Damariscotta Baptist Church

 

 

Genesis 15:1-6

We are beginning a new section of Genesis from chapter 15-17. In this section we discover two covenant making stories, the story in between is another mess created by Abram and Sarai. This section of Genesis has Old Testament scholars puzzled. Why would God make two covenants with the same person, one right after the other? The classic answer has been that Genesis 15 and Genesis 17 were from different sources. This allows for a retelling of an event from two different perspectives. This may or may not be the case. 

But why were these stories placed in the order in which they exist? 

When we take a closer look, each chapter begins with “And God said to….”

God’s words to Abram in chapter 15 are… “Don’t be afraid.” If you recall, Abram had just made a lot of enemies with some mighty kings with his nightly raid. This could cause Abram to be a bit concerned. But God reminds Abram in verse 1, 

   “I am your shield,

    your very great reward.”

Throughout his life so far, Abram has struggled to trust God. One moment Abram will trust God then something negative happens and Abram doesn’t trust God. 

Can anyone relate to this?

Notice, God makes a covenant in order to meet Abram in his belief and his unbelief. 

Jumping ahead to the second covenant in chapter 17, God will no longer be giving promises. God comes right out giving commands and calls for Abram to obey, verse 1 of chapter 17, 

“walk before me faithfully and be blameless.” For goodness’ sake.

How does a promise become a call to behave? And a requirement for Abram? In verse 2, of chapter 17 God tells Abram after he behaves, 

Verse 2, 

“Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”

This promise became a call for Abram to behave. What happened?

It was the story in between that happened, chapter 16. Abram and Sarai fail, again. There is a definite meaningful sequence here. The stories are in this order for a reason. 

God is faithful. God will fulfill His promise to Abram and Sarai. But they keep making it quite difficult for God to get along with. They keep messing up. 

Again, Can anyone relate to this? 

I know I surely can. I can look back and see clearly where I have been the one who has gotten in God’s way. Not necessarily on purpose, but usually due to lack of trust, on my part. 

Here we have a story of two people who were struggling to believe and failing. Then God has to address the consequences of their failure. That is what is happening in these three chapters. 

Today we will focus on the first six verses of chapter 15, which begins with,  

“After this,”

After what? This is clearly a link back to what happened in the previous chapter where Abram took his 318 men and cornered the four kings that had captured his nephew Lot and all their belongings. What do you think could have been going on in Abram’s mind? Abram is quite aware that something miraculous has occurred. He has definitely stirred up the hornet’s nest. But God tells him, 

“Do not be afraid, Abram.
    I am your shield,
    your very great reward.”

Basically, God assures Abram that even if these kings decide to retaliate, God’s got his back. 

Abram responds with, 

“Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless”

Abram immediately turns the conversation to his situation without an heir. It’s like Abram wonders, what good is it if you have my back, when I am still without a son. Abram has obviously been thinking about this because he shares what he thinks could be a solution to his problem. 

“and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

That’s an idea, but God has different plans, verse 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.” 

Then God takes Abram outside, verse 5,

 “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.”

The next verse is amazing, verse 6,

“Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.”

The Hebrew word used here for “believed” can also be translated as, “trust.” This is the first time this word has been used in the Old Testament. When Abram “trusted,” God credited it to Abram as “righteousness.” Basically God looked at Abram and said, “Now this is someone who is in “right relationship with me.” 

This story is a very well known story in Hebrew Scriptures. Paul, the apostle, loved this story and referred to it in his letters to the Romans and to the Galatians. 

It is seen as, “the right way to walk with God and to trust God.” When we look back we can see that Noah did it. We are told that Enoch did it. But this is the place where God provides a definition. Abram has definitely given us examples of the opposite. When he left the land because of the famine and while in Egypt he created a scheme to keep himself alive by lying about Sarai not being his wife. We’ve seen Abram grow into his trust and God shows how He is able to take someone who didn’t trust and bring him to a place of trust. 

