The Abrahamic Promise: Covenant of Circumcision
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· 4 viewsAim: to look at the covenant of circumcision
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The Abrahamic Promise: The Covenant of Circumcision (Lesson 28) 10/1/24
Introduction:
Introduction:
What is a covenant?
According to Bakers Evangelical bible encyclopedia a covenant is: The Idea of Covenant. The term "covenant" is of Latin origin (con venire), meaning a coming together. It presupposes two or more parties who come together to make a contract, agreeing on promises, stipulations, privileges, and responsibilities. In religious and theological circles there has not been agreement on precisely what is to be understood by the biblical term. It is used variously in biblical contexts.
This morning we are looking at the covenant of circumcision as shown in (Gen17:1-14)
Aim:
Aim:
To understand this covenant’s purpose and application
To see the New Testament comments concerning this covenant.
Outline:
Outline:
Establishing the covenant and it’s demands, conditions
God’s initiation and obligation regarding this covenant (turn to read Gen17:1-8)
1 Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless. 2 “I will establish My covenant between Me and you, And I will multiply you exceedingly.” 3 Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying, 4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, And you will be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 “No longer shall your name be called Abram, But your name shall be Abraham; For I will make you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 “I have made you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come forth from you. 7 “I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. 8 “I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”
You can see that the seed promise is noted in the covenant (vv.4-5) you can also note down Paul’s words in (Rom4:16-17)
16 For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 (as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.
You can also see the land promise within this covenant (vv.6-8)
Abraham’s obligation to the covenant (turn to Gen17:9-14)
9 God said further to Abraham, “Now 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 among you shall be circumcised. 11 “And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you. 12 “And every male among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations, a servant who is born in the house or who is bought with money from any foreigner, who is not of your descendants. 13 “A servant who is born in your house or who is bought with your money shall surely be circumcised; thus shall My covenant be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 “But an uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”
According to (v.9); what is the instructions God gives to Abraham?
You and your descendants shall keep My covenant
The covenant is now seen (v.10)- the covenant is circumcision; the instruction there is to keep covenant in every generation.
Circumcision was a covenant for Abraham and his seed (alas, the seed promise seen)
Abraham’s seed (Israel) was chosen for a special purpose was to have a particular token (or sign) identifying them as such (v.11) you an also note down (Exo19:4-6) in your notes too.
Abraham’s descendants entered into the covenant relationship with God acknowledging that Jehovah was “a God unto thee (Abraham) and they seed (Israel.” (v.7)
The covenant was an obligation upon Abraham and his seed as a condition to retaining the land (vv.12-14)
Note: This covenant was not given as a means of salvation.
Duration of the covenant:
Duration of the covenant:
It was clearly said it was to be an everlasting covenant (v.13)
Hold it, it also said the land was to be an everlasting possession (v.8)
It is important to understand the term everlasting.
We can know that the land was not everlasting, for Isreal lost possession to the Assyrians and the Babylonians
The word everlasting in the Hebrew means “age lasting,” not eternal lasting.
When the end of the age came, the covenant would end. When that age ended all covenants made for that particular age and people also ended.
According to the New Testament (Rom2:28-29, Php3:3; Col2:11-12; Gal5:1-6) the covenant of circumcision ran its course, accomplished what it was to do.
28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.
and an important one (Col2:11-12)
11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
What is different about this circumcision?
Circumcision not made with hands.
How were you raised up with Him?
Through faith, it is the working of God!
We should also look at (Gal5:1-6
1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. 4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.
You may look at (Rom4:1ff; Gal5:1-12, Act15) to see the cessation of this covenant.
Conclusion:
This covenant of the flesh (v.13) was generations before the covenant that would occur at Sinai.
This covenant was for Abram, and his descendants
This covenant was to be keep by Abraham’s seed throughout their generations (vv.9, 12)
This covenant being fulfilled in fleshly Israel ran its course according to the New Testament.
Now, in Christ Jesus, there is neither circumcision nor uncircumsion for we are all the same in Christ, and circumcision avails nothing.
