Devotion 20
DEVOTION 20: “The Importance of the Covenant” coming out of Gen. 20
God had cut a Covenant with Abraham. There was nothing Abraham did to deserve the Covenant and there was nothing Abraham could do to be removed from the Covenant for he had already been sealed with the seal of circumcision.
Romans 4:11 “And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:”
Even in fear and not telling the truth to Abimelech, God does not cut off Abraham because he is sealed by circumcision.
It’s vital that our faith is sealed with the evidence of the Holy Spirit Baptism. Our hearts are circumcised by the Holy Spirit Baptism to seal us to God from the world.
Without evidence of the Holy Spirit Baptism, our faith is in doubt.
Acts 2:38 “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.”
This is the receipt of confirmation of our faith.
Abraham is confronted by Abimelech.
Let’s read:
Genesis 20:1-3 “And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. [2] And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. [3] But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.”
The Covenant is vital. Abimelech is a dead man if he touched Sarah because what belongs to Abraham belongs to God.
In Christ, what belong to us belongs to God. Any man, woman, boy or girl who deliberately touches what belongs to us is dealt with by God.
We continue our reading:
Genesis 20:4-7 “But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? [5] Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this. [6] And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. [7] Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.”
For he is a prophet!
Abraham did not tell the truth out of fear yet Abimelech is asked to go to Abraham for restoration because he is God’s prophet. He is in God’s Covenant. The Covenant is vital.
Today, if we are not in the New Covenant with our faith sealed with the Holy Spirit Baptism, we are akin to Abraham refusing to be circumcised. God will not defend us. We cannot speak for God, and God will not speak for us.
Genesis 17:14 “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.”
Not only will God not speak for the individual who refused the circumcision but will actually cut them off.
We continue our reading:
Genesis 20:8-15 “Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid. [9] Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done. [10] And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing? [11] And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake. [12] And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. [13] And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother. [14] And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. [15] And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.”
In restoration, Abraham did not give to Abimelech but it was Abimelech who gave to Abraham because Abraham was a prophet of God in Covenant with God, sealed in God.
If Abimelech was in the Covenant like Abraham, God would have had to recognize him.
God only recognizes circumcision.
David knew about this circumcision which began in Abraham.
1 Samuel 17:26 “And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
Circumcision by the Holy Spirit is a must.
We conclude our reading:
Genesis 20:16-18 “And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other : thus she was reproved. [17] So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. [18] For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.”
Abimelech, lining himself up with the Word of God by doing what God asked him, received healing for himself and his family.
Let the Word of God line you up with the Covenant of God. Believe and confess Christ the Word as we’ve revealed Him from the First Adam. Make sure you are dead in Christ, with your faith sealed by the Holy Spirit Baptism, in Christ!
God had cut a Covenant with Abraham. There was nothing Abraham did to deserve the Covenant and there was nothing Abraham could do to be removed from the Covenant for he had already been sealed with the seal of circumcision.
Romans 4:11 “And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:”
Even in fear and not telling the truth to Abimelech, God does not cut off Abraham because he is sealed by circumcision.
It’s vital that our faith is sealed with the evidence of the Holy Spirit Baptism. Our hearts are circumcised by the Holy Spirit Baptism to seal us to God from the world.
Without evidence of the Holy Spirit Baptism, our faith is in doubt.
Acts 2:38 “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.”
This is the receipt of confirmation of our faith.
Abraham is confronted by Abimelech.
Let’s read:
Genesis 20:1-3 “And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. [2] And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. [3] But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.”
The Covenant is vital. Abimelech is a dead man if he touched Sarah because what belongs to Abraham belongs to God.
In Christ, what belong to us belongs to God. Any man, woman, boy or girl who deliberately touches what belongs to us is dealt with by God.
We continue our reading:
Genesis 20:4-7 “But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? [5] Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this. [6] And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. [7] Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.”
For he is a prophet!
Abraham did not tell the truth out of fear yet Abimelech is asked to go to Abraham for restoration because he is God’s prophet. He is in God’s Covenant. The Covenant is vital.
Today, if we are not in the New Covenant with our faith sealed with the Holy Spirit Baptism, we are akin to Abraham refusing to be circumcised. God will not defend us. We cannot speak for God, and God will not speak for us.
Genesis 17:14 “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.”
Not only will God not speak for the individual who refused the circumcision but will actually cut them off.
We continue our reading:
Genesis 20:8-15 “Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid. [9] Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done. [10] And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing? [11] And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake. [12] And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. [13] And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother. [14] And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. [15] And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.”
In restoration, Abraham did not give to Abimelech but it was Abimelech who gave to Abraham because Abraham was a prophet of God in Covenant with God, sealed in God.
If Abimelech was in the Covenant like Abraham, God would have had to recognize him.
God only recognizes circumcision.
David knew about this circumcision which began in Abraham.
1 Samuel 17:26 “And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
Circumcision by the Holy Spirit is a must.
We conclude our reading:
Genesis 20:16-18 “And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other : thus she was reproved. [17] So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. [18] For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.”
Abimelech, lining himself up with the Word of God by doing what God asked him, received healing for himself and his family.
Let the Word of God line you up with the Covenant of God. Believe and confess Christ the Word as we’ve revealed Him from the First Adam. Make sure you are dead in Christ, with your faith sealed by the Holy Spirit Baptism, in Christ!
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