Genesis:17

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* Verse 1-6 - The covenant was to be accomplished in due time . The promised Seed was Christ , and Christians in him . And all who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abram , being partakers of the same covenant blessings . In token of this covenant his name was changed from Abram , "a high father ," to Abraham , "the father of a multitude ." All that the Christian world enjoys , it is indebted for to Abraham and his Seed . * Verse 7-14 - The covenant of grace is from everlasting in the counsels of it , and to everlasting in the consequences of it . The token of the covenant was circumcision . It is here said to be the covenant which Abraham and his seed must keep . Those who will have the Lord to be to them a God , must resolve to be to him a people . Not only Abraham and Isaac , and his posterity by Isaac , were to be circumcised , but also Ishmael and the bond-servants . It sealed not only the covenant of the land of Canaan to Isaac 's posterity , but of heaven , through Christ , to the whole church of God . The outward sign is for the visible church ; the inward seal of the Spirit is peculiar to those whom God knows to be believers , and he alone can know them . The religious observance of this institution was required , under a very severe penalty . It is dangerous to make light of Divine institutions , and to live in the neglect of them . The covenant in question was one that involved great blessings for the world in all future ages . Even the blessedness of Abraham himself , and all the rewards conferred upon him , were for Christ 's sake . Abraham was justified , as we have seen , not by his own righteousness , but by faith in the promised Messiah . * Verse 15-22 - Here is the promise made to Abraham of a son by Sarai , in whom the promise made to him should be fulfilled . The assurance of this promise was the change of Sarai 's name into Sarah . Sarai signifies my princess , as if her honour were confined to one family only ; Sarah signifies a princess . The more favours God confers upon us , the more low we should be in our own eyes . Abraham showed great joy ; he laughed , it was a laughter of delight , not of distrust . Now it was that Abraham rejoiced to see Christ 's day ; now he saw it and was glad , John strkjv @8:56 . Abraham , dreading lest Ishmael should be abandoned and forsaken of God , put up a petition on his behalf . God gives us leave in prayer to be particular in making known our requests . Whatever is our care and fear , should be spread before God in prayer . It is the duty of parents to pray for their children , and the great thing we should desire is , that they may be kept in covenant with Him , and may have grace to walk before him in uprightness . Common blessings are secured to Ishmael . Outward good things are often given to those children of godly parents who are born after the flesh , for their parents ' sake . Covenant blessings are reserved for Isaac , and appropriated to him . * Verse 23-27 - Abraham and all his family were circumcised ; so receiving the token of the covenant , and distinguishing themselves from other families that had no part nor lot in the matter . It was an implicit obedience ; he did as God said unto him , and did not ask why or wherefore . He did it because God bade him . It was a speedy obedience ; in the self-same day . Sincere obedience makes no delay . Not only the doctrines of revelation , but the seals of God 's covenant , remind us that we are guilty , polluted sinners . They show us our need of the blood of atonement ; they point to the promised Saviour , and teach us to exercise faith in him . They show us that without regeneration , and sanctification by his Spirit , and the mortification of our corrupt and carnal inclinations , we cannot be in covenant with God . But let us remember that the true circumcision is that of the heart , by the Spirit , Romans strkjv @2:28 ,29 . Both under the old and new dispensation , many have had the outward profession , and the outward seal , who were never sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise . **** Matthew Henry 's Commentary ****

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