Waiting for the True Son

Genesis 16-17

            Yesterday, Abram had his crisis of faith; today it’s Sarai’s turn. As was typical in the ancient world, Sarai took her barrenness as some sort of punishment from the Lord. Reading between the lines, we can imagine her thinking, “I don’t know what I did to be punished in this way, so I can’t fix it. Better find another solution.” Her solution was to use her slave as a proxy. Sarai intends Hagar to do the bearing and delivering, and it seems that Sarai intends to raise the child as her own.

            Of course, it doesn’t work out that way. Hagar’s pregnancy comes between them; Sarai abuses Hagar in some way; and flees to the desert. (Hagar in the desert will be a theme again in chapter 21; stay tuned.) But the Lord has more promises, this one directed to Hagar but part of the promise to Abram: Ishmael will have descendants too numerous to count. Abram will indeed be the father of many nations (17:2).

            The name change from Abram to Abraham is significant. Abram means “exalted father;” Abraham means “father of many.” Every time someone uses Abraham’s new name he is going to be reminded of the Lord’s promise, even though at the ripe old age of 99 he currently has exactly one child and the Lord has specifically said, “That one is not the child I’m talking about.” 24 years in and Abraham is still waiting for the fulfillment of the Lord’s promise.

      At this point, the Lord makes what seems to be a new covenant with Abraham, an additional one. Some commentators see this as a conditional covenant (of the suzerain-vassal sort—see my comments from January 6). They see the Lord saying, “If your descendants obey circumcision, then I’ll keep up my end of the deal.” I’m not so sure.

I tend to think of circumcision sacramentally, and the sacraments (Baptism and the Lord’s Supper) are gifts, not ordinances. Yes, there is something for us to do, but it would be a mistake to understand our effort in the sacrament as the main thing. Martin Luther, in explaining the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper says, “Certainly not just eating and drinking do these things, but the words written here: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” These words, along with the bodily eating and drinking, are the main thing in the Sacrament. Whoever believes these words has exactly what they say: “forgiveness of sins.” So, it’s not the human activities, the eating and the drinking, that should be our focus, but the gift, that by this eating and drinking God forgives sins; He gives a gift.

            Similarly, circumcision calls for human action: parents have to complete the ritual. But the effect of circumcision is to mark the child as a member of the covenant community. It is a gift given. The overall point of Genesis 17, then, is another reiteration that the Lord intends to keep His promise to Abraham, and circumcision is an outward reminder of that guarantee.