After Abram
gets out of Egypt, we’ve got our next big thing, the Covenant. This is where
God lays it out. Now a covenant is like a contract. Each side gets something.
Abram is going to get prosperity and become “a father of nations.” That’s
literally what his new name, Abraham, means. Sarai becomes Sarah, which means
princess, a fitting meaning for her new identity.
The name
changes are actually about a new identity. No longer are they Abram and Sarai.
Now, they have new lives under God’s covenant, leaving their old behind. Like
much in the Bible, there is a lot of symbolism at work in this. The change is
such a slight one that most people wouldn’t blink at the difference.
“Yo, Abram, how you doing?”
“Actually, my name is Abraham.”
“That’s what I said, Abram.”
It’s not so much an outward change
as it is an inward one. Abraham, with a new identity, must begin changing how
he thinks of himself and then live that way, which brings us to the big
question: What does God get out of this?
This is how contracts work, after
all. Chapter 17 of Genesis deals with the exact terms of the covenant.
Unfortunately, most of that time is spent talking about the circumcision. This
is a sign of the covenant, but not what God really wants from Abraham. This is
a point of recognition between people, and it serves a purpose, but God wants
more than simple obedience to being circumcised.
If we look back at the beginning of
the chapter, God actually gives his terms before he tells Abraham what he’ll
get out of it. It’s slipped in under the radar where God says “I am God
Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless” (Gen 17:1 NRSV).
Now the exact translation of
blameless is up for grabs. Some editions talk about it as being without sin,
others talk about as being obedient, or even perfect. I honestly think it
doesn’t matter so much. I believe the important part is walking. Specifically,
it says to walk before God, which puts them on the same exact path together,
and provides a metaphor that shows God will always be with him. Moreover, this is
a metaphor for free will as Abraham is the one walking and choosing his own
path. If he strays off the path of God, it is by his choice, not God’s.
This also fits together with the
whole blessing those who bless and cursing those who curse from chapter 12. God
and Abraham are one, unified in purpose. God literally has Abraham’s back so
long as they walk the same path, which, in a nutshell, does mean doing as God
says. While it may be a lot to ask for, Abraham is certainly getting a lot out
of the deal, too.