Genesis 17:15-27 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is Genesis 17:15-27. Let’s go!
Genesis 17:15-16 (NIV)
15 God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah.
16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”
On verses 15-16: Here God expressly states that Sarai will give birth to a son and will become the mother of nations. God changes Sarai’s name to Sarah, which means “princess”, which is appropriate given that kings would come from her (v16).
This reminds me that when you place your trust in Jesus, you become part of God’s royal family. As God’s children, you’re not nothing; you are royalty. (Just for fun, if you want a more royal sounding name, take the name of the street you live on and add a royal sounding title to it, like “Prince Willingdon”, “Lady Katsura”, “King Edward”, or “The Dutchess of Dunbar”. This usually works for streets in Greater Vancouver, unless you live on No. 2 Road.)
Genesis 17:17 (NIV)
17 Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”
On verse 17: When Abraham hears what God is saying to him, Abraham falls facedown in worship and laughs. He laughs not because he does not believe, but because he believes and is in awe of the news he has received. Laughter can be rooted in belief or disbelief. Laughter fueled by faith is full of joy. Laughter fueled by unbelief leads to sarcasm, hopelessness and depression. May you laugh for joy because of faith in God’s promises.
Genesis 17:18-22 (NIV)
18 And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!”
19 Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.
20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.
21 But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.”
22 When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.
On verses 18-22: After God tells Abraham that Sarah will bear a son, that they are to name that son Isaac (v19) and that from this son would come kings (v16), Abraham prays and asks that his other son Ishmael also live under God’s blessing (v18). God confirms that He has heard Abraham’s prayer and will surely bless Ishmael (v20) and make him into a great nation, but that God’s covenant would be with Isaac who would arrive around this time the following year (v21).
What can we learn from this? Just as God heard the prayer of Abraham for his son Ishmael, God hears the prayer of parents for their children. Parents, one of the most important things you can do is to pray for your children. Pray for them every day, that they would live under God’s blessing and be fruitful.
Genesis 17:23-27 (NIV)
23 On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him.
24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised,
25 and his son Ishmael was thirteen;
26 Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that same day.
27 And every male in Abraham’s household, including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him.
On verses 23-27: Abraham obeys God’s command to circumcise every male in his household. Especially back then, circumcision was a painful and inconvenient procedure, but Abraham does it anyway and gets his family to do it, all in obedience to God’s command and with faith in God’s promises. Likewise, even when it is inconvenient and even painful to do, may we go out of our way to obey God and to do what He says because we trust Him and believe in His promises.
Heavenly Father, thank You that because of Jesus Christ I belong to Your family and I am royalty. Thank You that Your promises can make me laugh for joy. Thank You that You hear the prayer of parents. Please help me to obey You even when it is inconvenient to do so. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
