Genesis 15: God's Covenant with Abram
After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.
And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?
And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.
And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.
And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.
In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,
And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,
And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
Genesis 15, a pivotal chapter in the narrative of Abram (later Abraham), shifts from the battlefield triumphs of Genesis 14 to a deeply personal and profound encounter between God and Abram. Where Genesis 14 was an action-packed story of war and rescue, Genesis 15 consists of a single conversational encounter between the Lord and Abram. It’s a chapter about faith, doubt, and the unwavering commitment of God to His promises, concluding with the formalizing of God's covenant promises to Abram in a dramatic covenant ritual. This chapter offers invaluable insights into God's character and the nature of faith.
The Promise Renewed (Genesis 15:1-5)
About ten years had passed since Abram first picked up and moved his family toward Canaan (Genesis 12:1-4). The chapter opens with a powerful and reassuring message from the Lord: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward" (Genesis 15:1). This "word of the Lord" came to Abram in a vision, offering comfort and reaffirmation of God's commitment. Yet, despite this divine assurance, Abram voices his concerns, revealing a vulnerability and a questioning heart. He respectfully points out that he remains childless, and his heir is merely a servant (Genesis 15:2-3). Abram’s faith was starting to falter.
God, understanding Abram's anxieties, patiently renews His covenant. Insisting that one who comes from [his] own body would inherit his wealth (Genesis 15:4). He leads Abram outside and directs him to gaze at the vast expanse of the night sky, filled with countless stars. "Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them," God says. Then he added some specificity to the promise: whereas previously he had said Abram would simply become “a great nation” (Genesis 12:2), now he fleshed that out by pointing to the stars. "So shall your offspring be" (Genesis 15:5). This vivid illustration emphasizes the immeasurable nature of God's promise, a promise that seems impossible given Abram's age and circumstances. Abram felt old and barren, and God knew it. But if God was powerful enough to create billions of stars out of nothing, he would be powerful enough to create new life from an old man. And he’s powerful enough to create new life in you, too.
Abram's Faith Reckoned as Righteousness (Genesis 15:6)
Genesis 15:6 is a cornerstone verse, not just in Genesis, but in the entire Bible: "Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness." While looking up at the night sky, in spite of all the obstacles still before him, Abram believed God’s promise. God saw this faith and credited it to him as righteousness. The apostle Paul would pick up on this verse in Romans 4:3, using Abram as an example of how faith works. God spoke to Abram, and Abram took him at his word. That’s the essence of faith. Because of this faith, God chose to count Abram’s faith as righteousness. That’s the result of faith.
This profound statement highlights that righteousness is not earned through works but received through faith in God and His promises. Both Paul and James reference this verse in the New Testament (Romans 4:3, Galatians 3:6, James 2:23), solidifying its importance in Christian theology. It underscores the core principle that our acceptance before God is a gift of grace received through faith, not a reward for our own merit.
The Covenant Ceremony (Genesis 15:7-21)
Even with his faith affirmed, Abram still seeks further assurance. He asks, "Lord GOD, how can I know that I will possess this land?" (Genesis 15:8). God doesn’t reject Abram's request for reassurance. Instead He instructs Abram to gather five specific animals, to cut some in half, and to arrange them in a specific way. He told Abram to get a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon (Genesis 15:9). Abram did so and cut each animal in half (Genesis 15:10). Then Abram fell asleep (Genesis 15:12). This sets the stage for a dramatic covenant ritual.
The scene shifts as a deep sleep falls upon Abram, and he experiences a prophetic vision. God reveals the future suffering of his descendants, who will be enslaved in a foreign land for 400 years before being liberated with great wealth (Genesis 15:13-16). God also assures Abram that he will die in peace at an old age, spared from witnessing these future trials.
These strange details are important to what happened next. God renewed his cov-enant with Abram, giving a few more specifics about the promised land (Genesis 15:18-21) and letting Abram know about Israel’s future exile in Egypt (Genesis 15:13-16). The key detail, though, is that God alone—in the form of a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch—passed through the path of the torn animals (Genesis 15:17).
Covenants like this one were supposed to have two people involved. Both parties to the covenant were supposed to walk between the slain animals, signaling that if either one broke their side of the agreement, he would suffer a fate like that of the animals. God’s covenant, then, was radically unique: Abram wasn’t even awake when it was made, so he couldn’t walk the cov-enant out. God walked through for both of them, promising to bear the fatal burden if either of them broke the covenant. Centuries later, after mountains of human sin had accumulated, the Son of God bore the covenant penalty on the cross of Calvary.
This symbolic act signifies God's unilateral commitment to the covenant. The smoking fire pot and flaming torch represent God's presence and power, passing through the divided animals, indicating that He alone will bear the responsibility for fulfilling the covenant promises. This foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who would ultimately bear the penalty for our sins, fulfilling God's covenant with humanity. The chapter concludes with God defining the boundaries of the Promised Land, solidifying His promise to give this land to Abram's descendants (Genesis 15:18-21).
Genesis 15 offers a powerful testament to God's faithfulness, His patience with our doubts, and the transformative power of faith. It is a chapter that resonates with hope and assurance, reminding us that God's promises are steadfast and that He is always faithful to fulfill His word. It also teaches us about the nature of faith, which is not the absence of doubt, but the presence of trust in the face of uncertainty.
