By James Strange Ph.D.
Professor in New Testament, Samford University
CONFIDENCE IN SEASONS OF UNCERTAINTY
Genesis 15:1–6, 13–16
Today’s passage skips chapter 14, a diverting story in which Abram is presented as a warrior chieftain who defeats armies of city states. Lot, who separated from Abram, must be rescued. After Abram’s victory, he receives a blessing from Melchizedek (“righteous king”), a Canaanite king of Salem (probably Jerusalem) and priest of El Elyon (“God Most High”), of the Canaanite pantheon. Abram knows El Elyon as Yahweh, who called him in Mesopotamia (“the Lord”; 14:22). Neither Melchizedek nor Salem will be mentioned again in the Pentateuch, but the brief encounter establishes that Abraham was blessed in the future holy city, home of the Davidic kings and Yahweh’s temple.
Read all of chapters 14 and 15.
Trust God even when the way is not clear. (1–5)
As the narrative returns to the thread of the main story, God reminds Abram of His assurance of protection and wealth. By now, Abram’s response does not surprise us, for despite having heard God’s promise at least three times (12:2, 7; 13:15–16), he and Sarai continue to age well past the possibility of conceiving a child. In Egypt, Abram gave Sarai to Pharaoh as a concubine, surely causing Sarai dreadful shame and anguish, and endangering the divine promise besides.
Now we learn that, as the couple remains childless, Abram has chosen a man named Eliezer to be his heir (ironically, Eliezer means “God is my help”), possibly adding to Sarai’s shame. In verse 3, Abram finally voices the doubt his behavior betrays: he accuses God of failing to do what He said He would do. We know to add the word “yet.” Abram and Sarai can only see the years pass them by, but we know the end of the story.
God responds with neither chastisement nor punishment, nor by moving the miraculous pregnancy earlier, but by repeating His promise: “Your own child will be your heir, but I am not promising one child, for your descendants will be innumerable, just as you cannot count the stars.”
Trust in God results in righteousness. (6)
In Romans 4, Paul will draw from this verse to talk about faith versus works of the law, but the passage also draws meaning from its context. I prefer to translate it, “And Abraham trusted the Lord, and He accounted it to him as righteousness.”
“Believed” in most English Bibles translates a Hebrew verb that means to place one’s trust in a person (the root of the word “amen”). The implication is that Abram is not merely believing words — he is trusting the One who speaks them. Trust is what God credits to Abram’s account as righteousness.
Trust God to work in His time. (13–16)
In verses 7–12 and 17–21 we see the elements of the first covenant between God and Abram. It is important to note Abram asks for assurance (v. 8), and in response God again promises, as if to say, “You will not receive the assurance you want. You must continue to trust.”
Our lesson focuses on God’s forewarning, which is striking in light of the promises of protection. Although Abram’s and Sarai’s descendants will be “a great nation” and a “blessing” for all nations, they will endure their own trials. The language is about slavery in Egypt and the exodus, but centuries later, surely the remnant of Judah exiled in Babylon found in these words the hope of restoration and return.
We have seen Abram’s and Sarai’s trust wane before, and so it will again as soon as we turn to chapter 16. It is good to remind ourselves this story is about a steadfast, divine faithfulness that contrasts with an inconstant human devotion. We might say that is the story of all Scripture. The human actors are not villains; they are merely like us. God is the hero.
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