Remember last Chapter, Abram couldn't wait for God to fulfill His promises. Abram tried to help God out by sleeping with Hagar to have a surrogate child. Because of that action, God would be silent for the next thirteen years.
It should be noted that God's silence doesn't mean He is not working. We are to walk by faith, following God and doing what He's told us to do. And in those moments of seeming silence, God is developing our character and our faith.
Finally God breaks the silence and when he does, Abram responds in absolute submission and falls to his face in worship as he listens to the words of the Lord. (v1-3) It's interesting to note that in other instances when God spoke to Abram, his response was different. This time Abram responds in absolute submission and worship. We can therefore infer that Abram has been growing spiritually and maturing. This is why God chooses to speak to him and bring about the fulfillment of His promises at this time.
This fresh encounter with God begins with a fresh revelation of who God is... El Shaddai, God almighty. Look in our Blog archives for more on this significant name of God.
In changing Abram's name, God adds a fifth Hebrew letter to his name. Interestingly, five is the number in the Bible associated with grace. In the Bible, when a person's character changes significantly, God changes their name. Consider Jacob-Israel, Simon-Peter, Saul-Paul.
Circumcision would be a sign and token of the covenant God made with Abraham. But it would mean nothing if one doesn't know the meaning behind the practice.
An interesting study is on Ishmael. Although he received the sign of circumcision, he was not the child of the promise, nor would he ever show any signs of faith. Indeed he would be materially blessed, but never a spiritual man.
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