Walk in the Bible - Genesis 17

Genesis 17

​ ​ ​ Four or Five years (depending on which Torah commentator you ask) have passed since the end of Genesis 16, Abram’s now 90 years old, well past the age where he should be able to have a son, not to mention the fact that Sari’s actually a bit older than he is and is also at an age where she too, couldn’t have a child herself. ​ GOD’s first words when he appears to Abram is to tell him that he is GOD Almighty "El Shaddai". Pretty much all of the Torah commentators agree that El Shaddai means "powerful enough to sustain any creature", that GOD has no need of anything else outside of HIMSELF to sustain HIMSELF.​ His next words to Abram, interestingly enough can be translated to "Walk before me and be whole" or "walk before me and be intact", which is a really intersting play on words considering what he’s about to ask Abram to do!

​ ​ ​ He tells Abram that he’s going to make a covenant, a binding promise, between HIMSELF and Abram, unlike the other promise, the one he made earlier that involved only HIM walking between the sacrifices, saying a vow then burning them, this one would involve Abram taking action as well! ​ Now, we can see that when GOD appears before him, Abram literally fell on his face. Now he didn’t trip, some Torah commentators believe that he saw GOD’s face, and Abram believing himself to be unworthy, put his face in the dirt as if to physically demonstrate that he knew he wasn’t worthy of such an honor. GOD then proceeds to make his vow, which is part of making a covenant.​ The Bible translates what GOD says as "I will make you a father of many nations", some scholars believe this doesn’t capture the impact of GOD’s words, in fact Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers states that the word "many" ("hamon") means the same the noise as you would hear in the din of a populous city!

​ ​ ​ We then see that GOD once again shows ownership of Abram by changing his name.​ In the Hebrew language , when Abram is told in the prior verse that he’ll be the father of a nation, the words for "Father of a nation" written down are "ab" "hamon", GOD changes his name to "Abraham" , we say his name with a long "A", but in the Hebrew at that time, it’s said with a short "A" so it sounds very much like "ab haman".​ At the same time, HE’S telling Abraham (because that’s what HE just changed his name to ) that he will no longer be childless.​ In fact, GOD is telling Abram that not only will he be the father of child, but that he will be the father of kingdoms and nations!​ HE further goes on to say that HE will be Abraham’s GOD and the GOD of all the nations that he’ll be a father to.​ HE’s not saying "a god" or "one of the gods" but "THE GOD", meaning there will be no other GOD, no other intermediaries, just HIM!

​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ Further, the land of Canaanites, the land Abraham was journeying through, GOD stated it would be for not just him, but his nation, not just temporarily, but forever, and HE reminds him that HE will be their GOD. At this point, HE tells Abraham what he needs to do, and more interestingly, not just him, but all of his descendants must do this to keep the Covenant between Abraham and GOD. HE tells Abraham that he (Abraham) and any male member of his family from this point on must be circumcised. Now because the word used here "mul" means cut off - GOD wants to make sure that Abraham knows exactly what HE means. He literally tells him that he must cut off the flesh from his foreskin.

​ ​ ​ ​ Now, this isn’t the first circumcision ever, research tells us that it was happening well before Moses, in fact, he probably knew of it from the Egyptians. Now circumcision was reserved for the nobles and the priestly caste in Egypt, and as Abraham had spent some time in Egypt he most likely was aware of this.​ Moses, who was writing this all down, for sure knew about it because he was raised in the King’s court and was likely circumcised himself! ​ GOD further declares that any male child that’s eight days old must also be circumcised, as well as anyone else in his house, slave or not.

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Circumcision was a Abraham shedding his blood for the covenant, and when baby boys were cirumcised, they too , were shedding their blood for the covenant, almost foreshadowing a time when GOD would send HIS own son to shed HIS blood for ALL of us. ​ The difference here is on the 8th day of life, the infants blood clotting factor is at the highest point it will ever be in his life, so it’s extremely safe at this time for an infant to be circumcised.​ ALSO - the circumcision we do today is NOT the same one GOD told Abraham to do. ​ ​ What Abraham was told to do is what is called a B’rit Milah, what we do today is called a B’rit Pariah. One was instituted by GOD, the other was instituted by Rabbis.

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The B’rit Milah involved pulling the foreskin forward and clipping off the small end of the foreskin, allowing the head of the penis not get trapped in the small end, either behind the opening (Phimosis - which is natural for babies and toddlers - but not so much when the child is beyond toddler stage. This can lead to bacterial infections as well. ) or in front of the opening (Paraphimosis - now that’s even worse, at it can cut off blood flow to the penis and cause gangrene, even death!). Interestingly enough the cure for either issue is circumcision.

