a letter to the Churches with their conclusions • Circumcision cannot add nor subtract anything from salvation • Those who come from a Gentile background do not need to be circumcised • Jesus fulfilled it, and receives the promises of the covenant, and all in Him do as well

Application Points • Circumcision (3) • Paul can then say in Galatians, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. ” (5: 6)” and, ““For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. ” (6: 15). • Christ brings about salvation and the fulfillment of the covenants • Circumcision cannot add or take away because it is the person of Christ through whom the promises are fulfilled • Well, does this mean we do not need to follow any Law? • Consider what Paul says in Romans…

Romans 6: 15 -19, ESV “What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. ”

Application Points • Circumcision (4) • Though we are under grace we recognize Christ is Lord of all • He is righteous, therefore we are to be righteous • He is moral, therefore we are to be moral • He is love, therefore we must love • They show us to be under His Lordship • In order to understand what righteousness is, and what impurity and lawlessness are, we must study the Scriptures • To be faithful to give ourselves over to God and seek to understand follow Him in His ways

Application Points • Circumcision (5) • A final reflection on circumcision… • There are those who believe it is a human rights issue • They will say that it is child abuse etc. • In the end, it is the parents decision as to what they feel led to do when it comes to their male offspring • The only caution to give is that circumcision does not mean blessing • Again, it does not add or subtract to the promises fulfilled in Jesus • Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means greater spiritual identity with God • Christ has fulfilled it, and as such we attain this covenant through Him

Application Points • Signs • One of the key elements of this passage is that circumcision is a sign • The sign means the promise is sure, the covenant will remain • In the New Testament we have elements of signs through sacraments • Sacraments: A visible expression of an invisible truth • One which identifies most with circumcision is Baptism • We see this in Colossians 2: 11 -12, “In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised Him from the dead. ”

Application Points • Signs (2) • The text equates baptism as the sign of what occurred with Jesus • Just as Christ died and was raised into eternal glory, so we will if we are in Christ • We also consider another sign, that is the Eucharist, the Lords Supper, Communion • When Jesus says, “This is my body which is for you” and “This is the new covenant in my blood. This this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. ”

Application Points • Signs (3) • His body, His blood • The time we celebrate communion together are a sign of what Christ has accomplished • He has brought about a new covenant, an everlasting covenant, for those who have faith in Him • We see signs of the truth of God with us • We consider, too, what the Scripture says about the Holy Spirit • “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. ” (Eph. 1: 11 -14)

Application Points • Signs (4) • The Holy Spirit is a sign of the inheritance which we have in Christ • He leads us in righteousness, holiness, and the desire to glorify God • Who reminds us of the truth of our inheritance • It is good for us to consider these things when darkness comes • When we consider baptism, communion, and His Spirit in us, reminds us of the promises of God which have been fulfilled, and will be fulfilled • Yet it isn’t just the sign, for each sign has truth • That truth is found in Christ and His covenant • Cling, then, to Christ, knowing that all the Father has promised has been fulfilled through His precious Son Jesus Christ

Application Points • The Gospel of Christ • Origins • Fall • Redemption • Glorification