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20 - Commentary on The Book of Genesis · Philosophy and Faith

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Speaker 1: Chapter seventeen Genesis, Chapter seventeen. This chapter contains articles of
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Speaker 1: agreement covenanted and concluded upon between the Great Jehovah, the
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Speaker 1: Father of mercies, on the one part, and pass Abram,
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Speaker 1: the Father of the faithful, on the other part. Abram
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Speaker 1: is called the friend of God not only because he
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Speaker 1: was the man of his council, but because he was
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Speaker 1: the man of his covenant. Both these secrets were with him.
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Speaker 1: Mentioned was made of this covenant Chapter fifteen, verse eighteen.
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Speaker 1: But here it is particularly drawn up and put into
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Speaker 1: the form of a covenant, that Abram might have strong
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Speaker 1: consolation here numeral one. The circumstances of the making of
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Speaker 1: this covenant, the time and manner verse one, and the
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Speaker 1: posture Abram was in verse three numeral two, covenant itself
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Speaker 1: in the general scope of it verse one, and afterwards
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Speaker 1: in the particular instances number one, that he should be
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Speaker 1: the father of many nations Verses four and six. And
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Speaker 1: in token of this his name was changed Verse five,
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Speaker 1: number two. That God would be a god to him
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Speaker 1: and his seed and would give them the land of
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Speaker 1: Canaan Verses seven and eight. And the seal of this
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Speaker 1: part of the covenant was circumcision Verses nine through fourteen,
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Speaker 1: Number three, that he should have a son by Sarai,
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Speaker 1: and in token thereof her name was changed Verses fifteen
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Speaker 1: and sixteen. This promise Abram received verse seventeen, and his
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Speaker 1: request for Ishmael verse eighteen was answered abundantly to his
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Speaker 1: satisfaction Verses nineteen through twenty two. Numeral three. The circumcision
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Speaker 1: of Abram and his family according to God's appointment Verse
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Speaker 1: twenty three, et cetera. The covenant with Abraham renewed d c.
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Speaker 1: Eighteen ninety eight, Verse one, And when Abram was ninety
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Speaker 1: years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram and
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Speaker 1: said unto him, I am the Almighty God. Walk before me,
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Speaker 1: and be thou perfect verse two. And I will make
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Speaker 1: my covenant between me and THEE, and will multiply THEE
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Speaker 1: exceedingly verse three. And Abram fell on his face, and
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Speaker 1: God talked with him, saying, here is numeral one the
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Speaker 1: time when God made Abram his gracious visit, when he
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Speaker 1: was ninety nine years old, full thirteen years after the
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Speaker 1: birth of Ishmael number one, so long it should seem.
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Speaker 1: God's extraordinary appearances to Abram were intermitted and all the
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Speaker 1: communion he had with God was only in the usual
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Speaker 1: ways of ordinances and providences. Note there are some special
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Speaker 1: comforts which are not the daily bread. No, not of
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Speaker 1: the best saints, but they are favored with them now
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Speaker 1: and then on this side heaven they have convenient food,
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Speaker 1: but not a continual feast. Number two. So long the
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Speaker 1: promise of Isaac was deferred, one, perhaps to correct Abram's
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Speaker 1: over hasty marrying of Hagar. Note the comforts we sinfully
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Speaker 1: anticipate are justly delayed. Two that Abram and Sarai, being
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Speaker 1: so far stricken in age, God's power in this matter,
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Speaker 1: might be the more magnified, and their faith the more tried.
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Speaker 1: See Deuteronomy chapter thirty two, verse thirty six. John chapter eleven,
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Speaker 1: verses six and fifteen. Number three. That a child so
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Speaker 1: long waited for might be in Isaac a son. Indeed,
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Speaker 1: Isaiah chapter fifty four, verse one, numeral two. The way
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Speaker 1: in which God made this covenant with him, The Lord
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Speaker 1: appeared to Abram in the sie Chenna, some visible display
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Speaker 1: of God's immediate, glorious presence with him. Note God first
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Speaker 1: makes himself known to us and gives us a sight
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Speaker 1: of him by faith, and then takes us into his
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Speaker 1: covenant numeral three, the posture Abram put himself into. Upon
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Speaker 1: this occasion, he fell on his face while God talked
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Speaker 1: with him Verse three, number one, as one overcome by
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Speaker 1: the brightness of the divine glory and unable to bear
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Speaker 1: the side of it, though he had seen it times before.
