Genesis 15
And he believed in the LORD; and He counted it to him for righteousness. Genesis 15:6
LET IT GLOW
Can you count the number the stars? Monday morning I went outside around 5:30 to look for the expected meteor shower. Though it was somewhat cloudy, I could still see many stars twinkling
in the somewhat early morning sky. I turned all directions, even walked to the four sides of the
house-none did I see. I was disappointed, but then I saw the beauty of the sky. I probably could
have counted the stars that morning, but had no need to do it. God had it all under control.
Instead, I sang a song of praise to Him in the quietness of the morning. Abram would have
looked up into the same sky one night. I'm talking about the night the Word of the Lord came to
Him.
The Word of the Lord came to Abram twice in chapter 15. What did God tell Abram?
- Fear not. Maybe Abram feared the kings retaliating and attacking him.
- I am thy shield. Shield refers to a small shield or buckler; a protector.
- I am thy exceeding great reward. Reward means benefit, fare, worth, wages.
- Eliezer is not thine heir, but a son coming from your own body.
- Thy offspring will be as many as the stars.
- I brought you out of Ur to give you this land to take possession of it.
- Bring Me a three year old heifer, goat, and ram, along with a dove and a young pigeon.
- Your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own; will be enslaved for 400 years. The Hebrews spent 400 years in Egypt.
- I will punish those who enslaved them and bring them back here with great possessions.
- You will die in peace and at an old age.
Abraham had God's promise of protection and provision so he need not fear. Abraham offfered
the sacrifices and labored to keep Satan (the birds) away. But nothing happened until Abraham
went to sleep. God walked between the pieces of the slain animals. This was a covenant that was all of grace and depended solely upon the Lord.
Salvation is based on the sacrifice of Christ and the grace of God; assurance comes from the
Word of God. As children of faith, children of Abraham, we too are assured of those promises-
our inheritance is in heaven, He is our shield and reward.
Kay Arthur said, "God's Word never fails, and that fact should give you great peace."
LET IT GROW
Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the Old Testament points out at least 7 words or phrases that
appear in this chapter for the first time:
- The Word of the Lord (verse 1)
- Fear not (verse 1)
- Reward (verse 1)
- Heir and inherit (verses 3, 7)
- believe (verse 6)
- counted (verse 6)
- righteousness (verse 6)
The word righteousness, root word righteous, means right, moral, virtuous, cleansed, just.
It wasn't any works that Abraham did that made him right with God, but it was his faith,
believing God's promise to give him a seed, a child. Abraham was justified by God 14 years
before he was circumcised. Paul said in Romans 4:6 and 22 that circumcision is a sign of faith,
not a means for obtaining justification. All Abraham did in verse 6 was to confirm, affirm, or say
amen to God's promise of verse 5. (Liberty Bible Commentary)
True faith persists until the promise is fulfilled. That is what makes it faith that pleases God!
Faith is a matter not of merit, but of the readiness to accept what God promises. (Blackaby)
Abraham was justified by faith. Did you notice that God allowed Abraham to question Him
about how this was going to be true for him? Also, God reveals the future of Abraham's
descendants. God took 25 years to fulfill his promise to Abraham.
Here are some questions for us to ponder:
*How long would you wait for God to fulfill His promise to you?
*Do you have the intimate relationship with God that believes Him and waits for Him to do
what He said?
*Is there anything that has diminished in your life since your spiritual conversion?
*If so, are you willing to take time now to return to God in that area of your life?
LET IT GO
Surrender to God's will.
Walk by faith, trusting Him, no matter how long it takes.
Wait on God.
Fear not.
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