CHAPTER 17
Abram commanded to be perfect—
He shall be a father of many
nations—His name changed to Abraham—The Lord covenants to be a
God unto Abraham and his seed for ever—Also, to give him the land of
Canaan for an everlasting possession—Circumcision becomes token of
everlasting covenant between God and Abraham—Sarai's name changed to
Sarah—She shall bear Isaac, with whom the Lord will establish his
covenant—Abraham and his house circumcised.
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1 AND when Abram
was ninety years old and ninea, the
LORD aappeared to bAbram, and said unto
him, I am the cAlmighty God; dwalk
before me, and be thou eperfect.
2 And I will make my acovenant
between me and theea, and will
multiply thee exceedingly.
The Covenant
There are three primary inter-related aspects of the covenant, which is the
everlasting covenant of God.
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1a when Abram was ninety years old and
nine Since the days of Adam when men lived hundreds of years, the
age of man had been altered and for Abraham, similar to today, the age of 100
years old was extremely old. And though Abraham would eventually live to be
175 years old, by the age of 100 and 90, respectively for Abraham and Sarah,
they both were long past the age and ability of child baring.
2a I will make my covenant between me and
thee When the Lord speaks of 'my covenant' it is 'the covenant' of
the Lord from before the foundation of the world made between the Father and
all the spirit children of God, made between Elohim and Jehovah, and made
between Jehovah and all his then spirit brothers and sisters; that in
Jehovah would there be found salvation, that He would come 'amongst us', being
'one of us' for the purpose of performing the atonement, being born of man
through the seed of the covenant bearer to provide the saving ordinances of
the gospel and the covenant of the power and priesthood thereof given Him of
the Father as the 'anointed one' of the Father to so minister and administer
in the Gospel of Salvation and Exaltation thereof.
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1a
Abr. 2:6 (6, 8, 19);
Abr. 3:11
b
Ex. 6:3 (2-3)
c
TG
God, Power of;
TG
Jesus Christ, Power of
d
TG
Walking with God
e
TG
Integrity;
TG
Perfection
2a
TG
Abrahamic Covenant
BD
Abraham, Covenant of
History of The Covenant
The history of the Covenant began well before Abraham, for it was the
promises and blessings of the fathers which Abraham had sought after
according to the book of Abraham
(Abraham 1:2-4). The fathers meaning
from Adam on down. Thus the covenant had existed from the time of Adam and
had come down from the fathers from the beginning of time. Now with reference
to the 'beginning of time', this does mean from the beginning of the all
the creation belonging to the second estate, that beginning referenced in
Genesis chapter one verse one and
that also mentioned by John in
John 1:1-2.
In other words from the beginning of time, from the start of the second
estate, was the covenant had and made. And it was that very covenant which
the Father of Spirits and Jehovah made with all of mankind pertaining to
the plan of salvation, the very everlasting covenant of the priesthood and
all that pertains there to. Thus the history of the covenant begin before
the foundation of the world, having its beginning pertaining unto the children
of God in the preexistant councils of heaven. And the history proceeded down
through Adam, Enoch and Noah, the fathers, and thence to Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob. and even down through Joseph of Egypt and his posterity, including
such as the Messiah (see Messiah ben David ~
Messiah ben Joseph) and even down to its latter day fulfillment through
Joseph Smith and the posterity of Joseph, even Ephraim and Manasseh. And
thus it did remain through Joseph as stated in the Doctrine and Covenants
(D&C 27:10).
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