The Change in the Name (Part 2)

Welcome to Built on God's Word, the preaching and teaching ministry of Highland Park Baptist Church in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.! Willard Lyons teaches on the life of Abraham.

! And so, begin with me in verses 1 through 3.

We looked at part of this last week, but just to refresh our mind, and for those of you that weren't here last week. And when Abram was 90 years old and 9, 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.

So, the covenant had been made between God and Abram for a number of years now, at least 14 years. But remember, Abram was still yet without a son that was necessary for that covenant to be assured.

That's the reason for the mess between Hagar and Sarai and the birth of Ishmael. Alright? And so, now, 24 years after he begins his journey into Canaan is where we're at here.

And now God, again, deals with Abram. You know, again, think about that just a moment. We don't get any indication of what kind of intercourse God had with Abram or Abram had with God in the interim of this time.

But that's a lot of time span. You know, for someone that has gotten the word from God, he calls him out, he calls Abram out, Abram obeys, go to a land that I will show you.

He begins that journey. And year after year, he continues before he hears anything new as far as that covenant from God. And so, just think about that just a moment here.

And so, now, God, once again, deals with Abram and says to him, I am the Almighty God. Walk before me and be thou perfect.

Now, remember, we showed last week that in previous encounters with God, it was a verbal encounter. God said to Abram.

But this time, notice, the Lord appeared to Abram in some, no doubt, physical form. Don't know what that was or who that was.

But he, there's some speculation, but we'll not speculate. But he appears to him here. All right. And then makes the statement, I am the Almighty God.

Walk before me and be thou perfect. Now, when God first established the covenant relationship with Abram, back in Genesis chapter 15, he speaks to him and says, I am the Lord.

I am Jehovah. That's how he began the process with him in the establishment of the covenant. Revealing himself to him as Jehovah.

The self-existent, holy, righteous God. But more importantly, the God that reveals himself unto man. All right. That's how Abram knew him at the beginning of the covenant relationship.

But now here, God says, I am Almighty God. I am El Shaddai. All right. The Almighty God.

God, the Mighty One, if you will. The combination of some things here from the word Shaddad, which means to be strong. And so remember, the idea here was that God is revealing to Abram here.

That I am more than capable of seeing to it that everything that needs to be done for the fulfillment of this covenant can and will be done.

I'm able to make sure that's accomplished. That's what it shows in El Shaddai. Abram needed to know that. Because after all, Ishmael is still running around in the tent.

All right. He needs to know that God can and hear it from God, that God can and will provide everything that is needed for that covenant to be realized.

The fulfillment of that covenant to be realized. And so he reveals himself then as El Shaddai, the strong one. All right. So that no matter what is necessary for it to happen, even when the time is that nature itself is contrary to the reality of it being performed.

God can and still will perform it. All right. Now. I am El Shaddai. Now.

Reveals himself as El Shaddai. Look what he says. Walk before me. And be thou perfect. All right. A life of righteousness.

Now remember. Earlier on. Abraham believed God. And it was accounted to him for righteousness. A life of righteousness was necessary here.

Not only for the fulfillment of the covenant. But for that covenant to be realized and maintained through Abraham. So.

As God introduces the covenant idea again here. All right. He gives a more definite account of what's going to take place. And that begins by the idea of the new name of God.

No longer just Jehovah. But El Shaddai. He sees that new characteristic of God. And then secondly.

He's going to require something of Abraham. Now he says walk before me and be thou perfect. Or in this the idea of being righteous. Jesus. But there's something else that we're going to see here in just a minute.

A new requirement for him. That even more so solidifies the reality. Of the covenant relationship. But also the fulfillment of that covenant.

And it's a glorious picture that he paints there. But I want us to notice something else. Before we go any further with that. Speaking of an obligation that God gives to Abraham.

Again this isn't going to be just some mystical thing that God does all of a sudden. Just because God's gracious. Abraham's going to have to fulfill an obligation here.

All right. Now what about you and I? When it comes to the matter of obligation. In our relationship with God. Do we have any obligation?

Go to Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians chapter 4. Good picture for us here. In verse number 17. You know.

