The Covenant Is With Isaac

Thirteen years before, Abraham and Sarah had used a surrogate mother to give birth to Ishmael, thinking they needed to help God.   It had caused major problems in the marriage, with Sarah blaming Abraham.  In Genesis 17:15-16, God makes it very clear they could have trusted God to give a baby to Sarah without them having to make it happen.  “And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.  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.” 

Abraham and Sarah’s effort to have a baby by using a surrogate was inspired by the flesh, rather than by faith.  Galatians 4:22-23 tells us, “For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.   But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.”  The practice of using a surrogate seems to have been common in that day, but though it was widely accepted, it was still adultery.  As Romans 14:23 says, “…whatsoever is not of faith is sin,” our efforts to make what God has promised to do happen are sinful.

Although he could hardly believe it, Abraham loved Sarah and was thrilled that she would have a child of her own, as we see in Genesis 17:17-18.    “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?   And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!”  At the same time, he loved his son Ishmael, and wanted him to be blessed as well. 

God was very clear that Sarah’s son, the one who God had promised was the one who would receive the blessings God had promised, in Genesis 17:19-22.  “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.  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.  But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.  And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.” 

While God would bless Ishmael, making him into a great nation as well, his promise and contract was with Isaac instead.   God may and often does bless our efforts to make things happen, but the greatest blessing come when we simply do what he told us and allow him to produce the results. 

Abraham immediately proceeded to fulfill his part of the contract, so that he he could receive the blessings God promised.  Genesis 17:23-27 tells us, “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.  And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.  And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.  In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.  And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.” 

Although the covenant was not with Ishmael, he was circumcised as a son of Abraham.  Many Moslems, especially those of Arabic descent still continue the practice, even though it is not required in their religion.