Senior Class Notes – November 7, 2021

Fall 2021 Unit 2 Session 4 – Confidence in Seasons of Uncertainty – Genesis 15:1-6, 13-16. PSG p. 112 – 121

November 7, 2021 – Please read “TRUSTING GOD WHEN LIFE IS UNCERTAIN” BY Barnabas Piper, PSG p. 122 – 125.

The Point: Trust God when you don’t have all the answers.

Inspirational verses: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9).

Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. Abram’s role as a prophet “Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet…” (20:7) is shown here. Visions were one of two standard means (the other was dreams) by which the Lord revealed His word to people “And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream” (Num. 12:6). The vision’s content included:

1. A Command (fear not). The Lord tells Joshua to be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest (Jos. 1:9) (KJVWSB).
2. An Assurance (I am thy shield). The Hebrew noun for shield or buckler (Ps. 18:30) is magen and is derived from the verb ganan, which means “to defend” and signifies the protective guardianship of God (KJVWSB).
3. A Promise (his reward would be an exceeding great reward). From the Hebrew sakar. The word saker is translated as “hire” (Deut. 24:15; Zech. 8:10), “reward” (Gen. 15:1; Num. 18:31), or “price” (Zech. 11:12). It implies an agreement of terms in a relationship (KJVWSB).

Though Abram turned down a reward from the king of Sodom, the Lord would reward him richly. The only other patriarch who is said to have received a vision was Jacob “And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.” (Gen. 46:2) (KJV). God’s first words “fear not” imply that Abram was afraid of something – perhaps the jealous neighbors. God could have responded to Abram’s insecurity in a variety of ways, but He chose to calm Abram’s fears with a reminder that God alone is his source of protection (shield) and prosperity (great reward), not Abram’s military prowess or strategic alliances (KJVTSB). This is the first time Fear not translated as (Do not be afraid – NIV) is recorded in the bible. Fear comes when God’s people take their eyes off the One who promises and begin to worry about the promise (Isa. 41:10) (NIVJSB). Why would Abram be afraid? Perhaps he feared revenge from the kings he had just defeated (14:15). God gave him two good reasons for courage: 1. He promised to defend Abram (“I am your shield”), and 2. He promised to be Abram’s “very great reward.” When you fear what lies ahead, remember that God will stay with you through difficult times and that He has promised you great blessings (NIVLASB). Thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward: This chapter introduces the Abrahamic covenant by which God promises him an heir and eventual descendants who will one day possess the land of Canaan. The word shield is translated in other passages as “believed.” Thus, God is the object of Abram’s faith and thereby the source of his confidence. The promise of reward is especially significant in view of the fact that Abram had just refused a reward from the king of Sodom. God Himself would be Abram’s true reward “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward” (Psalms 127:3) (KJSB).

Genesis 15:2 And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? Neither God’s protection nor His reward seemed important to elderly Abram since all of his goods would go to Eliezer of Damascus, a steward born in his house (KJV). This man had the honor of being Abram’s heir because Abram and Sarai had no child of their own (KJVFSB). Protection and possessions were not Abram’s only concerns. He conversed with God by raising a larger issue: it appeared that the heir to his possessions and the promise would be a household steward, a certain Eliezer of Damascus. Childless: Ten years have passed and Abram is still without an heir (KJSB). Abraham believed God from the time he was first called to leave his home and become a nomad in Palestine. Here, he raises his doubts – for doubts and belief can coexist – and God reassures him. Because of Abraham’s faithful belief, God accepts him as a righteous (just) man (NIVGJ).

Genesis 15:3 And Abram said, behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. Engaging in something of a “pity party,” Abram made seven references to himself (in the Hebrew) in the space of 22 Hebrew words and twice utters the complaint that he was childless – no seed (KJV). The word seed comes from the Hebrew zera and can literally mean a seed sown in the ground (Gen. 1:11-12) or figuratively one’s offspring or descendants (Gen. 13:15). The word can refer to a large group of people, such as the descendants of Abraham or the nation of Israel, or to an individual. In some parts of Genesis, it refers specifically to the coming Messiah, as in God’s promise that the woman’s “seed” would defeat the serpent (Gen. 3:15). As such, the term takes on great importance in the Bible: It is through Abraham’s seed, both collectively in Israel and singularly in Christ, that God would reach out to save all people (Gen. 15:3) (KJVWSB). Abram’s response to God is recorded for the first time. Inherent in his response is the pain of having wealth and success but no heir to pass it on to. It was a common practice in the ancient Near East for a childless couple to adopt a son, who would care for them in their old age and inherit their possessions and property. Abram suggests that he adopt his chief servant, Eliezer (KJVCRSB). Following the custom of the day, he suggests that perhaps he ought to adopt his steward … Eliezer of Damascus as his legal heir (KJSB). Eliezer was Abram’s most trusted servant, acting as household administrator (“chief servant,” see Genesis 24). According to custom, if Abram were to die without a son, his eldest servant would become his heir. Although Abram loved his servant, he wanted a son to carry on the family line (NIVLASB).

