..To Ancient SDA's ............ To "What's New?"
by
Ron Parsons
The aim of this series:
“Then He said to them, ‘O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?’ And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded to them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Luke 24:25-27.
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Internet: http://NonConformist.MyChurch.com
Genesis 17:
The covenant and its sign
Thirteen years have gone by since our last story and Abram is still having difficulty coming to terms with strict obedience to God’s word.
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(Begin quote)Genesis 17:
1
And when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him, "I am the Almighty God; walk before Me [implying that he wasn’t], and be you perfect [constant]. 2 And I will [future tense] make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly."***************
(End quote)The implication of the Son of God’s words hit Abram and he reacted swiftly in repentance.
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(Begin quote)Genesis 17:
3
And Abram fell on his face [in repentance]: and God talked with him, saying, 4 "As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you [present tense], and you shall be a father of many nations. 5 Neither shall your name any more be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham [father of a multitude]; for a father of many nations have I made you [right now]."***************
(End quote)A change of name in the Bible indicates a permanent change in character. Abraham was now fully on the side of the LORD and therefore able to perform His work. He was "resting" in God’s power and now had the ability in him to father children. The promise of many children was repeated and this made him very happy for he could bring them all up as Christians. (He had eight descendants from his three official wives. We are not told how many from his concubines, but there must have been a few. (Genesis 25:1-6.)
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(Begin quote)Genesis 17:
6
"And I will make you exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come out of you. 7 And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your seed after you in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you, and to your seed after you."8
"And I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land wherein you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God."***************
(End quote)Because of his new understanding, Abraham realised what many others do not – the promise was that he, along with many others, would inherit the new world, not this sinful one. See John 18:36.
It is also written:
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(Begin quote)Romans 4:
13
The promise, that he should be THE HEIR OF THE WORLD, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law [the sacrificial ceremonies of the church], but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if they which are of the law [only] be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of no effect: 15 because the law works wrath [shows the lack of ability to live righteously by the many deaths in it]: for where no law is, there is no transgression [we need it to know about sin and its wage].16
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace [a gift]; to the end the promise might be sure to ALL THE SEED; not to that only which is of the law [church members], but to that also which is [only] of the faith of Abraham; (who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations",) before [or in the sight of] Him whom he believed, even God, who quickens [makes alive] the dead, and calls those things which be not as though they were.***************
(End quote)Here we are being told that those who have the same faith as Abraham, those who believe when there is no evidence for belief except God’s word, are the ones who will inherit the earth. It’s good to be a church member, but not essential.
Paul carried on:
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(Begin quote)Romans 4:
18
Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, "So shall your seed be." 19 And being not weak in faith [at that time], he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: 20 he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 and being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform.22
And therefore it was IMPUTED to him for righteousness.***************
(End quote)Now, for the benefit of others in recognising a physical difference between Christian and worldling, and to rebuke Abraham for his attempts at self-righteousness, the Son of God proposed a novel sign. The organ used for producing the false son must "pay" for its folly.
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(Begin quote)Genesis 17:
9
And God said to Abraham, "You shall keep My covenant therefore, you, and your seed after you in their generations. 10 This is [the sign of] My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your seed after you; every man child among you shall be circumcised. 11 And you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant between Me and you." 12 "And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of your seed. 13 He that is born in your house, and he that is bought with your money, must needs be circumcised: and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant."***************
(End quote)Sarai, as Abraham’s other half, who was also in tune with his feelings, received the benefit of imputed righteousness as well as he. She also received the ability to produce a child.
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(Begin quote)Genesis 17:
15
And [the son of] God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah [princess] shall her name be. 16 And I will bless her, and give you a son also of her: yes, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her."17
Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed [in joy as we have seen from the letter to the Romans], and said in his heart, "Shall a child be born to him that is a hundred years old? And shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?"***************
(End quote)
He didn’t forget his firstborn though.
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(Begin quote)Genesis 17:
18
And Abraham said to God, "O that Ishmael might live before You [as well]!" [This request was inspired by his love for his son]. 19 And God said, "Sarah your wife shall bear you a son indeed; and you shall call his name Isaac [i.e. laughter]: and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him."20
"And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. 21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear to you at this set time in the next year."22
And He left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.23
And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as [the Son of] God had said to him. 24 And Abraham was ninety-nine years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. 27 And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.***************
(End quote)So all’s well that ends well. And note that circumcision was "added because of transgression". Galatians 3:19.
Bye for now,
Ron
Some of the comments in these readings are adapted from books in my library. No recognition is given because they are not intended as authorities, but are used because they express my understanding clearly. All the ideas expressed in these readings, right or wrong, are my own.
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To Ancient SDA's ............ To "What's New?" To the top of this page
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(Begin quote)Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is My kingdom not from hence. Back36
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(End quote)
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(Begin quote)For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.18
19
Wherefore then serves the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.20
Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. Back***************
(End quote)
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(Begin quote)Then again Abraham took a wife [after Sarah had died], and her name was Keturah. 2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.1
3
And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan.And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.
4
And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children [sons and grandsons] of Keturah.5
And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. 6 But to the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, to the east country. Back***************
(End quote)