Paul has been speaking there about. But in reality. God's work and purpose in the church. And how he builds that purpose. But in verse 17.

He's saying as a result of all of that. What he's making you. He says. This I say therefore. And testify in the Lord. That you henceforth.

Walk not or behave not. As other Gentiles walk. In the vanity of their mind. That is they're walking in the vanity of their mind. Having the understanding darkened.

Being alienated from the life of God. Through the ignorance that is in them. Because of the blindness of their heart. Who being past feeling.

Have given themselves over to lasciviousness. To work all uncleanness with greediness. Now. A lot of stuff in there.

But the reality is this. They've hardened their heart. Through spiritual ignorance. All right. Again. They know nothing of God.

They have no clue. About God. They may know and believe. And say that he exists. But as far as the character and nature of God.

They have no clue. All right. So as a result of that. They're not just lost. But they become insensitive.

To the things of God. That's why a lot of times. When people try to speak to others. Unsaved people. About God. About Christ. They just kind of blow it off.

Because they're insensitive to that. Because of the blindness and hardness. Of their heart. And they've given themselves over to all kinds of ungodliness. And sin.

All right. But look at verse 20. Verse 20. But as for you. You have not so learned Christ. In other words.

Christ has taught you something else. If so be that ye have heard him. And have been taught by him. As the truth is in Jesus.

Now. So that you put off. Concerning the old man. The former conversation. You put off the old man. All right. That old.

Corrupt. Nature. With behavior. That it. Was involved with. All right. You put it off. Put off the old man.

Put off. Excuse me. Put off your former conversation. Your former manner of behavior. You put that off. All right. Concerning the former conversation.

You put off the old man. Which is corrupt. According to the deceitful lust. Now. When he talks about that old nature being corrupt. The literal idea in the original is that it is continually corrupt.

Continually more and more corrupt. All right. Yeah. When you see a sweet little baby.

In his mother's arms. All right. When you look at that kid. You see nothing but a sweet little baby. Right. Smell the baby powder.

Baby lotion. Whatever it is they use nowadays. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But then as it grows older. What happens? They turn true.

They turn true. Yeah. All right. So we begin to see that nature go to work.

Amen. That it was born with. And as it gets more and more older and older in age. Then. If it's not exposed to righteousness.

Then that. Sinful nature becomes more and more corrupted. But I think it goes farther than that. I don't. I think it's not just dealing with the individual here.

But I think it's speaking of the generation. That each generation. Becomes more and more corrupted. Because the sin nature becomes more and more corruptible.

And what's the reason? It's because they get farther and farther away from. Exposure to. The things of God. Because their lives are not isolated.

Into those things that that nature desires. All right. Unless somehow. God uses someone to expose him to the truth. Of the gospel.

All right. So. He said. We're to put off that manner of behavior. The bad behavior of the old man. But look at verse 23.

And be renewed. Regenerated. If you will. By the renewing of your mind. Romans 12. 1 and 2. That you may prove.

What is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. All right. Stop being conformed to the world. But be transformed. How? By the renewing of the mind. Now.

What does it mean to be renewed in the mind? Boy. Don't you wish you remembered how you thought when you were a baby? That baby learns things that it's exposed to.

Okay. What I'm saying is this. We begin thinking the way we think because of things we're exposed to. From year to year to year as we get older.

You go to school. You'll learn things. You'll learn your ABCs and all those things. But also you'll learn behavior patterns from other kids you're around. And that goes on up into adulthood.

All right. To be renewed in the spirit of the mind. Means that we. And in what Paul in particular in Romans 12 is saying. Stop being conformed to the world.

But be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Is the idea of beginning again. Beginning. To be able to think the way God thinks.

And the way that happens is. We expose ourselves to the word of God. But not just reading it as a daily Bible reading.

But absorbing it. Into our heart. And into our minds. So that we could be like Jesus. When he faced the temptation in the wilderness.

At the beginning of his earthly ministry. Man shall not live by bread alone. But by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. He used.

What he knew. And lived. Out of scripture. To combat. The onslaughts of Satan. So for us to renew the spirit of our minds.

