Devotion 17
DEVOTION 17: “Circumcision— a token of the Covenant” coming out of Gen. 17
Let’s read:
Genesis 17:1-10 “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. [2] And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. [3] And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, [4] As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. [5] Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. [6] And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. [7] And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. [8] And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. [9] And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. [10] This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.”
God only recognizes circumcision. Without circumcision, one could not bear fruit (seed) unto God. One could not have their name changed by God.
Anyone including Abram who refused to be circumcised is cut off by God.
We continue our reading:
Genesis 17:11-14 “And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. [12] And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. [13] He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. [14] And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.”
It was circumcision of the genitalia done with a sharp object. This was a token of the covenant. It was the seal of the individual’s faith in God.
Today, circumcision is of the heart, done by the Holy Spirit. It’s the promised seal of God based on our faith in the Covenant on Calvary’s Cross.
Acts 2:33 “Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.”
The disciples believed and walked with Christ but they did not receive the token of the New Covenant until the day they received the Promised Holy Spirit.
Luke 24:49 “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”
Circumcision was the seal for the Abrahamic Covenant. The Holy Spirit baptism is the seal for the New Covenant in Christ.
He seals the man or woman from the world unto Himself. The sealed man or woman has no attraction to the world.
Everyone had to be circumcised including the ninety-nine year old Abram.
Every man, woman, boy or girl must receive the Holy Spirit baptism to be fruitful unto God.
We continue our reading:
Genesis 17:15-24 “And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. [16] And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. [17] Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? [18] And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! [19] And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. [20] And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. [21] But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. [22] And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. [23] And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him. [24] And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.”
Notice that his name is now changed from Abram to Abraham. Because he has been circumcised unto God.
Our names will not change until our hearts are circumcised by the Holy Spirit Baptism.
Acts 2:38-39 “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. [39] For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”
If we only repent and not get baptized, we are still on the outside looking in.
If Abram refused the circumcision, he will be on the outside looking in. By His foreknowledge, He knew Abram will adhere to His Word and be circumcised.
We must be circumcised by the Holy Spirit Baptism as promised by His Word.
We conclude our reading:
Genesis 17:25-27 “And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. [26] In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. [27] And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.”
All must be circumcised by a sharp object. All must be circumcised by the Holy Spirit fire Baptism.
Acts 7:51 “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.”
We resist the Holy Spirit Baptism at our own peril.
Let the Word of God line you up with the Holy Spirit. Believe and confess Christ the Word as we’ve traced Him from the First Adam. Circumcision of the heart by the Holy Spirit, is a must, in Christ!
Let’s read:
Genesis 17:1-10 “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. [2] And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. [3] And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, [4] As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. [5] Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. [6] And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. [7] And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. [8] And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. [9] And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. [10] This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.”
God only recognizes circumcision. Without circumcision, one could not bear fruit (seed) unto God. One could not have their name changed by God.
Anyone including Abram who refused to be circumcised is cut off by God.
We continue our reading:
Genesis 17:11-14 “And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. [12] And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. [13] He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. [14] And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.”
It was circumcision of the genitalia done with a sharp object. This was a token of the covenant. It was the seal of the individual’s faith in God.
Today, circumcision is of the heart, done by the Holy Spirit. It’s the promised seal of God based on our faith in the Covenant on Calvary’s Cross.
Acts 2:33 “Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.”
The disciples believed and walked with Christ but they did not receive the token of the New Covenant until the day they received the Promised Holy Spirit.
Luke 24:49 “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”
Circumcision was the seal for the Abrahamic Covenant. The Holy Spirit baptism is the seal for the New Covenant in Christ.
He seals the man or woman from the world unto Himself. The sealed man or woman has no attraction to the world.
Everyone had to be circumcised including the ninety-nine year old Abram.
Every man, woman, boy or girl must receive the Holy Spirit baptism to be fruitful unto God.
We continue our reading:
Genesis 17:15-24 “And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. [16] And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. [17] Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? [18] And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! [19] And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. [20] And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. [21] But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. [22] And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. [23] And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him. [24] And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.”
Notice that his name is now changed from Abram to Abraham. Because he has been circumcised unto God.
Our names will not change until our hearts are circumcised by the Holy Spirit Baptism.
Acts 2:38-39 “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. [39] For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”
If we only repent and not get baptized, we are still on the outside looking in.
If Abram refused the circumcision, he will be on the outside looking in. By His foreknowledge, He knew Abram will adhere to His Word and be circumcised.
We must be circumcised by the Holy Spirit Baptism as promised by His Word.
We conclude our reading:
Genesis 17:25-27 “And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. [26] In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. [27] And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.”
All must be circumcised by a sharp object. All must be circumcised by the Holy Spirit fire Baptism.
Acts 7:51 “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.”
We resist the Holy Spirit Baptism at our own peril.
Let the Word of God line you up with the Holy Spirit. Believe and confess Christ the Word as we’ve traced Him from the First Adam. Circumcision of the heart by the Holy Spirit, is a must, in Christ!
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