Genesis 17:18–26

"Life" and "living" in Scripture, when God uses it, is not always the thought of mere life; as, "Oh, that Ishmael might live before You." It is divine favour also.

But he had received such favour, and his heart went out to the child of the slave woman. He said to God, "Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!" Sarai was now to be Sarah. She was to become nations, with kings coming from her, though he and she were no better than dead. So why should Ishmael not share the covenant? But no: the child of promise and of the free woman is the one with whom God establishes His covenant. For Abraham's sake Ishmael does not go without His blessing; he fathers twelve princes and becomes a great nation. So the reasonings of a saint fall, and God's will alone stands, even in blessing outside the covenant of promise.

Abraham's thoughts return to his son born after the flesh, and he pleads with God, "Oh that Ishmael might live before You" (v. 18). This is the same lingering hope that occupies the thoughts of many people — that the flesh might be brought to please God. But Scripture declares the opposite: "those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8:8).

Abraham's heart yearned over Ishmael. More than that, Ishmael received circumcision, so he carried the mark of the covenant outwardly (Gen. 17:18, 25). It was all useless, however. This word had gone out about him: "He will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him." A wild, unmanageable and quarrelsome fellow he remained. His time of testing ended when he proved himself not only wild, but a despiser and a mocker of Isaac, the promised son, who is a picture of Christ. Then came the word, "Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac" (Gen. 21:10).

What a moment for the soul! Have there not been such awakenings in God's saints at times? Moments when everything that had delighted the eye was fading away, and the heart cried out: "Oh that Ishmael might live before You!" Must it all go, then? Is there no remnant of former days to spare?... God may pity the soul in this — though it is not His purpose. He may say, as it were, "And as for Ishmael, I have heard you." He may spare the link and bless it in an earthly way. But it never enters the divine path: "But I will establish my covenant with Isaac."

This is a fine, earnest path for the spirit of a saint. There is a deep reality here. Departure from God proves itself to be bitterness. But God proves Himself to the soul to be restoration and peace. Under His gracious hand faith grows bold again. Abraham presses his plea, with the vigour he had in chapter 15, and asks God that Ishmael might live before Him.

Abraham's thoughts go back to his son born after the flesh, and he pleads with God, "Oh that Ishmael might live before You!" (v. 18). Many people still hold that same lingering hope — that the flesh can be brought to please God. But scripture declares the opposite, "those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8:8).

Sarai was now to be Sarah. She would become nations, and kings would come from her, even though she and Abraham were as good as dead. So why should Ishmael not share the covenant? But no: the child of promise, the son of the free woman, is the one with whom God establishes His covenant. For Abraham's sake Ishmael does not go without God's blessing — he fathers twelve princes and becomes a great nation... So the reasoning of a believer falls, and God's will alone stands, even in blessing outside the covenant of promise.

But when Abraham was ninety-nine years old, there was no hope of a child by natural means. His body was now dead. Then God reveals Himself to him by His name: "I am God Almighty."

All of this was called "God's covenant" with him. That again tells us plainly that God's purpose, or secret, or covenant, rested on resurrection. It rested on setting aside the flesh with all its strength and resources, and on doing something beyond and above nature... And so Isaac is born out of the dead bodies of Abraham and Sarah. God's covenant is with Isaac. Ishmael may be blessed — and he is — but the covenant is with Isaac, and with Isaac alone.

Isaac, "laughter," recalls the laughter of both his parents in view of his birth, and suggests that joy which the coming of the true Son brings.

See how Abraham acted. God made a covenant of blessing with him, and told him He would bless him with this child of promise... As he heard God's promises, he laughed to himself and said in his heart, "Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?"... His laugh was the LAUGH OF FAITH.

It is the covenant God made with Abraham. It was unconditional, not in the least conditional on the obedience of Israel. He affirmed the same covenant again to Isaac (Gen. 26:4), and confirmed it to Jacob (Gen. 28:13-14), despite Jacob's wandering away. It was an everlasting covenant, and so it depends only on the faithfulness of God.

