The Seal of the Covenant

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, YHVH appeared to Abram and said, ‘I am Almighty Elohim; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.’ Then Abram fell on his face, and Elohim talked with him, saying: ‘As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations’... ‘I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.  And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant’” (Genesis 17:1-4, 6-7).

Thirteen years had passed since Ishmael’s birth, and by this time Abram felt this son would inherit all his property and promises.  However, YHVH was still grooming and preparing His firstborn, Abram, by continuing to put him to the test.  YHVH was also about to make an addition to the covenant.  As you recall, the first time He met with Abram, YHVH imparted to him the promise that he will be a “goy” (nation).  Now He tells His friend that he will be the father of “goyim” - nations (plural).  Elohim was not only going to make the seed as “the dust of the earth and the stars of heaven,” but His plan also included its proliferation into nations.

Abram was so overwhelmed by YHVH’s words that he fell on his face before Him.  Because of Abram’s proven devotion, YHVH was about to seal His covenant with him by the patriarch’s own blood.  “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; and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.  He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations… My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant” (Genesis 17:10-13).

The fact that this covenant was going to be stamped upon the very flesh of Abram and his descendants serves to indicate that this is a ‘down-to-earth’ covenant, made evident in ‘flesh and blood’ reality, yet governed from the heavens by the mighty right arm of the Creator.  This covenantal seal was also accompanied by a name change:  “No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations” (goyim) (Genesis 17:5).  The Almighty Husbandman was going to take the seed/life of Abraham and sow it into all nations, tribes, and kindred of tongues and peoples.  Moreover, this seed would be marked by the faith that characterized its progenitor.  The prophet Hosea foretold of this great day of YHVH’s sowing:  “Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered… And they shall come up out of the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel [Yah will sow]!” (Hosea 1:10-11).

No sooner did Abraham look up from being face down and hearing this tremendous promised blessing, when the Almighty’s tone suddenly changed into what sounded to the old patriarch like an amusing impossibility:  “‘As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.  And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.’ Then Abraham fell on his face [again] and laughed, and said in his heart, ‘Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old?  And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?’  And Abraham said to Elohim, ‘Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!’  Then Elohim said: ‘No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants/seed after him’” (Genesis 17:15-19).

YHVH is committed to continuing the line and the blessings that He bestows upon those who belong to Him.  Because the first twenty patriarchs in YHVH’s genealogy all had normal births, Abraham naturally assumed that Ishmael, his firstborn, would inherit the princely position.  Notice what Abraham says about him, “Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!”  But the only one who can “live before YHVH” is the one who is called and chosen for that purpose.  Eliezer of Damascus did not qualify, and neither does Ishmael.  Many years later, the nation of Israel/Ephraim will say: "He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day that we may live before Him” (Hosea 6:2 NAS).

This covenant YHVH made with Abraham through Sarah was no small matter; He staked His name on it.  A sign of this fact was the name change:  Abram to Abra-h-am and Sarai to Sara-h.  The Hebrew letter “hey” that was added to their names often signifies Y-H-V-H, where it appears twice.  Thus, keeping this covenant was not going to depend on man, but on the faithfulness of the Creator, Yah, Who initiated it, declared it, and would therefore accomplish it.  In fact, this covenant would govern all of human history. 

To establish the line of the firstborn-redeemer and inheritor of the covenant promises, YHVH’s involvement was required so a seed could emerge from a dead womb.  In the future, His committed oversight will also be required to see the covenant promises implemented through to completion or fulfillment.  So the beginning of the life of the son of promise would be marked by divine intervention unlike that of any other child born to the human race (except Yeshua).  Sarah’s son was destined to be a miracle child and a testimony to “life from the dead,” signifying redemption. 

After Abraham laughed at YHVH’s puzzling words, the Creator told him to name his son Isaac (“Yitzchak” in Hebrew, meaning “he will laugh”) because, through him and his seed, He, YHVH, would have the last laugh... (see Psalm 2).