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Speaker 1: Daniel and John did likewise, though they were also acquainted
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Speaker 1: with the visions of the Almighty Daniel Chapter eight, verse seventeen,
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Speaker 1: Chapter nine, verse fifteen, Revelations Chapter one, verse seventeen, or
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Speaker 1: number two. As one ashamed of himself and blushing to
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Speaker 1: think of the honors done to one so unworthy, He
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Speaker 1: looks upon himself with humility and upon God with reverence,
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Speaker 1: and in token of both, falls on his face, putting
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Speaker 1: himself into a posture of adoration. Note one. God graciously
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Speaker 1: condescends to talk with those whom he takes into covenant
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Speaker 1: and communion with himself. He talks with them by his
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Speaker 1: word Proverbs chapter six, verse twenty two. He talks with
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Speaker 1: them by his spirit. John four thirteen, verse twenty six.
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Speaker 1: This honor have all his saints. Two. Those that are
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Speaker 1: admitted into fellowship with God are and must be very
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Speaker 1: humble and very reverent in their approaches to him. If
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Speaker 1: we say we have fellowship with Him, and the familiarity
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Speaker 1: breeds contempt, we deceive ourselves. Three. Those that would receive
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Speaker 1: comfort from God must set themselves to give glory to
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Speaker 1: God and to worship at his footstool Numeral four the
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Speaker 1: general scope and summary of the covenant laid down as
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Speaker 1: the foundation on which all the rest was built. It
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Speaker 1: is no other than the covenant of grace still made
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Speaker 1: with all believers in Jesus Christ. Verse one. Observe here
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Speaker 1: number one what we may expect to find God to us,
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Speaker 1: I am the Almighty God. By this name he chose
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Speaker 1: to make himself known to Abram, rather than by his
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Speaker 1: name Jehovah Exodus, chapter six, verse three. He used it
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Speaker 1: to Jacob chapter twenty eight, verse three, Chapter forty three,
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Speaker 1: verse fourteen, Chapter forty eight, verse three. It is the
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Speaker 1: name of God that is mostly used throughout the Book
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Speaker 1: of Job, at least in the discourses of that book.
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Speaker 1: After Moses, Jehovah is more frequently used, and this el
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Speaker 1: Shadai very rarely. It speaks the almighty power of God
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Speaker 1: either one as an avenger from chaude. He laid waste
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Speaker 1: so some and they think God took this title from
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Speaker 1: the destruction of the old world. This is countenanced by
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Speaker 1: Isaiah chapter thirteen, verse six and Joel chapter one, verse
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Speaker 1: fifteen or two. As a benefactor shin for ashure who
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Speaker 1: and day sufficient. He is a God that is enough,
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Speaker 1: or as our old English translation reads it here very significantly,
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Speaker 1: I am God all sufficient. Note the God with whom
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Speaker 1: we have to do is a God that is enough. One.
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Speaker 1: He is enough to himself. He is self sufficient. He
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Speaker 1: has everything, and he needs not anything. Two he is
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Speaker 1: enough for us. If we be in covenant with him.
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Speaker 1: We have all in him, and we have enough in him,
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Speaker 1: enough to satisfy our most enlarged desires, enough to supply
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Speaker 1: the defect of everything else, and to secure to us
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Speaker 1: a happiness with our mortal souls. See Psalms chapter sixteen,
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Speaker 1: verse five, verse six, Chapter seventy three, verse twenty five,
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Speaker 1: number two. What God requires that we should be to him,
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Speaker 1: The covenant is mutual. Walk before me and be thou perfect.
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Speaker 1: That is upright and sincere. For herein the covenant of
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Speaker 1: grace is well ordered. That sincerity is our gospel perfection
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Speaker 1: observe one that to be religious is to walk before
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Speaker 1: God in our integrity. It is to set God always
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Speaker 1: before us, and to think and speak and act in
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Speaker 1: everything as those that are always under his eye. It
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Speaker 1: is to have a constant regard to His word as
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Speaker 1: our rule, and to his glory as our end in
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Speaker 1: all our actions, and to be continually in His fear.
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Speaker 1: It is to be inward with Him in all the
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Speaker 1: duties of religious worship, For in Him particularly we walk
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Speaker 1: before God verse Samuel, Chapter twenty one, verse thirty. And
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Speaker 1: to be entire for Him in all holy conversation. I
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Speaker 1: know no religion but sincerity. Two that upright walking with
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Speaker 1: God is the condition of our interest in His all sufficiency.
