Welcome to our service

Teaching the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27)

Please visit our website: www.livingstonesnewforest.org.uk

God’s covenant with Abram (continued): Genesis 17

• The everlasting covenant reinforced

• The everlasting covenant further explained

• The promise of fruitfulness reiterated and reinforced

• The mark of the covenant

God’s covenant with Abram (cont)

• 13-years of silence• Blameless – walk with integrity• He fell on his face• Awe and reverence• Not flippant or over familiar• Abram knew his place

• Father of many nations• Despite having no children at 99• Despite having a barren wife

God’s covenant with Abram (cont)

• Given a new name• God gives a new name to His people• Isaiah 62 verses 1 to 5• Revelation 2 verse 17• Revelation 3 verse 11• Revelation 14 verse 1

• Added the 5th letter of the Hebrew alphabet• 5 is the number of grace• God was essentially joining His name to Abram’s• God named Abram as He saw him• God referred to his new condition in the past tense

God’s covenant with Abram (cont)

• The entitlement to the land was reiterated

God’s covenant with Abram (cont)

• Circumcision• Jeremiah 34 verse 18 – Those in the covenant would suffer the

same fate as the animals if they broke the covenant• Those who broke God’s covenant would suffer the same

consequence as the circumcised part – they would be cut off from their people• Exodus 4 verses 24 – 26 – this caused God to seek to kill Moses• Not a covenant sign that was outward• Romans 2 verses 25 – 29 (particularly verse 28) – circumcision

not outward in the flesh• Performed immediately in the whole house

God’s covenant with Abram (cont)

• The cutting away of the flesh• What, of the flesh, has God asked us to cut away• What, of the flesh, is God asking us to cut away

• Our circumcision is that of the heart• Like early circumcision – not for praise of men but of God• For Abraham a reminder of what was to come – his seed

and the land – and a reminder to walk in integrity before Him• For us, a reminder of what God has done• Like them, private, personal and inward not outward

God’s covenant with Abram (cont)Why day 8?

God’s covenant with Abram (cont)

• Sarai• Also a new name – Sarah (Princess)• Abraham told to re-name her – headship• Abraham did not laugh in unbelief but in joy – Romans 4 verse 20

• Abraham wanted Ishmael to live before God• We often want to carry on in the things of the flesh

• Once again God does not recognise the illegitimate son or the illegitimate marriage – He said NO!• Material blessing for Ishmael but not part of God’s

covenant

God’s covenant with Abram (cont)

• Thoughts• Abraham must have been incredibly highly thought of by hundreds

of men in his house• When God appears and/or speaks it is an awesome thing• When God spoke to the Jews there was fear, but there seems to

have been tenderness here with Abraham• There are great similarities with John’s encounter in Revelation• There is, contained within this account, a parallel with our

salvation• He sees us saved (past tense)• He circumcises our hearts and makes us righteous (past tense)• He fulfils his promise to Abraham and his seed (us) through his seed (Christ)

Welcome to our service

Teaching the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27)

Please visit our website: www.livingstonesnewforest.org.uk