Trusting God in the Waiting
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Bible Passage: Ge 15:2–6
Bible Passage: Ge 15:2–6
Summary: In Genesis 15:2-6, Abram expresses his deep concern about having no heir, feeling that God’s promises are unfulfilled. Despite his doubts, God reassures him and transforms his fear into faith, promising that his descendants will be more numerous than the stars.
Application: This passage serves as a reminder for Christians to trust in God’s promises, especially when waiting for their fulfillment. In moments of uncertainty and fear, we can find peace in God's faithfulness, encouraging us to hold on to hope and trust in His timing.
Teaching: The sermon emphasizes the importance of faith in God's promises even when circumstances seem discouraging. It teaches that doubts and fears are valid, but they should be met with trust in God's character and His word.
How this passage could point to Christ: In the broader context of Scripture, this passage anticipates the covenantal relationship that God establishes through Christ. Just as Abram believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness, we are called to have faith in Christ and His redemptive work.
Big Idea: Even in our waiting, we can trust that God is fulfilling His promises in ways we cannot yet see.
Recommended Study: As you prepare your sermon on Genesis 15:2-6, explore the theological implications of the Abrahamic covenant, focusing on its relevance in both the Old Testament and New Testament narrative. Use your Logos library to investigate biblical commentary on faith and doubt to understand Abram's struggle more deeply, and look for parallels with New Testament passages that illustrate how faith in God's promises is essential for believers today.
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Does anyone know what this verse is specifically referencing in Abraham’s life?
2 And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? 3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. 4 And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. 5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. 6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
In the days of old, farmers would plant their seeds and then wait with great anticipation for rain. They understood that the growing of crops was not a matter of mere chance or effort; it was deeply intertwined with their faith in God's providence. Just as the farmer cannot rush the process of nature, we, too, must trust in God's timing while we await answers to our prayers. When we sow our requests into the soil of faith, we must wait patiently for the harvest, trusting that God will provide at the right moment.
1. Facing Frustration with Faith
1. Facing Frustration with Faith
Ge 15:2–3
Perhaps you begin by acknowledging Abram's feelings of frustration and doubt as he questions God regarding his lack of an heir. This could serve as a relatable point for congregants who are in a period of waiting or struggle. Emphasize that it is human to have such moments of doubt, but that does not mean we are without faith. Instead, present Abram's honesty with God as a model for how believers can bring their concerns and questions to God, trusting that He listens and understands.
We will all have frustrations in our life, despite being a people of faith in God, there will be times when we will feel frustrated that it seems God is not answering our requests.
What concern does Abram express to God in Genesis 15:2-3?
What is the significance of Abram's honesty with God regarding his frustrations?
2. Promises Beyond Perception
2. Promises Beyond Perception
Ge 15:4–5
You might focus here on the transformative moment when God reassures Abram by pointing to the stars as a symbol of His promise. Highlight the significance of God’s Word in reshaping our perspective from doubt to hope. Encourage congregants to seek God’s promises found in Scripture, allowing His Word to breathe new life into our uncertainties. Just as Abram was shown a vast future through the stars, God offers us a vision far beyond our current circumstances.
How does God respond to Abram's doubts about having an heir?
What metaphor does God use to illustrate the numerousness of Abram's descendants?
3. Heritage of Faith
3. Heritage of Faith
Ge 15:6
Maybe consider Abram’s response of faith, credited to him as righteousness. This pivotal verse demonstrates how faith transcends doubt and aligns us with God’s righteous path. It reminds us that faith isn't about never questioning, but about choosing to believe in God's promises despite uncertainty. This faith, much like Abram’s, becomes the foundation for a legacy that impacts generations, culminating in the ultimate promise fulfilled in Christ—a spiritual inheritance accessible through faith.
What does Abram's belief in God's promise signify in terms of righteousness?
He believed that God was righteous, just, and faithful.
In what way does the passage connect Abram's faith with the ultimate promise fulfilled in Christ?
That the blessings of salvation would come to all through Abram’s descendants which lead to the birth of the Messiah.
How does God's promise to Abram serve as a model for trusting in God's timing?
It demonstrates that God’s timing is always fulfilled when it seems impossible and when He will receive the greatest glory.
37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Let me show you what God’s word says about this prayer being answered:
14 Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
How long did Abram and Sarah wait for God to answer this request?
According to Gen 12:4 Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran. Abram was 86 years old when Ishmael was born, so we know that Abram waited at least 15 years for this promise since 9 months would have passed for Ishmael to be born when Abram was 86 years old.
Is 100 years old a good age to have children?
No.
How old was Sarah when she gave birth to Isaac?
90 years old.
What lesson about God's character can we learn from Abram's experience in this passage?
God always keeps His Word, His promises never fail and He will always fulfill them to the fullest extent, even beyond our expectations.
Did Abram’s belief in God only extend to Isaac’s birth?
No.
I love that God does not exclude the faith of Sarah:
11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
Look at this:
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
Explaining ‘received him in a figure’:
received him in a figure—Greek, ‘in a parable.’ Alford, ‘Received him back, risen from that death which he had undergone under the figure of the ram.’ Rather (Gregory of Nyssa), the figure is the representation which the scene gave to Abraham of Christ in His death (typified by Isaac’s offering in intention, and the ram’s actual substitution, answering to Christ’s vicarious death), and in His resurrection (typified by Abraham’s receiving him back from the jaws of death: cf.
13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, 14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
God's oath to Abraham is recorded in Genesis 22:16-18, where He swore by Himself to bless and multiply Abraham's offspring[1][2][3]. This oath came after Abraham demonstrated his obedience by being willing to sacrifice his son Isaac[3]. The significance of God swearing by Himself is emphasized in Hebrews 6:13-14, which explains that since there was no one greater to swear by, God swore by His own name[1][4]. This divine oath was a way for God to underscore the absolute certainty and immutability of His promises to Abraham[2]. The promise included not only multiplying Abraham's descendants but also blessing all nations through his seed[2][3]. This oath was a remarkable act of condescension and kindness from God, providing a powerful reinforcement for Abraham's faith in the face of an incredible promise[5].
[1] R. C. Sproul, What Is Baptism?, First edition, vol. 11, The Crucial Questions Series (Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2011), 25.
[2] R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke, eds., Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 900.
[3] R. T. Kendall and O. S. Hawkins, Their Finest Hour: 30 Biblical Figures Who Pleased God at Great Cost (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2024).
[4] George Wesley Buchanan, The Book of Hebrews: Its Challenge from Zion, Intertextal Bible Commentary (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2006), 205.
[5] Richard Brooks, The Name High over All: A Commentary on Hebrews, Welwyn Commentary Series (Welwyn Garden City, UK: EP, 2016), 192.
