†. Gen 17:9b . . you and your offspring to come throughout the ages
shall keep My covenant.
The word "keep" is from shamar (shaw-mar') which means, properly: to
hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard, to protect, attend to. The general
meaning in this particular instance is: to preserve.
†. Gen 17:10 . . Such shall be the covenant between Me and you and
your offspring to follow which you shall keep: every male among you
shall be circumcised.
Circumcision didn't begin with Abraham. It was practiced in Egypt as early
as 2400 BC.
Circumcision doesn't serve to improve a man's physical appearance. Men
were created whole; and after God finished the six days of creation, He
inspected everything and graded it all very good. So circumcision doesn't
correct any construction errors; but actually mars a man's natural
appearance. It renders him somewhat disfigured so that he no longer bears
a precise resemblance to his ancestor Adam-- nor will he ever again. A
circumcised man is still a human being; just altered somewhat.
The surgery doesn't impair sexual function so we can rule out the possibility
that God imposed circumcision on Abraham and his male progeny for the
purpose of discouraging romance. After all if a man's genital nerves were to
be disabled, it would be very difficult for men to procreate-- and that would
conflict with God's promise to Abraham that he would be fruitful and become
very numerous.
†. Gen 17:11 . .You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and
that shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.
The word for "sign" is from 'owth (oth). It's the very same word for the mark
upon Cain, and the rainbow of Noah's covenant. An 'owth not only labels
things, but also serves as a memory preserver; like the Viet Nam war
memorial. Abraham's circumcision, like rainbows and war memorials, is one
of those "lest we forget" reminders of important events.
†. Gen 17:12a . . And throughout the generations, every male among
you shall be circumcised at the age of eight days.
The mandate stipulates "every male among you" which of course included
the Gentiles in Abraham's camp since Abraham himself was a Gentile.
Circumcision permanently removes flesh so that the patient no longer
precisely resembles Adam-- the father of the human race created during the
seven days of the original creation week. Adam's grandson is allowed to
remain like his ancestor for only the duration of those seven days. He's then
circumcised on the first day of a new week. So, symbolically, the boy
becomes another kind of human being in another Genesis. In other words;
he becomes a new man-- no longer resembling the old man Adam, the man
of earth, but resembling the new man Abraham, the man of God. So there
are two kinds of Man: the natural man, and the spiritual man.
Physical circumcision of course doesn't actually make a man spiritual; it's
only symbolic (cf. Rom 2:25-29)
†. Gen 17:12b-13a . . As for the home-born slave and the one bought
from an outsider who is not of your offspring, they must be
circumcised, home-born, and purchased alike.
The implication is obvious: all males in Abraham's community (viz: his
kingdom) have to resemble Abraham in order to be bona fide registered
members; which means that a male Jew's genetics alone are not an eo ipso
connection to Abraham. He has to undergo the surgery too.
†. Gen 17:13b-14 . .Thus shall My covenant be marked in your flesh
as an everlasting pact. And if any male who is uncircumcised fails to
circumcise the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from
his kin; he has broken My covenant.
That law almost cost Moses his life. After he was commissioned to represent
God in the Exodus; Yhvh rendezvoused with Moses and came within an inch
of taking his life over this very issue.
†. Ex 4:24-26 . . Now it came about at an inn on the way that Yhvh met him
and sought to put him to death. Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her
son's foreskin and threw it at Moses' feet, and she said: You are indeed a
bloody bridegroom to me. So He let him alone.
That should be a sobering warning that anyone representing God is
supposed to set the example in all things. It's not do as I say, nor even do
as I do; but do as I have done.
Anyway, non-circumcised Jewish males aren't counted among Abraham's
community; and that was a law way before it was incorporated in Moses'
covenanted law. (Ex 12:48-49, Lev 12:2-3)
†. Gen 17:15 . . And God said to Abraham: As for your wife Sarai, you
shall not call her Sarai, but her name shall be Sarah.
Sarah's original name was Saray (saw-rah'-ee) which means: dominative.
Webster's defines "dominative" as: to exert the supreme determining or
guiding influence on-- in other words: bossy. Dominative isn't a desirable
female personality. Being assertive and confrontational is nothing to be
proud of.
Sarah (saw-raw') means: a female noble; such as a Lady, a Princess, or a
Queen. It's much preferable for a woman to be known as a lady or a
princess than as a dominatrix.
Changing Sarai's name didn't actually change her personality; but it
certainly reflected her new God-given purpose. It was like a promotion to
knighthood. The child she would produce for Abraham became a very
important, world-renowned human being out of whom came kings and
statesmen; and ultimately the savior of the world. If I were required to pick
just one woman in the Bible to venerate, it wouldn't be the Lord's mom; no,
it would be Isaac's mom. Sarah is the supreme matriarch over every one of
the Messianic mothers who came after her.
†. Gen 17:16 . . I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son by her. I
will bless her so that she shall give rise to nations; rulers of peoples
shall issue from her.
