The Significance of Abraham's Covenant: Exploring Circumcision

Parties: God and Abraham and his descendants.
Stipulations: Gen 17:10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised.
Blessings: Genesis 12:2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. All the nations of the earth will be blessed through you.
Curses: Gen 17:14 Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”
Signs: Gen 17:16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”
Circumcision: The removal of the foreskin started in ancient history across numerous cultures, usually for religious or legal significance.
Why did God command circumcision?
It’s likely the Egyptians were already practicing circumcision long before Abraham. The Egyptians forced circumcision on slaves and people entering the priesthood. It’s possible the act of circumcision was a ceremony for claiming ownership. If the Jews were already circumcised, it could’ve been a statement they were already owned or already slaves of God.
This is a permanent and discrete symbol of a covenant. Unlike a one-time ceremony, such as baptism, which is not perpetually visible, or a vocal declaration, that can later be recanted, a circumcision cannot be undone.
Jews were often identified by their circumcision by those wish them to persecute them.
Circumcision could be a sign of sexual fealty and dedication to the Lord:
Because the patriarchs were sometimes sexually deviant and often treated their wives poorly, circumcision could represent a dedication to be holy in relation to sexual relationships.
Through the Pentateuch, the Patriarchs struggle with infertility. There are references to the Lord opening and closing the womb. As the Edenic covenant relates to multiplying, circumcision could be a statement of recognizing God’s role in the reproductive process.
Return to Eden: Both are commanded to “Increase and Multiply.” God promises Abraham that he will increase and become the father of many nations.
God promises “All the nations of the earth will be blessed through you.” This is a reference to the Seed of the Woman who was promised, who would come and crush the head of the snake in Eden. He will also bring blessings to all the nations of the world.
Whenever God meets with Abraham, it is by a tree (Gen 12:6, 18:1, 21:33) recalling the Tree of Life at the center of the garden, where God’s presence was.

[@ForRealist]

The visual aids for circumcision will stick in my brain forever.