El-shaddai — The God of the Covenant

    "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him."

    The God of Glory appeared to Abram when he was yet in Ur of the Chaldees. There, the Lord God promised to make of him a great nation. After the death of his father, Terah, in Haran, the Lord appeared to Abram again, and renewed his promise. Though he was a seventy-five year old man, Abram believed God and left Haran with his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and Lot’s wife, and came into the land of Canaan. There, at Beth-el, the Lord appeared to him again and, again, renewed his promise.

    In Genesis 15, after his lapse in Egypt, after the strife between his herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen, after the slaughter of the kings, after the appearance of Melchizedek, the Lord graciously appeared to Abram again, this time more fully than before, and again renewed his promise. Abram asked and God specifically promised to give him a Son, a Son who would be his Savior, a Son through whom he would be made righteous, a Son in whom all the world would be blessed. Then, we are told, “Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”

    Still, Sarah was barren. After ten long years in the land of Canaan, Sarah devised a plan. She gave her servant, Hagar, to Abram. She seems to have thought, “The Lord has not fulfilled his promise. He must intend for us to do something. So,” she appears to have reasoned, “it only makes sense that if we are to have children, if God is going to fulfill his promise, it will have to be by means of a surrogate.” Therefore, she said to Abram, “Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her.” And “Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai” (Gen. 16:2). What folly! What presumption! God does not need something from us to accomplish his purposes. We can never do good by evil means. The arm of the flesh can never accomplish the work of the Spirit.

    Yet, despite Sarai and Abram’s unbelief, presumption, and sin, God proved himself gracious, wise, and faithful. As we have seen already (Genesis 13), our God even over rules evil for good, making all things work together for the salvation and everlasting good of his elect. The Lord used these events to reveal himself to Hagar. Though the Lord over ruled the evil for good, Sarah and Abraham had to live with the consequences of their actions for many years. The fruit of their unbelief and sin was Ishmael. Abraham loved Ishmael, as any father loves his son; but Ishmael was the source of great and constant pain to him and, at last, had to be put out of the house.¹¹

    When we come to Genesis 17, it has been thirteen years since the Lord last appeared to Abram. We have no record of God speaking to his servant in any way for thirteen long years. Spiritual barrenness is always the result of disobedience and unbelief. But we must never imagine that the man’s unbelief nullifies the purposes and promises of God. Though it often appears that the Lord God is not working, that his purpose is being hindered, that his promise has fallen to the ground, that is never the case. God’s delays are always deliberate. Not only is it true that God always knows best and does best, he always does it at precisely the best time. He always fulfills his promise in “the fulness of time.” He is never late; and he is never early. God is always on time.

    Why did Abraham have to wait so long for God to fulfill his promise? It was twenty-five years from the time the Lord first appeared to Abram and promised him a Son, a Seed in whom all the nations of the earth would be blessed, until the birth of Isaac. Why? The reason is simple. Abraham had to be brought to the end of himself. He must be brought to his wits’ end. He must be made to know that God’s work is in no way dependent upon or determined by him. The simple fact is, God never acts in grace until he convinces us that our only hope is for him to act in grace. God does not show us his omnipotence until he shows us our impotence. Only when Israel is in utter desperation does the Lord speak, and say, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.” It was not until Abraham saw the deadness of his own body as well as the deadness of Sarah’s womb that God gave him a son.

    Read Genesis 17 carefully. It is a very instructive portion of Holy Scripture. In this chapter the Holy Spirit has recorded for us the covenant God made with Abraham and shows us that the basis upon which the covenant promises were made to Abraham and the basis upon which he believed those promises was the omnipotence and all-sufficiency of God our Savior.

    We do ourselves a great disservice and misinterpret the Scriptures, if we read this (or any other passage of Inspiration), as no more than a historic record. Everything in this passage is as applicable to believing sinners today as it was to Abraham (Rom. 15:4; 2 Tim. 3:15-16). The promises made to Abraham are the promises of God to all who, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, are the children of Abraham. With those things in mind, I want to show you four things in this chapter. May God the Holy Spirit, whose Word we hold before us, inscribe the lessons of this chapter upon our hearts by his grace.

    Genesis 17:1 "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God."