Sarah now had a calling from God just like her slavette Hagar; who herself
was given a calling from God on the road to Shur. Sarah's calling wasn't
much of a calling. She wasn't called to go off to some foreign country as a
missionary, nor to open and operate hostels and orphanages in
impoverished countries, nor head up a local chapter of the March Of Dimes,
nor muster an army like a Joan of Arc. All in the world Sarah had to do for
God was just be Isaac's mom.
I once heard a story about a lady who summarily announced to her pastor
that God called her to preach. The pastor thought for a second and then
inquired: Do you have any children? She answered: Yes. So he said: My;
isn't that wonderful? God called you to preach and already gave you a
congregation.
Motherhood isn't a lowly calling. It is a very high, noble calling with a
tremendous responsibility, because the hands that rock the cradles quite
literally do rule the world. A mother can either ruin a child's potential or
enhance it; she can raise a decent human being, or raise a sociopathic
monster. The media typically focuses on physical child abuse while usually
overlooking the kind caused by mental cruelty. There are children out there
whose self esteem and sense of worth are in the toilet just by being in the
home of a thoughtless mother.
One child can enrich the lives of millions of people, and it's the moms who
bring them into the world, pick their boogers, change their dydees, teach
them how to brush their teeth and say their prayers, stay up late with their
fevers, get them in for their shots, pack them off to school, take them to the
park, drive them to ToysRus a thousand times, and cry at their weddings.
The dads have it easy. It's the moms who really pay the price for a child's
future. But a mom can just as easily destroy her child's future by abuse and
neglect. There are moms who have about as much love for their children as
a dirty sock or a broken dish; and regard them just as expendable.
But Sarah won't be like that. When she gets done with Isaac, he will be a
well adjusted grown-up having a genuine bond of love and trust with his
mom and zero gender issues with women. Isaac will see in Sarah the very
kind of girl he would like to marry; and when that one does come along, he
won't let her get away.
†. Gen 17:17 . . Abraham threw himself on his face and laughed, as
he said to himself: Can a child be born to a man a hundred years old,
or can Sarah bear a child at ninety?
God had previously promised Abraham an heir but this is the first time He
actually specified who the biological mother would be. Was Abraham
skeptical? Not this time. No; he just thought it was hilarious for two old sag
bottomed, bloated cod fish gasbags like he and Sarah to have children. In
other words: You've gotta be kidding!
†. Rom 4:19-21 . .Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his
body was as good as dead-- since he was about a hundred years old --and
that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief
regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave
glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had
promised.
Cont.
/
shall keep My covenant.
The word "keep" is from shamar (shaw-mar') which means, properly: to
hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard, to protect, attend to. The general
meaning in this particular instance is: to preserve.
†. Gen 17:10 . . Such shall be the covenant between Me and you and
your offspring to follow which you shall keep: every male among you
shall be circumcised.
Circumcision didn't begin with Abraham. It was practiced in Egypt as early
as 2400 BC.
Circumcision doesn't serve to improve a man's physical appearance. Men
were created whole; and after God finished the six days of creation, He
inspected everything and graded it all very good. So circumcision doesn't
correct any construction errors; but actually mars a man's natural
appearance. It renders him somewhat disfigured so that he no longer bears
a precise resemblance to his ancestor Adam-- nor will he ever again. A
circumcised man is still a human being; just altered somewhat.
The surgery doesn't impair sexual function so we can rule out the possibility
that God imposed circumcision on Abraham and his male progeny for the
purpose of discouraging romance. After all if a man's genital nerves were to
be disabled, it would be very difficult for men to procreate-- and that would
conflict with God's promise to Abraham that he would be fruitful and become
very numerous.
†. Gen 17:11 . .You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and
that shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.
The word for "sign" is from 'owth (oth). It's the very same word for the mark
upon Cain, and the rainbow of Noah's covenant. An 'owth not only labels
things, but also serves as a memory preserver; like the Viet Nam war
memorial. Abraham's circumcision, like rainbows and war memorials, is one
of those "lest we forget" reminders of important events.
†. Gen 17:12a . . And throughout the generations, every male among
you shall be circumcised at the age of eight days.
The mandate stipulates "every male among you" which of course included
the Gentiles in Abraham's camp since Abraham himself was a Gentile.
Circumcision permanently removes flesh so that the patient no longer
precisely resembles Adam-- the father of the human race created during the
seven days of the original creation week. Adam's grandson is allowed to
remain like his ancestor for only the duration of those seven days. He's then
circumcised on the first day of a new week. So, symbolically, the boy
becomes another kind of human being in another Genesis. In other words;
he becomes a new man-- no longer resembling the old man Adam, the man
of earth, but resembling the new man Abraham, the man of God. So there
are two kinds of Man: the natural man, and the spiritual man.
Physical circumcision of course doesn't actually make a man spiritual; it's
only symbolic (cf. Rom 2:25-29)
†. Gen 17:12b-13a . . As for the home-born slave and the one bought
from an outsider who is not of your offspring, they must be
circumcised, home-born, and purchased alike.
