Our story continues with a family divided because the vision became obscure. God promised Abram that his seed, his lineage would multiply as the stars in heaven and like the sand of the sea. Because Abram lacked the faith to believe in miracles, Abram and Sarai took matters into their own hands. Sarai’s answer to her barren womb was to use her handmaid Hagar as a surrogate, not perceiving the complications and sorrow that would ensure. So Abram is going to be a father, but not with the wife of his youth, but with her maid, now a second wife. The peoples that are going to emerge, ultimately from two step brothers; will form two mighty nations, that more than three thousand years later; would divide the world. These two brother’s descendants will also form three of the world’s greatest religions. Truly through Abram, whose name would be changed to Abraham, all of the world would be blessed and find their respective faiths; Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. These three religions are called Abrahamic; monotheistic faiths emphasizing and tracing their common origin to Abraham or recognizing a spiritual tradition identified with Abraham. Today, Israel is a pivotal point with the United States and the free democratic world on one side and the Islamic world along with the tyrannical and the communist world on the other side; a division that goes back to Abraham and his two wives who produced two step brothers.
This story of Abraham, in the first book of the Bible is foundational to the entire Old Testament story of Judaism and the New Testament story of Christianity. Jesus Christ is central and the bridge between both; the Messiah to come in the Old Testament and the Savior fulfilled in the New Testament.
A SON, NAME CHANGES AND A COVENANT ESTABLISHED
Abram was eighty six years old when Ishmael was born to his second wife, Hagar, Sarai’s handmaid. This was Abram and Sarai’s plan to fulfill God’s promises, but it was never God’s will for the heir of promise to come through Hagar. God then appears to Abram and reaffirms His promise to multiply Abram exceedingly. God then changes Abram’s name to Abraham. Abram means; high father and Abraham means; father of a multitude and father of many nations. A covenant is made between God and Abraham; as a sign, Abraham and all male children born in his household would have to be circumcised on the eighth day of their birth. God also changes Sarai’s name to Sarah; from dominator (as she was over Hagar) to noble queen and mother of nations; she would give birth to many kings (ultimately, Jesus Christ); God promised that she would give birth to a son. Abraham was 99 years old, and Sarah was 90; an age in our time that few attain and not an age of new beginnings; definitely well beyond childbearing! The complete story is found in chapter 17 of Genesis. Below are some excerpts:
Genesis 17:1-2 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. (2) And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
Genesis 17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
Genesis 17:11-12 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt 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 thy seed.
Genesis 17:15-16 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. (16) And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.
Genesis 17:23 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 God had said unto him.
The covenant sign of circumcision is still practiced by the Jewish and Muslim people today as a holy tradition. It was not required of the New Testament church. The Apostle Paul makes this very clear.
Romans 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
The New Testament church came out of Judaism and the question arose as to whether non-Jewish converts were require to follow the Old Covenant that God first made with Abraham, specifically in the area of circumcision. A council was convened in Jerusalem to address these issues; basically, do we make the New Testament church Jewish? The conclusion of the conference was that the only aspects of the Old Covenant that need to be established in the New Covenant Church are:
1. Abstain from eating meats sacrificed to idols (This was an act of pagan worship).
2. Abstain from eating blood (Life is in the blood and it is sacred to God from Noah’s time).
3. Abstain from eating things that were strangled (blood coagulates and does not fully drain out of strangled animals. Levitical butchering laws required animals to die from blood loss; therefore preventing the eating of blood).
4. Abstain from Fornication.
Acts 15:28-29 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; (29) That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
In our Judeo-Christian world today, the first three issues are virtually moot points because they do not occur. As to the fourth point; no society, save that of Sodom and Gomorrah; has ever had such sexual freedom and perversity. Jesus Christ, Himself said that the time just before His second coming; would make Sodom and Gomorrah more tolerable.
Matthew 10:15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
God called Abraham out of the corrupt world of paganism and idolatry and later delivered his descendants out of pagan Egypt and has called the Christian Church out of the corruption of our entertainment and sex crazed world. God’s people have always been called to be Holy!
Leviticus 20:7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.
1 Peter 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation (which means conduct or behavior);
That which God began with Abraham in Genesis 17, He is fulfilling in you and me. God finishes His work!
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
God has called us to a work and a plan that He started with Abraham. Embrace your awesome and incredible human potential.
Motivational speaker and author, Zig Ziglar says; “Man is designed for accomplishment; engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness!” Dear friends, study the WORD of God, it reveals all of the mysteries of human life; of who we are and where we are going. Let the WORD, which is the living Jesus Christ, live, rule and reign in your life.
Prayer: Father in Heaven, your greatness is beyond my human comprehension. You are Creator, Savior and Sustainer of my life. Thank you for coming to me/us as the child born and the Son given; for being Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace; Emmanuel, God with us! I love you Jesus! Hear my prayer that I pray in the power of your name; there is no other name under heaven, by which I am saved, in Jesus’ name, Amen!
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