Abraham’s faith unto Us

The first eleven chapters of Genesis tell the history of the entire world. Creation, fall, judgment, and the scattering at Babel—all on a global scale. But when we arrive at Abram, the camera lens tightens. The story of the image of God narrows from the nations to one family, and then to one man.

This is not because Abram is impressive in himself, but because Scripture is telling a redemptive history—the book is the story of how God restores what was broken.

From the beginning, God commanded humanity to be fruitful and multiply, to fill the earth as His image-bearers. Yet almost immediately, that calling is met with rebellion. Adam and Eve disobey, Cain murders Abel, and violence fills the earth. God brings judgment through the flood, preserves one family, and again commands them to multiply. Humanity resists and attempts to reach heaven on its own terms at Babel.

By the time we reach Abram, one thing is clear: humanity cannot fulfill God’s purpose by its own faithfulness.

In Genesis 12, God does not tell Abram to fix what was broken. He doesn’t say, “Be fruitful and multiply.” Instead, God says, …

“I will.”… “I will make you a great nation.” “I will bless you.”

God takes upon Himself the responsibility humanity has repeatedly failed to carry.

But by Genesis 15, years have passed. Abram still has no child. The promise has still yet to materialized. His body is old. Sarai is barren. And the question hanging in the air is not whether God has spoken—but whether Abram can still trust what God has said.

It is in that moment—between promise and fulfillment—that God speaks again, and Abram believes Him.

The wait matters though—promises are easy to believe when they are fresh. Faith is hardest when God has spoken clearly—but nothing seems to be happening. Abram is not questioning whether God exists. He is questioning whether God’s word will still hold after years of silence. And that is where many of us live now—not in outright unbelief, but in the long space between promise and fulfillment.

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V.1

With the years that have passed and Abram feeling the weight of the time that has passed, Genesis 15 opens with a profound statement, “the Word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

These are some of the warmest words we could ever hear. “Don’t be afraid”. We can only imagine after years of the promise that God would make a nation from his seed that Abram must be struggling to understand whether God will still provide and fulfill this promise.

It is so easy for us today, ain’t it. We go out into the world and we see everything in the world revolves around material things that we cannot truly benefit from. Man thrives and desires to accumulate these things but to what end? What will happen to all of your stuff in the end? What will you be taking with you when you leave this world? What achievements will go with you? Are you going to show up at the gates of heaven and flash your degree or certificates? Whatever your accomplishments are do you truly believe that you are going to say look, I am worthy.

Heb. 4:12 says that God’s word is “Living and active”. And it is in His word that we find:

courage in fear

assurance in doubt

and strength in weakness.

Things that we would never truly find otherwise.

After converting common men into warriors and defeating the kings, you would think that Abram would be exploding with courage. You have to wonder though, would you be anxious? Worried that this king, Chedorlaomer would retaliate? Would you find it hard to sleep at night? Wondering what every little sound is, every twig that snapped in the night? After all, Abram just humiliated this king.

And don’t you think God would be upset? …. Men, have you ever told your wife that you would get that thing done that she has been asking about for the last six months? Is she still nagging you over it? Isn’t the better question, why haven’t you got it done?

That is not the case with God. He sets the pace—and we wait for His mercy and grace. God’s promise to Abram has lingered quite a bit longer than expected, what we see here is that in Abram as in us faith does not stay silent—it brings it’s heavy weight of confusion directly to God.

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V.2-3

Abram answers God, but we see here in verse 2 that Abram is actually more worried about an heir to his estate. And notice how he answers Him, he doesn’t deny God’s promise but he does name the problem. The Lord promised he would make a nation but how could he do that if he never has a son. Abram is old now, his wife is barren. It seems as if there is no way that this promise would happen with the exception of his servant.

And Abram is specific. He does not speak in vague frustration. He names Eliezer of Damascus—the household servant who, by custom, would inherit everything. What Abram is trying to say here is that if nothing changes, your promise will be fulfilled in a way you never said it would be.

You see, faith is not silenced—faith can bring confusion and disappointment into God’s presence.

In those times it was normal for an older couple to adopt a servant as an heir. This would help ensure that they would be taken care of as they got older. Back then they did not have things like retirement homes. Family meant everything to everyone. There was no way to survive once yoi got to old to take care of yourself.

Abram’s question, “what will you give me?” became an accusation. What he is really saying to the Lord here is that you made a promise and look what I have had to do. I am old, have no heirs, and will not survive without one. Since I know this I must find my own way.

Isn’t this also true for us today? We pray and pray to the Lord and we think that since we do not hear or see an answer right away then then Lord didn’t hear us. Or worse, His answer is actually no…. even for those things that we want for His sake, to please and glorify Him.

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vv.4-5

God strengthens faith not by changing circumstances, but by reasserting His word.

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v.6

Faith does not earn righteousness; it receives it.

The New Testament wil not let us misunderstand what just happened

Paul gives us, from the power fo the Holy Spirit, divine interpretation

Rom. 4 explains how faith justifies

Gal. 3 explains ho belongs to Abraham

The author Hebrews helps—

Faith rests because God is faithful.

Assurance grows because righteousness is credited, not achieved.