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Speaker 1: If we neglect Him or dissemble with him, we forfeit
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Speaker 1: the benefit and comfort of our relation to Him. Three.
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Speaker 1: A continual regard to God's all sufficiency will have a
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Speaker 1: great influence upon our upright walking with him. Verse four.
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Speaker 1: As for me, behold, my covenant is with THEE, and
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Speaker 1: thou shalt be a father of many nations. Verse five.
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Speaker 1: Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but
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Speaker 1: thy name shall be called Abraham, for a father of
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Speaker 1: many nations have I made THEE Verse six, And I
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Speaker 1: will make THEE exceedingly fruitful, And I will make many
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Speaker 1: nations of THEE, and king shall come out of THEE.
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Speaker 1: The promise here is introduced with solemnity, as for me,
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Speaker 1: says the Great God. Behold, behold and admire it. Behold
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Speaker 1: and be assured of it. My covenant is with THEE.
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Speaker 1: As before verse two, I will make my covenant. The
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Speaker 1: covenant of grace is a covenant of God's own making.
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Speaker 1: This he glories in as for me, and so may
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Speaker 1: we now Here Numeral one, it is promised to Abraham
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Speaker 1: that he should be a father of many nations, that
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Speaker 1: is one, that his seed after the flesh should be
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Speaker 1: very numerous, both in Isaac and in Issae Mail, as
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Speaker 1: well as in the sons of Keturah. Something extraordinary is
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Speaker 1: doubtless included in this promise, and we may suppose that
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Speaker 1: the event answered to it, and that there have been
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Speaker 1: and are more of the children of men descended from
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Speaker 1: Abraham than from any one man at an equal distance
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Speaker 1: with him from Noah. The common root two that all
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Speaker 1: believers in every age should be looked upon as his
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Speaker 1: spirit will sede, and that he should be called not
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Speaker 1: only the friend of God, but the Father of the faithful.
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Speaker 1: In this sense, the Apostle directs us to understand this promise.
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Speaker 1: Romans chapter four, verses sixteen and seventeen. He is the
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Speaker 1: father of those in every nation that by faith enter
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Speaker 1: into covenant with God, and, as the Jewish writers express it,
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Speaker 1: are gathered under the wings of the Divine Majesty numeral two.
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Speaker 1: In token of this, his name was changed from Abram,
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Speaker 1: a high father, to Abraham, the father of a multitude.
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Speaker 1: This was number one to put an honor upon him.
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Speaker 1: It is spoken of as the glory of the Church,
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Speaker 1: that she shall be called by a new name, which
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Speaker 1: the mouth of the Lord shall name Isaiah Chapter sixty two,
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Speaker 1: verse two. Princes dignify their favorites by conferring new titles
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Speaker 1: upon them. Thus was Abraham dignified by him, that is,
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Speaker 1: indeed the fountain of honor. All believers have a new name. Revelations,
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Speaker 1: chapter two, verse seventeen. Some think it added to the
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Speaker 1: honor of Abraham's new name that a letter of the
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Speaker 1: name Jehovah was inserted into it, as it was a
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Speaker 1: disgrace to Joconiah to have the first syllable of his
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Speaker 1: name cut off because it was the same as the
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Speaker 1: first syllable of the sacred name Jeremiah chapter twenty two,
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Speaker 1: verse twenty eight. Believers are named from Christ Ephesians chapter three,
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Speaker 1: verse fifteen, number two to encourage and confirm the faith
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Speaker 1: of Abraham while he was child, as perhaps even his
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Speaker 1: own name was sometimes an occasion of grief to him.
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Speaker 1: Why should he be called a high father who was
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Speaker 1: not a father at all? But now that God had
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Speaker 1: promised him a numerous issue and had given him a
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Speaker 1: name which signified so much, that name was his joy.
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Speaker 1: Note God calls things that are not as though they were.
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Speaker 1: It is the apostle's observation upon this very thing. Romans
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Speaker 1: chapter four, verse seventeen. He called Abraham the father of
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Speaker 1: a multitude, because he should prove to be so in
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Speaker 1: due time, though as yet he had but one child.
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Speaker 1: Verse seven. And I will establish my covenant between me
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Speaker 1: and THEE and thy seed after THEE in their generations,
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Speaker 1: for an everlasting covenant to be a god unto THEE
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Speaker 1: and to thy seed after THEE. Verse eight. And I
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Speaker 1: will give unto THEE and to thy seed after THEE.
