Genesis 15 - Believing In God vs. Believing God

 After the events of Genesis 14, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision. Abram was told not to be afraid. God said that He was Abram’s shield and exceedingly great reward. Abram asked God, “what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” Then Abram said to God, “Look, You have given me no offspring, indeed one born in my house is my heir!” Remember back in Genesis 12, Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran. So, he is obviously thinking at this point that his head servant (born in his house), Eliezer, will have to be his heir. Abram must have forgotten that God told him in Genesis 13 that his descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth. Also, keep in mind that Sarai was up in age somewhat herself. God told Abram that Eliezer will not be his heir, but his heir will be one that comes from his own body. Then God had Abram go outside and told him to look towards heaven and count the stars if he could number them. God said, “So shall your descendants be.”

Because Abram believed in God it was accounted to him for righteousness. Some Bible translations say “believed in the Lord” (KJV and NKJV) while others such as the NIV say “believed the Lord”. Depending on how you look at it, believing in God can merely mean believing that He exists, which is not bad within itself. Believing God can mean that you have the utmost trust in Him no matter what, which is definitely not bad. Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”(NKJV) First step – you must have faith to please God. Second step – you must come to God believing that He is (exists). Third step – you must believe that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek (pursue) Him. For me, based on Hebrews 11:6, both phrases are equally important. Who would diligently pursue something or someone they didn’t believe in or believe? Take a moment to think about something or someone you diligently pursued. Now, think about your pursuit of God. How does your pursuit of God measure up in comparison? Regardless of which translations you prefer, the bottom line is that they say it was accounted (credited) to Abram for righteousness. Based on your belief, how much righteousness are you exhibiting?

God reminds Abram that He brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans (Abram’s native land – Genesis 11:31) to the land he was inheriting. Then Abram asks God, “how shall I know that I will inherit it?” Have you ever questioned something God has revealed to you? In response to Abram’s question, God told Abram to get a heifer, female goat and a ram, each 3 years old. Along with those animals he was to get a turtledove and a young pigeon. When he brought the animals to God, he cut them in two, down the middle and placed each piece opposite of each other. However, he did not cut the birds in two. Abram had to drive away vultures when they came down on the carcasses.

As the sun was going down, Abram fell into a deep sleep and horror and great darkness fell upon him also. God proceeds to tell Abram about what will happen to his descendants. Abram’s descendants will be strangers in a land that’s not theirs and will serve them. His descendants will serve them and be afflicted for 400 years. God said that He will judge this nation and afterwards, Abram’s descendants will leave with great possessions. Here, God is telling Abram about events in the Book of Exodus.

God promised Abram that he would die peaceably after living to a good old age. It wouldn’t be until the fourth generation that his descendants would return to the land because the Amorites’ iniquity was thriving in it.

When the sun went down, it was dark and a smoking oven and burning torch passed between the animal pieces. On this same day, the Lord made the covenant with Abram that He is giving his descendants the land from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates. They will get the land of the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!