The Sign of the Abrahamic Covenant
Read Genesis 17:1–19 and Romans 4:11. What is the spiritual and
prophetic significance of the circumcision rite?
Abram’s lack of faith, as seen in the preceding story (Genesis 16),
broke the flow of Abram’s spiritual journey with God. During that time
God was silent. But now, God speaks again to Abram. God reconnects
with Abram and brings him back to the point when He made a covenant
with Abram (Gen. 15:18).
Now, though, God gives him the sign of that covenant. The meaning
of circumcision has been long discussed by scholars, but because the
rite of circumcision involves the shedding of blood (see Exod. 4:25),
it could be understood in the context of sacrifice, signifying that righ-
teousness was imputed to him (compare with Rom. 4:11).
It also is significant that this covenant, signified by circumcision,
is described in terms that point back to the first Messianic prophecy
(compare Gen. 17:7 with Gen. 3:15). The parallel between the two
texts suggests that God’s promise to Abram concerns more than just the
physical birth of a people; it contains the spiritual promise of salvation
for all the peoples of the earth. And the promise of the “everlasting
covenant” (Gen. 17:7) refers to the work of the Messianic Seed, the
sacrifice of Christ that ensures eternal life to all who claim it by faith
and all that faith entails (compare with Rom. 6:23 and Titus 1:2).
Interestingly, this promise of an eternal future is contained in the
change of the names of Abram and Sarai. The names of Abram and
Sarai referred just to their present status: Abram means “exalted father”
and Sarai means “my princess” (the princess of Abram). The change
of their names into “Abraham” and “Sarah” referred to the future:
Abraham means “father of many nations” and Sarah means “the prin-
cess” (for everyone). In parallel, but not without some irony, the name
of Isaac (“he will laugh”) is a reminder of Abraham’s laughter (the
first laughter recorded in the Scriptures, Gen. 17:17); it is a laughter
of skepticism or, maybe, of wonder. Either way, though he believed in
what the Lord had clearly promised him, Abraham still struggled with
living it out in faith and trust.
How can we learn to keep on believing even when, at times, we
struggle with that belief, as did Abraham? Why is it important
that we not give up, despite times of doubt?