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Speaker 1: The land wherein thou art a stranger all the land
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Speaker 1: of Canaan for an everlasting possession, and I will be
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Speaker 1: their God Verse nine. And God said unto Abraham, thou
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Speaker 1: shalt keep my covenant. Therefore, thou and thy seed after
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Speaker 1: THEE in their generations Verse ten. This is my covenant
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Speaker 1: which ye shall keep between me and you and thy
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Speaker 1: seed after THEE. Every man child among you shall be
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Speaker 1: circumcised Verse eleven. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of
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Speaker 1: your foreskin, and it shall be a token of the
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Speaker 1: covenant betwixt me and you. Verse twelve. And he that
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Speaker 1: is eight days old shall be circumcised among you every
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Speaker 1: man child in your generations. Hei that is born in
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Speaker 1: the house or bought with money of any stranger, which
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Speaker 1: is not of thy seed. Verse thirteen. He that is
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Speaker 1: born of thy house, and he that is bought with
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Speaker 1: thy money must needs be circumcised. And My covenant shall
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Speaker 1: be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. Verse fourteen.
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Speaker 1: And the uncircumcised manchild whose flesh of his foreskin is
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Speaker 1: not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people.
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Speaker 1: He hath broken my covenant. Here is numeral one. The
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Speaker 1: continuance of the covenant intimated in three things. Number One,
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Speaker 1: it is established, not to be altered nor revoked. It
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Speaker 1: is fixed, it is ratified. It is made as firm
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Speaker 1: as the divine power and truth can make it. Number two,
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Speaker 1: it is entailed. It is a covenant not with Abraham,
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Speaker 1: only then it would die with him, but with his
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Speaker 1: seed after him, not only his seed after the flesh,
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Speaker 1: but his spiritual seed. Number Three, it is everlasting in
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Speaker 1: the evangelical sense and meaning of it. The Covenant of
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Speaker 1: Grace is everlasting. It is from everlasting in the council's
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Speaker 1: abit and to everlasting in the consequences of it, and
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Speaker 1: the external administration of it is transmitted with the seal
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Speaker 1: of it to the seed of believers, and the internal
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Speaker 1: administration of it by the spirit of Christ seed in
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Speaker 1: every age Numeral two. The contents of the covenant. It
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Speaker 1: is a covenant of promises, exceedingly great and precious promises.
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Speaker 1: Here are two, which indeed are all sufficient. Number one
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Speaker 1: that God would be their God Verses seven and eight.
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Speaker 1: All the privileges of the covenant, all its joys, and
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Speaker 1: all its hopes are summed up in this. A man
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Speaker 1: needs desire, no more than this to make him happy.
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Speaker 1: What God is himself, that he will be to his
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Speaker 1: people his wisdom, theirs to guide and counsel them, his power,
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Speaker 1: theirs to protect and support them, His goodness, theirs to
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Speaker 1: supply and comfort them. What faithful worshipers can expect from
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Speaker 1: the God they serve, believers shall find in God as theirs.
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Speaker 1: This is enough, yet not all number two, that Canaan
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Speaker 1: should be their everlasting possession verse eight. God had before
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Speaker 1: promised this land to Abraham and his seed Chapter fifteen,
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Speaker 1: verse eighteen. But here where it is promised for an
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Speaker 1: everlasting possession, surely it must be looked upon as a
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Speaker 1: type of Heaven's happiness, that everlasting rest which remains for
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Speaker 1: the people of God. Hebrews, chapter four, verse nine. This
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Speaker 1: is that better country to which Abraham had an eye,
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Speaker 1: and the grant of which was that which answered to
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Speaker 1: the vast extent and compass of that promise that God
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Speaker 1: would be to them a god, so that if God
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Speaker 1: had not prepared and designed this, he would have been
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Speaker 1: ashamed to be called their God. Hebrews chapter eleven, verse sixteen.
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Speaker 1: As the land of Canaan was secured to the seed
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Speaker 1: of Abraham, according to the flesh, so Heaven is secured
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Speaker 1: to all his spiritual seed by a covenant and for
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Speaker 1: a possession truly everlasting. The author of this eternal life
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Speaker 1: is made in the Word and confirmed by the sacraments
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Speaker 1: to all that are under the eternal administration of the Covenant,
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Speaker 1: and the earnest of it is given to all believers. Ephesians,
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Speaker 1: Chapter one, verse fourteen. Canaan is here said to be
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Speaker 1: the land wherein Abraham was a stranger, and the heavenly
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Speaker 1: Canaan is the land to which we are strangers, for
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Speaker 1: it does not yet appear what we shall be Numeral
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Speaker 1: three the token of the covenant, and that is circumcision,
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Speaker 1: for the sake of which the covenant is itself called
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Speaker 1: the Covenant of Circuit Decision Acts, Chapter seven, verse eight.
