Genesis 17

The promise of God repeated (vs. 1-8)—It’s been 13 years now; Abraham is 99, and apparently hadn’t heard from God since the Hagar incident. I won’t speculate what went on his mind during those 13 years. But God reappears to him and forcefully restates the promise of Genesis 12:1-3—a great nation, actually, “a father of many nations” (v. 5). Keep in mind that not only does Ishmael come from Abraham’s loins, but so do Jacob and Esau and their descendents (specifically Israel and Edom). In verse 8, God tells Abraham, ” 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." The Hebrew word “everlasting” doesn’t necessarily “forever”; it has the basic idea of a length of time of indeterminate duration. See Exodus 21:6 for an example where “forever” has a definite limitation of time. God gave Canaan to Abraham’s people for as long as He intended to—till Christ came. From that point on, all men, Jew and Gentile, are to submit to and obey Jesus, in effect, become Christians. No more Jews, no more need for a land promise. Incidentally, in 17:5 God changes Abram’s name to Abraham, which apparently means “father” or “multitude,” the Hebrew apparently isn’t clear.

Circumcision instituted (vs. 9-14)—Circumcision became “a sign of the covenant between Me and you [Abraham]” (v. 11). It was to take place on the 8th day after birth, which subsequently has been determined by modern science to be the best possible day, medically, for that operation to occur. “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,” (v. 13), and any male child who wasn’t circumcised was to be “cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant" (v. 14). Thus, God gives a visible sign of His covenant with Abraham, just as He had given a visible sign to Noah (the rainbow) that He would never destroy the world by water again (Genesis 9).

Sarai’s name changed to Sarah (vs. 15-16)—“ And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her" (v. 16).

Abraham’s joy and incredulity (vs. 17-20)—Abraham fell on his face and “laughed,” but most commentators think this was a laugh of joy, not disbelief. And his question about his and Sarah’s age is also not interpreted as lack of faith; remember, the virgin Mary also questioned the angel about how she could have a child when she hadn’t known a man. Not all questions of God are impertinent, and God doesn’t seem to be put off by what Abraham asks here. The patriarch, who no doubt loved Ishmael as well, petitions God that he might be the son of promise. But no, God wanted the true heir, the one through whom the Messiah was to come, to be legitimate; so Sarah would have a child, even though she was 90 years old and passed the age of childbearing even for that day when many lived to advanced ages. God tells Abraham his wait is over: “But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year.”

Abraham circumcises all the men of his household (vs. 23-27)—And he did it “that very same day,” a statement repeated twice (vs. 23 and 26). And that’s the way it ought to be. When God commands, we should not delay in our obedience. It’s always bugged me a bit—well, more than a bit—when people come to the realization that they need to be baptized to wash away their sins (Acts 22:16), but then they want to wait a few days before doing it. That indicates to me something just isn’t quite right yet with their faith in God and understanding of their position before Him. And that perhaps I haven’t done my job in effectively teaching them the urgency of humble obedience to the will of the Almighty.