There are two main promises given to Abram, 

• Future seed
• Land

This dialogue is focused on just one of these, who will inherit the promises of blessing. Abram is basically reminding God that He had promised to provide a seed, but hasn’t. Abram points out the obvious to God that he is “childless.” 

Which is how it is translated in NIV, but in Hebrew the word is “ariai” that is from the root word for “naked.” Where does that word take us, where did we read about naked people? Back in Eden, in the beginning, where God appeared to His chosen one, and he had no clothes. Nakedness becomes an image of vulnerability, which for Abram becomes focused on having no children. In Abram’s eyes, “no family” translates to being naked. 

Next, look where Abram goes. Abram has looked around and comes up with a solution. There was a very nice man, Eliezer of Damascus who could be his heir. This happens to be another play on words. Eliezer is two Hebrew words put together, ‘eli’ which means “my God” and ‘ezer” which means “help.” Abram has no clothes, and the only one in his household who looks like he can be an heir is named “My God Is Delivering Help.”?

Again, right back to the Eden story. The first time we saw the word ‘ezer’ is when God splits Adam in half and creates his ‘ezer’ the woman, his helper. It’s the exact same Hebrew word. The only other person who is called an ‘ezer’ in the Hebrew Bible is Yahweh when He comes to show up and rescue people when they are about to die. We call it “deliverance.” When you are an ‘ezer’ you come to someone’s aid and do something they are unable to do on their own. 

In this story there is a similar image. Abram is stating that he is naked, he has no future, he doesn’t have an ezer, oh, except for this guy named Ezer. HeHe

God next asks Abram to look up to the skies, look at the stars. Your seed will be like the stars. The direct correlation is how numerous the stars are and how numerous Abram’s seed will be. There is another correlation between Abram’s future seed and the stars. 

So far, the biblical conception of stars comes from Genesis 1:17,18, 

“God set the (stars, moon and sun) in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness.” 

They are to rule over the day and the night, as celestial rulers. God is now telling Abram his seed will become like the celestial rulers. 

This idea gets even more universal when we look at the last chapter in the book of Daniel. We read that there will be a great time of flooding and tribulation and terrible violence in the world, and a lot of people are going to die. 

Daniel 12:2,3

“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life,

This the second time the word for “eternal life” is written, the first time was in the Garden of Eden narrative. 

“others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.”  

In this passage we are told about a resurrection, a new creation life, where there is new hope of a life that transcends the boundaries of what we currently understand. Notice the human rulers shine like the heavenly rulers. This is what God is alluding to as He speaks to Abram. “Your seed… look at the stars… count them if you can….that’s what they will be like.” It’s not that far fetched, think of all the shining people in the Bible. 

• Moses shines after he meet with God
• Jesus glows during the Transfiguration

Let’s bring it back to this passage. On one hand we have a story about a guy who looks around and realizes he is getting old and he does not have any children. Without children he thinks he has no future. God answers him on that level. 

But, when we step back and look at this from a macro level these words hold the promise of a new humanity that is part of the storyline throughout the entire Bible. When God points out the numerous stars in the sky, He is talking about you and me. We are one of Abram’s seed. 

And for the first time, Abram’s response is, “I trust you.” That response puts Abram in a “right relationship” with Yahweh. Not the one who 

• Conquered armies
• Built cities in his own name

But the one who

• Stops his schemes, and
• Trusts in the impossible

That is the one who is in a right relationship with God. 

Check in time. 

Being in God’s will is being in a right relationship with God. Abram demonstrates what that looks like right here. We need to pause and soak in this beautiful picture, somehow, this feeble, naked feeling human chooses to trust in what seems to be an impossible promise of the creator and it is “right.” 

Being “right with God” wasn’t about anything that Abram did, it was because he decided to “trust.” 

That is when God says, “That’s my kind of person. I can work with him.” 

When we let go of all we have done, or all that we can do, when we stop our schemes and trust in God’s impossible, that is when we are in “right relationship with God.” 

Abram’s faith is about to turn into unbelief in the next two sentences but for today we can look to his example and meditate on what that means for us, as we continue to learn to trust God. 

Let’s pray.