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Speaker 1: It is here said to be the Covenant which Abraham
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Speaker 1: and his seed must keep as a copy or counterpart
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Speaker 1: verse nine ten. It is called a sign and seal
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Speaker 1: Romans Chapter four, verse eleven. For it was number one
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Speaker 1: a confirmation to Abraham and his seed of those promises
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Speaker 1: which were God's part of the Covenant, by assuring them
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Speaker 1: that they should be fulfilled, that in due time Canaan
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Speaker 1: would be theirs, and the continuance of this ordinance after
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Speaker 1: Canaan was theirs. Intimates that these promises looked further to
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Speaker 1: another Canaan, which they must still be in expectation of.
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Speaker 1: See Hebrews chapter four, verse eight, number two. An obligation
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Speaker 1: upon Abraham and his seed to the duty which was
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Speaker 1: their part of the covenant, not only to the duty
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Speaker 1: of accepting the covenant and accepting to it and putting
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Speaker 1: away the corruption of the flesh, which were more immediately
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Speaker 1: and primarily signified by circumcision, but in general, to the
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Speaker 1: observance of all God's commands, as they should at any
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Speaker 1: time hereafter be intimated and made known to them. For
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Speaker 1: circumcision made men debtors to do the whole law Galatians
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Speaker 1: chapter five, verse three. Those who will have God to
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Speaker 1: be to them a god must consent and resolve to
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Speaker 1: be to him a people. Now one, Circumcision was a
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Speaker 1: bloody ordinance, for all things by the law were purged
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Speaker 1: with blood Hebrews chapter nine, verse twenty two. See Exodus
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Speaker 1: chapter twenty four, verse eight. But the blood of Christ
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Speaker 1: being shed, all bloody ordinances are now abolished. Circumcision therefore
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Speaker 1: gives way to baptism. Two, it was peculiar to the males,
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Speaker 1: for the women were also included in the covenant. For
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Speaker 1: the man is the head of the woman and our kingdom.
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Speaker 1: The oath of allegiance is required only from man. Some
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Speaker 1: think that the blood of the males only was shed
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Speaker 1: in circumcision, because respect was had in it to Jesus
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Speaker 1: Christ and his blood. Three. It was the flesh of
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Speaker 1: the foreskin that was to be cut off, because it
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Speaker 1: is by ordinary generation that sin is propagated. And with
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Speaker 1: an eye to the promised seed who was to come
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Speaker 1: from the loins of Abraham, Christ, having not yet offered
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Speaker 1: himself to us, God would have man to enter into
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Speaker 1: covenant by the offering of some part of his own body,
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Speaker 1: And no part could be better spared. It is a
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Speaker 1: secret part of the body, for the true circumcision is
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Speaker 1: that of the heart. This honor God put upon an
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Speaker 1: uncomely part Verse Corinthians, Chapter twelve, Verses twenty three and
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Speaker 1: twenty four. Four. The ordinance was to be administered to
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Speaker 1: children when they were eight days old, and not sooner,
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Speaker 1: that they might gather some strength to be able to
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Speaker 1: undergo the pain of it, and that at least one
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Speaker 1: Sabbath might pass over them. Five the children of the strangers,
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Speaker 1: of whom the master of the family was the true
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Speaker 1: domestic owner, were to be circumcised Verse twelve and thirteen,
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Speaker 1: which looked favorably upon the gentiles, who should, in due
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Speaker 1: time be brought into the family of Abraham by faith
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Speaker 1: see Galatians chapter three, verse fourteen six. The religious observance
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Speaker 1: of this institution was required under a very severe penalty
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Speaker 1: verse fourteen. The contempt of circumcision was a contempt of
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Speaker 1: the covenant. If the parents did not circumcise their children,
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Speaker 1: it was at their peril, as in the case of
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Speaker 1: Moses Exodus, chapter four, Verses twenty four and twenty five,
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Speaker 1: with respect to those that were not circumcised in their infancy,
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Speaker 1: If when they grew up, they did not themselves come
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Speaker 1: under this ordinance, God would surely reckon with them. If
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Speaker 1: they cut not off the flesh of their foreskin, God
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Speaker 1: would cut them off from their people. It is a
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Speaker 1: dangerous thing to make light of divine institutions and to
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Speaker 1: live in the neglect of them verse fifteen. And God
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Speaker 1: said unto Abraham, as for Sarah, thy walls thou shalt
