Genesis 17 - God's Covenant Is A Name Changer

When Abram was 99 years old, God appeared to him and said, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless….”  My NKJV Study Bible says that “Be blameless means to have integrity.” How blameless are you before the Lord? God also told him that He will make a covenant between Him and Abram and multiply him exceedingly. God is reiterating the promise He made in previous chapters. Abram fell face down (in reverence and in humble submission to God). God tells Abram that he will be the father of many nations. Then God changed his name from Abram (Exalted father) to Abraham (Father of a multitude). God says that He will make Abraham exceedingly fruitful and nations and kings will come from him. God will establish His everlasting covenant with Abraham and his descendants promising to be their God. I’ve noticed that God has repeated this promise of many descendants several times over to Abraham. Could it be due to Abraham’s age so that he is finally convinced?  Has God promised you something that has yet to become manifested in your life? Does He keep showing you over and over again that the promise will come to pass? Keep in mind that with God, it’s never too late and you’re never too old for Him to honor His word. God also reiterates that He is giving Abraham and his descendants all of the land of Canaan, in which they were strangers, as an everlasting possession. Abraham and his descendants are to keep God’s covenant throughout the generations by circumcising every male child. All of the men were to be circumcised in the flesh of their foreskins as a sign of the covenant with God, including those born in Abraham’s house and those that were bought. Each male child born was to be circumcised at 8 days old. Throughout this chapter, God keeps restating the conditions of this covenant. This reflects that this covenant between God and His people is highly important. Any uncircumcised male who does not get circumcised has broken the covenant and shall be cut off from his people.

Sarai’s name is changed to Sarah. The Believer’s Study Bible states that the name “Sarai” may have come from the Hebrew verb sarah which means “to persist”, “to exert oneself” or “to contend”. This name change is a “game changer” for Sarah, because she changed from a mere contender for her position to the first lady in the home and recipient of the divine promise. Both names mean “princess”.

Abraham is informed that God is going to bless Sarah to give him a son and she will be the mother of nations and kings. This time Abraham fell on his face and laughed. This is quite different from when he fell face down earlier in the chapter. Abraham said in his heart “Shall a child be born to a man who is 100 years old? And Sarah, who is 90 years old, bear a child?” Have you ever laughed at something God has told you? Abraham then suggested that Ishmael will be the son of the blessing. However, God told Abraham that Sarah will have a son and his name will be Isaac, which means laughter. God stated that the everlasting covenant will be with Isaac and his descendants. God let Abraham know that He will bless Ishmael as well with many descendants that will include 12 princes and he will become a great nation. However, the covenant will be with Isaac who would be born at the set time next year.

After finishing this discussion with God, Abraham took Ishmael and all of the men born in his house (bought with money) and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins on that same day, just as God directed him to do. Abraham was 99 years old when he was circumcised and Ishmael was 13 years old.

The next stop on this journey is Genesis Chapter 18.

To God Be The Glory!