Download Genesis 15 - Calvary Church

1After
this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward.”
(Don’t feel left out on the vision thing. Abram didn’t
receive any that we know of until he was 75. Even at
that , he received a total of 8 (that we know of) over
the next 100 years.)
1After
this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“After this” ~ the rescue of Lot
his rejection of all of the wealth of S & G
his tithe to Melchizedek.
What did he fear?
Military security is no the issue. He had just beaten all of the
bad guys. (Contractual, guaranteed protection)
Financial stability was not an issue. He was quite well off.
The idea is total “I’ve got your back”ing in all areas of his life.
But he was afraid nonetheless.
1After
this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward.”
2But
Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me
since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is
Eliezer of Damascus?” 3And Abram said, “You have given me
no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Note Abram’s view of God: Adonai Yahweh
lord
selfmaster existent
owner eternal
He recognizes God as the one who holds his destiny.
Whatever meaning may be found in his life is in God’s hands.
Apart from this, life, by nature is meaningless and purposeless.
1After
this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward.”
2But
Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me
since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is
Eliezer of Damascus?” 3And Abram said, “You have given me
no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Maybe this is the root question:
Is my life to be a waste?
What’s the point?
1After
this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward.”
2But
Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me
since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is
Eliezer of Damascus?” 3And Abram said, “You have given me
no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
No son = no legacy personally. God’s promises are currently
moot. Are God’s promises sure?
Perhaps 10 to 12 years have transpired since Chapter 12.
Eliezer would have been adopted as a son who would care
for Abram in his old age. Eliezer would inherit Abram, Inc.
Something about carrying on of the family name.
1After
this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward.”
2But
Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me
since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is
Eliezer of Damascus?” 3And Abram said, “You have given me
no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
4Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not
be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your
heir.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Delay does not mean denial. The promise is still in force.
2 Peter 3:8-9: But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With
the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years
are like a day. 9The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as
some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting
anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
1After
this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward.”
2But
Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me
since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is
Eliezer of Damascus?” 3And Abram said, “You have given me
no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
4Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not
be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your
heir.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Delay does not mean denial. The promise is still in force.
Many “guarantees” in life are delayed.
Paychecks
Engagements
Retirement
Babies!
1After
this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward.”
2But
Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me
since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is
Eliezer of Damascus?” 3And Abram said, “You have given me
no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
4Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not
be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your
heir.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Delay does not mean denial. The promise is still in force.
Romans 8:19-21
19The
creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be
revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its
own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21
that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay
and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
1After
this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward.”
2But
Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me
since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is
Eliezer of Damascus?” 3And Abram said, “You have given me
no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
4Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not
be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your
heir.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Delay does not mean denial. The promise is still in force.
Very few folks like to wait.
Understand the Big picture. (You are a part, not the whole)
Make the waiting profitable (bring a book)
1After
this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward.”
2But
Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me
since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is
Eliezer of Damascus?” 3And Abram said, “You have given me
no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
4Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not
be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your
heir.” 5He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens
and count the stars —if indeed you can count them.” Then he
said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
It will be better than you imagined!
There is an indefinable element.
Ephesians 3
For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom
his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen
you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so
that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I
pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may
have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how
wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge —that
you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than
all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at
work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in
Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!
Amen.
1After
this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward.”
2But
Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me
since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is
Eliezer of Damascus?” 3And Abram said, “You have given me
no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
4Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not
be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your
heir.” 5He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens
and count the stars —if indeed you can count them.” Then he
said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
It will be better than you can imagine!
1After
this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward.”
2But
Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me
since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is
Eliezer of Damascus?” 3And Abram said, “You have given me
no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
4Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not
be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your
heir.” 5He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens
and count the stars —if indeed you can count them.” Then he
said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
6Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as
righteousness.
6Abram
believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as
righteousness.
Romans 4
What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather,
discovered in this matter? 2If, in fact, Abraham was justified
by works, he had something to boast about—but not before
God. 3What does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God,
and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
4Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him
as a gift, but as an obligation. 5However, to the man who
does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith
is credited as righteousness.
13It
was not through law that Abraham and his offspring
received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but
through the righteousness that comes by faith.
6Abram
believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as
righteousness.
Romans 4
16Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by
grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—
not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are
of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17As it is
written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is
our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God
who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as
though they were.
6Abram
believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as
righteousness.
Romans 4
18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so
became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to
him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19Without weakening in his
faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead —
since he was about a hundred years old —and that Sarah’s
womb was also dead.
