Genesis 15

PRAY:

Our Father… we come to you with great expectation. As we read your word, we ask that you would inform our minds, inflame our hearts, and strengthen our weak hands. We want to love you more. We want to love your people more. Gives us eyes to see glorious things in your word. I pray this in Jesus name, Amen.

SPRAK INTEREST:

If you have a Bible, turn with me to Genesis chapter 15. We are going to be looking at verses one through twenty one. Genesis chapter 15, verses one through twenty one.

SCRIPTURE:

After these things the word of the LORD came to Abraham in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”

What is Abram be afraid of in this moment?

God is talking to him — He isn’t sure what God is about to say. When John sees Jesus, it says, “He fell to the ground like a dead man.”

Abram has just fought in a battle — He could be afraid of them seeking revenge

There is probably more than one reason why Abram is afraid. So God comes to him and says, “You have no reason to be afraid. I am with you. I will be your shield. No one who seeks to fight you is going to win if I am on your side. I am also your great reward. Do not wear about gold or silver. I am going to bless you.”

This is an incredible word from the Lord. It has the ability to lift any one of us out of the pit of discouragement. But how is Abram going to respond?

But Abram said to God, “O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.”

God just told Abram:

I am your protection. You have no reason to worry about people attacking you. I am your reward. You have no reason to worry about money or treasure.

But this isn’t what Abram is worried about... those are two GREAT promises from God. But something else is on Abram’s mind. He remains childless...

When God first approached Abram and asked him to leave his life behind in Haran so that he could follow God in a new land... he was 75 years old.

Many scholars believe that TEN YEARS have passed from Genesis 12 to Genesis 15.

When Abram was 75 years old, he believed that God would someone work a miracle and provide him with a son...

But now he’s 85... and he’s starting to wonder if God wrote a check that he couldn’t cash. I mean, what man expects to become a father at such an old age? This is when most people have grandchildren... someone’s even GREAT GRANDCHILDREN.

But Abram?

All he has is a servant who is going to obtain all of his inheritance.

And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.”

Have you ever gotten far enough away from the city to look up at the night sky? A few years ago, some friends and I went to Spy Rock on a camping trip. It’s about an hour and a half away. You park at the bottom of this mountain and then hike up it for about 45 minutes. It’s not too long, but you are walking straight up.

Once you get to the top, you see a clearing where you can pitch your tent. You then walk this path that leads you to a GIANT rock that is so flat you can lay on it. My friends and I laid on that rock for hours.

One of my friends had never seen a shooting star, but we saw about three that night. It was a majestic night that is etched into my memory forever.

Abram looks up at the same sky — unhindered by light pollution.

God says, “Try to count the stars.”

Abram laughs. “There are too many.”

God says, “Just try.”

Abram starts counting... but he loses track.

He starts over.

He starts counting again... but eventually he realizes that it is impossible.

Once Abram realizes that he is unable to count the stars, God responds...

Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.”

This is one of the most important statements in the Old Testament. This verse is quoted twice by the Apostle Paul (Romans and Galatians). It’s quoted once by James.

I want to make two observations about this verse before moving on:

Abram believed the LORD... and God counted it to him as righteousness.

Notice that the text does NOT say...”Abram believed there was a God.”

Believe in a creator is not what leads to righteousness.

James, the half brother of Jesus says that even the demons believe and yet they are not saved.

This text does not say that Abram acknowledged there was a God somewhere out there. This text says that Abram BELIEVED THE LORD. Every single time God spoke, Abram said, “I don’t know how... I don’t know when... but if God said it, I believe it.”

And it was because of his faith that the text says... it was counted to him as righteousness.

There are some who would have you believe that God changed his plan of redemption from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Absolutely not. God is consistent in his character — He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

God has never accepted any of our “good works” as how we obtain salvation.

Salvation has nothing to do with our ability and everything to do with God’s.

We are saved by GRACE through FAITH. This has been true from the very beginning of time, and it will remain true until the end of time.

Let’s keep reading to see how to story continues.

And he said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” But he said, “O Lord GOD, how am I to know that I shall possess it?”

Abram asks a genuine question. God... ten years ago when you said to take a GIANT step of faith, I did it... I believed your promise would come to pass... but we are tens years out. I don’t doubt your ability to do it... but I could really use a sign to help while I wait.

He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle dove, and a young pigeon.” And he brought him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds i half. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

What is happening here? Why is Abram cutting up animals?

We are reading a story about people who did not write out and sign contracts. Today if you want to assure someone of a promise that you are going to keep, you sign your name in cursive on the document.

We are people who are bound by our signature.

In the Ancient Near East, people didn’t make promises the same way. They raised the stakes. They would take animals, cut them in half, and then have both parties while between the pieces. Why? To say, “May the same thing happens to me if I do not keep my promise.”

If you broke a covenant, there was more than just a lawsuit coming your way... there was death. God tells Abram, I want you to cut a covenant with you so that you will know I plan on keeping my word.

Let’s read what happens next.

As the sun went down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgement on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age, And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”

When he sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between the pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgahites, and the Jebusites.”

What just happened?

We just saw a picture of the gospel.

Abram was supposed to walk with God between the pieces. But God didn’t allow it... why?

God is going to keep his end of the deal, no matter what Abram does.

God is saying, “May I be destroyed if I do not keep my word towards you. There is absolutely nothing that can stop me from fulfilling he promise I made to you... even your own disobedience.”