Genesis 15
1After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward.”
2 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
7 He also said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.”
8 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?”
9 So the Lord said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.”
10 Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. 11 Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.
12 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. 13 Then the Lord said to him, “Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there. 14 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. 15 You, however, will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16 In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”
17 When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates— 19 the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”
Genesis 15 (NIV)
Abram had a vision from God, telling him that God is his shield and very great reward (or rewarder). Abram brought up the fact that he had no heirs and all his possessions were going to be handed over to his servant Eliezer after he died.
God knew that Abram wanted a child of his own, Abram and Sarai had been trying to have a child for years but they were getting older and Sarai was barren so it seemed unlikely that they would ever have a child. It seemed impossible to men but God made it possible: He prophesied to Abram that his offspring will be as numerous as the stars in the sky. Not only that, they were going to take possession of the land God had brought Abram to.
Abram brought an offering to God as God had told him to, and on that day, God made a covenant with Abram.
Lessons from Genesis 15
- God is our shield: as children of God, we can be in peace knowing that God will always protect us.
- God is our reward: never get tired of doing good and serving God faithfully. Even when people don’t recognize or appreciate the things you do, God does. He is our reward.
- You can be honest with God in prayer: God cares about everything pertaining to you, if there is any weight on your heart – anything standing in the way of your happiness, talk to God about it in prayer. He has the answers to all questions and the solutions to every problem.
- God can turn even the most impossible-seeming situations around.
- Days of hardship will not last forever: God told Abram that his descendants were going to be enslaved for 400 years in a foreign country and mistreated by the people there. It was not going to be the end of their story though, the enslaving nation was going to be punished and Abram’s descendants blessed with many possessions. When hardship comes, embrace the peace of God, knowing that when you stay faithful to God you will come out victorious.
- God’s promise to Abram: Abram and Sarai had trouble having a child but God called Abram outside on a starry day and prophesied to him that his offspring will be as numerous as the stars in the sky.
- Abram’s response to God: Abram believed in God. When God told Abram that he’ll have so many offspring, he took God’s word as truth, not trying to argue or debate with God. Abram did not go on and on about how he and his wife had been trying to have a baby for years without success, he simply said yes to God’s word. That is how we have to respond to God, just saying “Amen”.
- Remember what God has done for you in the past: we are all here today thanks to God. It is important to acknowledge what He’s done in your life in the past, especially when doubt starts to creep in. When you remember, it reinforces your trust in God for the present and future.
- It is okay to ask God questions as long as they are for clarification and not coming from a place of doubt and unbelief. God did not get angry with Abram when he said, “Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?”. If you have questions, ask. Asking for clarification is different from casting doubt.
- He who expects a good harvest should start by sowing a good seed in good soil: when Abram asked how he was going to take possession of the land God had promised him, God told him to bring an offering. When you expect a victory or turnaround in life, go ahead and sow a seed. Present an offering before the Lord. It may not be in the form of animals and birds, but be obedient and do [or give] what God puts in your spirit to do [or give].
- Always give God your best and be careful with everything that is for God or from God: Don’t mishandle or neglect God’s things, be like Abram who shooed off the birds of prey coming on what was meant for God.
- God knows the end right from the beginning. He knows exactly what lies ahead, even the hardships. Stay close to Him and He will talk to you about these things and prepare you accordingly.
Reflection
- Do you remember God’s promises to you?
- What do you think would have happened if Abram had doubted God?
- What are some things God has done for you in the past?
- How can you create more time and space for God in your life?
Further reading
- Romans 4:18-20 NIV [Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,]
- 2 Corinthians 1:20 NIV [For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.]
Prayer
Father, thank you for the good plans you have for me and for your good thoughts towards me. I repent of any doubt I have ever had regarding your promises to me. Today I declare that your words will come to pass in my life. I will remember all of your promises and wait in faith, knowing that you are Way-Maker. Thank you Lord for making everything possible. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
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