Before this, we have to pass through Hagar.
He did waver before this.
6Abram
believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as
righteousness.
Romans 4
18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so
became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to
him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19Without weakening in his
faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead —
since he was about a hundred years old —and that Sarah’s
womb was also dead. 20Yet he did not waver through
unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened
in his faith and gave glory to God, 21being fully persuaded
that God had power to do what he had promised. 22This is
why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” 23The words “it
was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24but
also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who
believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25He
was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life
for our justification.
6Abram
believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as
righteousness.
Perhaps the issue is who we are becoming
more than what we are doing.
Faith precedes and results in doing. It alone is redemptive.
Doing validates faith, but in itself is not redemptive.
Doing leaps from faith and can result in greater faith.
Progressive Sanctification
.
1After
this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward.”
2But
Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me
since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is
Eliezer of Damascus?” 3And Abram said, “You have given me
no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
4Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not
be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your
heir.” 5He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens
and count the stars —if indeed you can count them.” Then he
said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
6Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as
righteousness.
7He
also said to him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out
of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession
of it.”
8But Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I
will gain possession of it?”
Does faith ever doubt?
Does faith ever stumble?
7He
also said to him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out
of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession
of it.”
8But Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I
will gain possession of it?”
9So the LORD said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat and a
ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young
pigeon.”
10Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and
arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he
did not cut in half. 11Then birds of prey came down on the
carcasses, but Abram drove them away.
Old school covenant form.
Vary serious covenant.
12As
the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a
thick and dreadful darkness came over him. 13Then the LORD
said to him, “Know for certain that your descendants will be
strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved
and mistreated four hundred years.
The number 400 does not have to be exact,
although is could be. (318 is definitely exact)
12As
the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a
thick and dreadful darkness came over him. 13Then the LORD
said to him, “Know for certain that your descendants will be
strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved
and mistreated four hundred years. 14But I will punish the
nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out
with great possessions.
12As
the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a
thick and dreadful darkness came over him. 13Then the LORD
said to him, “Know for certain that your descendants will be
strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved
and mistreated four hundred years. 14But I will punish the
nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out
with great possessions. 15You, however, will go to your fathers
in peace and be buried at a good old age.
12As
the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a
thick and dreadful darkness came over him. 13Then the LORD
said to him, “Know for certain that your descendants will be
strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved
and mistreated four hundred years. 14But I will punish the
nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out
with great possessions. 15You, however, will go to your fathers
in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16In the fourth
generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of
the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”
The redactors missed another one!!
Fourth generation probably means a long time, or perhaps,
the generation was measured in hundreds, like Abram’s.
12As
the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a
thick and dreadful darkness came over him. 13Then the LORD
said to him, “Know for certain that your descendants will be
strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved
and mistreated four hundred years. 14But I will punish the
nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out
with great possessions. 15You, however, will go to your fathers
in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16In the fourth
generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of
the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”
It is not that God is slow in keeping his promise.
Timing is critical.
Israel’s conquest is partially in judgment of evil people and
societies. God give them time to get really “ripe”.
The Rahab option
17When
the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking
firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the
pieces.
The vast majority of commentaries hold that only God is
represented by the fire pot (small furnace) and the torch.
Not that is really matters, but Hugonian thinking wonders if
Abram is the fire-pot and God is torch, which ignites the
fire-pot. This way God and Abram symbolically enter into
this covenant together.
17When
the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking
firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the
pieces. 18On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram
and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of
Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates — 19the land of the
Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20Hittites, Perizzites,
Rephaites, 21Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”
The emphasis here is that God enters into a covenant
with Abram that is one-sided. God requires nothing of
Abram and his descendants here other than the implication
to possess that land that they would be given, which would
require faith/obedience.
Every promise is certain.
We need to be patient. (The big picture / not about you.)
It will turn out different and better that you think.
I Corinthians 2:9
However, as it is written:
“No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared
for those who love him”
Every promise is certain.
Faith, not works is redemptive: Being verses doing.
The basis of God’s covenant is himself.
He provided all that is needed. We must accept it.
This applies to all of life in Christ, not just salvation.
Do we always want what he provides?
He is Adonai Yaweh
Every promise is certain.
Faith, not works is redemptive: Being verses doing.
The basis of God’s covenant is himself.
Apart from God, life, by nature, is meaningless.
Focus on the fullness, not the empty.
He is Adonai Yaweh . . .