BIBLICAL FAITH AMIDST THE DAILY GRIND

Genesis 15:1-6
Bob Bonner
January 2, 2005

A while back, when I was wrestling with a major challenge in my own life, I came across this true story that helped me better understand God's concern for my life when I feel like I am between a rock and a hard place.

After fleeing Hitler's Germany in the late 1930's, Albert Einstein found refuge in America. He purchased a quaint, old two-story house on a tree-lined street within walking distance of Princeton University. There the world's foremost mathematician entertained some of the most distinguished scientific and political personalities of the age. He discussed with his noted guests the issues which intrigued his celebrated mind---from physics to religion to human rights. Many of the great ideas which have shaped our modern world were conceived behind the green shutters of that modest little house.

But Einstein had another frequent visitor in his home. She was not a physicist or a world leader. She was a ten-year old girl named Emmy.

Emmy heard that a very kind man who knew a lot about mathematics had moved into her neighborhood. Since Emmy was having some difficulty with her fifth-grade arithmetic, she decided to visit the man down the block and see if he would help her with her problems. Einstein was very willing and he explained everything to her so that she could easily understand it. He also told her she was welcome to come and knock on his front door whenever she encountered a problem that was too difficult.

A few weeks later, Emmy's mother learned from one of her neighbors that Emmy was often seen entering the house of the world-famous physicist. When she asked Emmy about it, the girl admitted it was so. "Why, Emmy!" the mother exclaimed. "Professor Einstein is a very important man! His time is very valuable! He can't be bothered with the problems of a little schoolgirl."

Then Emmy's mother rushed over to Einstein's house and knocked on the door. When Einstein answered the door, she was so flustered at the sight of the famous lined face, the kindly eyes and the familiar man of unruly white hair, that she could only stammer incoherently.

After a few moments, understanding dawned on Einstein's face. "Ah! I think I understand. You're Emmy's mother, aren't you?"

"Yes," she said, sighing in embarrassment, "and I'm so sorry she's been coming over here and bothering you---"

"Bothering me! Ach, no! he laughed. "Why, when a child finds such joy in learning then it is my joy to help her learn! Please don't stop Emmy from coming to me with her school problems. She is welcome in this house anytime." [COURAGE TO BEGIN AGAIN, Ron Lee Davis, p. 169-170]

Sometimes life’s challenges seem huge to us, but they are little more than child's play to God, like fifth grade math was to Albert Einstein. What's more, it is through these challenges that God seeks to build our faith in Him, to see that He is, indeed, trustworthy and thereby nurture our relationship with Him. He delights in pointing us to the solution to our problems and encouraging us along life's path. And this is how it all began for that famous man of Biblical faith, Abraham. Through one challenge, one anxious moment at a time, one lesson of faith at a time, Abraham’s relationship with God grew.

This morning, as we continue our study of Abraham in Genesis 15 we will observe some dynamics of faith that need to be properly understood and applied if we are going to grow in faith and nurture our love for Jesus Christ.

Genesis 15 consists of Two Divine Encounters involving the Lord and Abraham. The first, found in verses 1-6 occurs at night, as a vision and pertains to the promised seed of Abraham. A vision, by the way, is different than being asleep. When you have a vision, you are fully awake. This vision more than likely continues through the next day. The second encounter with the Lord mentioned in this chapter, is found in verses 7-21. It occurs at sundown. It is not a vision, but Abraham is partially in a deep sleep. The message of this encounter pertains to the land God had already promised to Abraham, back in chapter 12.

These two divine encounters with God do not necessarily happen immediately one after the other. In fact, they could have happened days or months apart. This morning we will look at just the first encounter, found in Genesis 15:1-6. In these verses we will read of two confirming statements of God to Abraham, and we will read of Abraham’s responses to both.

We begin with verse 1, and God’s first confirmation to Abraham. “After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.’”

“Do not fear, Abraham,...” I'm convinced that every time God says to someone, "Don't be afraid," the person to whom He is speaking is shot through with fear. And in this case, Abraham is scared to death and not without reason.

