Genesis 17 & 18: Are You Perfect?
Verse of the Day: (17:1) 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.
1. Perfect (17:1-7)
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. (17:5)
God chose Abram to be the father of many nations because he already seen Abram’s heart that he sought to walk before Him and was a perfect and mature man of God. No doubt no one can be truly perfect, yet with God, He can make a perfect man out of imperfection, and that was what God did in Abram’s life. God changed Abram’s name from Abram which meant “exalted father” to Abraham which meant “father of many nations”. Though both Abraham and Sarah doubted God’s promise to give them a child of their own, and Sarah even laughed at God’s promise, yet God still fulfilled His promise, and grant them their firstborn son, Isaac! This is the marvellous work of God!
2. Possession (17:8-27)
And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. (17:8)
God gave Abraham the earthly Promised Land which was the land of Canaan, as well as the heavenly Promised Land which is Heaven, His home, and also to all who would believe in Him. It is an everlasting possession whether on earth or in heaven when the people of Israel choose to believe God. Today, the people of Israel, has yet to possess the entire land of Canaan as they fail to believe God. However, during the Millennium kingdom, which is after the Rapture (the period when all Christians are promoted to heaven) and the 7 years Tribulation (the period when Satan shall rule the earth), Christ shall reign on earth, and the people of Israel shall then possess the entire land of Canaan!
3. Peradventure (18:1-33)
And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake. (18:32)
Abraham loved all, not just his loved ones, as he pleaded with God to spare the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham bargained with God, and finally God agreed to spare Sodom and Gomorrah peradventure there were 10 righteous people. Alas, there were only 3 righteous people, namely, Lot and his 2 daughters (Lot’s wife turned her back and became a pillar of salt!), and God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. (Genesis 19:24-25).
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to be perfect as You are perfect.
