ofwgen17

OUR FATHER'S WORD

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

Psalm 119:105

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Genesis

A Message For The End Time

by Jim Lisenby

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CHAPTER 17

Circumcision

In this chapter God restates to Abraham the promises that He has pledged to him in previous chapters, but it is predominately concerning the issue of circumcision. It is a subject that is baffling, because it makes no sense from a religious perspective even though it is practiced as a religious rite in some societies. It does however make a lot of sense from a health and hygiene perspective.

I trust God, and I know that He had a good reason for telling Abraham to circumcise himself and all the males in his household. I am confident that it would not be because of some silly religious concept, but that it would likely be for improved health and hygiene considerations.

God created us and our bodies, and He made us male and female. He knows how we are put together and how everything works in our body, so who better to know how we should conduct ourselves with respect to health and hygiene. To have good robust physical health one must practice good hygiene to prevent infections and other problems, and in the final analysis, good physical health is conducive to having good mental health (spiritual health, if you prefer), and vice versa. Circumcision promotes good hygiene, not only for the male, but also for the female that mates with him. Some surveys have shown that cancer in the reproductive organs, as well as other infections, are higher among females who have uncircumcised male partners.

So then, the rule concerning male circumcision is sound with respect to health and hygiene. It is like the food laws that were first given to Adam, and restated emphatically later by Moses, because they too are related to avoiding health and hygiene problems.

Now, I want to reemphasize the fact that the commandment in the Bible to circumcise the male children was only given to Abraham and his progeny, but when you consider it rightly, that would include much of western civilization. I can't speak to the rest of the world about circumcision or food laws because I don't know if those things apply to them like they do to the offspring of Adam and Abraham, but all uncircumcised males should practice good hygiene and keep themselves clean to prevent infections.

Now, one last comment on circumcision. Contrary to some practices in Africa, the Biblical command was given only to Abraham and his male progeny. There is no law or commandment in the Bible to circumcise females and that awful practice should be abandoned by all those doing it.

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.

Abraham is almost a centenarian now, and it is now twenty-four years since he was told to abandon his life in Mesopotamia. Since that time many things have happened to him and Sarai, but as you will see, there is much more to come.

Gen. 17:2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

Gen. 17:3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,

Notice that Abraham fell forward on his face. Actually, he probably didn't literally fall but got down on his hands and knees and touched his forehead to the ground, which is appropriate. The point is that he did not fall backwards like you see people do in some churches and on some televised religious gatherings. Falling backwards, or falling unconscious, is inappropriate behavior and you should take care to avoid such things. Those that give themselves over to such things are having fellowship with unclean spirits without knowing it. A word to the wise is sufficient.

Gen. 17:4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

Look at this! Abraham is 100 years old and only has one son, Ishmael, and here God is telling him something almost unbelievable. He is to have incredible numbers of offspring.

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.

He gets a new name to signify God's promise. His old name, Abram, meant exalted father, but his new name, Abraham, means father of multitudes.

Gen. 17:6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

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.

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.

Gen. 17:9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

The next five verses cover the circumcision requirement explicitly. God made it a sign of his covenant with Abraham and I think He did that for psychological reasons. Let's face it, nobody wants to have a surgical procedure performed if they can avoid it, and so tying circumcision in with the promises made it easier to accept. Think about it, in Abraham's day the procedure was likely performed with a sharp rock, or if they were lucky, a bronze blade. There were no finely honed iron or steel blades, and there certainly was no surgical stainless steel like today. It all had to be very primitive, very bloody, and very painful.

Now, there is nothing holy or glorifying about whacking off the foreskins of the Hebrews, or anyone else for that matter, from a righteousness viewpoint. Men turned it into a religious rite, not God. It seems to me that God is exercizing psychology here to get them to do something physical that they certainly will not want to do. He could have chosen something more convenient to use as a sign of the covenant, but circumcision was for their benefit in the long run so He chose to use it.

Nobody wants to cut off part of their body, especially their genitals, and deal with the pain and discomfort, the bleeding, and the healing up of the wound. It is messy and excruciating, and it means no sexual activity for a while. Totally repulsive business, but God felt it necessary for them, so there you have it. Work with it.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

It was absolutely required for Abraham and his male offspring.

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.

Sarah also gets a new name. Sarai meant princess, and Sarah means noble woman.

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.

Sarah is to have a baby at the age of 90 years. Quite an accomplishment.

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?

Gen. 17:18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!

Abraham was a little skeptical here to say the least, and he begs God to consider Ishmael as his heir and inheritor of the promises.

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 may have been a little chagrined here at Abraham's attitude, but nevertheless, He was still kind to him. Not only will they have a son, but he was already named by God. The name Isaac is a play on words referring back to what Abraham did in verse 17. He laughed when told that he was to have a son by Sarah. Isaac means he laughed, and I think that was God's way of showing His disappointment in Abraham' attitude concerning His promise of a son so late in life. His son's name would be a constant reminder to Abraham that he laughed at God.

So, the meaning of names can be significant. Keep that in mind because it can be a useful rule when deciphering the meaning of scripture sometimes. It may even be significant sometimes concerning our names.

My name is James, which comes from the biblical Jacob, and means a supplanter. Well, it fits because that is what I attempt to do here with ourfathersword.org. I try to dig up and root out the old ideas and concepts, and replace them with new ideas. I plant seeds hoping that they will sprout, and that the people will eventually begin to stand on their own two feet and think for themselves with regards to God and the Bible. So be it.

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.

Look at the kindness of God. He did not forget about Ishmael, and he comforts His friend here that his firstborn son will be also be blessed exceedingly. Ishmael at this time was now a teenager.

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.

Again, a reaffirmation that he will indeed soon have a son called "he laughed".

Gen. 17:22 And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

It almost seems from the sense of this verse that God abruptly left Abraham, and if so that may have been to show His displeasure at Abraham's skepticism and laughter.

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.

Gen. 17:24 And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

Gen. 17:25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

Gen. 17:26 In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.

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.

Abraham, and all the males with him faithfully did what they had to do, unpleasant as it was. Very commendable because it is likely that Sarah and the other wives were upset about it all to say the least.

In the next chapter we begin the saga that tells of the great tragedy that struck Sodom and Gomorrah. Don't miss it.

God bless with understanding of His word.

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