Notice the clue to why Abraham has all of a sudden become afraid: it is found in the first three words, "After these things..." in verse 1. What “things”? The things that had just transpired back in chapter 14. If you were not here for that study, chapter 14 speaks of a coalition of four kings from the East, from that area known today as Iraq and Iran. These kings invaded the land of Canaan and had conquered some rebellious Canaanites who had refused to continue paying tribute to them. When they conquered the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, they captured and took away with them Abraham’s nephew Lot. When Abraham found out about it, he lead 318 of his household servants and some other neighboring allies and in a surprise attack, and routed this coalition of four kings and sent them home with their egos bruised.

As a result of the victory, Abraham became famous and loved by the people in the land. But one greedy, self-serving king, the King of Sodom made an offer to Abraham of letting Abraham keep the spoils of war and to be friends. This offer was bogus in the first place, because the defeated King of Sodom had no right to the booty, for he did not participate in the battle. But not wanting to be beholden to the king at all, Abraham refused the King’s offer and sent him packing with all of the spoils of war.

Now a few days have passed and Abraham is apparently having second thoughts about his actions. And the more he thinks about what had just happened, the more he worries. Here’s what I imagine is going on in Abraham's post battle victory mind. He’s probably thinking to himself, “What in the world have I just done? My shattered nerves! I have made myself an enemy of King Chedorlaomer and the rest of the powerful kings of the east. Before I went to war, I was a person whom they never even knew I existed. He wasn't fighting me or my people. He never bothered me at all. He was after those pesky Canaanites. And now, I am the one who will be blamed for his defeat. What's to keep him from licking his wounds and returning to clean my clock!?"

You see, for King Chedolaomer, it was only a 1,200 mile trip around the fertile crescent to Abraham’s front door. If the King had come all that way, the first time to wage war, what's to keep him from collecting his massive army together and returning to regain that which was lost, and more important than the spoils of war, his pride? Humanly speaking, absolutely nothing. And when this king returns, who is going to be number one on his hit parade? Just one man, and it won't be the King of Sodom. It's going to be Abraham. The more he thinks about it, the more Abraham shivers inside his tunic from the fear that has captured his heart.

The costliness of Abraham’s decision to go to war begins to weigh on him. Not unlike many of us when we step out in faith and may be it’s a stretching sacrificial faith gift to the Lord, or a step of faith to turn down a job elsewhere to remain in the valley so that you can continue a ministry at your home church; whether it be to continue on as an elder, or small group leader, or the point person over some other para-church ministry. It’s usually after we have made just such a faith decision that our spiritual enemy, the devil, begins to bombard our minds with doubts and fears.

Here, just a few days after Abraham made this bold step of faith, his heart is arrested by fears and conflicting thoughts. I can just hear Satan whispering in Abraham's ear, "Way to go, Abe. You made a real fool of yourself yesterday. Not too smart, huh? Just think, you could have given up that tent out on the plains of Mamre and purchased a Sea front home on the Mediterranean Sea. Furthermore, you could have traded in your camel for a Sodom-sedan. But no...in one moment of religious fanaticism you had to blow it and throw it all away. Not to brilliant Abram!" The more he thinks, the more doubts, fears and confusion settles in and the more Abraham is convinced he blew it.

It is at this point that God speaks to Abraham and lovingly says, "Don't be afraid."

Notice in verse 1 the introductory formula of “I am...” In other ancient Near Eastern royal proclamations and grants, this “I am...” formula carries with it the unimpeachable authority of the declaration that follows. In other words, if you wanted to say to someone in Abraham’s day that something an absolute guarantee, this is the way you would say it.

In addition, I want you to highlight the expression “the word of the Lord came”. This is the first time the word, “Word” is ever used in the Bible as it refers to God’s word. In addition, some scholars believe that it refers to more than a mere promise or statement from God. One scholar I read believes that this expression refers to God Himself, in the flesh, in the form of the pre-incarnate Christ, appearing to Abraham and speaking to Him. This one scholar points to Jesus’ statement to the Pharisees in John 8:56-58, that Abraham saw “my day” is a reference to this passage in Genesis 15. And as a result, the Jewish religious leaders recognized Jesus claim to not only be alive in Abraham’s day, but that Jesus was claiming to be God. And subsequently, this is why they picked up stones and tried to stone Jesus.

