GRIFFIN COMMENTS—GEN 17 (Gen 17:1) 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. Faith depends upon God like a ship depends upon a sail.
Jehovah appeared to Abraham in a visible form, and in Gen_17:22that form went up from him. When God appeared to men in some form the Hebrews called that a Shekinah. Literally: “I, El, am the Shaddai.” This God of Abraham is a God of all power. He is an all sufficient God. Walk before me: that is Recognize my presence wherever you are. Delight in my company. Be conscious of my work in your life. Think, act and speak My Word. Feel the dignity of the Godly life. Recognize the constant energy of the spiritual life. Feel the love of God to you. Have perfect faith and confidence in Him. Be thou perfect: tamiym (taw-meem'); a man of integrity, truth: be sincere, undefiled and walk uprightly before me. (Gen 17:2) And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. This was not the making of a new covenant, but the adding of circumcision to the covenant already made. The present form of the covenant is not identical with the former. That referred chiefly to the land; this chiefly to the seed. That dwelt much on temporal things; this rises to spiritual things. That specifies only Abram; this mentions both Abram and Sarai. (Barnes Notes)
(Gen 17:3) And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
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This was the third title for God so far in this chapter. Jehovah appeared to Abraham. Then He said, “I, El am the Shaddai [God Almighty], and now Elohim talked with him. To fall on the face before another shows a complete submission to their control. Abraham held nothing back from Jehovah and demonstrated it in every way. (Gen 17:4) As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. This was a very special covenant becauseit was one that was kept on both sides. Ordinarily man breaks his part of the covenant but this one made with God and Abraham was kept until the death of Abraham, making it eternal; and out of it come three other covenants (1) The Palestinian, (2) The Davidic and (3) The New Covenant. (Gen 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. Abraham would no longer be called the exalted father, for his name was changed to mean, the father of a multitude. He was honored that God added the last part of His name to the end of Abram, while He added the first part of His name to Jacob’s new name, calling him Israel. So these are a people called by His name, Abrahim and Israel. (Gen 17:6) And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. Here it was obvious that God expected His chosen people to have kings. However, they got ahead of God and wanted one before the time. I am of the opinion that God’s design was to make David the first king, but Israel became impatient and so Saul was the first king instead of David. Though Saul acted more like a judge than a king. He had no standing army nor did he organize the tribes into a kingdom like David did. (Gen 17:7) And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. For an everlasting covenant, literally “a covenant of eternity.”
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Here the word olam is taken in its own proper meaning, as the words immediately following prove - to be a God unto thee, and thy seed after thee; for as the soul is to endure for ever, so it shall eternally stand in need of the supporting power and energy of God; and as the reign of the Gospel dispensation shall be as long as sun and moon endure, and its consequenceseternal, so must the covenant be on which these are founded. (Adam Clarke)
(Gen 17:8) And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. For an everlasting possession: literally “a possession of eternity.” This land was given to Abraham himself first of all. Then it would be inherited by his sons and all descendants. Though they have lost the land at times, they will have to receive it back when Christ reigns and the apostles sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Mat_19:28; Luk_22:30). (Gen 17:9) And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This was not then, just for Abraham and his day. It was to go on through all the generations of Abraham’s seed. Thus as long as Israel is a people, they are bound to this covenant. Not only that, but the promises being fulfilled in JesusChrist transfer over to the Church, which will share in the covenant becausein Isaac all people are blessed. (Gen 17:10) This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. Women were part of the covenant of necessity, for the male child could not get here in the first place without the woman, and the seed of the woman that would eventually be the Christ required an equal amount of women as men to bring that child to the world. However the woman was not circumcised, only the male. Those tribes who today still circumcise the women perform a very cruel ritual that does a lot of damage, whereas circumcision on a male aids in the health of the child. (Gen 17:11) And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
