15
1. After 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.” Ps. 28:7
God visits Abram in a vision, I believe that this vision comes in the form of a dream. I say this because in verse five we are told that the Lord brings Abram outside to number the stars. So, Abram was in his abode and apparently it was night because the stars are out for Abram to see. One thing I would like to mention here also is this; we see throughout the scriptures that when God appears to the patriarchs and prophets of the bible, his first words are, “Do not be afraid” these are words of comfort that are meant to take away any fear that the person is feeling from being in the presence of the Lord. God tells Abram I am your protector (shield), and through Me you will be rewarded for your faithfulness; not just any reward but an “exceedingly great reward”, not only is God telling Abram something even more profound; He is saying to Abram that even though he will have all this land, and that his descendants shall be to great to number, as great as that sounds, there is no greater reward than to have a relationship with God the Father. This should be the goal of all mankind. We should find that which was lost at the Garden (Matt 11:28).
2 But Abram said, “Lord God, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 11:30; 16:1
3 Then Abram said, “Look, you have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!”
Abram answers back; What will my reward be? He is saying Lord, you promised me that I would inherit all this land not only for me but for my descendants (Compare Gen 13:14-16). “Yet I have no children of my own blood who would be my heir. According to our customs: Eliezer of Damascus is my sole heir.” Eliezer is probably a servant in Abrams house and is also probably the first male born in his house.
4 And 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.” 2 Sam. 7:12
God Answers back to Abram telling him that his heir shall be from his own flesh and blood.
5 Then 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.”
Then the Lord took Abram out from inside his house and said to, “Look at all the stars in the heavens, count them if you can (which no one can count the stars because there are so many), this is Gods point, His descendants will be so great that no man can count them all.
6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. Rom. 4:3; Gal. 3:6; James 2:23
Abram believed what God had promised, and because of his belief in what God had promised him The Lord Judged Abram and found him to be righteous (without guilt).
7 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.”
12:1, 2;Ps. 105:42, 44
God is reminding Abram who He is. He is basically saying” “I am the same God who spoke to you when you lived in the land of Ur, I promised you back then that I would give you this land, and I am the one true God who does not, and cannot lie.” (Gen 12:1-2)
8 he said, “Lord how shall I know that I will inherit it?”
Abram still wants to know how he will be sure if he inherits
the land. Because of what I read in verse six of this chapter,
I must conclude that it is not Abram’s weakness of faith that
is being revealed here, I believe it is a matter of him not
being alive long enough to see his heirs number in such a
great multitude as that of the stars in heaven. Another
side of this could be the telling of the relationship that
Abram has with God. Abram has such a close relationship
with the father that he feels comfortable enough to ask God
for some kind of sign to assure him of this promise. We see
this kind of relationship with Abram and God when God
tells Abram that he is going to destroy Sodom and
Gomorrah, And Abram keeps bargaining with God in
regards to the salvation of the people (Compare Gen 18:23-32). Abram and God are developing a true Father son relationship to such a degree that Abram can express his true feelings (from the heart) to God and God knows that there is nothing unrighteous about how he feels inside. God knows what’s in a mans heart and He sees nothing but pureness In Abrams heart. Abram felt compassion for his fellow man,not just for the righteous but also for the wicked. Abram must have been a remarkable man (Compare Heb 4:12).
9 So He said to him, “Bring me a three-year old heifer, a
three-year old female goat, a three-year old ram, a
turtledove, and a young pigeon.”
This is the third recording of the scriptures where sacrifices
are being offered to God in this manner. The first recording
of this type of sacrifice (on a much smaller scale) is the
offerings in Gen 4:3-5 where Abel and Cain bring up an
offering to the Lord. The reason I say “on a much smaller
scale” is because this is not considered to be a covenant
between the three. As opposed to Noah and Abram which
God says are covenants between them. I will go a little more
into detail about these covenants when I get to Gen 15:18.
However I would like to copy an excerpt from the
Matthews Henry concise commentary in regards to why
these certain animals were chosen here. It reads as follows:
Those who could not offer a bullock, were to bring a sheep or a goat; and those who were not able to do that, were accepted of God, if they brought a turtle-dove, or a pigeon. Those creatures were chosen for sacrifice which were mild, and gentle, and harmless; to show the innocence and meekness that were in Christ, and that should be in Christians.
