El Shaddai. All Sufficient God. Abram To Abraham, A New Covenant

2024.05.05. Sermon Notes. EL SHADDAI. ALL SUFFICIENT GOD.

A new covenant. From Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah.

William Akehurst, HSWC

BIG IDEA: From Abram to Abraham, a New Covenant, a New Name, a Fresh New Start…all at 99 years old! It’s never too late! El Shaddai – The All Sufficient, Almighty GOD. HE IS “More than enough”.

Scriptures: Genesis 16:15-16, Genesis 17:1-27, Isaiah 55:8-9, Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalms 42:11

Genesis 18:1-15

A new identity for a new future and destiny

Abram means “exhalted father” or “high father”.

Abraham means “father of many”.

Sarai means “my lady, or my princess”. Dominion to one family, as to her husband Abram.

Sarah also means “Princess” but also “mother of nations”. Without restriction. Princess of a multitude.

ABRAM at 86, Ishmael’s birth. Misunderstanding the Promise.

Genesis 16:15-16

15 So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

MISUNDERSTANDING THE PROMISE, Sarai, who was barren and couldn’t have children, didn’t understand the ALL-SUFFICIENCY of GOD and HIS Promises. As a result of her own understanding, she gave Abram her handmaid to fulfill GOD’s promise as she saw it. However, this was not GOD’s plan, and today we see GOD in HIS GREAT MERCY, restarting both Abram and Sarai in the direction HE had proposed to them once before.

HOW OFTEN TO WE MISINTERPRET GOD’S WAYS AND THOUGHTS ABOUT OUR LIVES, AND HEAD DOWN THE PATH THAT WE THINK HE’S TRYING TO TAKE US, ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT WE WERE WRONG?

ABRAHAM AND ISAAC

Genesis 17:1-27

I AM THE ALL SUFFICIENT, ALMIGHTY GOD

1 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.

COVENANT – FATHER OF MANY NATIONS

2 And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”

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.

Notice the change.

ABRAM – Exhalted High Father. Abram begat Ishmael.

ABRAHAM – Father of Many, Father of Nations. Abraham Begat Isaac. IMPORTANT!

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.

KINGS SHALL COME FROM YOU. FROM DAVID TO JESUS!

6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.

EVERLASTING COVENANT

7 And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.

8 Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

9 And God said to Abraham: “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.

10 This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised;

11 and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.

CIRCUMCISION – SIGN OF THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT

• FROM PARENT TO CHILD. Our responsibility to the next generation. Pass it on.

• DEMONSTRATES FAITH IN GOD’S WORD.

Romans 4:11-12 (ESV) 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, (FOR ALL BELIEVERS, JEW OR GENTILE)

12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

• SHOWS GOD’S DIVINE MERCY – A SPIRITUAL MEANING.

THE CIRCUMCISED MAN IDENTIFIES HIMSELF AS A MEMBER OF ISRAEL.

12 He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. 13 He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

14 And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”