06.4.6. The True Way for Abram to Be Fruitful

VI. -- THE TRUE WAY FOR ABRAM TO BE FRUITFUL

Genesis 17:1-27 THE last scene shewed the efforts of faith to be fruitful by its own energy, and in connection with self-will. The results having proved that this is not God’s way, the elect comes now to a point where the way of fruitfulness according to God is fully opened to it. The mind of God is now revealed, that the promised seed comes after the circumcision of the flesh, not by its energy, but by its mortification, and by means of a change wrought in faith itself by the inbreathing of Him who now makes Himself known to us as "God Almighty." This is the lesson of this stage, that faith’s true fruitfulness is only in God’s strength and through self-renunciation. Where we are more, God to us is less. God will be more, yea everything, to us, when we are nothing. Grace even as nature abhors a vacuum. Only let us be empty, and the breath of heaven will fill us abundantly. The revelation by which Abram learns this, and his submission, figure that instruction which faith yet receives from God, and to which it yet yields the same implicit and prompt obedience.

We have here, first, the revelation by which Abram learns the true way of fruitfulness. It comes after many weary days, -- "when Abram was ninety years old and nine" (Genesis 17:1); and even then is given by degrees, first briefly and generally, then in fuller detail, when Abram bows to welcome it. It comes not till Abram is hopeless in himself. Then, as the first brief announcement is met by worship and submissiveness, -- for "he fell on his face," -- while in this posture the fuller revelation of God’s mind is granted to him. How much is here! We are quick to be up, and while up and doing like Abram we do nothing to any purpose. We are slow to be "on our faces," yet it is here God’s mind is learnt, while in the sense and confession of our weakness we lie low before Him. But to speak of these communications. The first is this, -- "I am God Almighty: walk before me, and be perfect, and I will make my covenant with thee, and I will multiply thee exceedingly" (Genesis 17:1-2).

Now this, though brief, contains the germ of all that follows, declaring that the seed depends upon God’s "I will," because He is "God Almighty;" while as to the means, singleness of eye and heart towards God, -- "Walk before me, and be thou perfect," (Note: "Perfect:" Heb. tamiym [H8549], sincere or unmixed; the same word as that used of Noah, Genesis 6:9. See also Deuteronomy 18:13.) is the great requisite. Here, as ever, there is the "I will" of God, pledging the result, and also the sanctifying word, "Walk before me," shewing the path in which the elect will find the blessing.