I would also like to add one more commentary; this one
being from Adam Clarke’s commentary on the bible. He
explains verse ten this way:
It is worthy of remark, that every animal allowed or commanded to be sacrificed under the Mosaic law is to be found in this list. And is it not a proof that God was now giving to Abram an epitome of that law and its sacrifices which he intended more fully to reveal to Moses; the essence of which consisted in its sacrifices, which typified the Lamb of God that
takes away the sin of the world?
There is also something else here that I would like to point
out to whoever reads this, and that is the age of the animals
to be sacrificed here (three years of age): which is the total
number of years that our Lord Jesus Christ ministered here
on earth. To me personally this is more proof that the bible
is God breathed. We see these kinds of simile’s over and
over throughout the bible.
10 Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two,
down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other;
but he did not cut the birds in two. Lev. 1:17
Again, I would like to refer to Adam Clarke’s commentary
on the symbolism/ceremonies of the way in which these
animals were sacrificed (Seeing as I too am learning about
this aspect of God and his ways), God is preparing Abram
for a covenant which the two are about to make.
Rabbi Solomon Jarchi says, “It was a custom with those who entered into covenant with each other to take a heifer and cut it in two, and then the contracting parties passed between
the pieces.”
Adam Clarke’s commentary in Jeremiah 34:18 goes into
more detail on this subject. It reads as follows:
When they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof – This was the ancient and most solemn way of making a covenant.
1. A calf as sacrifice was offered to God to secure his approbation and support.
2. The victim was then exactly divided from the nose to the rump; the spinal marrow being divided longitudinally, in the most careful manner, that the half of it might remain on each side.
3. These divided parts were laid opposite to each other, a passage being left between them.
4. The contracting parties entered this passage at each end, met in the middle, and there took the covenant oath; adjudging themselves to death should they break this covenant.
5. Then they both feasted on the victim. In reference to this last circumstance, God says he will give their bodies for meat to the fowls of heaven and to the beasts. This is a farther conformity between the crime and the punishment.
Let us again go to Adam Clarke’s commentary for his explanation on the difference in which the way the birds were to be offered up:
On the several animals which God ordered Abram to take, Rabbi Jarchi remarks: “The idolatrous nations are compared in the Scriptures to bulls, rams, and goats; for it is written, Psa 22:12: Many bulls have compassed me about. Dan 8:20: The ram which thou hast seen is the king of Persia. The rough goat is the king of Greece. Dan 8:21. But the Israelites are compared to doves, etc.; Son 2:14: “O my dove, that art in the cleft of the rock. The division of the above carcasses denotes the division and extermination of the idolatrous nations; but the birds not being divided, shows that the Israelites are to abide for ever.” See Jarchi on the place.
I know that to many who first read this may think to themselves “how primitive” but one must remember a couple things. These sacrifices were in fact the customs of the day and therefore was a part of life that didn’t seem out of the ordinary. Also we must understand God’s purpose and what his grand design for mankind is. Back then the people were as they say not yet ready for the solid meat of Gods word. Man had to learn (and still is learning) our purpose and how God is working with us to get to where He wants us to be. Man has to learn that there is a blood sacrifice required for sin. If God were to have Sacrificed his only begotten at Abrams time for mankind, people would have been dumbfounded, not understanding why, God himself (through His Word-Jesus Christ), with all His Holiness, being a Spirit being, become a man and die for our sins. These animal sacrifices all point to Jesus Christ as our one true, pure sacrifice, born without sin to die for our sins. Jesus is the only perfect sacrifice that God will accept for mans iniquities. This is what God is teaching us, who live in today’s time, to understand and accept. And now this brings us to the next verse, that we may understand.
11 And when the vultures came down on the carcasses,
Abram drove them away.
I will again go to Adam Clarke’s commentary for this verse
and copy some passages he uses to support his comments:
For whatever purpose a covenant was made, it was ever ratified by a sacrifice offered to God; and the passing between the divided parts of the victim appears to have signified that each agreed, if they broke their engagements, to submit to the punishment of being cut asunder; which we find from Mat 24:51; Luk 12:46, was an ancient mode of punishment.
