The LORD spoke to Abram in a vision (v1) saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”
God speaks to His people in various ways, in this case it was a vision. God usually speaks to us through His Word today. What words of encouragement! Jesus often spoke to his disciples, especially when in difficulties, “Fear not.” The words in this verse go even further – Abram had just defeated a large army and there was always the possibility of revenge attacks, but God assured him of being his shield and a reward. This was perfect timing; the king of Sodom had offered him plunder which he had refused. He trusted that God would supply his need and here was his answer. One writer says that we are never losers with God.
Abram spoke with God and said (v2,3), “Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!”
I see nothing wrong with being honest with God, why shouldn’t we? He knows our thoughts even before we think them. Abram knew what God had promised him and I believe he trusted God but he couldn’t see how God was going to do it. That’s what true faith is – trusting when we cannot see. “A shield and a reward were all very well but where is the son you promised?” His faithful servant Eliezer, good though he might be, is not his son.
We face many situations and know that God has promised to supply our needs and will never leave us nor forsake us, but we often get frustrated that God doesn’t seem to answer ‘now.’ God answers prayer in three ways, I believe, Yes, No and Wait. ‘Yes’ is great, ‘No’ might be disappointing but at least we know it might not be good for us, but ‘Wait’ is probably the hardest of all.
I know Abram believed (v6) but was frustrated and non-plussed as to how God was going to fulfil it. Worse was to follow.
God answered and told Abram that his heir would come from his own body and took him outside and showed him the heavens. He asked Abram to count the stars which, of course, he couldn’t, then told him his descendants would be just as numerous (v4,5). Having heard that, Abram might have thought this event would be imminent but, in fact, he had to wait another ten to fifteen years. God assured him that his heir would not be Eliezer but his own flesh and blood.
James 1:3,4 tells us that “…. The testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
Abram did believe, but Abram needed to be patient, unfortunately, he and Sarai were losing patience, as we shall see later.
It would be remiss to criticise Abram. He had believed God – he had left his country and showed his faith by later offering the son God gave to him. They waited and waited, and it seemed that nothing was happening.
Abram’s belief was important “…. he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” (v6)
None of us can be or do enough good to accomplish perfect righteousness, we need God’s righteousness accounted to us and in Abram’s case this was by believing in The LORD. It may be more correct to say ‘by believing The LORD’ rather than believing ‘in’ for the Bible tells us that even Satan and his demons believe and tremble (James 2:19). One writer says that this is one of the clearest expressions in the Bible of the truth of salvation by grace, through faith. Paul writing to the Romans refers to this three times in chapter 4 and once in his letter to the Galatians. It is clear that it was through faith alone, by grace alone.
Despite God’s assurance to him in v7,8, “Then He said to him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.” And he said, “Lord GOD, how shall I know that I will inherit it?”” Abram still has some doubts and even asks so that he can be certain.
God, in His mercy and grace, told Abram to bring a three-year old heifer, a three-year-old goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtle dove and a young pigeon. (V9-11) Abram did so and cut the animals in two but not the birds to prepare for God to make a covenant with him. Cutting animals in two was significant for a covenant in their custom and the two parties walked between the two halves of the carcasses. Abram expected God to come in some form to complete the covenant. It was sealed with blood of the carcasses.
It obviously took some while to complete this as Abram had to fight off vultures from the dead carcasses. It was not until sunset that God next spoke to Abram, which may well have been when he fell into a deep sleep. God spoke to Abram (v12-16) with a promise that his descendants would be strangers in a land which wasn’t theirs and serve them and be afflicted for four hundred years. This was clearly speaking of their slavery in Egypt. They would then return to Canaan with great possessions. This obviously came to pass but after Abram’s time. This would not have been palatable to Abram – spending four hundred years outside the land before returning, but God promised that He would judge the nation who held them in slavery.
In verses 17-21 God completed the covenant by sending a burning oven and flaming torch that passed between the pieces of the animals and God spoke, ” …. saying: “To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates—the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.””
Rather than the two performing the covenant, God did it alone with Abram looking on. God established the covenant, and it would not be broken. God told him that He had given him the land from the river of Egypt to the River Euphrates, actual places.
