In verses 1,2 we read that Abram, when he was ninety-nine years old, thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael and twenty-four years since God first promised – “The LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you and will multiply you exceedingly.”
God begins by stating that “I am Almighty God” (El Shaddai). This speaks of His power, sufficiency and care. He was letting Abram know that He was in control and was able to meet his every need and was totally committed to Abram. It might have taken twenty-four years, but it was in God’s timing, not a moment too soon nor a moment too late. Age did not matter to the Eternal God.
He instructs Abram to walk blamelessly. How could anyone be blameless? Only by the power of God and in total commitment to Him. He was becoming a man of faith, and this takes time. He had not had any visits from God so far as we know, but faith comes with everyday walking with God. We don’t need the spectacular to boost our faith as some may think today. Abram did the only thing he could do, he fell on his face before God and God spoke to him, “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” (v3-8)
God told him that is name would be changed to Abraham. The change was from ‘father of many’ to ‘father of many nations. It must have been difficult for him to explain his name before and even mor so after when he had no children. People must have doubted God, but it seems that Abraham didn’t, with one or two blips.
God says that many nations would come from him, even kings and His covenant would be everlasting through the generations after him. He set a sign for them that the male descendants should be circumcised at eight days old, even those servants which had been bought (v9-14).
Circumcision is not a sign of the new covenant which we who are born again by The Spirit of God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ[JD1] [JH2] . “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.” (Galatians 5:6)
It is not to be confused with Believer’s baptism, which the Bible urges Christians to be so. However, baptism, just as circumcision, does not save a person.
Then God promised that a son will come through Sarah, whose name is changed from Sarai. (v15,16) God confers His blessing on her as the mother of all nations and kings. Sarai signified ‘my lady’ or ‘my princess,’ whereas Sarah is simply, ‘lady’ or ‘princess’ or ‘the princess of a multitude.’ Sarah would give birth even though she was 90 years old, not someone else for her.
Not surprisingly, Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said, to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” (v17,18) It seems that his laugh was, not of unbelief, but of amazement and rejoicing in that God could do the impossible.
The Apostle Paul said of Abraham, “In the presence of Him whom he believed; God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.” (Romans 4:17-21)
It seems that Abraham was still confused by suggesting that the son in question could be Ishmael. God, however, assures Abraham that Sarah would have a son, and his name shall be Isaac (meaning ‘laughter’) and that His covenant would be through Isaac and not Ishmael. Ishmael would father a great number of people, but the son of promise was Isaac. (v19-22)
In verses 23-27 Abraham carried out God’s command to circumcise all the males in his household. Abraham was 99, Ishmael 13.