Minds. Means that we get into the word of God. We study it. We meditate upon that. We let the Holy Spirit. Not only speak to us in that. But inbred that within our mind.

In our heart. In our soul. So that day by day. Through experience by experience. We can face those. With knowing what the word of God says.

All right. Because we've applied that to our heart. And to our minds. So. Again. Verse 23. Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

And that you put on. You've already taken off the old man. And it's conduct. But now you put on the new man. Which after God. Is created in righteousness.

And true holiness. Now notice that. After God. It's created. After what God is in himself. Yeah.

Yeah. The new man is created. After God. After what God is. In himself. That's what the spirit of God's moldiness.

And shapiness to be. All right. So. Created in righteousness. And true holiness. So as a result. Since that work is being done.

Notice here. Here's the obligation. Not only to put it on the new man. By putting off the old man. But. Wherefore. Putting away lying.

Speak every man truth. With his neighbor. For we are members. One of another. Be angry. And sin not. Let not the sun. Go down upon your wrath.

Neither give place. To the devil. Let him that stole. Steal no more. But rather. Let him labor. Working with his hands. The things. Which is good. That he may have to give.

To him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication. Proceed out of your mouth. But that which is good. To the use of edifying. That it may minister grace.

Unto the hearers. And. Stop grieving. And the original says. Stop grieving. Because the believers. No doubt. That Paul's writing to it.

Ephesus. Were grieving the spirit of God. Stop grieving the Holy Spirit of God. Whereby. Or in whom. You are sealed. Unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness.

And wrath. And anger. And clamor. And evil speaking. Be put away from you. With all malice. And be a kind one to another. Tender hearted.

Forgiving one another. Even as God. In Christ. Hath forgiven you. Yeah. What a change that is.

And it comes from. What? The renewing. Of the spirit. Of our minds. So that we. Can let the spirit of God. Teach us. How God.

Thinks. And to know. How Jesus. Would respond. In kind. To what. We come across. And face. All right.

Now. Notice what else. Back in. Genesis. 17. Last part. Verse 3. I will make.

My covenant. Between me. And thee. And multiply. The exceedingly. Now. It's not the idea. Here. That he's making. A new covenant. The word.

Here. I will give. My covenant. Between me. And thee. Signifies. The idea. Not making. A new covenant. But it's the idea. Of beginning.

To put. Things. In. Action. All right. All right. Set things. In operation. For that covenant. To become a reality.

So. Through the many. Many years. To this point. Abram's. Remembering. No doubt. The covenant. That God. Made with him. But yet.

He's even. Stated to God. There's no. Visible. Form. Visible. Form. That indicates. The reality. Of that. Coming to pass. But now.

God is saying. As El Shaddai. Is the strong. Covenant. God. Is able. To do. Anything. That needs to be done.

To make it so. He now says. I'm now. Putting. Things. In order. Here. I'm beginning.

To set. In operation. Things. That pertain. To the promise. Of that covenant. All right. Now. That's going to be good news. To Abram. Amen.

99 years old. I would think so. Yeah. So. Look what happens. Abram. Himself. Confirms that.

Appropriates that. To himself. That promise. This particular promise. Appropriates that. To himself. By falling. On his face. And honoring God.

Abram. In verse 3. Abram fell on his face. And God. Talked. With him. Saying. And then he told him. What's going to happen.

Now. What a joy. This is. An excitement. No doubt. To Abram. At this point. Now. Verses 4 through 8. As for me.

Behold. My covenant. Is with thee. And thou shalt be a father. Of many nations. Again. With that. There's a necessity. Of a son being born.

Now. Neither shall thy name. Be called. Abram. But. Thy name. Shall be. Abraham. For a father.

Of many nations. Have I made thee. And I will make thee. Exceeding fruitful. And I will make. Nations of thee. Kings. Shall come.

Out of thee. And I will establish. My covenant. Between me. And thee. And thy seed. After thee. In their generations. For an everlasting.

Covenant. To be a God. Unto thee. And to thy seed. After thee. And I will give. Unto thee. And to thy seed. After thee. The land. Wherein.

