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Genesis 17c

I’m still with circumcision because it’s that important!

Again we can read in the Letter to the Roman Christians:

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Romans 3:

27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law?  Of works?

No: but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is JUSTIFIED by faith WITHOUT the deeds of the law. 

29 Is He the God of the Jews only?  Is He not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 seeing it is one God, which shall justify “the circumcision” by faith, and “uncircumcision” through faith. 

31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yes, we establish the law.

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What has all this to do with circumcision? 

And how do we “establish the law”? 

Circumcision was at that time an outward sign to represent an inward condition.  It showed that something of the natural man had been removed to identify the Christian. So the Christian is NOT normal as the world sees normal. (!)  He/she is a new species.

We are JUSTIFIED without works as the scripture says, but we are SANCTIFIED by works.

That’s where so many go wrong. 

As they approach Jesus for the first time they are often told that, “All you have to do is accept Christ in your heart and you are born again.”  But that’s not what the Bible illustrates.  There it is written that you must have a REMOVAL before the infilling.  So “circumcision” goes to the heart of Christianity. 

We need TWO experiences to be “born again”.  

And we need “works” (obedience) to remain protected while we walk with Him.

This is what Moses’ wife recognised when the Son of God came to him as they were travelling to Egypt, and appeared about to kill him! His action was to illustrate that Moses was in grave danger even while he was attempting to fulfil God’s plan.  Moses had neglected to circumcise his younger son and now this would jeopardise his mission and his life as well as the child’s.  After the circumcision of the first son Zipporah had put her foot down and refused to allow it again, so Eliezer had not been circumcised. 

But if Moses was not keeping all that he knew of the word of God then there would be “gaps” in his protection and Satan could get at him, which is why Jesus came in such a threatening manner.

Here’s the story:

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Exodus 4:

20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

22 “And you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says the LORD, Israel is My son, even My firstborn:  23 and I say to you, ‘Let My son go, that he may serve Me: and if you refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay your son, even your firstborn’.”

Then she said, “A bloody husband you are”, because of the circumcision.

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When the Bible uses repetition, it is to draw our attention to an important fact.

No explanation was given at the confrontation; but Moses remembered that he had disregarded one of God's requirements.   At his wife’s request he had failed to comply with the condition by which his child could be entitled to the blessings of God's covenant with Israel; and such a neglect on the part of their chosen leader could only lessen the force of the divine teachings upon the people once it became known. 

The wife of Moses was a Midianite, and thus a descendant of Abraham through another wife, as we read last week. Genesis 25:1-2.  In personal appearance she differed from the Hebrews in being of a somewhat darker complexion and this later caused a few problems with Miriam and Aaron. Though not an Israelite, Zipporah was a worshiper of the true God as her father was. (Exodus 18:12.)  But she was of a timid, retiring disposition, gentle and affectionate, and greatly distressed at the sight of suffering, which is why she had not wanted her children mutilated (as she saw it).

Now, Zipporah, fearing that her husband would be killed, and under the inspiration of the Spirit, performed the ritual herself, and the LORD then permitted Moses to pursue his journey.  Why was the ritual necessary?

In his mission to Pharaoh, Moses was to be placed in a position of great peril; his life could be preserved only through the protection of holy angels. But while living in neglect of a known duty, he would not be secure; for he could not be shielded by the angels of God.  Now he would be OK, not just because of the ritual, but because of the obedience.

So what appears to be an unimportant ritual had behind it the power to help or hinder the work of God and the safety of His messenger!! 

Not the ritual of course, for there is no power in any church act, but in Moses’ mind there was a block and God couldn’t get through it. This work involved what God called “My son” and Moses was not right with his. Hence the lack of protection.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not advocating that we go back to all the rituals of the Old Testament, but I am saying that they had a significance and a purpose that we don’t often perceive.  And so today, a religious observance which God has asked for, but which we might consider unimportant and don’t bother with, might actually be holding back God’s work and even causing our deaths. (How many professed Christians have not fully enquired into the rite of baptism and its meaning!  Or which one of the three different days held as God’s day is in reality the right one?)

Are we actually doing all we know (or should know) of the word of God?  Religious works before rebirth will not save us (we should be absolutely sure of that) but “faith THAT WORKS by love” after conversion shows our concept of God and His protecting power. (Galatians 5:6). 

And just to remind you:

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1 Corinthians 7:

17 But as God has distributed to every man, as the LORD has called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches. 18 Is any man called being circumcised?  Let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision?  Let him not be circumcised. 

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Bye

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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The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart:

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Exodus 8:

15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not to them; as the LORD had said . . .   

19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God:” and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not to them; as the LORD had said . . .   

32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go  . . .   

Exodus 9:

7 And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead.  And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go  . . .   

34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.

35 And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses. 

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Exodus 18:

12 And Jethro, Moses' father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father in law before God.  Back

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