Genesis 15:4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. God made it clear that Eliezer would not be Abram’s successor. Rather, Abram’s own child-to-be would be the heir. The besetting problem, however, was that Sarai remained barren (KJVTSB). God clearly promises that Abram will have a child out of thine own bowels (i.e., physically procreated).

Genesis 15:5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. To tell the stars means to count the stars. (used this way 9 times: Gen. 15:5; 1 kings 8:5; 2 Kings 12:10 and 11; 2 Chron. 5:6; Psalms 22:17; 48:12; 147:4; Jer. 33:13) (KJV). God further promised that his eventual descendants would be as innumerable as the stars (KJSB). Abram wasn’t promised wealth or fame; he already had that. Instead God promised descendants like the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the seashore “That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars in the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore …” (22:17), too numerous to count. Just when Abram was despairing of ever having an heir, God promised descendants too numerous to imagine. God’s blessings are beyond our imaginations! (NIVLASB). But God broadened Abram’s horizons. God earlier used the illustration of “the dust of the earth” to show how many descendants would come from Abram (Gen. 13:16). Now God showed him the uncountable stars of the ancient night sky. This visual reminder helped Abram comprehend the massive scope of the future God had planned for him. In response, he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness (KJVTSB).

Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. KEY WORD: Righteousness – to be righteous is to measure up to God’s standard. Righteousness is credited to a person who trust in Jesus for forgiveness and salvation (PSG p. 116). Although Abram had been demonstrating his faith through his actions, it was his belief in the Lord, not his actions, that made Abram right with God (Romans 4:1-5). We too can have a right relationship with God by trusting Him. Our outward actions – church attendance, prayer, good deeds – will not by themselves make us right with God. A right relationship is based on faith – the heartfelt inner confidence that God is who He says He is and does what He says He will do. Right actions will follow naturally as by-products (NIVLASB). Some consider Genesis 15:6 to be the most important verse in the Old Testament. God declares Abram righteous (clean, morally right) on the basis of Abram’s faith. The idea is that God is crediting Abram’s faith as righteousness. While this connection between faith and righteousness is most often considered a New Testament concept, this verse confirms that God has always desired faith from His people (KJVCRSB). He believed. Almost ten years had passed since the original promises were given. As Abram grew older and still had no children, it was natural for him to wonder how the promises could be fulfilled. In answer to Abram’s questions, God, who had revealed himself in word, and who had faithfully protected him and sustained him, again pledged His word of promise. Abram believed and his faith was accounted to him as righteousness. Some have thought that in Old Testament times people were saved by their good deeds rather than by faith, but this idea is mistaken. Abram was not saved because of righteous living or obedience, but by believing in God and so being declared righteous by Him. The only valid work is the work of faith “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:28-29) (KJVFSB). He believed in the LORD: This was not his original act of faith, but further evidence of his confidence in God. In light of Hebrews 11:8-10, clearly Abram had already experienced saving faith at the time of his original call. Romans 4:6 and 22 cite instances of God imputing righteousness to the account of those who were already believers. Romans 4:18 refers to Abram’s believing God’s promise that he would have a posterity. Thus, the doctrine of imputation is based upon man’s faith. The fact that Abram was justified by God 14 years before he was circumcised is the basis for Paul’s argument in Romans 4:9-12 that faith, not works (e.g., circumcision), is the means of our justification. Therefore, the Old Testament as well as the New Testament teaches salvation by faith, not works (KJSB). Even when Abram did not see how God could fulfill His gracious promise to him regarding an heir, he trusted the Lord anyway. He looked beyond what he could see to what God could see (CFSLPB).

Question: why do we study the Old Testament? Answer: When Jesus started His ministry, there was no New Testament. Jesus often quoted from the Old Testament because this was God’s Word and most Jews knew the Old Testament. For example when rebuking the Devil’s lies during Jesus’s temptation, He fought the devil using God’s Word. Jesus’s work on earth, before his death on the cross, fulfilled the many predictions about the Messiah found in the Old Testament. “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matt. 5:17-18). Also found in the Old Testament is Moses’ Law (Hebrew tōrah): Although usually translated law, the noun tōrah is derived from the verb yarah, meaning “to teach,” and carrying the idea of “instruction.” The writer of Psalms 119 expressed great love for God’s law, because it led him to righteousness (119:97-176). In the New Testament, Paul praised God’s law because it pointed out his sin and made him realize his desperate need for a Savior (Rom. 7:7) (IMO).