Thou art a strength. All the land. Of Canaan. For an everlasting. Possession. And I.

Will be. Their. God. Boy. Talk about. Setting things. In operation. There's the things. He's promised.

Now. Concerning. This. Covenant. Relationship. And God. Had said. As for me. On my part. In other words. As far as I'm concerned.

On my part. This is what I'm going to do. Three things. It consists of. That he would make. Abram. A father. The father. Of a multitude.

Of nations. The ancestor. Of nations. And kings. Secondly. That he would be God. Or show himself.

To be God. In an. Eternal. Covenant. Relationship. Not only to him. But to his. Posterity. As well. All according.

To their families. According to all. Their successive. Generations. God. Is God. He's always going to be God. But he said. I'm going to show. That I am God.

To them. As I've shown. To you. Now. Thirdly. He would give. Them. The land. In which.

He has been. A wanderer. And a sojourner. As a foreigner. All the land. Of Canaan. For an everlasting. Possession.

Now. Neither. Shall thy name. Anymore. Be called. Abram. But thy name. Shall be. Abraham. For a father.

Of many nations. Have I. Made. The. So as a pledge. To that promise. Now. God. Changes. Abram's name. From.

Abram. Literally. Abram. A-B. Dash. R-A-A-M. Which is. High father. Into. Abraham. Father. Of. The multitude.

Now. Some suppose. That the word. Is derived. From the Arabic. Root. Raham. All right. Which signifies. To be very. Numerous. Or copious.

If you will. Ab. Raham. Would signify. A copious. Father. Or father. Of a multitude. But there's. Others.

That believe. That some letters. Have been inserted. Here. Which they have been. Notice. If you will. From. Abram. A-B-R-A-M.

To. A-B-R-A-H-A-M. Abraham. The letter. H. The Hebrew. Letter. H. To be. An abbreviation. Of the word.

I don't know. How to pronounce. This really. Do you Tom. Howmon. All right. How. How. That wouldn't be. How. B-H- Dash. M-O-W-N.

H-M-O-N. Something like that. All right. Which means. Multitude. Most people believe. That's really what happens here. So.

It's given. The new name. Given as a tangible pledge. Of the fulfillment. Of that covenant. Which will be coming. All right. So.

Recognize. What names. Met. In those days. All right. Back. In Abram's day. When God. Gave a name.

It wasn't just. A meaningless identity. It spoke. Of. Something. About. That individual. A reality. About them.

Something. Real. That will. Eventually. Become. Them. All right. So. Again. He gives him. That new name. To show him.

That. As that pledge. Of the covenant. Relation. Now. Verses. Nine. Through. Fourteen. And.

God. Said. Unto. Abraham. Notice. The change. In the word. The name. Thou. Shalt. Keep. My covenant. Therefore. Thou. And. Thy seed. After thee.

In their generations. 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. And. Ye shall. Circumcise. The flesh. Of your foreskin. And. It shall. Be a token. Of the covenant. Between. Me. And. You.

He. That is. Eight. Days. Old. Shall. Be. Circumcised. Among. You. Every man. Child. In. Your. Generations. He. That is. Born. In. The house. Or. Bought.

With. Money. Of. Any. Stranger. Which. Is. Not. Of. Thy. Seed. He. That is. Born. In. Thine. House. And. He. That is. Bought. With. Thy. Money. Must. Needs.

Be. Circumcised. And. My. Covenant. Shall. Be. In. Your. Flesh. For. An. Everlasting. Covenant. And. The. Uncircumcised. Man. Child. Whose. Flesh. Of.

His. Skin. Is. Not. Circumcised. That. Soul. Shall. Be. Cut. Off. From. His. People. He. Hath. Broken. My. Covenant. All. Right.

Now. So. On. Abram's. Part. God. Required. That. He. And. His. Descendants. And. All. Generations. Be.

Circumcised. As. A sign. Of. The. Covenant. Relationship. Between. Them. All. Right. Notice. Every. Male. In. His. House. It's.

Called. In. Verse. Three. The. Covenant. Of. Flesh. Now. Notice. Who. Is. It. That.