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Just like the Sabbath was made another token later between Abraham’s seed and God, the rite of circumcision was now made a token. Theserites, plus such things as the Passover feast, and the keeping of the other feast days were things given to Israel as part of God’s covenant with them that are not to be taken from them. Mosessaid that God would circumcise the hearts of His people so that they might be devoted to Him (Deu_30:6). And Paul wrote that “circumcision of the heart” (i.e., being inwardly set apart “by the Spirit”) evidencessalvation and fellowship with God (Rom_2:28-29; cf. Rom_4:11). One must turn in confidence to God and His promises, laying aside natural strength. Unbelief is described as having an uncircumcised heart (Jer_9:26; Eze_44:7-9) (Bible Knowledge Commentary)
(Gen 17:12) 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. The eighth day was a day of new beginnings. The child had fulfilled his week in the world, like the married woman fulfilled her first week of marriage, and now there was to be a new beginning. The first day of the week is a new beginning, so on this eighth day the child was to be circumcised, even if that day fell on the Sabbath. (Gen 17:13) He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. This made the rite of circumcision very binding and was the reason there was such a controversy over it in the early church. Those saying circumcision was necessary had the Bible on their side. Those that discounted circumcision had to prove their point by reasoning for the scripture did not say it. It continued to be a controversy until the church finally made a decision on it and they decided with those who said it was not necessary for Gentiles. (Gen 17:14) And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
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Anyone who was not circumcised was excommunicated and no longer considered a child of Abraham. Such a person broke the covenant with God. That is why the Judaizers had such a strong argument about a Christian being circumcised. Paul did not addressthe issue of circumcision from this area, and I am sure it was becauseit would have weakened his argument; but he placed the Gentiles under the promise to Abraham and the New Covenant of Jeremiah which would require a circumcision if you follow out the covenant decree, but he instead transferred the rite of circumcision to baptism in Col_2:11-12. We do not have the argument used by the Judaizers except what is found in Acts 15, and they did not addressthe issue of the need of circumcision in that chapter, instead they proved a Gentile could be saved. (Gen 17:15) And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. If Sarai means “My princess,” and Sarah means simply “Princess,” the change must have been one to now say she was the princess to the whole world, that is, she who was going to bring forth the child that would someday produce a Messiah is THEPRINCESS. There has been a lot of controversy as to exactly what the new name of both Abraham and Sarah do mean, but one thing is certain, to both of them God added a letter of His own name. So it appears to me that He had a purpose in identifying Himself with them. CLEARERREVELATIONOFCOVENANTBLESSINGS (Gen_17:15) Obedience is the way to knowledge. The darknessin which faith commencesturns to light in the end. 1. There is the announcement of things contrary to human expectations-thus: A.
God preserves His own glory (Pro_25:2).
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•
B.
God hides His purpose from man until the time comes for Him to reveal it more clearly (Ecc_3:11) God preserves His independence of man.
• He has no need for our suggestions or advice. • How can we contribute any light to Him who is the fountain of light? C.
God humbles the pride of man.
D.
Piety is of necessity a life of faith.
• If you serve and pleaseHim you must trust Him. 2.
There is an increased strain put upon the strength of our faith.
A. God's own gracious purpose is to throw our faith completely upon its own inherent power. • It must not be hampered by the intellect, or by the feelings of the heart. B.
Faith must look to God alone.
3. A.
There is a revelation of human weaknessin us. The weaknessof a thoughtless amazement-Abram laughed.
B.
The weaknessof doubt-Abram questioned.
C.
The weaknessof trying to thrust our own way upon God.
4. There is an opportunity given for the glory of God's goodnessto shine forth: This is seenA. By the supernatural character of the blessing promised (Gen_17:1516, Gen_17:19). B.
By the intrinsic excellence of the blessings promised.