The implication is obvious: all males in Abraham's community (viz: his
kingdom) have to resemble Abraham in order to be bona fide registered
members; which means that a male Jew's genetics alone are not an eo ipso
connection to Abraham. He has to undergo the surgery too.
†. Gen 17:13b-14 . .Thus shall My covenant be marked in your flesh
as an everlasting pact. And if any male who is uncircumcised fails to
circumcise the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from
his kin; he has broken My covenant.
That law almost cost Moses his life. After he was commissioned to represent
God in the Exodus; Yhvh rendezvoused with Moses and came within an inch
of taking his life over this very issue.
†. Ex 4:24-26 . . Now it came about at an inn on the way that Yhvh met him
and sought to put him to death. Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her
son's foreskin and threw it at Moses' feet, and she said: You are indeed a
bloody bridegroom to me. So He let him alone.
That should be a sobering warning that anyone representing God is
supposed to set the example in all things. It's not do as I say, nor even do
as I do; but do as I have done.
Anyway, non-circumcised Jewish males aren't counted among Abraham's
community; and that was a law way before it was incorporated in Moses'
covenanted law. (Ex 12:48-49, Lev 12:2-3)
†. Gen 17:15 . . And God said to Abraham: As for your wife Sarai, you
shall not call her Sarai, but her name shall be Sarah.
Sarah's original name was Saray (saw-rah'-ee) which means: dominative.
Webster's defines "dominative" as: to exert the supreme determining or
guiding influence on-- in other words: bossy. Dominative isn't a desirable
female personality. Being assertive and confrontational is nothing to be
proud of.
Sarah (saw-raw') means: a female noble; such as a Lady, a Princess, or a
Queen. It's much preferable for a woman to be known as a lady or a
princess than as a dominatrix.
Changing Sarai's name didn't actually change her personality; but it
certainly reflected her new God-given purpose. It was like a promotion to
knighthood. The child she would produce for Abraham became a very
important, world-renowned human being out of whom came kings and
statesmen; and ultimately the savior of the world. If I were required to pick
just one woman in the Bible to venerate, it wouldn't be the Lord's mom; no,
it would be Isaac's mom. Sarah is the supreme matriarch over every one of
the Messianic mothers who came after her.
†. Gen 17:16 . . I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son by her. I
will bless her so that she shall give rise to nations; rulers of peoples
shall issue from her.
Sarah now had a calling from God just like her slavette Hagar; who herself
was given a calling from God on the road to Shur. Sarah's calling wasn't
much of a calling. She wasn't called to go off to some foreign country as a
missionary, nor to open and operate hostels and orphanages in
impoverished countries, nor head up a local chapter of the March Of Dimes,
nor muster an army like a Joan of Arc. All in the world Sarah had to do for
God was just be Isaac's mom.
I once heard a story about a lady who summarily announced to her pastor
that God called her to preach. The pastor thought for a second and then
inquired: Do you have any children? She answered: Yes. So he said: My;
isn't that wonderful? God called you to preach and already gave you a
congregation.
Motherhood isn't a lowly calling. It is a very high, noble calling with a
tremendous responsibility, because the hands that rock the cradles quite
literally do rule the world. A mother can either ruin a child's potential or
enhance it; she can raise a decent human being, or raise a sociopathic
monster. The media typically focuses on physical child abuse while usually
overlooking the kind caused by mental cruelty. There are children out there
whose self esteem and sense of worth are in the toilet just by being in the
home of a thoughtless mother.
One child can enrich the lives of millions of people, and it's the moms who
bring them into the world, pick their boogers, change their dydees, teach
them how to brush their teeth and say their prayers, stay up late with their
fevers, get them in for their shots, pack them off to school, take them to the
park, drive them to ToysRus a thousand times, and cry at their weddings.
The dads have it easy. It's the moms who really pay the price for a child's
future. But a mom can just as easily destroy her child's future by abuse and
neglect. There are moms who have about as much love for their children as
a dirty sock or a broken dish; and regard them just as expendable.
But Sarah won't be like that. When she gets done with Isaac, he will be a
well adjusted grown-up having a genuine bond of love and trust with his
mom and zero gender issues with women. Isaac will see in Sarah the very
kind of girl he would like to marry; and when that one does come along, he
won't let her get away.
†. Gen 17:17 . . Abraham threw himself on his face and laughed, as
he said to himself: Can a child be born to a man a hundred years old,
or can Sarah bear a child at ninety?
God had previously promised Abraham an heir but this is the first time He
actually specified who the biological mother would be. Was Abraham
skeptical? Not this time. No; he just thought it was hilarious for two old sag
bottomed, bloated cod fish gasbags like he and Sarah to have children. In
other words: You've gotta be kidding!
†. Rom 4:19-21 . .Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his
body was as good as dead-- since he was about a hundred years old --and
that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief
regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave
glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had
promised.
Cont.
/
