Genesis

Gospel Light Christian Church
Thru-The-Bible Series (18.2)

The Book of Genesis

Genesis Chapter 15 - Read this Bible passage once through before referring to the notes below.

God Renews the Covenant with Abram

v.1 God reveals Himself to Abram for the 5th time and promises to be his protection (“shield”) provision (“exceeding great reward”). The phrase “After these things” connects this account with the one before (ch.14). Therefore, the Lord’s instruction to Abram “Fear not” may have arisen from second thoughts he had in the aftermath of the battle. It is normal for the faithful “soldiers” of the LORD, who stood strong in the heat of the battle, to have personal perplexities in the heart thereafter. Our great Commander knows and delights to comfort and strengthen us in our hour of perplexity.

v.2-3 Before the LORD, Abram opened up his heart and laid bare his perplexity over his present condition of childlessness. It is clear that Abram interpreted God’s declaration of a “exceeding great reward” as a child (cf. Ps. 127:3). Abram could not understand how God’s promise to bless him and make him a great nation (12:1-3; 13:15-16) could be fulfilled, “seeing that I go childless”. He brought up a practical difficulty: Under the prevailing customs of his day, if Abram died childless, his household servant “this Eliezer of Damascus” will be his heir. Abram did not attempt to rationalise Eliezer to be somehow his “seed” but pointed out to God that Eliezer was “one born in my household,” not “to me”.

This is picture of great comfort to all believers. Men and women of faith, who did great things for God, were people who have real questions and faced practical perplexities like every one else. They are not some super-heroes of the faith, who so trusted God that they are never troubled by how the promise of God does not seem to match their present situation in life. Neither are they some super-intelligent believer who have all the answers and explanations to the perplexities of life. But they are people who are honest before God, who asked Him questions out of a believing heart.

v.4-5 The LORD’s reply is strongly worded (“the Word of the LORD came unto him, saying”) to overrule Abram’s fears. God further emphasised to Abram that “This one” (i.e. Eliezer, God did not even mention Eliezer by name) will not be his heir but one who “come forth out of thine own bowels”.

Next, we see a most intimate picture of the personal relationship Abram enjoyed with the LORD. God brought Abram out for a walk in the night and pointed him to the sky to gaze at the stars. With the object lesson of the stars in the sky, God called Abram to a greater or continued faith in Him, even though he was childless at present. The LORD reassured Abram that his seed would be as innumerable as the stars of the heavens (cf. 13:16).

Notice that God did not respond to Abram’s fears and perplexities with anger nor judgement. Because Abram confessed his difficulties out of an open, sincere and believing heart to God, he found in God his comfort and assurance. We must likewise not be afraid to ask God questions about things we don’t understand so that we can be comforted, assured and strengthened in our faith towards Him.

v.6 The word “And” suggests on the surface that this report of Abram’s faith was a result of the preceding assurance from God (i.e. v.4-5). A close study of the Hebrew construction of “And” shows that this is not intended to relate a sequence that follows (i.e. And then he believed). Rather, it is intended to introduce a break with the narrative in order to provide this information about the faith of Abram (i.e. Now Abram believed…”). This makes more sense because Hebrews 11:8 informs us that Abram responded to the call of God (12:1-3) by faith. Hence, this cannot be the beginning of Abram’s faith in God (i.e. This is not the 1st time Abram believed and was converted.)

The verb “believe” contains the idea of considering something dependable and acting on it. It is more than mere acknowledgement or even excited agreement. It requires the decision to depend on a Person’s words and its visible effect is that one will begin to act on the basis of those words. The word “righteousness” has the meaning of conformity to the standard of what is right in God’s eyes – it includes both the attitude of the heart and the actions of the life. Abram accepted the Word of the LORD as reliable and true and acted in accordance with it (“he believed in the LORD”) and thus the LORD declared (“He counted it”) Abram righteous, and therefore acceptable (“for righteousness”).

Abram may still have questions about how God will fulfill His promise but he “believed in the LORD”. This reveals much about the nature of true faith. It does not ignore natural processes and obstacles but it does recognise that God is superior to them all and can alter them to suit His purposes. Abram believed and God declared that his attitude and action were right.

v.7-11 The mention of the land raised doubts in Abram’s mind and he wanted an assurance (“Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?”). This request for a sign can be misunderstood as a demonstration of wavering faith but requests for signs are not uncommon in the Old Testament (Judg. 6:17; 36-40; 2 Ki. 20:8). They are not so much to discover God’s will as to confirm it. Neither did these requests come out of a curious and unbelieving heart (Matt. 16:1-5). Far from being a symptom of doubt, it expressed heartfelt longing to see God fulfill His covenant promises.

In response to Abram’s request, God instructed him to make preparations for the customary practice of the ancient Near East of walking between the divided parts of animals to seal a covenant. It is out of this practice that the expression “to cut a covenant” or “to make a covenant” developed (cf. v.18). The two parties to a covenant would pass between the pieces of butchered animals to confirm their agreement (cf. Jer. 34:18-19). In the performance such a formal and solemn rite, the parties that passed through bind themselves to each other by the symbolism, under the punishment of death like that of the animals lying on the ground, to fulfill their oath or promise to each other.

v.12-16 The “horror of great darkness” that came upon Abram symbolically presented God’s revelation to match the verbal message – Abram’s descendants will be enslaved and oppressed by a foreign nation for 400 years. Before the fulfillment of the promise of the land, there will be suffering. The prophecy of the 400-year time period is significant. Israel could note the years and see that the time of deliverance was at hand. More importantly, this period of time was tied to the divine longsuffering towards the Amorites (v.16). God is holy and just – He will not judge the sin of the Amorites before their “iniquity…is…full”. The fulfillment of God’s promise to Abram required retributive judgment on Egypt (v.14) and the inhabitants of the land of Canaan. The later campaigns under Joshua were not purely militaristic or nationalistic; they were also judicial (v.16).

It was horrible for Abram to see all this history in advance, though it is helpful to see it. Abram and his descendants would know that such oppression and enslavement was not a threat to the fulfillment of the promises but they were a part of the divine plan. Abram, however, would die “in peace” (i.e. in peace of mind, untroubled) at a ripe old age (v.15).

v.17 The symbols of God’s presence – an oven (“a smoking furnace”) and a torch (“a burning lamp”) – were eminently appropriate, reflecting the awesome power and absolute holiness of God (cf. Ex. 19:18; Is. 6:3-6). With the darkness, nothing else was seen except these fiery elements passing through. God condescended to walk between the divided parts of the animals to confirm His covenant with Abram. In this instance, God alone walked through. Abram did not because God’s promises to him were unconditional and since God could swear by none greater, He swore by Himself. The promises were forever sure.

For Abram the message is clear. He has no proof of the fulfillment but received the revelation of death and of suffering of his descendants instead. Yet he may be assured that his descendants would receive the promises because God Himself assured it (cf. Heb. 13:16). To Christians today, God has also made great promises but they often seem to be greatly delayed in the face of difficulties, suffering and physical death (cf. 2 Pe. 3:9). By His covenant, which Christ made by His own blood, however, our LORD God has guaranteed that His Word is sure and that neither death nor oppression can destroy His promises (Ro. 8:31-39).

v.18-21 The boundaries of the promised land are given in Scriptures for the first time here. While these boundaries were approached in David’s reign, they will not be reached until the Lord Jesus returns and establishes His kingdom.