GENESIS CHAPTER 17
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Verse 1, from the last verse in the preceding chapter to this
  verse represents 13 years of silence from the Lord. The last
  thing that we see in the preceding chapter is that Abram tried
  to fulfill the Lord's promise through the energy of the flesh,
  and as we have seen from God's word, "for whatsoever [is] not
  of faith is sin." (Ro 14:23).
  The NUMBER 13 is the number for rebellion and depravity or sin.
  Back in chapter 14, verse 4 we saw that it was in the 13th year
  that the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Zoar,
  REBELLED against Chedorlaomer.
    Gen 14:4  Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the
      thirteenth year they REBELLED.

  Why, so long?
  Abram had to come to the end of himself before God would act in
  grace.
  In Rom 4:19-21 we see that Abram knew that his own body was
  dead, concerning having seed and that his wife, Sara's, womb
  was dead too.
    Ro 4:19  And being not weak in faith, he considered not his
      own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old,
      neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: 20  He staggered
      not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong
      in faith, giving glory to God; 21  And being fully
      persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to
      perform.

  Paul's writings concerning weakness:
    2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for
      thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most
      gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities,
      that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10  Therefore I
      take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in
      necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's
      sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

  Pink said, "God's opportunity does not come until man's
  extremity is reached."
  Compare: Ps 107:4-6, 12-13, 23-28

  "I [am] the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect."
  These are words of reproof:
    Almighty God: "El Shaddai" - This is the first place in the
      scripture that we see "El Shaddai." Abram had relied on the
      flesh because he failed to see God as ALMIGHTY. Now that
      his body is dead and Sara's womb is dead, his only hope for
      a seed is in the ALMIGHTY GOD.
    "Walk before me": He had walked in the flesh and now God
      tells him to walk before him. Pink says, that we walk
      before the Lord as a child, we follow the Lord as a
      servant, we walk with the Lord in fellowship and
      friendship, we walk in the Lord as being united with him.
    "be thou perfect": God's demands could be none less!
      Mt 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which
        is in heaven is perfect.

Verse 2, The Abrahamic covenant which circumcision was a TOKEN
   of (vs. 11).

Verse 3, Abram falls on his face. The humility that Abram must
  have felt. he had taken matters into his own hands. God had not
  spoken to him in 13 years, and now God reveals himself to him
  again, such an undeserving creature.

Verse 4, Promise again that he will be the father of many
  nations.

Verse 5, God changes his name to "Abraham" which is reflective of
  the promise to him.
  Abram = "exalted father"
  Abraham = "father of a multitude" or "chief of multitude"

Verse 6, Abrahamic covenant confirmed again.
  He had one son by Sarah, of whom many offspring came, also he
  had six sons by Keturah who became the heads of large nations.
  There were the 12 princes of Ishmael.
  The nation of Israel and Judah came out of Abraham.
  Notice in this verse and the following verses the "I WILL's"
  spoken by God!

Verse 7-8, It is declared to be an everlasting covenant and all
  the land of Canaan is promised to him and his seed after him as
  an everlasting possession. He promises to be their God forever.
  He is not through with the Jews as a nation of people, but they
  will dwell safely in the land again and God will be their God,
  which means as a nation that they will come to Christ and see
  Him as their saviour.

Verse 9-14, Circumcision is given as a token or sign of the
  Abrahamic covenant.
  Circumcise = muwl {mool}; to circumcise, let oneself be
    circumcised, cut, be cut off
  Token = 'owth {oth}; -------> Compare Ro 4:11 (Sign)
    AV - sign(s) 60, token(s) 14, ensign(s) 2, miracles 2,
      mark 1; 79
    1) sign, signal
  A cutting away of the flesh which would be symbolic of not
  walking in the flesh but in faith. Through the trials of
  Abraham's faith the flesh had been cut away in order to MAKE
  him a man of great faith.
  READ:
    Ro 4:9-13
    Ro 2:25-29
    Gal 5:1-12; 6:12-15
    Col 2:11 "in heart"
    Philip 3:3

Verse 15, Sarai's name is changed to Sarah.
  Sarai = "princess"
  Sarah = "noblewoman"; marginal notes = {Sarah: that is
    Princess}

Verses 16-19, The covenant is to be through Isaac who will be
  born of Sarah and NOT through Ishmael.
  The promised Messiah will come through Isaac.

Verse 20, God will make a great nation of Ishmael.

Verse 21, However the covenant is through Isaac who will be born
  to Sarah in the next year.
  "At this set time," Gill says to be the 9 month period for a
  child to be born.

Verse 22, God has finished talking to Abraham and ascends UP
  toward heaven. So God must have appeared to Abraham in visible
  form.

Verses 23-27, That very day Abraham circumcised himself, his son
  Ishmael and all males that were in his house.