seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 17:9 Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”
I found this on the blueletterbible.org site.
The sign was circumcision, the cutting away of the male foreskin. God chose this sign for many important reasons.
Circumcision was not unknown in the world at that time. It was a ritual practice among various peoples.
There were undoubtedly hygienic reasons, especially making sense in the ancient world. "There is some medical evidence that this practice has indeed contributed to the long-lasting vigor of the Jewish race." (Morris) McMillen, in None of These Diseases, noted studies in 1949 and 1954 showing an incredibly low rate of cervical cancer for Jewish women, because they mostly have husbands who are circumcised.
But more importantly, circumcision is a cutting away of the flesh and an appropriate sign of the covenant for those who should put no trust in the flesh.
Also, because circumcision deals with the organ of procreation, it was a reminder of the special seed of Abraham, which would ultimately bring the Messiah.
Circumcision was not unknown in the world at that time. It was a ritual practice among various peoples.
There were undoubtedly hygienic reasons, especially making sense in the ancient world. "There is some medical evidence that this practice has indeed contributed to the long-lasting vigor of the Jewish race." (Morris) McMillen, in None of These Diseases, noted studies in 1949 and 1954 showing an incredibly low rate of cervical cancer for Jewish women, because they mostly have husbands who are circumcised.
But more importantly, circumcision is a cutting away of the flesh and an appropriate sign of the covenant for those who should put no trust in the flesh.
Also, because circumcision deals with the organ of procreation, it was a reminder of the special seed of Abraham, which would ultimately bring the Messiah.
This came from the easy English site.
In Canaan, many tribes already practiced that custom. Many that were near Canaan practiced it too. Such people usually circumcised a boy when he was becoming a man. But God tells Abraham to circumcise babies too. And Abraham must also circumcise all the men and boys. The circumcision shows that they are part of God’s family. Circumcision is evidence to show the covenant.
God said that every male Jew should receive circumcision. Anyone who refused was not obeying the covenant with God. So that man was not joining in with the covenant. And he would not continue to belong to God’s people. That man’s family would send him away.
The Jews continue to follow the tradition of circumcision, even today. But they did not always follow it. See Joshua 5:2-5.
The first Christians had to think carefully about this tradition. You can read their decision in Acts chapter 15 and the Book of Galatians. Galatians 5:6 explains the attitude of Christians today.
God said that every male Jew should receive circumcision. Anyone who refused was not obeying the covenant with God. So that man was not joining in with the covenant. And he would not continue to belong to God’s people. That man’s family would send him away.
The Jews continue to follow the tradition of circumcision, even today. But they did not always follow it. See Joshua 5:2-5.
The first Christians had to think carefully about this tradition. You can read their decision in Acts chapter 15 and the Book of Galatians. Galatians 5:6 explains the attitude of Christians today.
I bet this came a shock to all those in Abraham's household. The men would be useless for a few days. Can you imagine how the first mother to have her newborn baby circumcised must have felt. Back then they wouldn't have known that a baby needs those eight days to develop natural clotting ability.