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Speaker 1: not call her name Sarai, But Sarah shall her name
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Speaker 1: be verse sixteen. And I will bless her and give
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Speaker 1: THEE a son also of her yea, I will bless her,
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Speaker 1: and she shall be a mother of nations, kings of
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Speaker 1: people shall be of her Verse seventeen. Then Abraham fell
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Speaker 1: upon his face and laughed, and said, in his heart
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Speaker 1: shall a child be born unto him that is one
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Speaker 1: hundred years old? And shall Sarah, that is ninety years
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Speaker 1: old bear Verse eighteen. And Abraham said, unto God, oh,
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Speaker 1: that Ishmael might live before THEE verse nineteen. And God said, Sarah,
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Speaker 1: thy wife shall bear THEE a son indeed, and thou
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Speaker 1: shalt call his name Isaac. And I will establish my
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Speaker 1: covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his
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Speaker 1: seed after him Verse twenty. And as before Ishmael I
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Speaker 1: have heard THEE behold, I have blessed him and will
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Speaker 1: make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. Twelve princes
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Speaker 1: shall he beget, and I will make him a great
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Speaker 1: nation Verse twenty one. But my covenant will I establish
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Speaker 1: with Isaac, which sarahs shall bear unto THEE. At this
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Speaker 1: set time in the next year Verse twenty two, and
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Speaker 1: he left off talking with him, and God went up
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Speaker 1: before Abraham. Here is numeral one the promise made to
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Speaker 1: Abraham of a son by Sirrai, that son in whom
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Speaker 1: the promise made to him should be fulfilled, that he
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Speaker 1: should be the father of many nations. For she also
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Speaker 1: shall be a mother of nations, and kings of people
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Speaker 1: shall be of her Verse sixteen. Note number one. God
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Speaker 1: reveals the purposes of his good will to his people
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Speaker 1: by degrees. God had told Abraham long before that he
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Speaker 1: should have a son, but never till now that he
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Speaker 1: should have a son by Sarai. Number two, the blessing
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Speaker 1: of the Lord makes fruitful and adds no sorrow with it,
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Speaker 1: no such sorrow as was in Hagar's case. I will
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Speaker 1: bless her with the blessings of fruitfulness, and then thou
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Speaker 1: shalt have a son of her. Number three. Civil government
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Speaker 1: and order are a great blessing to the church. It
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Speaker 1: is promised not only that people, but kings of people
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Speaker 1: shall be of her, not a headless rout, but a
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Speaker 1: well modeled, well groomed society. Numeral two. The ratification of
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Speaker 1: this promise was the change of Syriah's name, unto Sarah
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Speaker 1: verse fifteen, that same letter being added to her name
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Speaker 1: that was to Abraham's. And for the same reasons, Sarah
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Speaker 1: signifies my princess as if her honor were confined to
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Speaker 1: one family. Only. Sarah signifies a princess namely of multitudes,
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Speaker 1: for signifying that from her should come the Messiah, the Prince,
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Speaker 1: even the prince of the kings of the earth numeral three.
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Speaker 1: Abraham's joyful, thankful entertainment of this gracious promise verse seventeen.
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Speaker 1: Upon this occasion he expressed. Number One, great humility. He
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Speaker 1: fell on his face. Note the more honors and favors
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Speaker 1: God confers upon us, the lower we should be in
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Speaker 1: our own eyes, and the more reverent and submissive before God.
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Speaker 1: Number two, great joy, he laughed. It was a after
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Speaker 1: of delight, not of distressed. Note even the promises of
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Speaker 1: a holy God, as well as his performances, are the
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Speaker 1: joys of holy souls. There is the joy of faith
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Speaker 1: as well as the joy of fruition. Now it was
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Speaker 1: that Abraham rejoiced to seek Christ's day. Now he sought
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Speaker 1: and was glad John chapter eight, verse fifty six, For
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Speaker 1: as he saw Heaven in the promise of Canaan, so
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Speaker 1: he saw Christ in the promise of Isaac. Number three,
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Speaker 1: great admiration, shall a child be born to him that
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Speaker 1: is one hundred years old. He does not here speak
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Speaker 1: of it as all doubtful, for we are sure that
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Speaker 1: he staggered not at the promise Romans chapter four, verse twenty,
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Speaker 1: but as very wonderful and that which could not be affected,
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Speaker 1: but by the almighty power of God, and as very
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Speaker 1: kind and a favor which was the more affecting and obliging.