At this point in Genesis 15:1, God says two things to Abraham. First, he says, “Abraham, I am your shield.” Interestingly, the word used here for “shield” comes from the same Hebrew root word for “delivered” used back in 14:20, in which Melchizedek said to Abraham, “the God most high [El Elyon] delivered you.” In other words, God is clearly tying both occasions together for Abraham so that Abraham will learn that the same God that had rescued and protected him back there hasn’t changed. He will still protect him in the future against any foreign enemy. Hence, this self-revealing term “shield” is not a name for God, but it is a role that God plays in all of our lives. God is our “shield”, that is, He is our protector.

As Abraham hears this and focuses on knowing God, his “shield”, you can almost feel his fear subsiding and being replaced with peace and courage. In addition, God makes another declaration. This time it is in the form of a promise. He says, “Your reward shall be great!”

Coming on the heels of the battle with the coalition of 4 eastern kings, and coming after Abraham’s refusal to keep the spoils of war, we have this promise from God. In Abraham’s day, this promise takes on the character of a royal grant that a king in that day might gift to a faithful military officer as compensation for his faithful service. In light of Abraham spurning the King of Sodom’s booty, God rewards Abraham His most prized possession... Himself. In other words, this promise is not just that Abraham would be the father of a great nation that would possess the land of Israel. No, God gifts Abraham with Himself, which includes all of the eternal riches that are in God.

Therefore, Abraham is not to worry about the Kings of the east any more. He is safe. Furthermore, Abraham is not to worry about what wealth he gave up, because he has God, who is greater than all the wealth in the world, and God will take care of his every need. In the end, God is not just telling Abraham here that He is Abraham’s protector, but that He is Abraham’s great rewarder or provider.

Abraham is touched by God’s assurance, I’m sure, but even with what God has just told him, Abraham is still struggling with another fear. I believe that it is the fear that somehow he has misunderstood God’s promise, in Genesis 13:16, that He will give Abraham many descendants and make him a great nation. The only way you can become a nation is if you have children, and up until then, He had had none. It had been ten long years of waiting for Sarah to get pregnant, and still he has no children.

Does God ever delay in your life? What happens to your hope for your immediate future when He delays? What happens internally to you when God doesn’t do things the way you expected or at the time you expected? Proverbs says “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” And Abraham’s heart was sick. Was he somehow responsible for the failure to have a son?

Hence, we read in verses 2-3, Abraham’s response to God first confirmation. Notice, first how he addresses God. It is a rare title for God. “Abram said, “O Lord God,...” This is the first time this name for God is used. “Lord God” in Hebrew is “Adonai Yahweh.” “Adonai” means the same thing that the Greek word for “Lord”, “kurios” means. It means power, master, lord, ownership, authority. When you put “adonai” together with God’s most intimate name, “Yahweh”, Abraham is acknowledging that God is Yahweh, the personal, caring ever present master, owner and Lord over Abraham’s life.

Why is this significant? It is significant in that by his addressing God in this manner, Abraham is revealing his own heartfelt attitude toward God in the question that follows in the rest of the verse. Before we look at Abraham’s question to God, understand his heartfelt approach to God, as revealed by his addressing God as Adonai Yahweh. Here’s my interpretation of what is going on in his heart: “God, you Who care about me, you who have the right to rule my life and to give me directions, I want you to know that it is my desire to follow your directions. But I am wrestling with a concern about one of your promises.” That’s what’s behind Abraham’s simple address to God as Adonai Yahweh. Now, let’s look at Abraham’s request. He says, “....what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus? ”And Abram said, “Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.”

Remember, Lot was no longer with him and hadn’t even shown any gratitude or interest in the family. Hence, including Lot, there was no family heir available to fulfill God’s promise to give Abraham children from whom God would build a nation. The only cultural heir who could take over for Abraham was a household servant named Eliezar. Somehow, that didn’t feel right to Abraham.

