Genesis 15:1–7, 13–16

Explore the Bible
Assistant Professor of Christian Ministries, University of Mobile

WAITING FOR THE PROMISE

Genesis 15:1–7, 13–16

Abram’s Frustration (1–3)

After Abram’s rescue of Lot and his blessing by Melchizedek in Genesis 14, Abram’s heart slows and spasms with fear and doubt. He is tired, fearful and despondent. He has reasons to fear reprisals from the eastern coalition. He also has plenty of time to think about his situation. His great victory has not brought him any nearer his promised inheritance.

When he had first responded to God’s call, Sarai was barren. Their journey had begun in barrenness but with hope in God’s promise. But the 1,000-mile journey, the sojourn in Canaan, the fiasco in Egypt, the return to Canaan and the victory over the kings were all carried out under the shadow of barrenness. Now barrenness persists. Abram’s servants have children but not Abram himself.

The Lord knows Abram’s frustration and speaks to him to encourage him. Abram speaks to God and he is unhappy. He apparently concludes that God’s promise had been of no effect, so that a household servant like Eliezer would be the heir.

God’s Promise (4–5)

God deals tenderly and lovingly with His stumbling servant. God responds that Eliezer will not be his heir but Abram’s own son. Three times previously God promised Abram a multitude of descendants (12:2, 7; 13:14–16), but what God says now is new. A son from his own body will be his heir.

God has Abram walk outside and look up into the night sky. God assures him that one day he will have so many offspring no human will be able to number them. This former moon worshipper is familiar with the planets and the astral trails. Now he is alone with the Lord God. Abram is humbled, awed and hushed. He says nothing. He is speechless.

Abram’s Faith (6)

Abram does not speak but the Scripture does: “And he believed the Lord.” The idea here is that Abram believes the promise of God and keeps on believing in the Lord. How did Abram get such faith? He simply rests on God’s promise.

In this moment of time God’s word was not a theory about how things would turn out but the voice around which his life is organized. Abram also must have repented. But ultimately his faith can only be attributed to God. His faith was not a human achievement or the result of his moral will. Abram’s faith came from God just like Peter’s confirmation of Christ in Matthew 16:16. How did Peter get the correct answer? “And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven’” (Matt. 16:17). In the same way Abram moves from protest to confession by the power of God.

No other Old Testament text has exercised such an influence in understanding faith and on the New Testament itself. Abram, who is originally destitute of righteousness, is now counted as righteous through faith in God. His belief brought him into relationship with God.

God’s Plan (7, 13–16)

The means by which Abram’s descendants would possess the land would be a terrible ordeal. God foretells Abram that his descendants would be enslaved for 400 years in an undesignated land (we know that land was Egypt). They will be afflicted and oppressed by their captors and then God will judge that nation for its mistreatment of Israel and Abram’s descendants will come out of captivity with great possessions. His descendants will possess the promised land according to God’s plan.