    Here the Lord God reveals himself to Abram as El-shaddai, “the Almighty God.” This is the first time God made himself known by this great name. None but the Almighty God could perform for Abram the things he here promises. This was a ninety-nine year old man. His wife was ninety. Yet, El-shaddai promised him a Son; and what he promises he can and will perform, because he is “the Almighty God”. “With God all things are possible.”

    This great attribute of God’s being, his absolute omnipotence, strikes terror in the hearts of the wicked; but to the believer nothing is more consoling. "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe" (Pro. 18:10). Since our Savior is the Lord Almighty, we can confidently forsake all and follow him (2 Cor. 6:17-18). Because our Savior is El-shaddai, “He is able to succor them that are tempted.” Because he who loves us with an everlasting love is the Almighty, nothing can ever separate us from his love (Rom. 8:39). Because our God is the Almighty God, he “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.” Because he is God Almighty, the Lord Jesus Christ, our Good Shepherd, is able to keep his sheep in his omnipotent hand (John 10:28). Because he is the Almighty God, our Savior is able to raise our bodies from the grave in resurrection glory (Phil. 3:21). Because he is El-shaddai, the Lord Jesus is able to keep you from falling and present you, and me, and all his own faultless before the presence of his glory in the end (Jude 24-25).

    Everything in this passage was written for the edification, comfort, and benefit of God’s elect, as much for believing sinners today as for that believing sinner to whom these words were first spoken. He who appeared to Abraham and said, “I am the Almighty God,” is the Lord Jesus Christ, our God and Savior. Let believing sinners rejoice! He who is our God is El-shaddai -- “the Almighty God”.

    Look at verse one again. "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect." Our translators have, in the marginal reference, told us that this word “perfect” means “upright” or “sincere”. Though the word is sometimes used in that way, that is not the case here. The holy Lord God cannot and will not accept our sincerity or uprightness. He who is God indeed, perfect, holy, and righteousness, that One who is Light and in whom is no darkness at all, requires and demands perfection. It is written, “It shall be perfect to be accepted” (Lev. 22:21).

    This is what God required of Abraham, and requires of us – “Walk before me, and be thou perfect.” This is his commandment. There is only one way in which we can walk before the Lord God in perfection. If we would walk before the holy Lord God, if we would be accepted before his august, majestic holiness, we must do so by faith in Christ, like Enoch of old (Heb. 11:5-6). This is what God requires of men (1 John 3:23).

    Perfection is what God requires of sinners and what he gives to sinners in Christ (Matt. 5:20; 2 Cor. 5:21). Perfection, absolute, perfect holiness in thought, word and deed, is the standard every believers seeks, though we know it is unattainable in this life (Phil. 3:12-14). Perfection, absolute perfection of character and conduct, is what every child of God shall have in heaven’s glory (Ps. 17:15).

    Abraham fell on his face in utter awe before the Lord God, the Almighty God, who stood before him, “And God talked with him.” I am interested in what God said to this man. Aren’t you? We do not have to guess about it. The Holy Spirit tells us that the Lord God, the Almighty God, El-shaddai here talked to him about a covenant (Gen. 17:2-16). In these fifteen verses of Inspiration, the Lord God tells us six things about his covenant with Abraham. Again, I remind you, these things are recorded for us. They speak to us. They speak about God’s covenant, “ordered in all things and sure,” for us.

    1. First, understand this. – As it is revealed here, God’s covenant with Abraham was a covenant made with one man for the benefit of many.

    The promised blessings of the covenant extended to all Abraham’s descendants. The blessedness promised reach to the four corners of the earth. As Andrew Fuller observed, “Surely these things were designed to familiarize us with the great principle on which our salvation should rest. It was the purpose of God to save perishing sinners. Yet, his covenant is not originally with them, but with Christ. With him it stands fast; and for his sake they are accepted and blessed. Even the blessedness of Abram himself, and all the rewards conferred on him, were for his sake.”

    God’s covenant of grace and salvation, that covenant of which David said, “this is all my salvation and all my desire,” was made for us (his elect) with Christ our Surety before the world began. It is this covenant of which Paul speaks in Ephesians 1:3-7.