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Speaker 1: For this that it was extremely surprising. Psalms Chapter one,
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Speaker 1: twenty six, Verses one and two, numeral four. Abraham's prayer
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Speaker 1: for Ishmael, oh, that Ishmael might live before thee verse eighteen.
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Speaker 1: This he speaks not as desiring that Ishmael might be
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Speaker 1: preferred before the son he should have by Sarah, but
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Speaker 1: dreading lest he should be abandoned and forsaken of God.
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Speaker 1: He puts up this petition on his behalf. Now that
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Speaker 1: God is talking with him, he thinks he has a
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Speaker 1: very fair opportunity to speak a good word for Ishmael,
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Speaker 1: and he will not let it slip. Note number one.
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Speaker 1: Though we ought not to be prescribed to God. Yet
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Speaker 1: He gives up us leave in prayer to be humbly
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Speaker 1: free with Him, and particular in making known our requests.
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Speaker 1: Philippians chapter four, verse six. Whatever is the matter of
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Speaker 1: our care and fear should be spread before God in prayer.
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Speaker 1: Number two, it is the duty of parents to pray
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Speaker 1: for their children, for all their children, as Job who
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Speaker 1: offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all
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Speaker 1: Job Chapter one, verse five. Abraham would not have it
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Speaker 1: thought that when God promised him a son by Sarah,
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Speaker 1: which he so much desired, then his son by Hagar
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Speaker 1: was forgotten. No, still he bears upon him his heart
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Speaker 1: and shows a concern for him. The prospect of further
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Speaker 1: favors must not make us unmindful of former favors. Number three.
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Speaker 1: The great thing we should desire of God for our
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Speaker 1: children is that they may live before Him, that is,
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Speaker 1: that they may be kept in covenant with Him and
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Speaker 1: may have grace to walk before Him in their uprightness.
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Speaker 1: Spiritual blessings are the best blessings, and those for which
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Speaker 1: we should be most earnest with God, both for ourselves
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Speaker 1: and others. Those live well that live before God. Numeral five,
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Speaker 1: God's answer to his prayer, and it is an answer
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Speaker 1: of peace. Abraham could not say that he sought God's
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Speaker 1: face in vain. Number One, common blessings are secure to
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Speaker 1: Ishmael verse twenty. As for Ishmael, whom thou art in
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Speaker 1: so much care about, I have heard thee, he shall
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Speaker 1: find favor for thy sake. I have blessed him. That is,
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Speaker 1: I have many blessings in store for him. One austerity
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Speaker 1: shall be numerous. I will multiply him exceedingly more than
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Speaker 1: his neighbors. This is the fruit of the blessing. As
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Speaker 1: that Chapter one, verse twenty eight two, they shall be considerable.
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Speaker 1: Twelve princes shall he beget. We may charitably hope that
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Speaker 1: spiritual blessings also were bestowed upon him, though the visible
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Speaker 1: Church was not brought out of his loins, and the
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Speaker 1: Covenant was not lodged in his family. Note great plenty
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Speaker 1: of outward good things is often given to those children
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Speaker 1: of godly parents who are born after the flesh for
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Speaker 1: their parent's sake. Number two, Covenant blessings are reserved for
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Speaker 1: Isaac and appropriated to him Verses nineteen and twenty one.
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Speaker 1: If Abraham and his prayer for Ishmael meant that he
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Speaker 1: would have the covenant made with him and the promisee
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Speaker 1: to come from him. Then God did not answer him
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Speaker 1: in the letter, but in that which was equivalent, nay,
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Speaker 1: which was every way better. One. God represents to him
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Speaker 1: the promise of a son. By Sarah, she shall bear
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Speaker 1: thee a son. Indeed. Note even true believers need to
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Speaker 1: have God's promises doubled and repeated to them, that they
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Speaker 1: may have strong consolation. Hebrews chapter six, verse eighteen. Again,
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Speaker 1: children of the promise are children. Indeed. Two, he names
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Speaker 1: that child, calls him Isaac laughter, because Abraham rejoiced in
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Speaker 1: spirit when this son was promised him. Note. If God's
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Speaker 1: promises be our joy, his mercies promised shall in due
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Speaker 1: time be our exceeding joy. Christ will be laughter to
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Speaker 1: those that look for him. Those that now rejoice in
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Speaker 1: hope shall shortly rejoice in having that which they hoped for.
