“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. perfect: or, upright, or, sincere”
Cross references: : Gen. 5:22 Or, Almighty. Or, without hypocrisy.
“As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. many: Heb. multitude of nations”
Not only according to the flesh, but of a far greater multitude by faith, Rom. 4:17 .
“Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. Abraham: that is, Father of a great multitude”
Rom. 4:17 The changing of his name is a seal to confirm God’s promise unto him.
“This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.”
Acts 7:8 Circumcision is called the covenant, because it signifieth the covenant, and hath the promise of grace joined unto it: which phrase is common to all Sacraments.
“And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.”
Rom. 4:11 That privy part is circumcised, to show that all that is begotten of man is corrupt, and must be mortified.
“And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.”
Albeit women were not circumcised, yet were they partakers of God’s promise: for under the mankind all was consecrated, and here is declared, that whosoever contemneth the sign, despiseth also the promise.
“Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?”
Which proceeded of a sudden joy, and not of infidelity.
“And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.”
The everlasting Covenant is made with the children of the Spirit: and with the children of the flesh is made the temporal promise, as was promised to Ishmael. Gen. 18:10 ; Gen. 21:2
“And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.”
They were well instructed which obeyed to be circumcised without resistance: which thing declareth that masters in their houses ought to be as preachers to their families, that from the highest to the lowest they may obey the will of God.