Blessings of the Covenant

03Jul09

Today’s Reading: Genesis 16-18

The Angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.”

Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.”

And the Angel of the LORD said to her:
“ Behold, you are with child,
And you shall bear a son.
You shall call his name Ishmael,
Because the LORD has heard your affliction.
He shall be a wild man;
His hand shall be against every man,
And every man’s hand against him.
And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.”
~ Gen. 16:9-12

Hagar has been cast off by Sarai after acting too “uppity”. But God comforts Hagar with the knowledge that her child will, like Abram, be the father of a great nation.  Unfortunately, he will also be like a wild beast, fearing others and considering all of them his enemy.

History has shown that Ishmael’s descendants are the same; their isolationist policies and harsh social and religious customs keep them cut off from the rest of the civilized world.

Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.

I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.

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.” ~ Gen. 17:3-8

Time Magazine: September 30, 2002

God first lays out what He intends to do as His part of the covenant. He changes Abram’s name to Abraham. I hope He changes my name too!

• Aurelia Sage
• Seanna Claire
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He reiterates that He will be their God — God’s desire is to be our “exceedingly great reward”, loved and appreciated for Who He is.

He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. 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. ~ Gen. 17:12-13  

God graciously includes not just Abraham’s descendants in His covenant, but also any servants or slaves who are part of His household. This is a first, but also a foreshadowing of God’s ultimate plan.

Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.

 

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.”

 

Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”

 

And Abraham said to God, “Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!”

 

Then God said: “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.

 

 

And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.

 

But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year.” ~ Gen. 17:15-22

 

Abraham thought one thing in his heart, but even his words to God revealed his inner doubts. And here we see God responding to a request with a firm NO.  He is sovereign; we may pray as we wish, but He will answer according to His sovereign will and His unchangeable character attributes. He is loving, merciful, just, and faithful; and He will never act outside of those characteristics.  God tells Abraham that the child of promise will be named Isaac, which means “laughter”.

 

Is anything too hard for the LORD? ~ Gen. 18:14a   

God gently reminds Abraham to keep the right perspective and look at God’s reality, not man’s pseudo-reality. 

Filed under: Author: Moses, Blessing, Doubt, Genesis, Name, Plan, Promise, Prophecy, Reality, Sovereignty   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: Abraham, Abram, Angel of the LORD, Circumcision, Covenant, Hagar, Isaac, Ishmael, Laughter, Sarah, Sarai, Time Magazine