This is the first of a three-part series that will explore Genesis 15
Abram had stepped up to serve as a blessing in Lot's life. God had told him his name would be great, and that he'd be a blessing (Genesis 12:2). And, after Abram rescued Lot from invading kings, Lot would agree.
After defeating the four invading kings and returning the goods and peoples of the weaker kings, Abram had a meeting with the King of Salem and the King of Sodom. The King of Salem was named Melchizedek, and he was the priest of God Most High. Melchizedek was Abram's spiritual superior, and he extended a blessing from God onto Abram. In response, Abram tithed to Melchizedek.
The King of Sodom, on the other hand, was the ruler of a wicked people. When he met with Abram, he tried to give Abram the recovered riches. I'll take my people back, he said, But you keep the money. But Abram had made a vow to God, perhaps even while with Melchizedek, that he would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything from the King of Sodom. He didn't want this man to say, I have made Abram rich (Genesis 14:23).
1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: "Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great."
After These Things
This movement took place " after these things," which is a reference to the meetings with the kings of Salem and Sodom. As I said, Abram had given a tithe to Melchizedek and had refused the riches of Sodom.
It seems that this episode had stirred something in Abram. God had told him he'd become a great nation with a great name (Genesis 12:2). But, after all these years, and after refusing the wealth of Sodom, Abram seems to fall into a bit of fear. How is this going to work out, God? How am I to become a great nation? You won't let me take the reward of Sodom. I have no real ties to any nation. I am a nomadic journeyman. I can't be expected to defend my household forever.
This is often the case when God works in your life. After times of victory or spiritual success, we often succumb to fears and difficulties. Temptation rushes in. Even in the life of Christ, after the glorious baptism of John and the Spirit at the Jordan River, Jesus was driven into the wilderness for forty days of temptation. And it seems Abram underwent the temptation to fear after the victory of Genesis 14.
So God said, "Fear not, Abram" (1). God knew Abram's heart. God saw Abram's fear, so he addressed it with his presence in Abram's life. Since Abram had just risked his life by going to war with four city-nations, God said, "I am your shield" (1). And, since Abram had just refused the reward of the king of Sodom, God said, "Your reward shall be very great" (1). Or, as the NIV puts it, "I am your shield, your very great reward" (15:1, NIV). After "missing out" on the rewards of Sodom, Abram needed to know God would be his reward.
You see, Abram was a man living in between the promise and the fulfillment. God had made bold and big promises to him, and Abram had seen enough to know God was at work in his life, but the promises had not yet come to pass. He was in the difficult time of living in between the promise and the fulfillment.
We also live in an in-between time. As we've seen in the gospel of Mark, Jesus came proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). So the kingdom is at hand. But we also pray, "Your kingdom come " (Matthew 6:10).
Revelation 22:17 (ESV) — 17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.”
Revelation 22:20 (ESV) — 20 Come, Lord Jesus!
So here we are, like Abram, living in between many of God's promises and the fulfillment. At times, we feel fear as we reject the way of the world, just as Abram felt fear rejecting the gifts of Sodom. We might even be prone to feelings of helplessness as we consider the odds against us. Will we be preserved by God? Is he worth following? Will he defend us? Will he fulfill his promises? To us, he might say, "I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward" (Genesis 15:1, NKJV).
1. Let God Be Enough
Like Abram, God is our sustainer (shield) and our reward. He is enough. Abram knew this, which is why he'd said to the King of Sodom, "I have lifted my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth" (Genesis 14:22).
Hebrews tells us, Abram:
"...was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God." (Hebrews 11:10)
He came to a place where God, and what God provided, was enough. He believed in God's reward. He didn't need the blessings of Sodom because he had the blessings of God.
It is when we are in between the promise and the fulfillment we are greatly tested. Too often, we slip because we feel we cannot hang on any longer. Satan tempts us, and we come to a place where we think God is no longer enough. We turn back to Sodom, so to speak, when we turn to relationships that hurt us, a compromise which cannot fulfill us, or pride which debases us.
For example, I have watched far too many Christians, in a moment of loneliness, compromise all the knew to engage in a foolish relationship. Often, it costs them dearly, but while walking through their valley of the shadow of death, panic sets in, and they buckle. God's grace extends to us when we such decisions, but I have never met anyone who hasn't regretted their actions. Instead, they say, I wish I had trusted God. He is enough for me. I didn't know that in the moment.
We must let God be enough. In this passage, he tells Abram he will be his protector and provider. God's shield would defend Abram. God's presence would provide for Abram. This was an important message for Israel, for they often traded their glory for idols, but God is enough.
Too often, we want more from God than we want God. You can hear this kind of sentiment in phrases like these:
- I am leaving my church for another because of the worship. This usually isn't a way to say that the worship in the new church is so God-focused and God-honoring, that the word and giving and service and singing of that new church are all like sweet incense of praise to him, but a way of saying the song time resonates with us personally. So isn't this just self-worship?
- I am tired of being single. I know what God's word says, but there are too few believers out there, and surely he wants me to be happy. But this is a great insult to the God of glory. It is a way of saying he is not enough, that he cannot satisfy the longings of your heart, and that he is not worthy of your obedience.
- I am going to give in to temptation. It is so attractive. If God didn't want me to enter into it, why did he allow it to be so attractive? But this is a perversion of God's creation. Of course, he made beautiful things and activities. He loves us. He wanted us to enjoy what he made as a way to celebrate him. But this is a way of saying we want life by our design rather than his.
But he is our shield. He is our reward. He is the one we need.
A Prophet
Before moving onto Abram's response, I want to draw your attention to another feature of this first verse. It says, "The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision" (4). First, the word of the Lord came. Second, Abram had a vision. Both are used later in Scripture to describe the way prophets interacted with God. God gave his prophets visions. His word came to them. So this language here portrays Abram as a prophet.
2 But Abram said, "O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 And Abram said, "Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir."
Abram Said
Here we have the first record of Abram's words to God. So far, in Genesis, Abram has spoken to his wife, Pharaoh, Lot, Melchizedek, and the king of Sodom. It's not that he hadn't prayed up to this point, but this is the first time his words are recorded for us.
He said, "O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless?" (2). A member of his household, a servant named Eliezer, was his heir at that point (2, 3). There is even a bit of wordplay here, as Eliezer's city, Damascus, sounds similar to the Hebrew word for heir (2). Without a child, how could God fulfill his promise to make his descendants a great nation?
Apparently, Abram and Sarai had taken the steps that were considered normal in their culture and time. Without a biological heir, they named a servant as their household heir. For a childless couple, it was considered a perfectly acceptable step. But it didn't sit right with Abram. What are you doing, God? You've made me this promise, but here's my situation.
4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: "This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir." 5 And he brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
Your Very Own Son
For his part, God wouldn't acknowledge Eliezer, referring to him only as this man (4). He would not be Abram's heir. Instead, God promised, your very own son shall be your heir (4).
So Shall Your Offspring Be
God had already told Abram he'd become a great nation, and that his descendants would be as the dust of the earth (12:2, 13:16). Now God adds to the imagery by saying they would be innumerable like the stars of heaven (5). Later, God will say they would be like the sand on the seashore (22:17).
This was, of course, a reference to the people of Israel. But as Scripture unfolds, it becomes obvious God also had in mind the spiritual descendants of Abraham. Christ came from Abraham so:
"If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:29)
Just as Jesus' kingdom parables seem to make clear, the kingdom of God will grow and grow. Abraham's descendants became great and innumerable people. God's house is really big!
Living In Between the Promise and Fulfillment, Part 2 available on 9/8/20