But God's covenant He would establish with Isaac (v. 21), a clear type of the Lord Jesus. Sarah, a picture of God's grace, would bring him to Abraham, just as the grace of God brings Christ to the believing sinner today. Isaac would be born one year from the time God spoke to Abraham. Abraham had to wait that much longer, with time to think about God's promise. That promise was completely sure, but no one could rush it ahead of God's time.

Have there not been such awakenings in God's people at times? Moments when everything that had delighted the eye was fading away, and the heart cried out: "Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!" Must it all go then? Is there no remnant of former days that may be spared? Has it all been a mistake?… God may pity the soul in this — though it is not His purpose. He may say, as it were: "And as for Ishmael, I have heard you." God may spare the tie and bless it in an earthly way. But it never enters the path that is divine: "But I will establish My covenant with Isaac."

The angel of the Lord appeared to Hagar and told her to return to her mistress. Her offspring would be beyond number, and she was to call her son's name Ishmael, which means "El shall hear."… Abraham prayed that Ishmael might live before God, but Ishmael stands as a picture of the seed of Abraham according to the flesh. So God answered: He would bless Ishmael, multiply him greatly, and make him a great nation, and Ishmael would father twelve princes. Yet He would establish the covenant with Isaac.

But no: God establishes His covenant with the child of promise, the son of the free woman. Yet Ishmael, for Abraham's sake, does not go without His blessing. He fathers twelve princes and becomes a great nation… So the reasonings of a saint fall to the ground. God's will alone stands, even in blessing outside the covenant of promise. Even there, no flesh will boast in His presence.

Ishmael does not belong to this chapter, but he is blessed in it as a son of Abraham, and so loved; yet he is no co-heir. That cannot be — all that comes from a higher source.

God answered the request about Ishmael and promised to bless him in natural things, making him a great nation under twelve princes. Genesis 25:12-16 records the fulfilment.

The names we find here can be traced in other Scriptures. For instance, Isaiah 60, the great chapter of the millennial kingdom, mentions Nebaioth and Kedar (verse 7). The number twelve, twelve princes, links Ishmael closely with Israel. In the future God will bless Israel and give it the promised land as a glorious possession. Then Ishmael's descendants will not be forgotten.

The unbelieving mass of the nation are children of Abraham according to the flesh; but only the believing remnant are the true seed according to promise. Still, even the children according to the flesh would be great on the earth.

Being the son of a slave woman, Ishmael pictures those under the bondage of law, living in a desert that produces no fruit for God.

Abraham, who had received such favour, felt for the child of the slave woman. He said to God, "Oh, that Ishmael might live before you!" Sarai was from now on to be Sarah. She was to become nations, with kings coming from her, though he and she were no better than dead. So why should Ishmael not share the covenant? But no. God establishes His covenant with the child of promise, the son of the free woman. Ishmael, for Abraham's sake, does not go without His blessing: he fathers twelve princes and becomes a great nation… So the reasonings of a believer fall, and God's will alone stands, even in blessing outside the covenant of promise.

Ishmael does not belong to this chapter, but he is blessed in it as a son of Abraham, and so loved. He is no co-heir. That cannot be. All of it flows from a higher source.

What a moment for the soul! Have there not been such awakenings in God's saints at times? Moments when everything the eye loved was fading away, and the heart cried out: "Oh that Ishmael might live before you!" Must everything go then? Is there no remnant of former days that God may spare? Has it all been a mistake? God may pity the soul in this — though not His purpose. He may say, as it were: "And as for Ishmael, I have heard you." The link may be spared and blessed in an earthly way. But it never enters the path which is divine: "But I will establish my covenant with Isaac."

He appeals first to the history of Abraham. If the Jew insists on natural descent, he must let the Arabians into blessing too. They descended from Abraham through Ishmael (Gen. 25:12-18). Natural descent is therefore shut out. With Isaac we see the blessing secured on the principle of sovereign electing grace, for the word is, "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named." Ishmael was the child of flesh, but Isaac was the child of promise. That this promise came by sovereign grace is plain from the word, "About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son."

