June 15

TREKKING WITH ABRAHAM

“When Abram was 99 years old, the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, I am Almighty God; walk before me, and be perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, as for me, behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. Neither shall your name any more be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made you.”

Genesis 17:1 – 5

The word, “perfection,” and how to handle it, and deal with it, has brought me quite a lot of emails. The bottom line of walking with God with a perfect heart,is grace. There is a phrase in the book of Acts describing how the first Apostles were walking when the initial explosion of the Holy Spirit took place in Jerusalem. That phrase is, “Great grace was upon them all”. For them to have grace at all, never mind “great grace”, faith was required to effect it. They walked in faith with a perfect heart. That is what it means for us as New Testament believers. God wants us to trust Him more, just as He intimated to Abram.

El Shaddai tells Abram that His covenant will be with him. In plain English, that means that all the promises that God had made were active and being activated over all of Abram’s life, relationships and dealings. Abram was carrying an anointing and a blessing that would simply manifest wherever Abram went, and whatever he was doing.

One artists incredible vision of what a “vision of God” would bring to our sight.

While Abram is still prostrate before the Almighty, God tells Abram yet again that he will be the father of many nations.

Then, the big one!

God makes the startling statement that Abram’s name is to be changed. Abram means “exalted father”. Abraham means “father of a vast (mixed) Multitude. Historically, what was yet to be seen was that Abraham was to be the progenitor of Israelites, Ishmaelites, Midianites, Edomites, and other Arab peoples. The principle of a changed name with various characters throughout the entire Bible is a vast study. Abram to Abraham. Jacob to Israel. Simon to Peter. Saul to Paul. And there are others of less significance but still within the parameters of the same principle. In the book of Revelation while speaking to the people of the church at Pergamum, as an aside Christ says something that is relevant to every Christian that has ever lived.”To those that overcome”, He will give, “A white stone, and in the stone a new name written which no man knows save he that receives it”. In other words there is a new name for every victorious Christian.

Note that God could not have given this name earlier to Abram, for Abram did not know of the full depth and breadth of the Divine promise to him, until this moment. He was to be father of not just one nation, but of many. I also think that this remark would have to some degree, “shocked” Abram, because it suggested of course, that if he was to be father of many nations, then he would conceivably be having more children, and Ishmael may not necessarily be the chosen seed to inherit the land. The 13 year old Ishmael, and his mother Hagar, who were both no doubt confident of inheriting Abraham’s wealth and covenant from God, were about to be disinherited (not that Ishmael was ever the son of promise, but hitherto, in the chronology of life, they both obviously saw themselves as the children of destiny in the family line to inherit all of Abram’s wealth).

The change of name is more than a, “change of detail” on Abraham’s birth certificate. As always in the Bible it is of spiritual significance. It is a declaration of destiny here with Abraham. When Jacob was changed to Israel, it signified a change of nature. When Simon (Reed) was changed to Peter (Rock) it was a prophetic word of a change of character and consistency – that the man who was a “fickle reed” by name and nature, was to be a “Rock” by name and nature. Saul of Tarsus was, incidentally, renamed Paul to facilitate the purpose God had for him amongst the gentiles.

Abraham now had to declare his name out loud. Once everybody knew the new name it would be a glorious heavenly stir. People would be calling out, “Where’s “Father Of Many Nations”?” while looking for the 99 year old who had only one child, and was now so decrepit he was not even making love with his wife at all. It is possibly the clearest example in the Bible, of God calling that which is not, as if it was (see Romans 4:17-18 to explain that). Once he had made the new name known to Sarai, and why he had been renamed, she would no doubt be reeling (not to omit laughing) with the prospect of what God was intimating.

Note how God talks of his multi racial paternity as if it had already occurred. God did not say, “For a father of many nations will I make you”, but “a father of many nations have I made you”. In plain English, in the mind of God it had already happened. The fact that it was not yet true on earth meant nothing. In heaven it was already true. God lives outside of time. Abram was already a father of many nations according to the heavenly journals.

The Greek language reveals a similar concept in the Gospels, when Jesus said that if two believers agree on earth, “Whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven. And whatsoever you release on earth has already been released in heaven.” Whatever happens in the earth has already been released in heaven. Jesus said to the doubled over woman in Mark’s gospel, “Woman! You are (present tense) loosed from your infirmity” while she was still bound over.