Genesis 15

In Genesis 15, God reaffirms His covenant with Abram, giving him a vision that promises both land and descendants. This chapter is pivotal as it introduces the formalization of God's promise, involving Abram's faith and God's unilateral commitment to fulfill His word.

Genesis 15:1 (NKJV)
"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.'"

God reassures Abram in a vision, telling him not to fear. After the recent battle Abram fought to rescue Lot (Genesis 14), he might have been concerned about potential retaliation or his uncertain future. God’s assurance that He is Abram’s shield and reward is both protection and promise of blessing. This indicates that Abram should trust in God’s protection and the fulfillment of His promises instead of being troubled by external threats.

Genesis 15:2-3 (NKJV)
"But Abram said, '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!'"

Abram’s response shows his deep concern over the promise of descendants. Although God had promised to make Abram into a great nation (Genesis 12:2), he is still childless. His only potential heir is Eliezer, a servant in his household. Abram's question reflects his confusion and uncertainty about how God's promise will come to pass. He expresses his desire for an heir, yet struggles to see how it will happen since he and Sarai remain without children.

Genesis 15:4-5 (NKJV)
"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.' 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.'"

God corrects Abram’s misunderstanding by clearly stating that Eliezer will not be his heir. Instead, Abram will have a biological son. God then leads Abram outside to gaze at the stars, using this image as a metaphor for the countless descendants Abram will have. This vision of the stars reinforces God’s promise, reminding Abram that the fulfillment of this promise will surpass his expectations, just as the stars are beyond his ability to count.

Genesis 15:6 (NKJV)
"And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness."

Abram’s response to God’s promise is one of faith. Despite the seeming impossibility of the situation, Abram chooses to believe that God will do what He has said. This faith is what God credits as righteousness. This verse is foundational in Scripture, later referenced by Paul in Romans and Galatians to emphasize that righteousness comes by faith, not by works. Abram's belief in God's word is what justifies him in God's eyes, setting a model of faith for future generations.

Genesis 15:7-8 (NKJV)
"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?'"

God reminds Abram that He is the one who called him out of his homeland in Ur and promised him this new land as an inheritance. Abram, in response, seeks further confirmation from God. While his question could be seen as doubt, it seems more a request for assurance or a sign. Abram has faith but desires a tangible expression of God’s commitment to His promise, reflecting the human desire for reassurance when facing great promises and uncertainties.

Genesis 15:9-11 (NKJV)
"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.' 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. And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away."

In this passage, God instructs Abraham (Abram) to prepare a specific set of animals for a covenant ritual. In ancient Near Eastern culture, this ritual involved cutting animals in half and laying the pieces opposite each other, forming a path between them. It symbolized a binding covenant between two parties. The act of walking between the carcasses signified that if either party broke the covenant, they would suffer the same fate as the slaughtered animals.

God used this familiar ritual to formally seal His covenant with Abraham, promising to give him descendants and the land. The carcasses represented the seriousness and binding nature of the promise. The birds of prey that came down on the carcasses could symbolize opposition or distractions, but Abraham driving them away highlights his vigilance in guarding God's promise. Later, in verses 17-18, God Himself passes through the pieces in the form of a smoking furnace and flaming torch, indicating that the covenant was unconditional, relying solely on God's faithfulness.

Genesis 15:12-13 (NKJV)
"Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. 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.'"

As Abram falls into a deep sleep, a sense of dread and darkness overwhelms him. God then reveals a future time of suffering for Abram's descendants, foretelling their slavery in Egypt. This prophecy shows that while the promise of land and descendants is secure, it will not come without hardship. The mention of four hundred years aligns with the later period of Israel’s bondage in Egypt, indicating that God's plan includes both the promise and the trials that will come before its fulfillment.

Genesis 15:14-16 (NKJV)
"And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete."

God assures Abram that though his descendants will suffer, He will ultimately judge the nation that oppresses them, and they will leave with great wealth. Abram himself is promised a peaceful death at an old age. The reference to the Amorites indicates that the inhabitants of the promised land have not yet reached the full measure of their sin, giving a reason for the delay in Israel’s inheritance of the land. This timing reflects God’s justice and patience with the Amorites while simultaneously preparing Abram’s descendants for their future return.

Genesis 15:17-18 (NKJV)
"And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. 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—'"

As darkness falls, while Abram is still sleeping, God Himself, symbolized by a smoking oven and a burning torch, passes between the animal pieces. This is significant because only God passes through, indicating that this covenant is unilateral—God alone takes responsibility for its fulfillment. The promise is then reiterated: Abram's descendants will inherit a vast territory, extending from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates. This act of God solidifies His unwavering commitment to fulfilling the promises made to Abram.

Genesis 15:19-21 (NKJV)
"—the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites."

These verses list the various peoples who currently occupy the land God has promised to Abram’s descendants. This detailed list serves as a reminder of the specific nations that will eventually be displaced when Abram’s descendants take possession of the land. It emphasizes the extent of the promise and the divine plan to give the land to Abram’s descendants at the appointed time, according to God’s justice and mercy.