Gods Sabbath

C HAPTER 10

Circumcision

A careful prayer-filled reading of Genesis 17:1–27 together with Patriarchs and Prophets 145 to 155 can help to deepen the understanding of this chapter.

The Introduction of the Rite C ircumcision was first introduced to God’s people when the Lord came to Abraham to inform him that His covenant would be not with Ishmael, but solely with Isaac. The timing of the introduction of this rite is especially significant and contains spiritual lessons of much value that need to be thoroughly un derstood and practiced by all Christians. This is not saying that we should still practice the actual phys ical rite of circumcision, for it was nailed to the cross along with the other ceremonies from the Old Testament (see Ephesians 2:15 and 2 Corinthians 3:13). It is the spiritual lessons taught by this rite which we need to understand and observe today. When the Lord directed Abraham to circumcise every male in his household, as well as submitting to the rite himself, Ish mael was already thirteen years of age. This child had entered the world as the result of human procedures which could never

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