Last week, the focus was entirely on the anticipated son of promise, Isaac. This week, the focus is Ishmael, who up until this point is Abraham’s only son. We learned in the last study, that Ishmael was born after the flesh, while the promised Isaac would be born of the Spirit. It is interesting to observe – that once again God presents us with the two lines – the Godly and the ungodly. . .

Abraham has expressed his desire that the Lord bless Ishmael [Gen. 17 : 18]

20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

21 But My covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

22 And He left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

The Lord promises Abraham that his son Ishmael will be blessed with twelve sons, and that they will all be princes. For thirteen years, since Abraham had succumbed to his wife’s manipulation to anticipate God, he has lived according to the flesh. His faith is still in the physical realm. God has “left off talking with him.” It is now time for Abraham to put off the flesh. Please recall that the outward circumcision represents what is to take place internally when the man is fully surrendered to God.

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 selfsame day, as God had said unto him.24 And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.26 In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.27 And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him. Genesis 17: 20-27

I am not advocating for or against circumcision – all I am doing is explaining what it means! Also consider that circumcision is the only flesh that can be severed without physical deformation. God would never require anything from us that He would not do Himself. Our Savior was circumcised at eight days old.

AND WHEN EIGHT DAYS WERE ACCOMPLISHED FOR THE CIRCUMCISING OF THE CHILD, HIS NAME WAS CALLED JESUS, WHICH WAS SO NAMED OF THE ANGEL BEFORE HE WAS CONCEIVED IN THE WOMB.

Luke 2: 21 Jesus the Christ was the only One in all of history Who kept the entirety of the Law perfectly. All of it. The last devotional covered the important distinction between the bondage of the flesh or Law, (Hagar) and the freedom of the Spirit, (Sarah). Circumcision is the sign of the Covenant. It is the seal of the covenant, which must be sealed in blood.

A good way to understand this is to think about an important document, which is only considered viable when it has an authentic, impressed or embossed seal. Without the seal – it is fraudulent.  Please go here to review God’s part of the Covenant. Now, as we arrive at the end of Genesis 17, both God and Abraham have committed to the Covenant by “sealing” it.

The Jews came to think of the actual circumcision as being more than a sign, and regarded it as their actual justification. It is important to understand that Abraham was part of the Covenant long before he was circumcised. Much like a Biblical betrothal period, in where the bride is considered fully the wife of the groom, but the marriage has not been consummated yet. Paul enlarges this for us –

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also.

Romans 4: 11