Genesis 17
The Good News Bible heads up this chapter, Circumcision, the Sign of the Covenant. Now I think having come across this idea several times already, that we ought to spend some time this morning looking at what a covenant means. This idea is very foreign to us in our society and yet it is basic to our understanding of Scripture.
In the world of the Old Testament, Covenant was basic to social order and social relations. it was not exclusive to the Jews but was a common concept on which relationships were based. However this morning we must concern ourselves only with the world of the Bible. There are in the Bible four main covenants and they are:
1. The Abrahamic Covenant
2. Mosaic Covenant
3. The Davidic Covenant
4. The New Covenant of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
All except the Mosaic Covenant will not be totally fulfilled until the end of time. The Mosaic Covenant was limited in time. It basically stated the blessings God would give to the people of Israel when they obeyed and the disasters that would follow when they disobeyed. And that in essence captures the idea of covenant. God binds himself in a solemn way. He says this is what I will do. In return I expect you to do this. This isn't negotiation. It isn't a partnership agreement between equals. The promises that God makes are not dependent on human reaction to them; God will do what he has promised to do. It is if you like an unveiling of part of the divine will to people. Along with it comes an obligation to respond in a certain way.
Listen to Paul on this from Romans 4,
"When God promised Abraham and his descendants that the world would belong to him, he did so, not because Abraham obeyed the Law, but because he believed and was accepted as righteous by God. For if what God promises is to be given to those who obey the law, then man's faith means nothing and God's promise is worthless. The Law brings down God's anger, but where there is no law, there is no disobeying of the law. And so the promise was based on faith in order that the promise should be guaranteed as God's free gift to all of Abraham's descendants - not just those who obey the law, but also to those who believe as Abraham did. For Abraham is the Spiritual father of us all; as the scripture says, "I have made you father of many nations." So the promise is good in the sight of God, in whom, Abraham believed - the God who brings the dead to life and whose command brings into being what did not exist."
The promises that God makes in his covenants with us are not dependant upon our reactions to them. They stand. They are not alterable. They tower over human history. What God has said will happen will happen. It is not subject to negotiation.
So what are we to do. Well the biblical answer is quite clear. There is only one thing we need to do. We are to believe the promise and consider God's word trustworthy. We are to consider God's word so trustworthy that we act upon it. It was that kind of faith that drove Abraham on in his life. God has said, God would do, therefore I act in accordance with it. The same kind of faith that allowed Noah to build his ARK. God said I will do this and Noah respond.
Today we have to respond to the New Covenant of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We obey Jesus and his teaching. We are told that if we do we go to heaven, we live forever, we receive the promised blessings. We are told if we don't we go to hell. We respond in faith. We love and obey. It isn't open to negotiation. Thus is the way God says it will be. So whether or not we believe the Bible, the promises, the commands or nor God will do precisely and exactly what he said he will do. God will accomplish all that he plans and he will accomplish it is all who believe.
And how many there are who want to alter the covenant today.They want it their way. They want it on human terms. They want God in his place. And more importantly a God who agrees with them. Homosexuality, Gambling, Evangelism, Sexuality, Promiscuity, Sex outside Marriage...... how often do people ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE CHURCH try to alter these things to suit their own predispositions on the matter. The Covenants are clear statements of God's purposes and intentions. He will do what he has promised. We cannot change that. Those who would try to change what the Bible says suffer from the sins of pride and arrogance for effectively they are making themselves like the builders of Babel - Godlike creatures. Worse they say they know better than God! This is a sin and if you recognise it in yourself then root it out, it comes from he devil and has no place in your life. Rather our response to the covenants is LOVING OBEDIENCE.
Now let's look as we draw to a close at what was actually promised to Abraham. He was promised possession of the Holy land. He was promised countless descendants. He was promised that God would be a God to his descendants. He was promised that through him and his sees all the nations of the earth would be blessed. And here in the giving of the sign of circumcision we have a visible reminder of the reality of the covenant. And more than that, those aren't circumcised are specifically excluded from the covenant. Failure to comply with the covenant and is cut off.
We may summarise all of this in the phrase, "I will be your God and you will be my people".
Christ is our covenant. The Covenant was sealed in his blood. Believe in him. Love him. Obey him and we remain within the covenant of grace. He is GOD. I was asked recently in a very public kind of way if I really believed in he Bible. Did I think it was all true? I answered that I did - much to the surprise of the lady asking the question.She was trying to approach the Bible on her own terms not the Lord's. What it boils down to is this. God says the Bible is true. God says believe it. Therefore I do. If God says go jump off a cliff. The answer is OK. That is our role to love and obey. That is our response. If God says go and leave your family and country and follow me the answer is OK. If God says take your only son and offer him as a sacrifice on altar to me, the answer is I do. If God says go and be a minister the answer is OK. If God says go out and make disciples - evangelize - the answer is OK. There are no BUTS....with GOD. Love and obey. That is our response to "I will be your God and you will be my people." God says circumcise everyone - we say OK!