Adam Clark goes on to say the following:
And when the fowls (birds of prey), came down upon the carcasses to devour them, Abram, who stood by his sacrifice waiting for the manifestation of God, who had ordered him to prepare for the ratification of the covenant, drove them away, that they might neither pollute nor devour what had been thus consecrated to God.
After studying this verse and meditating on it a bit I would like to add my thoughts on this; in my opinion, the vultures represent Satan and his demons who try to corrupt and defile that which is sacred to God. Even though this offering to God is not a representation of a sin offering, or peace offering, or any offerings made to God, for remission for us; all the animals and bird that are listed here are still a representation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Just as Jesus was brought into this world to be the perfect offering to God, Satan immediately tried to devour Him at his birth (by Herod’s decree to kill all the young males two years and younger), to Satan tempting Jesus in the wilderness after he received the Holy Spirit from God. And also, just as Abram drove away these vultures so to did Jesus when he commanded Satan while in the wilderness (Matt 4:10). We to, like Abram should always be alert like the watchman on the tower, and not let Satan devour and defile our christian beliefs and practices.
12 Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. 28:11
Strongs definition: Horror: (H367) From the same as H366; fright; concretely an idol (as a bugbear): – dread. fear, horror, idol, terrible, terror.
Darkness:(H2825)From H2821; darkness; figuratively misery: – darkness.
Abram stayed all day guarding his sacrifices to God and now it was almost sunset and he grew weary and went into a deep sleep. The horror that fell upon Abram was probably the fact that in verse thirteen God reveals to him that his descendants would suffer tremendously, which in turn would account for why he felt horror, and fear, and misery. Imagine if God almighty himself came to you one night and you were told that your children, and your children children, and so on and so forth were going to suffer greatly. As a father that would be one of the worst things you could ever imagine.
13 Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.
There seems to be differing opinions as to when the countdown started the four hundred years of affliction upon Abrams seed. In Adam Clarke’s commentary on this verse, though he does give his own opinion, he also states what the beliefs are of some scholars up to his time. These opinions according to Mr. Clarke are as follows:
In former times most people counted by generations, to each of which was assigned a term of years amounting to 20, 25, 30, 33, 100, 108, or 110; for the generation was of various lengths among various people, at different times. It is probable that the fourth generation mentioned in verse 16 means the same as the four hundred years in the preceding verse. Some think it refers to the time when Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the son of Amram, the son of Kohath, came out of Egypt, and divided the land of Canaan to Israel, Jos_14:1. Others think the fourth generation of the Amorites is intended, because it is immediately added.
I wrote a Rabbi who belongs to the Chabad.org website which if you remember I mentioned in my devotional quality portion in the beginning of my book as a source of inspiration for my studies. The following is the response I got from Rabbi Chein explains the four hundred years of affliction in Egypt in terms of Generations of descendants of Abram in this way:
The descendants of Abraham were exiled to Egypt when Jacob descended along with his children and grandchildren. The four generations are counted from those who were exiled. For example, Jacob’s son Judah, his grandson Peretz, and his great-grandson Hezron are three generations, and Caleb, son of Hezron, the fourth generation, returned to the land of Israel. Kehot, son of Levi, was among the exiles, as was his son Amram and his grandchildren Moses and Aaron, and their children, the fourth generation, entered Israel.
Then there is the opinion of the church I belong to which say’s that it appears to begin at the death of Abraham, but they do not give an explanation (which is something I will go over with my pastor during our next meeting. I will though for now copy what the United Church of Gods comments are on this subject:
God promised multitudinous descendants to Abram, but He also promised that they would be enslaved for a period of time before being delivered with great wealth. The period of 400 years mentioned in verse 13 is not the period of their slavery. Biblical chronology indicates that Israel was enslaved for just over 200 years. The 400 years appear to date from Abraham’s death to Israel’s possession of the Promised Land (though there are other possibilities).
The church of God does say that there are other possibilities but they do not elaborate on the possibilities.
14 “And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.
