Review of Genesis 15

by Victor Fawole

Welcome to Genesis 15, a chapter of many “firsts”. In this chapter, we see the first use of the phrase “the word of the Lord came” (v. 1), which is later used over 100 times in the Old Testament. We see the first instance God said “fear not” to anyone (v. 1), an encouraging charge that appears 365 times in the Bible. This is also the first time God is called a “shield” (v. 1); it appears 17 other times in the Bible, and is used to describe God’s protection for His people. Finally, this is the first direct mention of anyone “believing in the Lord” (v. 6), a direct reference that ties our righteousness to our faith. Let us review Genesis 15 together…

1. GOD BLESSES ABRAM’S FAMILY

This chapter opens with Abram receiving the word of God in a vision. Remember that he just won a great battle and overcame a great temptation from the King of Sodom. After every great victory, it is to our benefit that we are encouraged by the word of God. Abram’s encounter with God can be viewed in two parts.

A. The Word of Promise

Genesis 15:1-4 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 exceedingly great reward.” But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!” And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.”

You will notice:

• The Pledges (v. 1)
  God pledged to be Abram’s Shield — an assurance of SHELTER. To call God “our Shield” means three things:

i. He protects us in times of doubt.

ii. He rescues us in times of danger.

iii. He comforts us in times of distress.

God also pledged to be Abram’s exceedingly great reward — an assurance of SUFFICIENCY. God is our satisfying reward, our suitable reward, our pleasant reward, our honourable reward, our infinite reward, our everlasting reward.

• The Pleading (v. 2-3)
  There are at least four reasons Abram could have doubted God’s promise of a son:

i. He was too old.

ii. Many years had passed since the promise was first given.

iii. Nothing like this had ever happened before.

iv. Sarah had given up.

• The Plotting (v. 4)
  God reassured Abram with so much clarity and certainty that He shall bless him with an heir that would carry his own DNA. Eliezer might have been the “head of slaves”, but he’s not the “heir of salvation”. He might have been the “slave of high productivity”, but he’s not the “son of holy promise”.

B. The Worth of the Promise

Genesis 15:5-6 Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

It is interesting to note how God practically and graphically displayed the countless measure of the children He promised to bless him with would be.

• …as the dust of the earth (Gen. 13:16)
• …as the stars of the heaven (Gen. 15:5, Gen. 22:17)
• …as the sand of the seashore (Gen. 22:17)

Abram believed God and his faith was counted for righteousness! His faith! Not his works. On God’s divine calculator, Abram’s faith equalled to righteousness. From Abel to Enoch to Noah to Abram, we’ve seen that righteousness is only received by faith. This is food for thought.

2. GOD BUILDS ABRAM’S FAITH

Genesis 15:7-9 Then He said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.” And he said, “Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it?” So He 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.”

Oh, how I love the line: “I am the Lord, who brought you out…” It reminds me of how God brought me out of darkness and translated me into the Kingdom of His dear Son.

Abram asked a question of doubt again in v. 8 and God decided to build his faith through a covenant. Abram only needed to prepare the sacrifice and bring it to God. Nothing more. The Lord made the covenant with himself (v. 17) on behalf of Abram. The covenant was unilateral (one-party) and unconditional (no-strings-attached) in nature.

Hebrews 6:13-14 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.

God, represented by the smoking furnace and the burning lamp, passed through the animal parts by Himself, as Abram watched. Abram never signed the covenant, because he passively watched while God signed it for both of them in the ritual.

Therefore, the certainty of the covenant God made with Abram was based on who God is, not on who Abram is or what Abram would do. This covenant could not fail, because God cannot fail.

3. GOD BRIGHTENS ABRAM’S FUTURE

In v. 13-16, God makes a seven-fold prophecy concerning the nation of Israel. Notice the:

i. They will be strangers in another country (Egypt).

ii. They will be slaves in Egypt.

iii. They will be oppressed for four hundred years.

iv. God will judge Egypt.

v. Israel will come out with great wealth (many possessions).

vi. Abram will not live through this period of slavery.

vii. In the fourth generation (400 years), Israel will return to the land.

Also notice how God’s promise to Abram moved:

• …from: “I will show thee the land” (Gen. 12:1)
• …to: “I will give it unto thee” (Gen. 13:15-17)
• …and now: “I have given this land” (Gen. 15:18)

Oh… How beautiful is it to see the same pattern in our salvation:

• …from: “I will show thee everlasting salvation” (Psa. 91:16; Isa. 45:17)
• …to: “I shall give eternal life” (John 4:14, John 17:2)
• …and now: “God has given us eternal life” (1John 5:11)

Hallelujah!

God’s covenant made it a settled matter. The sacrifice sealed the covenant that settled the promise! As believers, we HAVE eternal life because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for our sins.

No matter what Israel would suffer in Egypt, God has a bright future for them. He has a well-detailed plan for them, to own them as His “object” of affection, and to lavish His love on them. Oh, behold what manner of love the Father has freely bestowed upon me!

Dear Gogolights, no matter what you’re going through this moment, I am here to remind you what God is telling you today. He’s saying:

I am your Strength!
I am your Courage!
I am your Health!
I am your Hope!
I am your Supply!
I am your Defender!
I am your Deliverer!
I am your Forgiveness!
I am your Joy!
I am your Future!
I am your Shield!
I am your Exceedingly Great Reward!

Amen.

Grace to you, Church!