From Romans 9:6-9, it would seem that Ishmael sets forth the unbelieving mass of Israel… The unbelieving mass are children of Abraham by natural descent. Only the believing remnant are the true seed by promise. Still, even the children by natural descent would be great on the earth.

But God's covenant He would establish with Isaac (v. 21), a clear picture of the Lord Jesus. Sarah, a picture of God's grace, would bring Isaac to Abraham, just as the grace of God brings Christ to the believing sinner today. Isaac would be born one year from the time God spoke to Abraham. Abraham had to wait that much longer. He had time to think about God's promise. It was completely sure, but it would not come ahead of God's time.

God set a time when the promised son was born to Abraham. In the same way, He had an appointed time to give His own Son: "when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son." There is also a set time when God will bring the First-Begotten into the world again, at His second coming. Then it will be the set time for Israel too, when God remembers His promises and visits and does all that He has spoken concerning them. "You will arise and have pity on Zion; it is the time to favour her; the appointed time has come" (Psalm 102:13).

God went up from him. He was talking with Abraham, and went only when He had finished. Abraham could bring the desires of his heart to God, and he had a full answer. But God had His own purpose.

"And God talked with him." It is when man is in the dust that God can talk to him in grace. Abraham's posture here beautifully shows a man bowed right down before God, feeling his utter weakness and nothingness. And notice: this always comes before God reveals Himself. When the creature is laid low, God can show Himself in the unclouded brightness of what He is. He will not give His glory to another. Until the sinner takes his proper place, God does not unfold His character.

There is something more than prayer; there is the enjoyment of fellowship. Where souls do not enter into this, where they cannot get near enough to God, and do not get used to His talking to them in His word and their own free pleading before Him, there is a great lack in the Christian's private life... Notice that the exchange in this scene is the fruit of God revealing Himself more fully to the soul. So everything rested, not on a fresh start taken by man, but on His gracious ways with the soul... It is one thing for a man to think up out of his own mind what he would say to God. It is quite another thing for God to speak about Himself, and to give the revelation that is suited to bless a man's soul.

It is the revelation of God, and our place is in the revelation of Him, our talking with Him, and He talking with us. Abraham fell on his face; he is brought to nothing. Yet he may enjoy God. He has no fear and no holding back... Then in the next chapter, do we find him talking about himself? No! He is pleading for others. He has come into the tone of God's heart. He is not struggling with God for a blessing for himself, as Jacob did. Knowing what he has received, he is able to intercede.

Having finished this great communication, God left off talking with Abraham. That same day Abraham is careful to keep the covenant by performing the rite of circumcision. He puts into practice the word he had heard. He acts in keeping with the revelation God has made of Himself.

Circumcision here, then, is not introduced in a legal way, any more than the sabbath in Genesis 2. It is really the answer in man to the grace of God.

"Then God went up from him in the place where He had spoken with him." These words about Jacob are much like the words about Abraham in Genesis 17:22. What grace to both! And what a difference beyond words from the made-up stories of gods mixing with the nations, even if those stories had been true!

Having finished this great communication God left off talking with Abraham. That same day Abraham is careful to keep the covenant by performing the rite of circumcision. He puts into practice the word he had heard. He acts in keeping with the way God has revealed Himself.

The closing paragraph of the chapter shows how Abraham's faith showed itself at once in works. He accepted the outward sign of circumcision for himself and for his house. No time was lost. The thing was done "that very day." The operation itself was not pleasant. It ran against natural feelings. In each one the flesh would have cried out to be spared.

But God speaks of the seal of circumcision. It is not now something outside him, as we saw in the dead animals of chapter 15... What does it mean? Flesh put to death before God. The sentence of death is put on man in His sight — on Abram himself, and on his descendants after him. Circumcision here is not introduced in a legal way... It is really the answer in man to the grace of God.