    2. Second, God’s covenant is a covenant of righteousness.

    Let it be understood that God always, first and foremost, deals with sinners upon the ground of strict, unwavering, inflexible righteousness, justice, and truth. God’s promised blessings of grace and everlasting salvation cannot be bestowed upon any, except those who stand perfect before him (Lev. 20:7; 1 Pet. 1:15-16). The blessings of grace and salvation come to chosen sinners by the merits of a perfect Surety, through the blood of the everlasting covenant. These covenant blessings come to us upon the grounds of righteousness established and brought in by the perfect obedience of Christ in his life. He is “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” and justice satisfied by the sin-atoning death of God’s own dear Son as our Substitute (Rom. 3:24-26).

    3. Third, God’s covenant with Abraham, and his covenant with Christ as our Surety, is a covenant of grace.

    In verse nineteen, the Lord God told Abraham plainly that his covenant would be established not with Ishmael (the child of works), but with Isaac (the child of promise and of grace). We know that this is the meaning of the Lord’s words to Abraham because the Holy Spirit tells us so in Galatians 4:22-31.

    4. Fourth, God’s covenant is a “covenant of circumcision” (Acts 7:8).

    Circumcision was here instituted by God as the outward, ceremonial sign and seal of God’s covenant with Abraham. This Old Testament rite of circumcision was a picture of that circumcision made without hands in the hearts of God’s elect by the Holy Spirit in regeneration (Rom. 2:29; Phil. 3:3; Col. 2:10-15).¹²

    Circumcision in the flesh meant exactly the same thing to Abraham and his descendants that the new birth means to us. It was a mark by which God’s covenant was sealed to his people (Eph. 1:14; 4:30). It was a mark distinguishing God’s people from the rest of the world. It was a painful mark. – The experience of grace is painful to the flesh. It was a purifying mark (Acts 15:9-11; 1 John 3:3). It was a permanent mark. It could not be reversed (Rom. 11:29; Ecc. 3:14).

    5. Fifth, God’s covenant is a covenant immutable and sure.

    When the Almighty God says, “I will,” he shall. Nothing can prevent him from doing what he says he will do. All power is his. He is El-shaddai, the Almighty, all-sufficient God. Seven times in this chapter he says, “I will.” Hear his word of promise and rejoice (vv. 6, 7, 8, 19, 21). God’s shalls and wills make his covenant immutable and sure (2 Sam. 23:5).

    6. Sixth, we are told that God’s covenant is a covenant kept by his people.

    Without question, all the terms, stipulations, and conditions of the covenant were kept for us by Christ our God and Savior, the Surety of the covenant. He fulfilled all for us. We could never have fulfilled God'’ requirements. Yet, the Lord God demands in verse nine that we keep his covenant. "And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations." The word “keep” does not mean to keep by fulfilling, but to keep by guarding, by holding fast. The reprobate and unbelieving despise God’s covenant. Needy sinners take hold of it and hold it fast (Isa. 56:4-6).

    In verses 17-27, Abraham displays the character of one who is indeed God’s child. He believed God (v. 17). Abraham prayed for his son, Ishmael (v. 18). Abraham bowed to the will of God (vv. 20-22). Though Ishmael was his firstborn son, though he loved him dearly, though he prayed for him earnestly, Abraham recognized that Ishmael had no claim upon God’s grace. Humbly, he bows to his God, even regarding his beloved son, Ishmael. Like Eli, he seems to have said in his heart, “It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good.”

    Abraham obeyed the Lord (vv. 23-27). What an example of obedience this old, old man sets before us. What the Lord commanded he did. In his old age, Abraham continued to walk before his God as an obedient child. Old men commonly talk about the things they have done, while finding excuses to justify the neglect of present responsibilities. Not Abraham. Unto his dying day, in the tenor of his life, he readily received instruction from his God, and yielded implicit obedience to him, leaving the consequences of his obedience to God whose will he sought to obey and for whose glory he lived.

    What a shining example he was. This man was justified by faith alone, without works. But he justified his faith by his works. His obedience was prompt. He consulted not with flesh and blood. His obedience was precise. He did exactly what the Lord God told him to do. His obedience was painful. Obedience to God is always painful to the flesh.

    Here is God’s Character – “The Almighty God.” Here is God’s Command – “Walk before me and be thou perfect.” “This is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ,” in whom and by whom alone sinners stand perfect before God. Here is God’s Covenant – “I will be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee.” Here is God’s Child – Believing, Obedient and Blessed.