Text Summary:

Thirteen years later, God appears and basically repeats his promise to Abram, now 99, of many descendants and the land we know as Israel.  He tells Abram to obey and always do what is right.  God demands Abram agree to circumcision of all males, which he shows by having all males circumcised, including himself and Ishmael.  He also renames him Abraham and his wife Sarah.  God promises to bless Sarah with a son, Isaac.  Abraham bows, laughs that they can have kids at such an advanced age, and then asks God why Ishmael can’t be his heir.  God says Isaac will be the one, but blesses Ishmael with many descendants as well.

My Thoughts:

Obedience: Obedience is a persistent theme throughout the Bible, likely because God was talking to some very strong-willed individuals like Abraham.  It is also likely because these stories were also told to children by adults seeking their obedience.

Doing Right: Emphasizing doing right in the Bible was likely for the same child education reason.  These were the first stories ever told.  There were no Mother Goose rhymes, Dr. Seuss, Curious George, Eric Carle, or Harry Potter books back then. We will have to wait until Exodus for Moses and the Ten Commandments to find out what defines “right”.

Circumcision:  Okay, I have no clue about circumcision (find details at Wikipedia Circumcision).  Here again, I think the storyteller uses God’s command as the reason for continuing the practice.

Changing Names: So, what is the significance of changing their names?  I think it shows a break from Abraham and Sarah’s past lives into this new covenant of their lineage with God.

Belief: Abraham and Sarah do not truly believe in God’s promise or His power.  Abraham laughs that Sarah can become pregnant at ninety years old.  I mean, who wouldn’t?  And, Sarah gave him her slave girl to impregnate 13 years earlier.  Maybe this is why God waited 13 years to reestablish the promise with Abraham.  The proof will be when Isaac is born and then they will believe.

For Us: It can take us a long time to believe in God, but he will patiently wait for us to come around.  Sometimes, we have a hard time believing in God or what he has in store for us. The proof for us is always when something is actually accomplished.  During the struggle, we often think God has abandoned us, but He is always there.  Talk to Him!  Pray.  He will listen.