Genesis contains the story of many of our favorite and most notable biblical heroes. Whether you have read these stories just a handful of times, or all of your life, there is much to be gained from a look into the first of the bible books. Abram was a person who demonstrated tremendous faith in God. Raised in Ur of the Chaldeans and living in Haran, Abram was told by God to depart from the familiar settings of home and go to a place of God’s choosing, Genesis 12:1-4. At the seasoned age of 75, Abram did as God commanded.
When Abram followed through, there is no doubt he heard God’s promises. A new land. A new nation would come from him. Through him, all the nations of the earth would be blessed. I believe it would be safe to say that when God spoke these promises to him, Abram did not fully understand how God would go to work to carry them out. As you read over the next few chapters, you begin to see a progression of Abram’s faith. It had to grow and mature, … like ours. And, like us, Abram took measures here and there to do what he thought was helping God. His efforts created more problems than solutions.
If Genesis 12:4 is the starting point of Abram’s spiritual journey (a life of faith in God), then Genesis 15 is a crucial step to a higher level of faith. Here, God comes to Abram in a vision and promises him a male heir, one that will come froth from your own body, Genesis 15:4. Abram believed God. 15:6 says, then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness. This passage is significant. Abraham’s faith is continuing to progress and God had fellowship with him. The events of Chapter 15 take place when Abram is around 85 years old. Chapter 16 contains the story of Hagar and Ishmael. Sarai, Abram’s wife, was barren. She offered her bondservant, Hagar, to Abram. Hagar gave Abram the son he wanted. At this point, did Abram believe God’s promise in the previous chapter had been carried out? He now had a male heir. Surely, this was the son God was referring to in Genesis 15. Right?
Thirteen years pass between the end of chapter 16 and the beginning of chapter 17. Ishmael is a growing boy, entering his teenage years. Abram has been busy with his flocks and making a living. He has continued to offer sacrifices to God. All seems well and good. Then, God appears in a vision (17:2-5), and makes a covenant with Abram. Abram would be the father of many nations and his name would no longer be called Abram, but Abraham. No doubt this all sounds good to Abraham, but imagine his bewilderment when God says that a son would be given to him by his wife Sarai. In fact, Abraham’s first reaction was to fall on his face and laugh, saying, Oh that Ishamel might live before You, Genesis 17:18. From here, God goes on to explain in more detail that the child of promise would come through Isaac, born of Sarai.
In Genesis 17 God changed Abram’s name Abraham and Sarai’s name to Sarah. This is significant. In ancient times, a person’s name had a meaning attached to it. In Hebrew, Abram’s name meant “high father.” When God changed it, so did the meaning. Abraham means, “the father of a multitude.” Sarai meant, “my princess.” Changing the last letter from “i” to “h” changed her name to “princess.” She was to become a mother of nations. God changed their names as a pledge of His promise to make of them a great nation. This reflected the development of God’s promise made some 25 years earlier, when Abraham left Haran. The change did not come when Ishmael was born of Hagar, but when God’s promise was about to be fulfilled in the giving of Isaac.
Scholars say that by changing the names of Abram and Sarai, God associated them with Himself. The Hebrew language has no vowels. In Hebrew, the letters, YHWH, identifies the name of God. By adding the “h” to both their names, God inseparably tied Abraham and Sarah to Him. Adam Clarke surmises that God added “divinely given dignity” to both names.
What about us? God has promised His people today a new name, and by doing so He inseparably ties Himself to us. We wear the name of Christ, and it symbolizes our place in the family of God. The New Testament writers often referred to our adoption into Christ. Paul wrote, He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved, Ephesians 1:5-6. Because of the blood of Jesus, we not only brought into the presence of God, we are now part of His family, wear His name, and rightful heirs of the majesty of heaven. We can now approach God, not as an unknown and unwelcome stranger, but with confidence and trust, because He is our Father. Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need, Hebrews 2:16. Indeed God’s promise to Abraham did come to pass, and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed, Genesis 12:3.
Never forget who you are because of Christ. Never forget whose name you wear. Through the giving of His Son and the giving of His name, God has inseparably tied Himself to you. Always keep the knowledge of God’s special relationship with you in the front of your mind. When you do, you will have the strength to get through the valleys of life and look forward to the eternal rest of heaven.
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- The Work of Deity in Our Salvation
- God's Vision for Us
- Matters of Priority
- The Forgiveness of God
- Reader Reviews: From Fear to Faith
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