The Covenant of Genesis 17: Promise — A New Name, A New Destiny
When the promise seems long delayed, God breaks through with a new name and a new dawn.
In Genesis 17, God meets Abram after thirteen silent years and does something extraordinary—He reaffirms His covenant, gives Abram and Sarai new names, and introduces a sign that will mark His people forever. Thirteen years since Ishmael’s birth have passed, and there is still no heir of promise. Yet God appears, now calling Himself El Shaddai—God Almighty—the One who is fully able to do what human effort cannot. This name anchors the weight of the promise.
Abram becomes Abraham, no longer merely an exalted father, but a father of multitudes, royal lines, and nations. His life is now to be lived entirely before God. This is not a call to performance, but a call to union—a life of trusting fellowship that expresses itself in faithful walking.
The sign of circumcision, though external, points inward. It declares the cutting away of fleshly confidence and the surrender to God’s promise. Sarah, too, receives a name change—no longer just “my princess” (Sarai), but Sarah—“princess” of nations and royal destiny. The laughter that erupts from Abraham’s lips at the promise of a son through their aged bodies becomes the name of the child: Isaac. God gently reminds us that He is faithful even when His promises seem laughable.
Isaac is the child of promise—not the product of effort (Ishmael), but the outcome of faith. And through him would come the line of David, and ultimately, Christ Himself.
Personalized Journal Entry – In the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I am the God who calls things that are not as though they were. I appeared to Abraham when all signs of fulfillment had faded from view, and I reminded him that I am Almighty. My promises are not delayed; they are divinely timed. I changed his name not to burden him with performance but to confirm My purpose. His identity was shaped by My Word, not by his ability.
I invited him to walk before Me, not to impress Me, but to enjoy Me. My covenant is not a demand for perfection but a promise of presence. Abraham believed Me, and that belief grew roots and bore fruit—faith that expressed itself in fidelity, trust that walked daily in My shadow.
I asked him to circumcise—not to earn My favor, but to mark the removal of confidence in the flesh. I was not looking for outward acts apart from inward faith; the sign was meant to point to a heart resting in My power, not its own.
I named Isaac laughter, for I delight in turning disbelief into joy. My covenant was with the child of promise, not the one born of striving. I make My covenant with those who receive My promise, not those who try to fulfill it themselves.
I still call My people by new names, shaping their identity around My purposes. I still ask them to live before Me, not anxiously, but abidingly. I remind them: My power is perfected in weakness, My promises are fulfilled by grace, and My covenant stands firm—not by works, but by My Word.
(Romans 4:17, Genesis 17:1, Genesis 17:3–5, Genesis 17:10–11, Genesis 17:17, Genesis 17:19, Galatians 4:23, Philippians 3:3)
Real Life Analogy
Imagine someone who receives a job offer from a company that completely redefines their role and future. They are not being hired based on their résumé—they’re being adopted into a new family business. The offer includes a new title and a future filled with opportunities they didn’t earn. Now imagine if that person kept returning to their old job, clocking in and out like nothing had changed. That’s what it looks like when we keep returning to old efforts and fears, even after God has given us a new identity and destiny in Christ. His offer is not just a better job—it’s a new name, a new family, and a new way of walking forward.
Prayer
Father, I thank You for giving me a new name and calling me to walk before You in union and trust. I don’t look for outward signs to prove what You’ve already sealed in Christ. I rest in the promise that Your covenant is sure, Your presence is constant, and Your plan for my life is unfolding in grace. Even when my circumstances seem barren and delayed, I trust that Your timing is perfect and Your power is unmatched. I receive the identity You’ve given me in Christ, and I walk forward today not as one who strives but as one who abides. I embrace the laughter of Your promises fulfilled.
Devotional insights adapted from the Grace and Truth Study Bible (Zondervan).
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