OceanSide church of Christ

 Previous Return to list of Genesis Next 

COVENANT EXPOUNDED

Genesis 17

Victor M. Eskew

 

I.           The Title of Genesis 17

 

A.   Covenant Expounded

1.     The word “covenant” is found twelve (12) times in this chapter (Gen 17:2, 4, 7 [2x], 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 19 [2x], 21).

2.     The covenant was sealed by circumcision, a word that is found eleven (11) times in the chapter (Gen. 17:10, 11, 12, 13, 14 [2x], 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)

 

B.    A Son Is Promised

C.   100 Year Old Man Promised A Son

D.   Old Couple Promised A Son

 

II.         The Key Verse of Genesis 17:  Genesis 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.

 

Why this verse?  In this verse, God repeats His covenant promise to Abram, but he does so with much more information.  He tells Abram specifically that Sarah would bear him a son.  He also reveals the name that was to be given to the son, Isaac.  In addition, he affirms that this covenant would be given to Isaac and his seed after him.

 

III.       Outline of Genesis 17

 

i.               Covenant (Gen. 17:1-22)

ii.              Circumcision (Gen. 17:23-27)

 

IV.        Lessons from Genesis 17

 

A.   We must remember that God is “the Almighty God” (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.

 

1.     God was going to perform something impossible to man, the birth of Isaac through Abraham and Sarah.

2.     God reminded Abraham of His great power to accomplish the impossible.

3.     Are there things that we believe God cannot help us to do, but really they can be done because God is Almighty?

 

 

 

B.    God’s requirements for man can be reduced to the simplest terms (Gen. 17:1b).

 

…walk before me, and be thou perfect.

 

C.   God’s greatness can literally overwhelm man to such an extent that he must fall before God (Gen. 17:3).

 

And Abram fell on his face:  and God talked with him, saying…

 

D.   There is importance in a name (Gen. 17:5, 17).

 

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…And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai; but Sarah shall her name be.

 

1.     Abram:  abh (father) and ram (high, exalted), thus, “exalted father”

2.     Abraham:  abh (father) and raham (multitude), thus, “father of multitudes”

 

E.    Abraham and his family were given the sign of circumcision to confirm that they were members of this covenant with God (Gen. 17:10-14).

1.     Man-child

2.     Eight days old

3.     Required of

a.     Every man child in your generations

b.    He that is born in thy house

c.    He that is bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed

4.     The uncircumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people

 

F.     Sarah is now specifically involved in the covenant promise (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.

 

G.   Isaac is named as the son of promise (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.

 

H.   Abraham’s faith moves him to obey God and comply with the demands of the covenant of circumcision (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 self same day, AS GOD HAD SAID UNTO HIM (emp. mine, vme).