While at Camp Kedron I had an amusing interaction with a camper. Kids who did not bring Bibles were loaned a Bible for the duration of camp. A older primary-aged girl came up to me and asked for a different Bible. "Could I have a different Bible? This one is old." I glanced to see what version of Bible it was and found it was a contemporary English version. Then I guessed what prompted her request: that she noticed there was an Old Testament and she nodded. I told her, "This Bible is perfectly fine for you. In fact, you need to have the Old Testament to better understand the New Testament." We live in a world where "old" is synonymous with "outdated" and "irrelevant," yet the the Old Testament contains fresh truth for those who glean among those ancient passages.
Today I read when God changed Abram's name to Abraham and made a covenant with him. The first covenant God made with Abram required the sacrifice of animals the Spirit of God passed through. God established an everlasting covenant with Abraham and his descendants by commanding he and all his household be circumcised. It was a covenant sealed with his own blood as he cut away flesh in an area required for human procreation. God promised in the space of a year Sarai (whose name God changed to Sarah) would conceive and give birth to a son to be named Isaac in their old age. Genesis 17:23 reads, "So Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very same day, as God had said to him." Abraham's faith in God, obedience, and submission to God's ordinance is a timeless and powerful example to all.
Circumcision of males eight days old was later incorporated into the Law of Moses and has been followed religiously by Orthodox Jews and others until this day. God spoke of a new covenant which would supercede the old in Jeremiah 31:31-33: "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah-- 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." This new covenant would not be limited to the Jewish nation only. God offers this agreement freely by grace through faith to all people who trust in Jesus Christ and are born again by the Holy Spirit. Instead of pride in our flesh followers of Jesus are humbled to have the Holy Spirit dwelling within them as a down-payment of their salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14).
Abraham's willingness to circumcise himself, his sons, and all the males of his household has much to teach us today. The Law alluded to physical circumcision as pointing to an inner work now made possible through the Holy Spirit. Deuteronomy 10:14-18 says, "Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the LORD your God, also the earth with all that is in it. 15 The LORD delighted only in your fathers, to love them; and He chose their descendants after them, you above all peoples, as it is this day. 16 Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer. 17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. 18 He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing." In John 10:16 Jesus spoke of sheep from another fold He called to follow, Gentiles He called to follow Him so there might be one fold and one Shepherd. Paul goes into great detail on this point in Ephesians 2-3.
Abraham did not earn God's favour by his obedience but willingly entered into it by doing as God said. James 4:6-7 says, "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." Even as our love of God is practically shown towards our brothers, so our submission to God is evidenced in honouring governing authorities as it is written in 1 Peter 2:13-17: "Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men--16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 17 Honour all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king." If David would not utter a harsh word against the murderous King Saul, should we speak ill of or despise those God has put in authority over us?
The lesson impressed upon me from Abraham's response to God is one of humility, submission to God, and obedience--three themes often repeated in the New Testament. There is hardly a word more grating to a proud and independent soul than the word "submit." Abraham was required to submit to a delicate surgery by his own hand, and the believer who submits to follow Jesus Christ in faith is also required to trust God when obedience to Him stings. Consider the sufferings of Jesus Christ on the cross, pierced hands and feet, heart skewered through with false accusations and scornful words. Abraham circumcised himself and Jesus humbled Himself, took the form of a servant, and embraced the cross in obedience to the Father's will. Those who believe will obey and those who humble themselves before God He will exalt. Praise the LORD there is healing in our God evidenced by our risen Saviour Jesus, and beyond this life of endless testing eternal glory awaits.
Today I read when God changed Abram's name to Abraham and made a covenant with him. The first covenant God made with Abram required the sacrifice of animals the Spirit of God passed through. God established an everlasting covenant with Abraham and his descendants by commanding he and all his household be circumcised. It was a covenant sealed with his own blood as he cut away flesh in an area required for human procreation. God promised in the space of a year Sarai (whose name God changed to Sarah) would conceive and give birth to a son to be named Isaac in their old age. Genesis 17:23 reads, "So Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very same day, as God had said to him." Abraham's faith in God, obedience, and submission to God's ordinance is a timeless and powerful example to all.
Circumcision of males eight days old was later incorporated into the Law of Moses and has been followed religiously by Orthodox Jews and others until this day. God spoke of a new covenant which would supercede the old in Jeremiah 31:31-33: "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah-- 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." This new covenant would not be limited to the Jewish nation only. God offers this agreement freely by grace through faith to all people who trust in Jesus Christ and are born again by the Holy Spirit. Instead of pride in our flesh followers of Jesus are humbled to have the Holy Spirit dwelling within them as a down-payment of their salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14).
Abraham's willingness to circumcise himself, his sons, and all the males of his household has much to teach us today. The Law alluded to physical circumcision as pointing to an inner work now made possible through the Holy Spirit. Deuteronomy 10:14-18 says, "Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the LORD your God, also the earth with all that is in it. 15 The LORD delighted only in your fathers, to love them; and He chose their descendants after them, you above all peoples, as it is this day. 16 Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer. 17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. 18 He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing." In John 10:16 Jesus spoke of sheep from another fold He called to follow, Gentiles He called to follow Him so there might be one fold and one Shepherd. Paul goes into great detail on this point in Ephesians 2-3.
Abraham did not earn God's favour by his obedience but willingly entered into it by doing as God said. James 4:6-7 says, "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." Even as our love of God is practically shown towards our brothers, so our submission to God is evidenced in honouring governing authorities as it is written in 1 Peter 2:13-17: "Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men--16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 17 Honour all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king." If David would not utter a harsh word against the murderous King Saul, should we speak ill of or despise those God has put in authority over us?
The lesson impressed upon me from Abraham's response to God is one of humility, submission to God, and obedience--three themes often repeated in the New Testament. There is hardly a word more grating to a proud and independent soul than the word "submit." Abraham was required to submit to a delicate surgery by his own hand, and the believer who submits to follow Jesus Christ in faith is also required to trust God when obedience to Him stings. Consider the sufferings of Jesus Christ on the cross, pierced hands and feet, heart skewered through with false accusations and scornful words. Abraham circumcised himself and Jesus humbled Himself, took the form of a servant, and embraced the cross in obedience to the Father's will. Those who believe will obey and those who humble themselves before God He will exalt. Praise the LORD there is healing in our God evidenced by our risen Saviour Jesus, and beyond this life of endless testing eternal glory awaits.
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