Circumcision (Again) - Genesis 17

17:1-14 - Ishmael is born and suddenly there is a flash forward 13 years and we find that “the Lord appeared to Abram.” He gives Abram the command to be perfect. I’ve never really liked this because it implies that perfection is possible in this life or that some people might be born perfect or close to it. But I like the IM’s quote saying, “Salvation does not come all at once; we are commanded to be perfect even as our Father in heaven is perfect. It will take us ages to accomplish this end, for there will be greater progress beyond the grave, and it will be there that the faithful will overcome all things, and receive all things, even the fullness of the Father’s glory.” Perfection isn’t commanded like it is our only goal to get there as fast as possible, but it’s a complex and complicated concept that takes eons of time to achieve. God also promises, by covenant, that he shall “be a father of many nations.” There is an extensive JST from verses 3-12 which gives a lot more insight into the conversation. It all circles back to circumcision and I have thought about it because back in the New Testament, this was the issue that kept coming back up over and over again, so clearly this is a hot button issue for a lot of men. From the KJV it sounds like God just tells Abram that he will have a lot of descendants, he changes his name to Abraham, he promises Abraham the land of Canaan and commands circumcision. These seem like random topics kind of strung together in a power point type of way, but if we turn to the JST there is a much more comprehensive explanation laid out for why circumcision is the commanded covenant token. The IM gives a detailed evaluation of the differences in the KJV and the JST and “why the Lord chose this particular sign or token.” It says, “Before instituting the law of circumcision, the Lord explained why He was establishing this token of the covenant.” The Lord says that “the people had left correct principles and forsaken the true ordinances,” one of which was baptism which they were doing to children and “sprinkling blood in remembrance of Abel’s blood, which they taught was shed for sins.” The people *almost* get it right, they just thought that it was Abel instead of the coming Messiah who atoned for their sins. The IM continues, “Because of this apostasy, circumcision was instituted. It was a covenant token. It was for the seed of Abraham. It signified that children were not accountable until they were eight years old.” But why circumcision specifically? I think it’s interesting to note that this was a requirement only made of the men. It might be speculated that women weren’t included because women weren’t important, but I think it’s the same reason why Muslim women aren’t required to pray 5 times a day, only the men, or why women are automatically included in Relief Society, whereas the men have to prove their worthiness to be included in the priesthood. I think this is a requirement for men because it’s what they need, women already have too much to do. Now that’s a very general and probably inflammatory statement, but it is what it is. Interestingly the IM explains that circumcision specifically was chosen because “the Abrahamic covenant makes frequent reference to one’s seed. The organ of the body that produces seed and brings about physical birth is the organ on which the token of the covenant is made.” This was a very roundabout way of saying that the penis is the one part of the body engaged in procreation, so because the promise is about procreation, then the penis is the place where the token is made. Makes sense to me. The IM also makes it clear that simple circumcision of the penis is not what is needed for salvation, despite what the Jews at the time of Christ believed, but instead “being circumcised of heart. The heart that is ‘circumcised’ is one that loves God and is obedient to the Spirit. The ‘uncircumcised in heart’ are wicked, proud, and rebellious.” And this second part, the circumcision of heart does apply to females. 17:15-27 – All these descendants can be a logical conclusion because Abraham already has a son, Ishmael, but the Lord specifies that the fulfillment of this covenant will be through Sarai, who He changes her name to Sarah. God blesses her that He will “give thee a son also of her.” After this promise the KJV makes it sound like Abraham blows God off because it says that he “laughed” and questioned “shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? And shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?” Sounds like he’s disrespecting God quite a bit there, but we have the JST to clarify. The JST says that Abraham “rejoiced, and said in his heart, There shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old, and Sarah that is ninety years old shall bear.” That makes a huge difference in meaning. In fact, the KJV makes it sound like Abraham not only doesn’t believe God but that he asks for Ishmael to be the chosen one instead saying, “O that Ishmael might live before thee!” But the JST corrects it to say, “And Abraham said unto God, Oh that Ishmael might live uprightly before thee!” Huge difference. In one version this great guy that God is conversing with face to face doesn’t believe God’s promises and in the JST we see the faith of Abraham, and in fact when I read this it helped me understand more when it comes time to deal with Ishmael. God reiterates that Sarah “shall bear thee a son indeed… at this set time in the next year.” God even gives him a timeline. And as far as Ishmael goes, “I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiple him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he begat, and I will make him a great nation.” So Ishmael was important as well, not to be dismissed. With that conversation, Abraham circumcised himself, Ishmael at 13 years old, and all the male members of his household.