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C. By God's gracious provision even for those human designs which betray imperfection (Gen_17:20). (Gen 17:16) 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. This is the first time God actually said that Sarah would be the mother of the promised child and this could have been her reasoning in deciding to have the child by someone else earlier. But from now on, both she and Abraham knew it must be her child. They both recognized that they were too old to have a child without a miracle being performed. (Gen 17:17) Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? Almost everybody tries to show that Abraham’s laughter was not the same as Sarah’s. They would not want dear Abraham to have any doubts, but you would not have to look far in Abraham’s life to find several momentary doubts, and those do not detract from his being a man of faith. This case appears obvious to me. The man asked a question that shows that he found this hard to believe when he asked, “Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old?” Then he pleaded with God to just let Ishmael be considered a son in His sight. (Gen 17:18) And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! He saw in Ishmael everything a man would want in a child. To Abraham there needed be no other. It would be difficult to find one better suited to aggressivenessand manhood than Ishmael. And after Isaac was born this attitude was even more evident. Isaac was never the strong person Ishmael was. He never fought back. He was pampered apparently and especially by his mother. He was the typical rich man’s son who did not have to do anything to inherit all he could ever want. He had a wife to make decisions for him. It is obvious why Abraham would like to keep Ishmael in on the covenant. But he was not the promised seed and could not fit in. God would remember him for Abraham’s sake but all the inheritance must go to Isaac. GRIFFIN COMMENTS GEN 17—PAGE 7
(Gen 17:19) And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. God named the son of Abraham that was born of Hagar, Ishmael [God hears], and God named his son with Sarah, Isaac [laughter]. Both Abraham and Sarah laughed when they heard that this child would be born. Then when the child was born Sarah said, “God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.” (Gen 17:20) And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: 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. He would never have received this blessing were it not for the fact that he was Abraham’s seed; thus the descendents of Ishmael should ever be grateful that they are prospering in the world and have not been annihilated like many other nations of that part of the world. This blessing has come upon them only becauseGod honors His word. (Gen 17:21) But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. In the next chapter, the Lord will come to personally [through His angel] confirm this covenant. The time had come now for the child to be born and God had shown that it was all being orchestrated by Him. ISAAC:A TYPEOFCHRIST 1. He is born in a miraculous manner. He was the child given by promises, and came not in the ordinary course of nature. SoChrist was long promised and miraculously born. 2. He was the son of the house, while all others were his servants. Sothe position of Christ in the heavenly household was made by His birth. No circumstancescould alter His relationship to that household. He was there by a natural necessity. Others may come and go, but the Son abides.
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3. He was the progenitor of a free race. Isaac was the son of the free woman, and the ancestor of a great and free people. Christ makes men free when they are born into the kingdom of God by His spirit, and thus belong to that holy nation whose children walk in perfect liberty. 4. He was the channel of blessing to all nations. Christ was the life and power which gave effect to that blessing. He was that blessing itself.
(Biblical Illustrator) (Gen 17:22) And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. The Shekinah that Abraham saw in Gen_17:1had now finished giving the covenant requirements, and therefore departed from him as He came. He would appear in the next chapter and two angels with him. Was it not in nearly the same way in which the Lord went up from Abraham, that JesusChrist ascended to heaven in the presenceof his disciples?(Luk_24:51)
(Adam Clarke) (Gen 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. Abraham recognized that this covenant was extremely important, and that the promised son and all his future generations depended on what had happened this day. He knew he had just witnessed a most remarkable visitation of God and that he must obey in order to see it come to pass. In the next chapter the Lord would appear to him again, but next time it would appear to be a man and Abraham did not know for sure until the other two left and the Lord spoke to him as God speaks to His friend. (Gen 17:24) And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. To Abraham, the importance of this visitation and the sealing of this covenant was so important that it did not matter what the circumstances, whether it be for age or anything else, it had to be done and he did it though he was nearly a hundred years old. This was the answer to his long awaited prayer and hopes to have a child of his own. GRIFFIN COMMENTS GEN 17—PAGE 9
(Gen 17:25) And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. It must be for this reason that the Arabians wait until a son is thirteen years old, [instead of eight days like the Israelites] before circumcising their sons. That was when their forebear was circumcised. The Egyptians, according to Ambrose (b), circumcised their children at fourteen years of age, which comespretty near to the time of the Ishmaelites or Arabs, from whom they might receive circumcision, if not of the Israelites, as before observed.
(Gill) (b) De Abraham, l. 2. c. 11. p. 266. (Gen 17:26) In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. Abraham did not waste any time in obeying the token of his covenant with God. That same day he had every male circumcised which would have been hundreds of circumcisions that day. It must have taken several servants working at it in order to have it done that same day. It would also require several days before a complete healing was evident among them. (Gen 17:27) And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him. There is no way to know how many that would be. We know that when he went to rescue Lot he took 318 men that were trained in warfare. That is not likely to be all the servants he had in the house. It is one of the temptations of old age to be tenacious of what we have believed and practiced from our youth; to shut our eyesand ears against everything that may prove it to have been erroneous or defective, and to find excusesfor being exempted from hard and dangerous duties. But Abraham to the last was ready to receive farther instruction, and to do as he was commanded, leaving consequences with God. (A. Fuller)
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