15 “Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. 25:8
16 “But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” Ex 12:40,41 Num. 32:33,39
Everything else that is commented on verses 14-16 seem to be universal and in agreement with the beliefs that are commented on from the United Church of God commentary:
But why was there to be a delay in Israel’s possessing the land and servitude to a foreign nation? One reason is expressly stated. God says that the iniquity of the Amorites, who dwelt in Canaan, was not yet full—meaning that God was extending mercy to them, allowing them time to repent. God deals justly with all people, and He often delays punishment until the situation shows no hope of betterment. But another reason for the delay and servitude was probably to condition Israel. If Israel had developed in the land, unmolested, they may have acquired a general disposition of rejecting any dealings with God whatsoever—”Who needs God if everything is fine,” human reasoning says. But by allowing Israel to be enslaved, they would be humbled and willing to listen. Though they ultimately displeased God by rebelling against Him, they undoubtedly went further in serving Him than they otherwise would have. As God told Paul, in weakness we can be made strong (2 Corinthians 12:9; compare Hebrews 11:34). Additionally, if Israel would be taken out of slavery and made great, the credit for the greatness would more obviously be God’s.
I would like to add my own opinion here as far as why God did what he did here. I also must say here that I get this opinion from something that my pastor just commented on in his last sermon that was just given on June 27, 2015 and it has to do with the reason for prophecy. In his sermon he was telling us the purpose of prophecy and that there were two reasons for them:
“The two purposes of prophecy is one, to show God’s
greatness, and number two is to give us hope.” Lets take a
look in the book of Isaiah to see what God says (Isa 46:8-10).
So with this in mind I believe one of the purposes for what
God is doing to Israel is a lessen for all mankind, (with
Israel being used as the example), that when God tells the
future even before it has come to pass, helps prove his
existence and his power. Also in this same vision God is
giving to Abram, he is giving hope to him by telling him that
his people will return to this land promised to Abram, with
great possessions.
17 And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. Jer. 34:18,19
18 On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram saying:
“To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates- Josh. 1:4
19 “the Kenites, the kennezzites, the Kadmonites,
20 “The Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, Deut. 7:1
21 The Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the
Jebusites.”
As mentioned in my previous comments in Genesis 9:1-17 in
regards to offerings and covenants we now see the beginning of
Abrahamic covenant. unlike most covenants between two people where they both would pass through carcasses, in essence saying that if either one of them would break the covenant, the splitting of the carcasses would represent what would happen to the person who broke the
covenant. The requirements of this covenant only pertains
to God. Abram does not have to do anything on his part in
order for God to fulfill his promise to him, unlike the
Mosaic covenant whereas God puts certain conditions on
the Hebrews in order for them to obtain the promises that
God gave them. In the mosaic Covenant God told the
people of Israel that he would give them all these blessings,
if they would in turn keep their end of the bargain (so to
speak). Abram did not have to do anything on his part in
order to obtain this blessing (covenant) from God. In my
opinion, the reason Abram didn’t have to do anything on
his part is because of what is said verse’s 4-6 (Gen 15:4-6). Abram, because of his faith has already found favor in Gods
eyes. Not only that but God didn’t even have to show
wonders and miracles in order for Abram to have faith in
Him. Whereas the Mosaic covenant is made to a whole
nation and not just one man. The Hebrews have already
shown that they have little faith and have rebelled and
complained against God and Moses after seeing all the
wonders that God did for them. The Hebrew people
have to prove themselves to God, (which unfortunately they
have failed miserably in that department). Not to say that
the Israelite people have the market cornered in that
aspect. Mankind (me included) have failed in so many ways
when it comes to being a Believer, and we struggle daily to
be the kind of children that God wants us to be. As Paul
said in Romans 7:24 “O wretched man that I am, who shall
deliver me from from the body of this death.”
One other point I would like to make here, to all the
people who call the Israelites “occupiers” in the land of
Israel today either haven’t read their bible, or choose to
ignore this part of the bible out of their hatred for the
people of Israel. And in all reality the land of Israel belongs
to God who decided long ago that he would give this land
to the children of Abraham and confirmed through Isaac,
the son of Abram and Jacob, son of Isaac.