Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai
INTRODUCTION
As we continue in the study of the book of Genesis, we encounter chapter 15. A chapter that marks a crucial moment in the history of God’s redemption plan. In this chapter, God formally established a covenant with Abram (who later became Abraham), and sealed His promises with a divine oath. In today’s study we will learn about the reassurance of His presence, not just to Abraham but to every one of us, the prophetic revelation of the Israelites in Egypt, and the ritual of circumcision that emphasizes the certainty of God’s promises.
1. God’s Tri-Fold Reassurance to Abram (Verses 1–6)
Verse 1: "After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; Your reward [for obedience] shall be very great."
In this verse of scripture, we identify 3 key elements of God’s reassurance.
• "Do not be afraid": This phrase is repeated throughout Scripture to comfort God's people as we see in Isaiah 41:10, Luke 1:30. It is also believed that “Do Not Be afraid”, “Fear Not”, or other variations of the phrase appear in the Bible 365 times, one for each day. More than it being deliberate or a supposed coincidence, we should rest assured that even if it appeared only once, it is more than enough to assure us of God’s promises.
• "I am your shield": God assures Abram of His divine protection (Psalm 3:3; Ephesians 6:16). The Psalmist in Psalm 119:114 says: “You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.”
• "Your reward": The AMP Bible connects Abram’s reward to his obedience. And it is true that there is great reward for obeying God. Isaiah 1:19 tells us that if we are willing and obedient we will eat the good of the land. There is also a school of thought that ties this reward of Abram back to his refusal to take a reward from the King of Sodom (Genesis 14:22–24). And thus, God says to Abram that He will be his inheritance, his reward.
Verses 2–3: “2 Abram said, “Lord God, what reward will You give me, since I am [leaving this world] childless, and he who will be the owner and heir of my house is this [servant] Eliezer from Damascus?” 3 And Abram continued, “Since You have given no child to me, one (a servant) born in my house is my heir.”
Abram’s response is what anyone of us would have asked today. How can God's promise be fulfilled, since he has no heir. For instance, “I cannot pay my bills, but I am supposed to lend to Nations?” And consequentially, he sees Eliezer as a potential heir”. This tells us that Abram was human, and although he had obeyed God by leaving his home, he still had his struggles and limited in understanding (Proverbs 3:5–6).
Question: How do we relate with this today?
Verses 4–5: “Then behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This man [Eliezer] will not be your heir but he who shall come from your own body shall be your heir.” 5 And the Lord brought Abram outside [his tent into the night] and said, “Look now toward the heavens and count the stars—if you are able to count them.” Then He said to him, “So [numerous] shall your descendants be.”
God reaffirms the promise: “but he who shall come from your own body shall be your heir.” "Your own son shall be your heir" and then to help his faith, God shows Abram the stars as a sign of the coming descendants. (Genesis 12:2).
Verse 6: "Then Abram believed in (affirmed, trusted in, relied on, remained steadfast to) the Lord; and He counted (credited) it to him as righteousness (doing right in regard to God and man)." (Romans 4:3, Galatians 3:6, James 2:23).
From this verse we see that God accepts faith as a path to righteousness. So, faith, in the finished work of the cross, not works, is the basis for justification or being declared righteous in God's sight.
2. God's Promise of Land (Verses 7–8)
Verse 7: “And He said to him, “I am the [same] Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land as an inheritance.”
God reminds Abram of the One he was dealing with. The One who brought him out from Ur of the Chaldeans (Genesis 12:1). It was almost as if it was a third layer of re-assurance for Abram, but it still wasn’t quite enough for Abram
Verse 8: “8 But Abram said, “Lord God, by what [proof] will I know that I will inherit it?”
Abram asks, “How can I know? What is the proof that I will inherit the land?”
Abram was not ashamed to ask God for assurance. Even though in verse 6 we are told that he believed.
Question: How do we relate with this today?
Prophecy of the Egyptian bondage (Verses 9–16)
“9 So God said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 So Abram brought all these to Him and cut them down the middle, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds. 11 The birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. 12 When the sun was setting, a deep sleep overcame Abram; and a horror (terror, shuddering fear, nightmare) of great darkness overcame him. 13 God said to Abram, “Know for sure that your descendants will be strangers [living temporarily] in a land (Egypt) that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years. 14 But on that nation whom your descendants will serve I will bring judgment, and afterward they will come out [of that land] with great possessions. 15 As for you, you shall [die and] go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. 16 Then in the fourth generation your descendants shall
return here [to Canaan, the land of promise], for the wickedness and guilt of the Amorites is not yet complete (finished).”
Abram asked and the Lord showed him the future. Interestingly, it was first that his descendants would be in Egyptian bondage for 400 years Exodus 1–12. But they will be delivered. (fulfilled in Exodus 12:35–36). God told him clearly, you are not the one who will inherit the land but your descendants. As for you, you will enjoy a good life and die at a good ripe old age. (Verse 15)
3.The Covenant Sealed by God Alone (Verses 17–21)
17 When the sun had gone down and a [deep] darkness had come, there appeared a smoking brazier and a flaming torch which passed between the [divided] pieces [of the animals]. 18 On the same day the Lord made a covenant (promise, pledge) with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates 19 [the land of] the Kenites and the Kenizzites and the Kadmonites 20 and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Girgashites and the Jebusites.”
The conflict in the middle east today with respect to who has the right to land areas, etc. and the uninformed are taking to the streets blindly can be traced back to Abraham and his two sons. Ishmael and Isaac. Ishmael was a descendant of Abraham, but he was not the heir of the covenant promise God made in Genesis 15:18. We see this in the following verses of scripture
•Genesis 17:18–21 (when Abraham asks God to bless Ishmael):
“And Abraham said to God, ‘If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!’ Then God said, ‘Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him... But my covenant I will establish with Isaac.”
•Genesis 21:12 (after Sarah asks Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away):
“Do not be distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”
The land and covenantal promises of Genesis 15:18 were specifically for Isaac and his descendants.
CONCLUSION
From today’s study we identified various keys that are applicable to us today.
Firstly, like Abram, we must continue to trust in God’s Promises even when fulfillment is delayed or unclear. Secondly, God recognizes the faith of His people and He counts it as righteousness. Thirdly, God’s covenants are reliable because He alone ensures their fulfillment. Next, we should not hide our difficulties from our Father. Just like Abram, we must ask God for assurance when in doubt and expect His response through His Word or by His Spirit. Finally, God sees the long view, the only One that can see the end from the beginning and although His plans unfold over generations, yet He remains faithful.