Genesis 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; After God confirmed His promise and acknowledged Abram’s faith, Abram asked how he could be sure. In response, God initiated a ceremony to affirm the covenant. This involved animal sacrifice (Gen. 15:9-12). It also foretold of Abram’s descendants being subjugated for 400 years, though God would bring justice on their oppressors and use them to bless His people (KJVTSB). This is a prophecy of Israel’s sojourn in Egypt, predicted to take place some three hundred years later and lasting about four hundred years (cf. Ex. 12:40-42, 430 years to be exact) (KJSB). Moses wrote down the story of Abram’s life from the vantage point of the generation who fulfilled this prophecy (KJVFSB). The book of Exodus tells the story of the enslavement and miraculous deliverance of Abram’s descendants (NIVLASB). God warned Abram about the Egyptian bondage his descendants would endure even before Isaac was born. Why would God knowingly allow His people to endure such suffering? Because He wanted to teach them to trust Him. Brokenness, difficulty and disappointment are often God’s ways of preparing us for maximum usefulness and blessing. When we trust Him, we learn He is faithful and always keeps His word. The prophecy concerning the Israelites exodus and their plundering of the Egyptians came true just as God promised (Ex. 3:21-22; 12:35-41). Later, these possessions would be used to construct the Tabernacle (Ex. 35:21-29) (CFSLPB).

Genesis 15:14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. Then God would judge that nation (Egypt in Ex. 15), and bring Israel out with great substance (cf. Ex. 12:34-36) (KJSB). This extraordinary passage (15:12-16) suggests that God’s judgments are carefully calibrated. God looks ahead more than four hundred years to the time when Abraham’s family will come back to the promised land. Why the long wait for Abraham’s offspring to inherit God has promised them? Because the Amorites, who inhabit the land, aren’t yet wicked enough to deserve ejection. Presumable at any time during these centuries the Amorites can change their trajectory and be spared (NIVGJ).

Genesis 15:15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. What about Abram? What would happen to him? The thought of four hundred years of slavery and oppression undoubtedly saddened Abram, but God had a gracious promise for him. Abram would not have to endure abuse in Egypt. The Lord promised him a long life. He would be buried in a good old age and would go to his fathers in peace, which could just be a figure of speech, meaning that he would live a peaceful, abundant life and then die “Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people” (Gen. 25:8) (LG p. 127). Abraham lived some 37 years after Sarah’s death and died at the age of 175. The Biblical writers comment that Abraham was gathered to his people hints at the Israelites’ early belief in an afterlife. Abraham’s two oldest sons Isaac (now 75; see 21:5) and Ishmael (now 89; see 16:16) took the responsibility of burying their father (KJV).

Genesis 15:16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. The Amorites were one of the nations living in Canaan, the land God promised Abram. God knew the people would grow more wicked and would someday need to be punished. Part of that punishment would involve taking away their land and giving it to Abram’s descendants. God in His mercy was giving the Amorites plenty of time to repent, but He already knew they would not. At the right time, they would have to be punished. Everything God does is true to his character. He is merciful, knows all, and acts justly – and His timing is perfect (NIVLASB). God will use Israel as a means of judgment upon the inhabitants of Canaan, when the iniquity of the Amorites would be full. In verse 15:18, God promised to give the land of Canaan to Abraham’s descendants after four generations (400 years) of bondage (Gen. 15:13-16). Affirming His covenant with Abram, God specified Israel’s future borders as extending from the “river of Egypt” (Wadi el-Arish) to the Euphrates in Syria. This designation is made clear by naming the various Canaanite tribes (15:19-21) that Israel would eventually conquer. These borders were only extended to this length under the reigns of David and Solomon (2 Sam. 10:19). The land promised, including its borders, was given to the nation and people of Israel. It will be guaranteed only by Israel’s continued obedience to the covenant (Deut. 4:23-31). Israel’s later disobedience led to their expulsion by the Babylonians (586 B.C.) and the Romans (A.D. 70). With Israel’s rebirth as a nation in 1948, hope for her full and final restoration has revived but will only be fulfilled during Christ’s millennial kingdom (Rev. 20:1-6; cf. Gen. 24:13-67) (KJSB). God is more patient than we can imagine. He would wait over 400 years to give the land of promise to his people because the wicked Canaanites had not yet reached the point of no return (2 Pe 3:9) (CFSLPB).

References: Fall 2021

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