Genesis 17:1-8 Abram becomes Abraham establishing a covenant

Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him,

“I am God Almighty;

Walk before Me, and be blameless.

2 “I will establish My covenant between Me and you,

And I will multiply you exceedingly.”

3 Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying,

4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you,

And you will be the father of a multitude of nations.

5 “No longer shall your name be called Abram,

But your name shall be Abraham;

For I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.

6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come forth from you. 7 I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. 8 I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

 

Oh my goodness, how overwhelming this conversation must have been for Abram!  I know that when I pray and God starts to answer me, when I am sure it is His voice, I am instantly and overwhelmingly humbled.  No wonder Abram fell on his face!

 

Now, there's so much to this! 

 

First, God calls Abram to be blameless.  He says it outright.  Walk before me and be blameless.

 

Abram is wise not to talk but to listen.  Somehow I don't think interrupting God is a good idea!

 

God doesn't make promises like we do, His are everlasting.  It says so.  throughout generations!

 

Here is  where Abram becomes Abraham, at God's request and with the promise that God would make Abraham the father of a multitude of nations, not just one.  Interesting.  Not just Israel, a multitude of nations.  Never saw that before.

 

But before all of this promise comes the request for Abram to walk blamelessly.  There isn't even a law written yet, not rules, just walk blameless.  Hmm. 

 

God's not done yet, there is more coming.  This is an important beginning.

 

 

Lord, help us to humble ourselves to hear You.  Help us to walk blameless as much as we possibly can.  Help us to be willing for You to change who we are down to even our names.  Help us to be willing to be used by You and changed by You so we can help other to see You.

 

In Jesus Name

Amen

 

 

just a note:  I realize that we are bought and paid for by Jesus who covers our sin.  I am just soaking up the lessons of the Old Testament including when God expected men to walk upright.

Genesis 16:11-16 An Angel appears to Hagar

The angel of the LORD said to her further,

“Behold, you are with child,

And you will bear a son;

And you shall call his name Ishmael,

Because the LORD has given heed to your affliction.

12 “He will be a wild donkey of a man,

His hand will be against everyone,

And everyone’s hand will be against him;

And he will live to the east of all his brothers.”

13 Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees”; for she said, “Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?” 14 Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

15 So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him

 

Well, this is a loaded bit of scripture!

 

How impressive this angel must have been if Hagar thought she had seen "Him". 

 

If I am being honest, and I usually am, this would have troubled me.  I'm not sure I would have come away thinking - "awesome!"  He is going to fight a lot!

 

I would also like to know what Beer-lahai-roi means.  I may look that up in a bit.

 

On the other hand, the angel of the Lord appearing to me would clearly remind me that God had heard my cry to him, whatever the message was. 

 

So, I know that people equate Ishmael with the origin of the Arab nation.  I will keep reading.  I don't know if that is universally accepted or just something I have been told.  I will see what continues in scripture.  Interesting. 

 

How brave Hagar must have needed to be to go back to the house of her mistress who had just sent her away.  How humbling to go back, submit to her authority, and stay throughout the rest of that pregnancy. 

 

Soap operas and TV drama has nothing on old testament saga

It might require a bit more thinking to see the implications of each verse in the story, but wow!

 

note:  well of the living one who sees me - translation thanks Deana!

Genesis 16:7-11 an Angel appears to Hagar

Now the angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. 8 He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from and where are you going?” And she said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” 9 Then the angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority.” 10 Moreover, the angel of the LORD said to her, “I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count.” 11 The angel of the LORD said to her further,


Wow, the angel of the Lord did know the underlying issue.  She wasn't submitted to her mistress.  Now, whatever I may think of this rather interesting arrangement, she was still supposed to be submitted to Sarai.  Maybe that is why the whole thing fell apart.  Maybe she figured she was carrying Abram's kid so she should be top dog.  I can imagine feeling that way.  And, God already knew he had the plan of giving Abram and Sarai a child of their own, but Hagar did not know that.

I love how God sees the difficulty of our circumstances even when we have to stay in them.

The angel gives her a promise.  She is promised that her descendants would multiply and be too many to count also.  How interesting. 

God seems to help encourage his children to go the way He would like them to go.  He doesn't just order and wait for them to fail.  He sends messengers, He allows encouragement. 

Hmmmmm