God's Response to Abraham

In our previous edition we were taking a quick survey of Abram’s faith in Genesis.  Abram had saved Lot and the other inhabitants from a cruel Suzerain, and they had responded by asking Abram to be their new suzerain.  Abram refused realizing that God is the one who is to be the true suzerain of man.

In Genesis 15 we see God come to Abram again.

Genesis 15:1–6 (NKJV)  ¹After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” ²But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliazer of Damascus?”  ³Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!” ⁴And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.”  ⁵Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”

⁶And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

God indeed let’s Abram know that he will be his protection and his reward.  Abram does not understand how and why his only heir seems to be his servant.  Then God reiterates his promise to make his offspring like the stars of heaven without number.  What is noteworthy here is that Abram believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.  Because of Abram’s faith he was declared righteous.  What is interesting is that the term believed is past tense.  He didn’t just believe now, but had believed before, 15 years had passed since Abram’s first call from Ur. 

This declaration of Abram’s righteousness, 14 years before his circumcision, was a problem for the traditional Jews who thought that keeping the law and being circumcised was all that was necessary for righteousness.  It is this false teaching that Paul was addressing in Romans 4.  The Romans, just as Abram, would not be justified by keeping the law, which is an impossibility, but rather by putting their faith in God.

Paul also explains that he would be a “father of many nations,” not through blood, but through saving faith.

We must ask the question today, are you a descendant of Abram having put your faith in Jesus Christ for Salvation?