Romans 4 teaches that circumcision was "a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith." "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness." God counted him righteous, and then set His seal upon him.

Abraham's obedience was blessedly prompt. It is a bright scene, though it is in the flesh. All that belonged to him, all his house, come under God's covenant.

The sign was circumcision. Abraham had to keep it, and so did his descendants and all his household. That last term takes in everyone born in his house, and every bondservant he had bought. It left out the casual servant, who was only hired. Here for the first time in Scripture we find a household treated as one with the man who is its head. They are those over whom the head has authority, so that he can command them.

Everyone born in Abraham's house, or bought with money, had to be circumcised. Circumcision was the seal of the promise made to Abraham. If one of the promised seed was not circumcised, he lost his title. But it was a seal he had a right to by birth. And the real blessing was by promise: circumcision did not bring anyone into it at all. God called Abraham's seed in Isaac. The covenant promises belong to that seed, not to Ishmael. Yet Ishmael was circumcised just as much as Isaac.

If God covenants to bless by His Almighty power, then on our side there must be no confidence in the flesh. We must give it no room to act. For the believer today, circumcision is "a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God" (Rom. 2:29). The refusal of the flesh is not to be merely an outward neglect of the body, which the world can see. It is the refusal of the flesh in all its inward workings in the heart — its self-confidence, self-righteousness, vanity and lusts — as that which has been condemned in the cross (Col. 2:11).

Abram was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born. The next chapter tells us that Abram was ninety-nine years old when the Lord spoke to him again. So for thirteen years Abram's life seems to have been empty of any communication from the Lord. What a harvest of the flesh.

Chapter 16 is a side note. Abram has a promise, and now tries to make it good independently of God. But when Abram is set aside, his body now dead at ninety-nine years old, God reveals Himself. He says, I am going to give you many descendants, and you must circumcise them, and so on. That is: now that you are viewed as dead, I can do something with you.

Circumcision was, therefore, the seal of the righteousness of faith. Some fourteen years earlier God had counted Abram righteous. Abram believed God, and God counted it to him as righteousness. First righteousness by faith, then the seal. The New Testament says that believers are circumcised: "In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ" (Colossians 2:11). The circumcision of Christ is the death of Christ; in Him the body of the flesh is put off.

The closing paragraph of the chapter shows how quickly Abraham's faith expressed itself in works. He accepted the outward sign of circumcision for himself and for his household. He wasted no time: the thing was done "that very day." The operation was not pleasant, and it ran against natural feelings. In each case the flesh would have cried out to be spared. How fitting, then, that it pictures the death to the flesh that the New Testament speaks of. There the question is not the material body of man, but the fallen nature belonging to that body, with its appetites and desires.

Abraham was circumcised at ninety-nine years old, so Isaac was to be born of a circumcised father. God would fulfill the promise only when the strength of the flesh is seen to be cut off, for the works of the flesh are refused altogether. The promise can be realized only by faith in the living God.

Abraham was justified by faith centuries before the law was given through Moses. He was also justified by faith, and so he was certainly saved, years before he was circumcised (Genesis 15:6; 17:26). No one, then, needs to keep the law or be circumcised in order to be justified by faith. It was therefore plain that Gentiles could share in the grace of justification just as much as Jews.

When God had finished this great communication, He stopped talking with Abraham. That same day Abraham is careful to keep the covenant by carrying out the rite of circumcision. He puts into practice the word he had heard, and acts in a way that matches the revelation God has made of Himself.

When Ishmael was thirteen years old Abraham circumcised him, and all the men of his house. In this act Abraham acknowledged in faith that the blessing he had asked for his natural offspring could not come through the strength of the flesh. God secures all His mercies in resurrection.

Abraham had received such favour, yet his heart went out to the child of the slave woman. He said to God, "Oh that Ishmael might live before you!" ... But no. God establishes His covenant with the child of promise, the son of the free woman. Ishmael, for Abraham's sake, does not go without His blessing: he fathers twelve princes and becomes a great nation. So the reasonings of a saint fall, and God's will alone stands, even in blessing outside the covenant of promise.