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The B’rit Pariah involves cutting off the entire foreskin. This is the one were all familiar with. This isn’t what GOD asked Abraham to do. This got started in Rome when Jewish Christians and Romans were living together. The Romans invented this set of games we still do today called The Olympics, however, their version involved having the athletes perform in the nude! ​

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Now, the Romans weren’t circumcised and the Jews were and the Romans were dead set against having any of the Jewish people perform in the Olympics. With the Jewish men being circumcised, it was pretty easy to tell who was and who wasn’t a Roman Citizen. Some clever Jewish men discovered that if they hung weights off their foreskin, they could get the skin to grow back down and they’d look like they weren’t circumcised, and viola, they could fake being a Roman and could then participate in the Olympics. The Jewish leaders at the time weren’t impressed, to say the least, so they instituted the B’rit Pariah which removed the foreskin completely so that this kind of thing couldn’t be done by any "self-respecting" Jewish man ever again!

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ GOD also showed ownership over Sari by changing her name and telling Abraham to call her by that name only. He told him not to call her "Sari" which means "my princess" , but instead to call her "Sarah" which means "princess of multitudes". HE further tells her that HE will give her a son.​ Sforno comments that GOD reversed the curse he had put on Eve, back in Genesis 3:16 , where he said that she would give birth to children in pain and sorrow by making Saah’s pregnancy and birth painless. He, himself, is quoting Sanhedrin 19. When we see that Abraham laughed, it has to be noted that Rashi, Rambam and Siftei Chakhamim all say that he wasn't doubting GOD, but that he was rejoicing over this wonderful news, when it shoudn't have been possible for either Abraham or his wife to have a child. Rashi goes on to tell us that Abraham received this news with faith, but Sarah sneered, and that's why GOD was angry at her for laughing AT HIM. Abraham, in a further show of humility , according to Radak says that he'd be content if Ishmael, whom he considered a son, would have this blessing instead. God proceeds to tell Abraham that he's actually going to have his own son, and Sarah, his wife , will be his mother. HE also tells Abraham to call his son "Isaac" which literally means "he laughs", and that GOD will establish his covenant with Isaac too!

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Because Abraham said what he said about Ishmael, GOD blesses him too, and says he’ll be the father of twelve princes.​ Now note, he doesn’t say twelve nations, Rabbeinu Bahya tells us that these princes were really extraordinary, more so than anyone else in the world at that time, ​ but also according to Rabeinu Bahya, this same blessing implies that those princes would dissapear after becoming great.​ There’s also a suggestion that Ishmael would be the ancestor of all Muslims, as GOD also says HE’LL make a great nation out of them, and Rabbeinu Bahya seems to believe that nation is the nation of Islam.​ GOD insists that he’ll establish his covenant with Isaac, who, HE reminds Abraham , will be born to him this time next year!

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The Bible goes out of it’s way not only to show that the conversation ended at this point, but that GOD went up, not away from Abraham. ​ Rabbeinu Bahya compares this to Ezekiel 9:3 where the presence of GOD rose up as well. Not only that, but the Bible tells us that Abraham carried out the command of circumcision that same day.​ Now, Daat Zkenim tells us that’s not really what happened, but that he sent word out to Shem, ​ Noah’s son to assist in his circumcision and Ishmael’s circumcision.​ He further states that the day this hapened was on ​ Yom Kippur, the holy day of atonement.

​ ​ In B’reshit Rabbah, there’s a slightly different version told about this where Abraham had his foreskin and a knife and was ready to circumcise himself, but because he was afraid his hand would tremble because he was so old, that GOD assisted him by steadying his hand.​ In either case, Abraham carried out GOD’s command, and we’re told he was 99 years old when he did this, and by comparison we’re told that Ishmael was 13 years old at that time, and Abraham, Ishmael and every male in his house was circumcised on the same day

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ We see here that there’s nothing impossible for GOD. At an age where Abraham and Sarah shouldn’t be able to have children anymore, GOD’s saying they’re going to have a son, which was highly prized in that day and age. The best medical experts in their time, or even our time, couldn’t have made it happen, nor would they even suggest it, but here was GOD doing the impossible. ​ ​ We also see that we’re never too old or too young to follow HIM either! Abraham was almost 100 years old and did what GOD asked him to do right away, and even though Ishmael was 13, and by custom a man, he’d be considered a minor in our society, but he too followed GOD.

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Your age, your status, your bank account, where you live, none of that has any bearing on when and how GOD can use you. I’m proof of that too. I mentioned that I’m studying to be a minister, right? Well, although I’m not 99 I’m not 20 either, and typically ministers start studying (getting called) in their 20’s and going to seminary. I’m 53 but was called in my 30’s, but delayed it because my attitude was all wrong, or so I thought. I was "too arrogant", "too bad tempered" and "too foul-mouthed" to be a Pastor, not realizing , of course, that GOD can and did change all of that for me!

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ So how about you?​ Is GOD calling you to follow HIM? ​ You can you know!​ Nothing matters except that HE’S calling you. ​ ​ GOD paid the price for you to follow him​ in blood, so what are you waiting for. Do it now, and if you’re not sure how you’re supposed to do that, that drop me an email, I’d love to hear from you!​ ​ ​