All this, however, is only more perfectly developed in the second and fuller revelation which God vouchsafes to His servant, when he falls down and worships. Many particulars are here revealed, as to the source and channel of the blessing, and as to the means both on God’s and man’s part. For the source, it is not in the creature, but in God. Jehovah, revealed as "God Almighty," here to barren Abram, seven times repeats His "I will:" -- "I will make my covenant with thee, and I will multiply thee, and I will make thee exceeding fruitful; and I will make nations of thee, and I will establish my covenant with thy seed after thee; and I will give to thy seed the land wherein thou art a stranger, and I will be their God" (Genesis 17:2-8). As if He had said, Thou child of grace, hast thou not yet learnt that my word, my "I will," is that which makes thee fruitful? Now hear again my covenant, -- I will make thee fruitful: not from thyself, but from me is thy fruit found. Not by thy energy out of Hagar, -- not by blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, -- but because "I will," shalt thou have the seed. And so of the inheritance: thou hast not earned or deserved it, nor can thy strength win it thee; but this also is assured to thee, because "I will give it thee." The channel, too, by which the seed should come is declared. Faith now learns that Sarai, the barren free woman, that is, the spiritual will, is to bear the desired fruit (Genesis 17:15-19). Long has this will been fruitless in us: most dear to us, we have yet turned from it, to be built up through Hagar or self-will. But faith now learns God’s way of fruitfulness, that He will "make the barren woman within us to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children." As to the means God uses for this, He first changes Abram and Sarai’s names, adding to each a letter which is most significant. Abram now is changed to Abraham. A name ever implies quality. Here the Lord takes something of His own name, (for the added H is a special part of the Divine name,) and adds it to the elect, thus in a new name giving him a new character (Genesis 17:5; Genesis 17:15). (Note: In Numbers 13:16, we find a somewhat similar change: Oshea’s name is changed to Jehoshua, with the same spiritual reason. See Jerome, Quoest. Hebr. in Gen. Others have observed respecting the name Jehovah, that it is formed simply of the five vowels, I, E, O, U, A, with a twice-repeated H. The vowels, or vocals, are so called, because they are sounds by themselves; unlike the consonants, which can only be sounded with a conjoined vowel. It is remarkable that the name Jehovah, the Self-Existing-One, is composed of those sounds, (and it contains all of them,) which can and do exist by themselves, and which give life and breath to the rest, if we may so speak; with the double addition of the H, the letter of out-breathing, in the middle and end of the name. Luther, in his Comment on the First XXII. Psalms, (on Psalms 5:11,) after tracing a mystic sense in the letters and form of the name, Jehovah, in which he sees a figure of the Trinity, -- the proportions of the Name (as he says) figuring the procession of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, -- says of the letter H, "The first syllable terminates in the letter He, which is a soft breathing, indicating that the proceeding in the Divine Persons is not carnal but spiritual, and all-sweet and all-gentle. For if the aspirate letter be extended in sound, it is nothing more than a certain soft proceeding of wind or gentle blast; so that it most appropriately figures forth the proceeding of the Son. And in like manner the whole name is terminated in the same letter of a soft breathing; so that we are to understand that the second proceeding is also spiritual, and not at all differing from the former, except its being the second, and proceeding from the first," &c. -- Vol. i. p. 277, of the Translation by Cole. If in the laws of number and of sound nothing is by chance, He who has been pleased to reveal Himself as Jehovah surely has a reason for the very form of this name, as indeed for all else.) What He adds is the mystic letter He, (The Hebrew equivalent of H) that sound which is only formed by an out-breathing; the addition of which, making Abram into Abraham, shewed how the elect should be made fruitful, even by the Lord’s out-breath, that is the Holy Spirit. And to bear good fruit the spirit of faith even yet must be breathed on by the Lord, and by that breath be changed from Abram to Abraham. Until we are so breathed upon, though beloved and elect, faith in us is, and will be, barren. To bear fruit we must obtain the "new name;" a new character must be in-wrought, the result of the gift of the Spirit or breath of Him, who by communications of Himself moulds us to His pleasure. Surely we are His, beloved and called, long before we know the baptism of the Spirit. Like those of old we follow the Lord, at first knowing Him after the flesh, before we reach to Pentecost and know him spiritually. We may like Peter on the Mount even see the glory of the living Word, and the law and the prophets testifying to Him, and yet after this deny Him. But the time arrives when we, who have followed Christ in the flesh, come to be tried by His cross, and to see His resurrection. Then, -- when the cross is no more a puzzle, -- when we see it is the way to life, and that the flesh verily profiteth nothing, -- when we have tarried until we are endued with power, and the Holy Ghost has come on us, the out-breathing of God, making us who have once followed Christ carnally, sparing ourselves, now willing to follow Him even to the death of self, -- then are we from Abram changed to Abraham. The Lord hath breathed on us: we can go and bring forth much fruit. Till this change is wrought, we shall be barren. When, by the Lord’s revelation of Himself to us, it is accomplished, the fruit we long for is not far off.

One thing, however, yet remains to be done or suffered by the elect. Abraham, as a pledge of his entire dependence, must submit to certain appointed suffering, before he can obtain the seed. Because the Lord has covenanted with him, and has breathed on him, and so changed him, therefore Abraham must on his part suffer in his flesh, so testifying that his hope is not in the flesh or its energies, but only in Jehovah, God Almighty. So God, after His sevenfold promise, and after His gift of a new name, says, "Thou shalt therefore keep my covenant: and this is my covenant, which ye shall keep; ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you" (Genesis 17:9-11).

