Cut Away The Flesh

So the first principal our Holy God wants us to know is two-fold:

1) Crucify the flesh - consider it dead

2) walk in the Spirit - enjoying sweet fellowship with God all the time. Our Precious and Holy Lord as we will see as we go through the verses in this chapter will develop this understanding in His servant by giving him a firsthand experience.

17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. 2 And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”

Again the number is significant. It indicates that the miracle heir will be born when Abram is ‘one hundred’, in other words at God’s perfect timing.

Our Lord God identifies Himself as ‘I am El Shaddai’ - ‘God Almighty’ - the One Who is ‘competent’ to perform what He promises. Previously God’s covenant has been with His chosen people as YHWH. But now He will make a covenant that includes other peoples and other nations. To them therefore He is El Shaddai, ‘God Almighty’. Previously every covenant has been from ‘YHWH’, and very personal, now YHWH reveals Himself as not just Lord of one nation but of many nations.

We learned in our past studies in the book of Genesis that Enoch and Noah walked with God. Here we see our Holy Lord direct Abram to do likewise - ‘Walk before me and be perfect ’. Now Abram can only walk before God as God watches over him. So being ‘perfect’ means walking within the covenant stipulations, fulfilling all God’s requirements, being a faithful follower.

Abram is already a man of the covenant. But the birth of Ishmael indicates the necessity for a wider and broader covenant. Abram has failed in faith and pre-empted God. Now God calls him back to obedience and will establish a wider covenant which will include Ishmael and his promised seed as our Holy Master informs Him anew that ‘I will make my covenant with you ’. Of course, while Ishmael is with the family YHWH watches over him. But once he leaves he will come under the provenance of God as El, -- El Roi , the God Who Sees.

Here the impression given is that it is Abram’s obedience that will result in the blessing. But we must not forget that the blessing has already been guaranteed in response to Abram’s faith (15.6). Thus we have the perfect example of the fact that God’s covenant is made with us as a gift of grace in response to faith, but that as a result obedience is expected through which the blessing will be received. Genuine faith will always produce obedience (‘works’).

3 Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: 4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.

The presence of Yahweh is so real and awe-inspiring that Abram ‘falls on his face’.

5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.