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BIBLE
STUDY LESSON
For
the week beginning Sunday October 14, 2018
ABRAM IS
NAMED “ABRAHAM”
Genesis
17:1-8
In Genesis 17 the LORD pays a visit to a 99 year-old Abram and
commands, once again, that he serve HIM faithfully, and, that he, from that
point forward, live a blameless life, or as JESUS would say many years later,
“Go and sin no more”. HE also tells Abram once again that HE will make a
Covenant with him, by which HE would guarantee to make him the father of a
mighty nation. In fact, GOD informs him that he will become the father of many
nations, not just the Jewish nation of the future “Israel”.
History now tells us that Abram, from that
time, went on to become the towering figure, to whom, the Jews trace their
origin as GOD’s chosen people. He was born in the fabled city of Ur more than
4100 years ago. Ur was a Sumerian cultured city located on the banks of the
famed Euphrates River. It was known for its monumental architecture, wealth,
music, and art.
Growing up, Abram and his family had
worshiped many other gods (Joshua 24:2-3), however, when the ALMIGHTY GOD, our
CREATOR called him, HE instructed him to leave his father’s house and go to a
land that HE would show him at a later time (Genesis 12:1). Abram then left and
traveled to the land of Canaan, where he lived a nomadic life for nearly 100
years, dying at the ripe old age of 175!
In the Old Testament Hebrew, the word used
for “covenant” is “briyth” (pronounced “ber-eeth”), and it is an ancient form
of compact that is sealed by passing between two pieces of flesh, in the same
sense as a knife in the process of cutting meat into halves. In Genesis 17,
when Abram is around 99 years old, GOD comes to him to reveal to him more
details of HIS previously promised covenant (Genesis 12:1-3 & 15).
Here in this passage, as I stated earlier, GOD
tells Abram to serve HIM faithfully and live a blameless life. Hearing this,
Abram fell prostrate to the ground, and at that point, GOD informs him that HE
was changing his name to “Abraham”, which is interpreted “father of many
nations”. And so it was that, thereafter, every time Abraham heard his own
name, he would be reminded of GOD’s covenant promise to greatly multiply his
descendants into a mighty nation.
THE SIGN OF
CIRCUMCISION
Genesis
17:9-14
In verses 9-14 GOD reveals to Abraham yet another confirming sign,
however, this revelation would apply, not only to Abraham, but to all males who
shared the Jewish promise of the everlasting covenant. Here the LORD institutes
the, now famous ancient ritual of “circumcision” into the Jewish doctrine.
Circumcision involves the cutting away of
the foreskin from the tip of the male’s penis, and it was to be performed on
every Jewish male child on the eighth day of his life. And even though
circumcision had been practiced elsewhere in the ancient world, here it was to
take on a new meaning.
Among the Jews, circumcision would serve as
an everlasting reminder, from generation to generation, of GOD’s sacred
covenant with his chosen people. It would be a “cutting” reminder that
symbolized how GOD wished for the Israelites to lay aside the impurity of their
nature and remain loyal to the family of GOD forever. Circumcision would also
serve to remind the Israelites that all mankind is dependent upon GOD for the
reproduction of life, and that any Jew, who refused to be cut in this way,
would be “cut off” from his people because of his disobedience to GOD’s
command.
SARAI IS
NAMED “SARAH”
Genesis
17:15-27
It would be remiss of me not to mention that, Sarai, Abraham’s
wife, also underwent a name change, as well as a life change. Her name was
changed to “Sarah”, and she also, as Abraham’s wife, would become the mother of
many nations. At the ripe old age of 90, she would bear Abraham the son who
would become their heir to the promise.
Scripture tells us that Abraham laughed to
himself in disbelief when GOD informed him of the miraculous deed that would soon
befall he and Sarah, and when Sarah later heard the same news, she too, laughed
in disbelief (Genesis 18:10-12). And so to show that GOD too, has a sense of
humor, HE instructed the aging couple to name their son “Isaac”, which means, “He
laughs”. The name would become a lasting reminder that they laughed at the word
of GOD.
As for Ishmael, Abraham’s son by Sarah’s
handmaiden, the Egyptian servant girl, Hagar, they too, would be blessed, and
would become a great nation. And on that same day, Abraham took his son Ishmael
and all the other males of his household, including himself, and all of them were
circumcised.
Despite Abraham and Sarah’s laughter about
the idea of bearing a child so late in life, they truly did believe GOD would
do what HE said HE would do. They embodied an undying faith, and because of
that, GOD accredited them with an imputed righteousness from HIMSELF.
Abraham was always confident that GOD was
able to keep him from falling, and, because of his faith, he was able to walk
closely with GOD as he moved around nomadically from place to place, the last
100 years of his life. And just like Abraham was accredited with righteousness
and received salvation from GOD because of his faith and belief in the covenant
promise, we too can enjoy that same accredited righteousness based on our faith
and belief in the covenant promise that was ushered in by CHRIST JESUS, our
LORD and SAVIOR.
The salvation promise through CHRIST JESUS,
because it comes from GOD, is the greatest of all possible guarantees.
Remember, even before Abraham’s physical circumcision, came a “spiritual
circumcision” of his heart. His heart had to, first, become separated unto GOD,
before he could acquire the faith that it would take, in order for him to
physically circumcise himself and the other male members of his family, at
GOD’s command.
Perhaps the Apostle Paul put it best, as he
penned his, now famous, letter to the Romans, in chapter 2, verse 29, where he
writes, “No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with GOD. And true
circumcision is not a cutting of the body, but a change of heart (mind),
produced by GOD’s SPIRIT. And whoever has that kind of change, seeks praise
from GOD, and not from men” (NLT).
A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander
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