He's. Required. To. Circumcise. All. Right. Very. Interesting. Here. And. Exciting. As. Well. It. Was. To. Be. Extended.

Not. Only. To. Abraham. And. To. The. Descendants. Of. Abraham. But. All. The. Males. In. His. House. Slaves.

Servants. Anybody. Born. In. This. House. Or. Anybody. Bought. With. Money. As. A. Slave. If.

He's. Part. Of. Abram's. Camp. If you. Will. They're. Required. To. Be. Circumcised. It. Was. To. Be. Extended.

To. The. Son. Of. Eight. Days. Of. Age. All. Right. Every. Male. Child. Eight. Days. Old. Now. Notice.

What. Happens. There's. A. Threat. That. Comes. With. Not. Being. Circumcised. If. You're. Amongst. The. People. Of. Abraham. He.

Said. That. Souls. Shall. Be. Cut. Off. From. His. People. Because. He. Has. Broken. My. Covenant. Wow. Serious.

Business. Here. But. You know. What. I. Think. God. Is. Doing. Here. I. Think. He's. Showing. To. Abraham. The. Seriousness. By.

Which. God. Takes. The. Covenant. Relationship. And. The. Seriousness. By. Which. God. Will. Fulfill. His.

Part. In. That. Covenant. Relationship. In. The. Promises. Given. Yeah. Yeah. Boy. I. Would. Think. When. Abraham. Walks. Away. From. This. Conversation.

His. Heart. And. His. Mind. Has. To. Be. So. Much. Stronger. Concerning. The. Promises. Of. God. That. Have. Been. Made. Way. Back. Yonder. Yeah. What.

An. Encouragement. That. Has. To. Be. All. Right. That. Death. That. Would. Come. To. The. Uncircumcised. it's not rejection from the nation not banishment but death by whatever means that death comes whether from the hands of God alright by the punishment of death from the people of the group the congregation or the magistrates or whatever he'll die alright that's how serious the covenant relationship with God is now quickly verses 15-17 and God said unto Abraham as for Sarai thy wife thou shalt not call her name Sarai but Sarah shall her name be and I will bless her and give thee a son also of her yea I will bless her and she shall be a mother of nations kings of people shall be of her then Abraham fell upon his face and what did he do and he laughed said in his heart shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old and Sarah that is ninety years old shall she bear alright yeah now seems kind of funny here but recognize something we're going to get into this more next time but have you ever had any kind of circumstance or situation arise in your life when something that seems totally impossible becomes a possibility from what God has already said to Abraham here he's going to have a son no doubt that covenant is going to be fulfilled the way God said it be fulfilled alright so he's already got some excitement in his mind and his heart over that and now God said here's how

I'm going to do it you're going to have a son by your wife Sarah she's going to conceive and bear a son now please realize you got to put it in the context of Abraham's day and who he was not in our lifestyle I think if I were 100 years old and Calvita was 90 years old and God said she's going to have a baby I would say you've got to be kidding that's what Calvita would say you've got to be kidding you know because you're conjuring in your mind sleepless nights dirty diapers all of those things yeah I don't know if I want that or not but since you're going to do it yeah no take that away here Abraham's excited he's thrilled in his heart but he sees the reality of the situation he's 99 years old and his wife's not a whole lot younger it's seemingly impossible but God said it's going to be done so there's a joyousness in the life and heart and mind of Abraham here and so we're going to look at that more next week let's pray father again thank you for your love and grace and father we thank you for the privilege of the night again tonight to be together to look into your word and again father we just praise you and thank you for reminding us of the tremendous mind that you have to put all this into motion because we recognize where all this leads and that is to our redemption so father we thank you for that thank you for showing that to us in your word and causing us more and more to rejoice in you and give praise to you because of your love your grace and your goodness to lost mankind so we thank you for that thank you for those that are here tonight ask your blessings upon them that you will continue to draw us to yourself through your word and use us to honor and glorify yourself and we'll thank you for it in Jesus name amen to learn more visit us in person or see the website at highlandparkbaptist.net