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Speaker 1: This is laughter that is not mad. Three He entails
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Speaker 1: the covenant upon that child. I will establish my covenant
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Speaker 1: with him. Note God takes whom he pleases into covenant
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Speaker 1: with himself according to the good pleasure of his will.
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Speaker 1: See Romans chapter nine, verses eight and eighteen. This was
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Speaker 1: the covenant settled between God and Abraham, with its several
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Speaker 1: limitations and reminders. And then the conference ended. God left
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Speaker 1: off talking with him and the vision disappeared. God went
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Speaker 1: up from Abraham, note our communion with God here is
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Speaker 1: broken and interrupted. In heaven, it will be a continual
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Speaker 1: and everlasting feast. Circumcision of the Abraham et cetera. BC.
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Speaker 1: Eighteen ninety eight, Verse twenty three. And Abraham took Ishmael
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Speaker 1: his son, and all that were born in his house,
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Speaker 1: and all that were bought with his money, every mail
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Speaker 1: among the men of Abraham's house, and circumcised the flesh
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Speaker 1: of their foreskin in the self same day, as God
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Speaker 1: had said unto him Verse twenty four. And Abraham was
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Speaker 1: ninety years old and nine when he was circumcised in
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Speaker 1: the flesh of his foreskin verse twenty five. And Ishmael,
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Speaker 1: his son, was thirteen years old when he was circumcised
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Speaker 1: in the flesh of his foreskin Verse twenty six. In
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Speaker 1: the self same day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his
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Speaker 1: son Verse twenty seven. And all the men in his
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Speaker 1: house bore in his house and bought with money of
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Speaker 1: the stranger were circumcised with him. We have here Abraham's
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Speaker 1: obedience to the law of circumcision. He himself and all
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Speaker 1: his family were circumcised, so receiving the token of the
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Speaker 1: covenant and distinguishing themselves from other families that had no
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Speaker 1: part nor lot in the matter. Number one, it was
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Speaker 1: an implicit obedience. He did as God has said to him,
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Speaker 1: and did not ask why or wherefore. God's will was
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Speaker 1: not only a law to him, but a reason. He
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Speaker 1: did it because God told him. Number two, it was
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Speaker 1: a speedy obedience in the self same day, Verse twenty
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Speaker 1: three and twenty six. Sincere obedience is not dilatory Psalms,
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Speaker 1: Chapter one, twenty nine, verse sixty. While the command is
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Speaker 1: yet sounding in our ears, and the sense of duty
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Speaker 1: is fresh, it is good to apply ourselves to immediately,
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Speaker 1: lest we deceive ourselves by putting it off to a
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Speaker 1: more convenient season. Number three, it was a universal obedience.
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Speaker 1: He did not circumcise his family and excuse himself, but
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Speaker 1: he set them an example. Nor did he take the
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Speaker 1: comfort of the seal of the covenant to himself only,
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Speaker 1: but desire that all his might share with him in it.
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Speaker 1: This is a good example, to masters of families, they
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Speaker 1: and their houses must serve the Lord. Though God's covenant
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Speaker 1: was not established with Ishmael, yet he was circumcised for
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Speaker 1: children of believing parents as such have a right to
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Speaker 1: the privilege of the visible Church and the seals of
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Speaker 1: the Covenant, whatever they may prove afterwards. Ishmael is blessed
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Speaker 1: and therefore circumcised. Number four. Abraham did this, though much
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Speaker 1: might be objected against it, though circumcision was painful, though
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Speaker 1: to grown men it was shameful. Though while they were
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Speaker 1: sore and unfit for action, their enemies might take advantage
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Speaker 1: against them, as Simeon and Levi did against the Sichemites.
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Speaker 1: Though Abraham was ninety nine years old, he had been
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Speaker 1: justified and accepted of God long since. Though so strange
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Speaker 1: a thing done religiously might be turned to his reproach
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Speaker 1: by the Canaanite and the Perizite that dwelt in the land.
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Speaker 1: Yet God's command was sufficient to answer these and a
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Speaker 1: thousand such objections. What God requires we must do, not
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Speaker 1: conferring with flesh and blood. End of Chapter seventeen