Slices
Prepare
Read 2 Timothy 2:11–13. Thank God for his faithfulness to you and ask him to help you to remain faithful to him, whatever challenges you face.
Bible passage
The covenant of circumcision
17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. 2 Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.’
3 Abram fell face down, and God said to him, 4 ‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: you will be the father of many nations. 5 No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.’
9 Then God said to Abraham, ‘As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner – those who are not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.’
15 God also said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.’
Explore
When God made his covenant with Abram in chapter 15, Abram was passive. As the covenant was ritually sealed, Abram was in a deep sleep and covered with ‘a thick and dreadful darkness’. The covenant is entirely God’s initiative.
However, a covenant is between two parties and here we see Abram’s side. This involved the rite of circumcision for Abram and a change of name for him (v 5) and Sarai (v 15). Many societies practise circumcision as a transition into manhood. Abram’s circumcision does not say, ‘I have arrived.’ It says, ‘I am fully committed to receive all you have for me’ (v 11).
Through Jesus, we have a ‘new covenant’ with God (Luke 22:20). Again, this is entirely God’s initiative (eg Ephesians 2:1– 5). The Old and New Testaments are consistent: in mercy, kindness and unmerited grace, God takes the initiative. However, there is a human side to the covenant, which is faith. The New Testament emphasises that God always engages with humanity in this way (see Romans 4). As Christians we can be ‘ministers of the new covenant’ (2 Corinthians 3:6), having a ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18), sharing God’s initiative and inviting others into a covenant relationship with him.
Respond
Thank God that ‘When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins’ (Colossians 2:13).
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Job 7,8; Psalms 81,82
Pray for Scripture Union
Over 150 years ago, SU founder Josiah Spiers wrote ‘God is love’ on the beach at Llandudno, North Wales. Praise God that those words still speak so powerfully into the lives of children and young people today. (This week's prayers relate to this story.)
Join our team
Could you, or someone you know be just the person we’re looking for? We’re currently have some exciting roles available.
At Scripture Union you’d be joining a team of passionate and dedicated people who want to see a new generation of children and young people have a vibrant, personal faith in Jesus! If that’s something that excites you, why not check out our current vacancies today!