Wanting to set Abraham’s concerns to rest, God responds to Abraham’s question. It is here that God gives him a very clear promise that Abraham will indeed give birth to a son. We read, “Then behold,[ or “suddenly”, meaning that God did not want to delay in responding to Abraham. He knew Abraham was sincerely confused and God did not want him to remain in that state. So, “suddenly”] the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.” By not repeating the servant’s name, Eliezer here, God emphasizes the reality that the servant won’t be Abraham’s heir.

Verse 5, “And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” Wow! What a memory peg to hang God’s promise on! Every night that Abraham camped out under the stars, all he had to do was look up, and there was God’s promise staring him in the face. He would indeed have children and descendants as numerous as the stars.

In summary of Abraham’s overall attitude toward trusting God, not just Abraham’s response to God’s illustration of the promise revealed in the stars, we read this: Verse 6, “Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.

This is the first place the Hebrew term “believe” is used in the Bible. It is a word that comes from a root word that pictures dependability, reliability and steadfastness. I like the way one person translates the intent of this verb, “to steady oneself by leaning on...” In response to God’s promise, Abraham leaned on God.

Another insight to this word “believe”, is that in another form, this word “believe” is also translated “amen” or “so be it!”

Hence, when it says that Abraham believed God, Abraham was actually saying, “You said it, God...so I believe it! That settles it!” All of Abraham’s doubts were settled once and for all, when he focused or leaned upon God's promises. That doesn’t mean that Abraham correctly understood all of God’s promises at this point, because, as we will see in the future, he clearly did not. But at least there were no doubts in his mind from this point on that he would have children.

This is the same lesson we learned a few weeks ago from Psalm 46 :10. “Be still and know that I am God.” If Abraham had focused on his own human limitations and what science knew to be true about the possibility for him to give birth to a son, Abraham would have continued to be stirred up or troubled inside. But by focusing on what God had said was true, by clinging to God’s promise, by “knowing God”, Abraham found peace inside. He relaxed.

Now, let's conclude by summarizing five lessons learned about Biblical faith, that come from observing Abraham’s example of living amidst the daily grind of life.

The first thing we observe from Abraham's example is that faith is learned. You are not just born with it. Faith, or the ability to trust God, in the beginning is a gift from God, according to Ephesians 2:8-9. But once faith in God is birthed in your heart, in order for it to grow, it must be tested over time.

For instance: In chapter 14, Abraham learned that God was the One, the “El Elyon” Who made his victory against the foreign kings possible. But what Abraham had not yet considered is that God’s presence and commitment to Abraham did not stop with that victory. God’s shielding or protection for Abraham, God’s provision for Abraham would continue until Abraham had fulfilled his God-given purpose in life, and then God would take him home. Abraham didn’t understand that about God, until he had been tested.

Hence, Abraham learned more about God as he learned to place his faith in God with every test. Faith is learned as we walk with God.

Here is second lesson we learn about Biblical faith from observing Abraham’s life: Once God gives you a call or a mission to accomplish, God will never leave you hanging out to dry. (And by the way, every Christian is called by God to fulfill a mission or purpose.) God will never give you an assignment without enabling you supernaturally to fulfill it. Biblical faith believes that with God’s call comes God’s enablement.

Something else we are learning about Biblical faith as we observe Abraham is that the more Abraham got to know God, His reliability, trustworthiness, His protective and providing powers, the more Abraham was able to trust God with his future as well as his present day challenges. The same is true for us. The more you get to know God as the object of your faith, the better you will be able to cope with your problems.

Fourth, Biblical faith in God is never blind faith. Biblical faith is not what we imagine to be God’s will. Biblical faith is not something we wish for. That was never the basis of Abraham’s kind of faith. Abraham’s Biblical faith was always in response to divine revelation. Today, God’s only divine revelation is His word. In other words, Biblical faith is anchored upon the promises of God found in His word.

Finally, for the Christian, our perspective of life is different than others. As a result, we are often accused of believing in myths or fairy tales. We are declared dangerous religious kooks who are unrealistic or unscientific about life. However, as Abraham reveals, he looked at his situation and was realistic about his human limitation to bear a child in his old age. But being realistic, Abraham rightfully ignored his limitations and chose to believe God because God promised him otherwise. Biblical faith is realistic, yet understands that physical and other limitations do not apply to God. For whatever He promises, He will bring to pass, regardless of limitations.

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