Everyone actually born in Abraham's house, or even bought with money, had to be circumcised. Circumcision was the seal of the promise made to Abraham... But, further, the real blessing was by promise: circumcision did not bring into it at all. Abraham's offspring was called in Isaac. The covenant promises belong to that offspring, not to Ishmael. Yet Ishmael was circumcised just as much as Isaac.

For Abraham, the first man to receive it, circumcision had been "a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith" (Rom. 4:11). That did not stop the thirteen-year-old Ishmael from receiving it, or the eight-day-old Isaac... Notice too that circumcision is the "putting off of the body of the flesh" (Col. 2:11), and that the true circumcision "put no confidence in the flesh" (Phil. 3:3).

Abraham's heart yearned over Ishmael. He cried out that Ishmael might live before God. More than that, Abraham circumcised him, so Ishmael carried the mark of the covenant outwardly (Gen. 17:18, 25). All of it, however, was useless... He remained a wild, unmanageable and quarrelsome man — a fitting picture of the flesh.

As far as Abraham was concerned, circumcision was just a rite to keep, since nothing shows that he was taught its spiritual meaning... The Messiah was cut off, as predicted. He was severed from His life down here in flesh and blood, so that He might take up life again in resurrection. As identified with Him, we put the sentence of death on the old life in the flesh that we once lived, and so put off the body of the flesh. So the meaning of the rite was the putting of the death sentence on the flesh and all its works. God's unconditional covenant of promise is not made good on the ground of the flesh.

Abraham's obedience was prompt, and blessedly so. Though it is a scene in the flesh, it is still a bright one: all who belonged to him, his whole household, come under God's covenant.

The last paragraph of the chapter shows how Abraham's faith quickly expressed itself in works. He accepted the outward sign of circumcision for himself and for his house. He lost no time; the thing was done "that very day." The operation itself was not a pleasant one. It ran against natural feeling, and in each man the flesh would have cried out to be spared. How fitting, then, that it pictures the death to the flesh that the New Testament speaks of. There it is not the physical body of man that is in question, but the fallen nature that marks that body, with its appetites and lusts.

As Christians we are not asked, any more than Abraham was, to walk well in order to get the blessing. We are asked to walk in a way that suits God because we are blessed already. To walk like that, and to be perfect before God, calls for dependence on God and on His almighty power. But this means the complete refusal of the flesh. That is why God brought in circumcision: as a sign that the flesh must be put to death if the walk is to be perfect before God. In Genesis 15, death came in as the ground of justification. Here the refusal of the flesh, through the sign that speaks of death to the flesh, is for holiness of walk.

When this wonderful meeting ended, Abraham took Ishmael and all his male servants, both those born in his house and those he had bought, and circumcised them... Abraham himself was circumcised at the same time, at 99 years old. So Isaac would be born of a circumcised father. God would fulfil the promise only when the strength of the flesh was seen to be cut off, for the works of the flesh are refused completely. The promise can be realized only by faith in the living God.

But no: the child of promise, the son of the free woman, is the one with whom God establishes His covenant. Ishmael, for Abraham's sake, is not left without His blessing; he fathers twelve princes and becomes a great nation. And that very day Abraham is circumcised, and Ishmael, and every male born in his house or bought with his money (vv. 25-27). So the reasonings of a saint fall away, and God's will alone stands, even in blessing outside the covenant of promise. Even there no flesh shall boast in His presence. The flesh is never improved; it passes under a sentence of death.

So circumcision here is not brought in as a matter of law... It is really man's answer to the grace of God. It is what God has made the Christian's portion in our Lord Jesus: that "circumcision made without hands," which God has given us in Him, for in Him we are circumcised. Now it is not a victim that dies; every child of Abraham takes the place of death by this sign. The sign pictures our death with Christ, the perfect deliverance of the person as dead with Him. Until you know what it is to be dead in this way, you cannot enjoy what it is to be free toward God.