Now this circumcision signified the mortification of that fleshliness which yet cleaves to the elect spirit. Even the spirit needs to be judged, and "true circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter" (Romans 2:29; compare Deuteronomy 10:16; Jeremiah 4:4). In circumcision a part of the flesh was cut off: "the filth of the flesh was put away" (1 Peter 3:21). (Note: I am assured that the words, sarkos apothesis rhupou, allude to circumcision.) So faith must judge whatever of the flesh is in it, "laying aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, to receive with meekness the engrafted word" (James 1:21) -- that measure of the Divine which is communicated to it, -- that so in the strength of the Lord, and not in self, but rather in self-judgment, it may indeed be fruitful. And this spiritual circumcision, like that which was its type, is not a figure only, but an actual seal, an enduring mark impressed upon us; for as it declares that we have given up all fleshly confidence, so it shews itself in counting all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus; reckoning all that the flesh can achieve but as dung, if only the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings and the power of His resurrection may be apprehended. So Paul says, "We are the circumcision, who worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh" (Php 3:3; Php 3:8-10). To the eye of sense such an operation seemed not only dangerous to life, but one which, when performed in years, even if the patient survived, would probably preclude all fruitfulness. The offering of Isaac was not a severer trial of faith, or one more apparently opposed to the fulfilment of the promise. Such a trial to the believer is self-mortification. Yet faith triumphs. We are "circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh" (Colossians 2:11): "by the spirit we mortify the deeds of the body" (Romans 8:13), and so "bear in our bodies the marks of the Lord Jesus" (Galatians 6:17). That this practical judgment of self must precede the fruit of promise is not understood, nor is it required, when we begin our pilgrimage. (Note: Origen, Hom. iii. in Gen.) At this stage it is revealed to faith. Need I say that this mortification is not our righteousness; -- that is of faith, as it is written, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness;" -- but this self-judgment comes to seal that righteousness, "as the seal of the righteousness of the faith which a believer has, being yet uncircumcised" (Romans 4:11). Long before self is mortified, the elect is righteous; nor are we circumcised thereby to win the promise. On the contrary, God first and freely promises. He says, "I will multiply." Then He adds, "Therefore thou shalt circumcise." God does indeed look for self-judgment, but not as the ground, rather as the result, of promise. So the Spirit ever speaks: -- "I will be their God: therefore come out from among them, and be ye separate" (2 Corinthians 6:16-17): so again, "Ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God" (1 Corinthians 6:20): and again, "Ye are risen, and your life is hid with Christ in God; mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth" (Colossians 3:3; Colossians 3:5). Would to God that this lesson were learnt; but, alas, mortification is well nigh out of date. Instead of judging the flesh, on all sides we see attempts to perfect it, and this in the hope of thus seeing the seed of promise. But some by the blood of Christ, shed first at His circumcision, have better learnt God’s mind. Only let them be faithful to it. Only let the Church’s creed, -- "He died and rose," -- be her life. Then, as with the Head, so with herself, the dying of the corn of wheat shall result in the bringing forth of much fruit. As to the time and subjects of this rite, much is here for such as can receive it. For the time, the "eighth day" is appointed (Genesis 17:12). Seven days in type include the stages or periods proper to the first creation. The eighth day, as it takes us beyond and out of these, brings us mystically into a new order of things and times, in a word into the new creation or resurrection. Those even in Abraham’s family, who are yet in the first seven days, that is, in the first creation, are not to be circumcised. (Note: With the same import all creatures newly born were counted in their blood, or unclean, for seven days, and might not, before the expiration of this period, be offered to God. Neither calf, lamb, nor kid, could be presented as an oblation before it was eight days old. -- Leviticus 22:27. Of the mystic import of the eighth day, and its connection with circumcision, see Augustine, Serm. ccxxxi. § 2; Epistol. l. ii. lv. c. 13.) Inwardly, the men of Abraham’s house are all the thoughts which are connected with and subject to the spirit of faith. Some of these were strangers, some home-born. All were now by faith and with faith to be circumcised: for now we must "bring every thought into subjection to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5). (Note: Ambrose gives the inward sense, De Abr. l. ii. c. 11, § 79.) Outwardly, Abraham’s house is the Church, and its inmates the varying natures which fill the house of faith. Of these all who have grown out of the seven days must be circumcised. Practical mortification of the flesh is not to be pressed on babes in Christ, till the eighth day is apprehended by them; but on all the rest the seal must come, not to make them barren, but that they may be yet more fruitful.

Now see how the spirit of faith meets this word. Abraham receives it with something not unlike questioning: -- "He fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born to him that is an hundred years old, and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?" But this soon changes to prayer. At first the prayer is lacking in intelligence; for he said, "Oh! that Ishmael might live before thee" (Genesis 17:17-18). Nevertheless, he prays and bows himself, even while pleading for his own will. This struggle too passes. God speaks to his heart, telling him that though the fruit of his own energy cannot be the heir of promise, it shall receive a suited blessing; and the elect, though his soul heaves like the sea after a storm, pleads no more for his own will, but obeys promptly and explicitly. "In the self-same day was Abraham circumcised, and all the men of his house with him, as the Lord had said unto him" (Genesis 17:23-27).

How exactly all this is yet fulfilled, those know who from Abram have been made Abraham. The struggle of doubt and hope within, -- of our own wishes against the Lord’s will, -- the desire for the abiding of that which is of self, even when God himself promises better things, -- how all this, which so much savours of the will of the flesh, ends in prompt obedience and willing self-renunciation, is experience which not a few have learnt. Happy they who have thus mortified the flesh with its affections and lusts. Painful as the discipline may be, apparently contrary to that which we desire, the end will shew how good it is for us that we have been thus afflicted. Till we are so afflicted we shall lack the promised seed. A few words will suffice for the dispensational fulfilment here. Perfection and self-mortification were not required from men of faith until the time came for Sarah to be fruitful, that is, till Gospel days. But when the time was come for a new and wider revelation, -- when God would shew himself as El Shaddai, the Almighty, who could bring fruit even out of death and barrenness, -- when His out-breath was given in a way unknown before, making His elect partakers of the Divine Nature, and possessors of His spirit, -- then with this grace was a judgment of self demanded, which before this had not been asked of men. How truly did the elect then cry as Abraham here, -- "Oh, that Ishmael might live before thee." How earnestly did Paul long for Hagar’s son, when he said, "My heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved" (Romans 10:1). But the fruit of the flesh could not be the heir, though even to them a suited blessing is covenanted. Well might Paul, as he thought upon it, break forth in wonder, "Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!"