DIGGING DEEP NO. 989 – JUNE 13, 2023                                                                ABRAHAM – A STUDY OF FAITH IN GOD (PART 9)                                                                                          Gen.17: 1 – 27.

Our names are very important. Jacob was renamed Israel after a night of wrestling with God Gen.32: 24- 32 and Simon received the name Peter (Rock) when he met Jesus Christ Jh.1: 40- 42. In this chapter, we will discover four new names.

1. God Almighty – Gen.17: 1- 2. The Hebrew name is“El Shaddai” and this is the first time it appears in the Bible. Shaddai is translated as “Almighty” forty-eight times in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, the Greek equivalent is used in 2Cor.6: 18, Rev.1: 8; 4: 8; 11: 17; 15: 3; 16: 7 and 14; 19: 6 and 15; 21: 22. However in Rev.19: 6 it is translated as Omnipotent.  El is the name of God that speaks of power but what does “Shaddai” mean? Scholars differ in their opinion. Some say it comes from a Hebrew word meaning “to be strong”; others prefer a word meaning “Mountain” or “breast”. A mountain is a symbol of strength. If combined “El Shaddai” is the name of the all-powerful and all-sufficient God who can do anything and meet any need.

The question now is why would God reveal this name to Abraham at this time, at the close of thirteen years of silence. Because God was going to tell His friend that Sarah would have a son. God wanted Abraham to know that He is the God who is all-sufficient and all-powerful and that nothing is too hard for Him. He is about to do the miraculous. Revelation always brings responsibility. Enoch and Noah had walked with God Gen.5: 22; 6: 8- 9, but Abraham was to walk before God; that is live in the knowledge that the eyes of God were always upon Him Heb.4: 13. The word perfect does not mean sinless 1Kgs.8: 46; it means single-hearted, sincere, and wholly devoted to the Lord; it was a call for integrity.

2. Abraham –Abram means exalted father; Abraham means father of a multitude. When Abraham informed the people in his camp that he had a new name, some of them must have smiled because he had no children, but the just shall live by faith. In being fruitful for God, we have nothing in ourselves that will accomplish the taskJh.15: 5.

Gen.17: 4 God said “As for Me”; but in Gen.17: 9 God said, “As for you”. Abraham’s part in the covenant is to obey the Lord and mark each male in his household with the sign of the covenant.

3. Sarah –the third new name was Sarah which means princess. Since she would become the mother of kings, it was only right that she be called a princess. We cannot minimize the role of Sarah in God’s great plan of salvation. Like her husband (and all of us), she had her faults; but also, like her husband, she trusted GodHeb.11: 11. She is not only the mother of the Jewish nation Is.51: 2 but also a good example for Christian wives to follow 1Pet.3: 1- 6. The Christian husband should treat his wife as a princess because that is what she is in the Lord.
4. Isaac –the name Isaac means “He laughs”. Three different occasions of laughter are associated with Isaac’s birth. Abraham laughed when he heard his wife would give birth to the promised sonGen.17: 17. Sarah laughed in unbelief when she heard the news Gen.18: 9- 15; and Sarah laughed for joy when the boy was born Gen.21: 6- 7.

Gen.17: 18 from the human point of view, we can understand why Abraham interceded for Ishmael. But from the spiritual point of view, Ishmael could not replace Isaac or even be equal to him in the covenant plan of God. God had already promised to bless Ishmael Gen.16: 10- 11, and He kept His promise Gen.25: 12- 16, Isaac alone was to be the heir of all things Gen.25: 5- 6; Rom.9: 6- 13.  

There is a practical lesson here for all who seek to live by faith.

When God is preparing a bright future for you, don’t cling to the things of the past. Ishmael represented the past, Isaac the future.

Ishmael symbolized man’s fleshly way of accomplishing something for God; but Isaac was a miracle baby, born by the power of God.

Ishmael brought dissension into the home, but Isaac brought laughter.

If you have an “Ishmael” in your life, yield it up to God. God has a perfect plan, and what He plans is the best. It may pain you to give up your cherished dreams, but God’s way is always the right way. Ishmael did not get a new name, because he represents the flesh and the flesh cannot be changed Jh.3: 6.