Genesis 15:1–6; 16:1–3; 17:1–2, 17–19

Do You Trust the Lord’s Promises?
Genesis 15:1–6; 16:1–3; 17:1–2, 17–19

Unbelievers view God’s promises in Scripture as fiction, and they tend to consider people who believe the Scriptures to be ignorant, superstitious or unsophisticated. Believers generally profess to believe all God’s promises revealed in the Bible. However, when particular promises are not fulfilled in the way or in the time frame they expected, some believers become disappointed with God and begin to doubt His promises. Some may even question whether God exists or whether He cares about them. Believers must choose whether to live by their doubts or by trusting God. The Lord expects His people to trust Him to keep His promises and to take Him at His word.

Trust the Lord’s Word (15:1–6)
It had been more than 10 years since God had first spoken His covenant promises to Abram (Gen. 12:1–4, 7). Now the Lord confirmed His promises, ratifying His covenant in a formal covenant ceremony (Gen. 15:7–21). When he entered the land of Canaan, Abram was 75 years old and Sarai, his wife, was 65; now 10 years later, he was still childless. One of his servants, Eliezer, could become his indirect heir. By Middle Eastern law, a childless couple could adopt an adult servant as their heir. Such adoption seemed to Abram to be the best hope for God fulfilling His promise.

God told Abram that adoption was not His method of solving the problem. Instead a son would be his heir. Then God dramatized His words by a magnificent visual aid. He had Abram look at the stars. Abram’s offspring would be just as innumerable as the stars. 

Abram trusted God. The Hebrew word for “believe” emphasizes an act of trust and dependency on Abram’s part. He was standing firm on God’s word. Abram’s faith was credited to him as right standing with God. Abram was declared right with God by reason of his faith. He was justified by faith, not by merit or by achievement. This foundational truth runs throughout the Bible. It is repeated three times in the New Testament (Rom. 4:3; Gal. 3:6; James 2:23). Right standing with God is received as a gift from God and is not based upon behavior. The Bible teaches that throughout history, imputed righteousness (right standing with God) came by faith. 

Trust the Lord’s Timing (16:1–3)
Abram was now 85 years old; Sarai was 75. No children had arrived. But a way was open in the ancient Middle Eastern culture for a child to be the biological child of Abram without being the biological child of Sarai. So Sarai developed a plan to help God keep His promise. A childless wife could secure her maid to act as a surrogate wife for her husband and the child born of that union would be regarded as the legal child of the childless wife. But, of course, the plan did not have God’s approval. The birth of Ishmael when Abram was 86 and Sarai was 76 was a major disaster for the future of the Middle East. Sarai’s plan is an illustration of living by sight and human ingenuity in order to fulfill God’s promise. They are a warning to us that we are to trust God to keep His promises in His own way and in His own time. 

Trust the Lord’s Wisdom (17:1–2, 17–19)
Thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael, God appeared to Abram with richer promises. He assured 99-year-old Abram that he would have a son. He changed the name of Sarai to Sarah (“princess”) and Abram (“high father”) to Abraham (“father of many”). Most importantly God revealed Himself as El Shaddai, the Almighty One who possesses all power and majesty necessary to accomplish His purpose and fulfill His promises. Although Sarah was 90 years of age, she was to have the joy of welcoming the son through whom God’s covenant promises would be fulfilled. Overwhelmed with wonder and delight mixed with amazement, Abraham laughed. God then named the child “Isaac” (“he laughs”). His name would be a constant reminder that, despite appearances, what God has promised, God will accomplish. While we may not always understand how the Lord will fulfill His promises, we are to trust Him to act in ways that reflect His profound wisdom.