Reassurance

Genesis 15 is a pivotal point in the entire Bible, with God outlining his promise to Abram in a dramatic way, and with the introduction of the doctrine of Justification by Faith. Abram had just repudiated the offer of material gain from the king of Sodom and had affirmed his faith in “the Lord, God Most High, Creator of Heaven and Earth.” God, cognizant of Abram’s whole-hearted commitment toward Him came to Abram in a vision and promised to be his Protector and his Reward.

Abram had other things on his mind besides God’s protection and God’s reward. What about that long-ago promise that Abram would have a son? Abram reminded God that so far no son has been given, and wondered aloud if his only recourse was to declare his trusted servant as his heir.

God had intervened to comfort Abram, and He assured Abram that a son would indeed be born to Abram and his descendants would be as numerous as the stars. Genesis 15:6 declares: “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” The situation had not changed, but in dialogue with God, Abram was reminded that God was trustworthy and would keep His promises. Communication with God was enough to remind Abram of God's character and to restore his faith.

The Apostle Paul quotes this verse twice in his epistles (Romans 4:3 and Galatians 3:6) and the Apostle James cites it as well (James 2:23). This brief little sentence is of outmost importance to Christian belief. We do not (cannot) earn our way to heaven; rather, God responds to our faith in Him by crediting us with righteousness—a righteousness that we do not possess in ourselves. Derek Kidner says that “this story and the argument of Romans 4 present faith not as a crowning merit but as readiness to accept what God promises.”

How amazing that Abram was ready to accept what God had promised, even though, humanly speaking, time was irrevocably running out for the possibility of a birth to him and Sarai. God didn’t only affirm that the promise of a son would be fulfilled, He also reiterated that Abram would come to possess the land where he now lived as an alien.

Abram was not afraid to ask questions. How would he gain possession of the land? God did not only make him a promise in this instance; He actually renewed the covenant through enacting a Near Eastern royal land-grant treaty with Abram. This solemn, sombre ceremony must have had great impact on Abram. Here he was in the midst of dreadful darkness, but also in the presence of God--symbolized by the smoking firepot and blazing torch. The slain animals illustrated the self-maledictory nature of this covenant—“may it be so done to me if I do not keep my pledge.” God reassured Abram in a very tactile and dramatic way that His promises was sure and not just fluffs of Abram's imagination. Not all the news of the future was comforting, however, as God told Abram that his descendants would be aliens, strangers and then slaves in a far-away land. They would suffer for 400 years before God would rescue them. But in God’s perfect timing Abram’s descendants would indeed gain possession of the Promised Land.

Apart from the doctrinal importance of this passage of Scripture, there is also a message of personal comfort to those of us who have prayed for years for the fulfilment of what we believe are promises from God. God may take a long time answering my prayers, but the length of time it takes for Him to act does not mean that He has withdrawn His love, or forgotten me. God was aware of the questions that Abram asked before he asked them. He came to Abram to comfort and reassure him, and to reaffirm that He would bring His plans and promises to fruition. Abram’s responsibility was to continue dialoguing with God, and to believe God. My responsibility is the same. How encouraging to know that as I get to know God better and grow in my commitment to Him, He will comfort and encourage me, giving me the faith I need to believe that He can even do the impossible.

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