After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.
And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?
And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.
And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.
And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.
In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,
And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,
And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
Genesis 15, a pivotal chapter in the narrative of Abram (later Abraham), shifts from the battlefield triumphs of Genesis 14 to a deeply personal and profound encounter between God and Abram. Where Genesis 14 was an action-packed story of war and rescue, Genesis 15 consists of a single conversational encounter between the Lord and Abram. It’s a chapter about faith, doubt, and the unwavering commitment of God to His promises, concluding with the formalizing of God's covenant promises to Abram in a dramatic covenant ritual. This chapter offers invaluable insights into God's character and the nature of faith.
The Promise Renewed (Genesis 15:1-5)
About ten years had passed since Abram first picked up and moved his family toward Canaan (Genesis 12:1-4). The chapter opens with a powerful and reassuring message from the Lord: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward" (Genesis 15:1). This "word of the Lord" came to Abram in a vision, offering comfort and reaffirmation of God's commitment. Yet, despite this divine assurance, Abram voices his concerns, revealing a vulnerability and a questioning heart. He respectfully points out that he remains childless, and his heir is merely a servant (Genesis 15:2-3). Abram’s faith was starting to falter.
God, understanding Abram's anxieties, patiently renews His covenant. Insisting that one who comes from [his] own body would inherit his wealth (Genesis 15:4). He leads Abram outside and directs him to gaze at the vast expanse of the night sky, filled with countless stars. "Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them," God says. Then he added some specificity to the promise: whereas previously he had said Abram would simply become “a great nation” (Genesis 12:2), now he fleshed that out by pointing to the stars. "So shall your offspring be" (Genesis 15:5). This vivid illustration emphasizes the immeasurable nature of God's promise, a promise that seems impossible given Abram's age and circumstances. Abram felt old and barren, and God knew it. But if God was powerful enough to create billions of stars out of nothing, he would be powerful enough to create new life from an old man. And he’s powerful enough to create new life in you, too.
Abram's Faith Reckoned as Righteousness (Genesis 15:6)
Genesis 15:6 is a cornerstone verse, not just in Genesis, but in the entire Bible: "Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness." While looking up at the night sky, in spite of all the obstacles still before him, Abram believed God’s promise. God saw this faith and credited it to him as righteousness. The apostle Paul would pick up on this verse in Romans 4:3, using Abram as an example of how faith works. God spoke to Abram, and Abram took him at his word. That’s the essence of faith. Because of this faith, God chose to count Abram’s faith as righteousness. That’s the result of faith.
This profound statement highlights that righteousness is not earned through works but received through faith in God and His promises. Both Paul and James reference this verse in the New Testament (Romans 4:3, Galatians 3:6, James 2:23), solidifying its importance in Christian theology. It underscores the core principle that our acceptance before God is a gift of grace received through faith, not a reward for our own merit.
The Covenant Ceremony (Genesis 15:7-21)
Even with his faith affirmed, Abram still seeks further assurance. He asks, "Lord GOD, how can I know that I will possess this land?" (Genesis 15:8). God doesn’t reject Abram's request for reassurance. Instead He instructs Abram to gather five specific animals, to cut some in half, and to arrange them in a specific way. He told Abram to get a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon (Genesis 15:9). Abram did so and cut each animal in half (Genesis 15:10). Then Abram fell asleep (Genesis 15:12). This sets the stage for a dramatic covenant ritual.
The scene shifts as a deep sleep falls upon Abram, and he experiences a prophetic vision. God reveals the future suffering of his descendants, who will be enslaved in a foreign land for 400 years before being liberated with great wealth (Genesis 15:13-16). God also assures Abram that he will die in peace at an old age, spared from witnessing these future trials.
These strange details are important to what happened next. God renewed his cov-enant with Abram, giving a few more specifics about the promised land (Genesis 15:18-21) and letting Abram know about Israel’s future exile in Egypt (Genesis 15:13-16). The key detail, though, is that God alone—in the form of a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch—passed through the path of the torn animals (Genesis 15:17).
Covenants like this one were supposed to have two people involved. Both parties to the covenant were supposed to walk between the slain animals, signaling that if either one broke their side of the agreement, he would suffer a fate like that of the animals. God’s covenant, then, was radically unique: Abram wasn’t even awake when it was made, so he couldn’t walk the cov-enant out. God walked through for both of them, promising to bear the fatal burden if either of them broke the covenant. Centuries later, after mountains of human sin had accumulated, the Son of God bore the covenant penalty on the cross of Calvary.
This symbolic act signifies God's unilateral commitment to the covenant. The smoking fire pot and flaming torch represent God's presence and power, passing through the divided animals, indicating that He alone will bear the responsibility for fulfilling the covenant promises. This foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who would ultimately bear the penalty for our sins, fulfilling God's covenant with humanity. The chapter concludes with God defining the boundaries of the Promised Land, solidifying His promise to give this land to Abram's descendants (Genesis 15:18-21).
Genesis 15 offers a powerful testament to God's faithfulness, His patience with our doubts, and the transformative power of faith. It is a chapter that resonates with hope and assurance, reminding us that God's promises are steadfast and that He is always faithful to fulfill His word. It also teaches us about the nature of faith, which is not the absence of doubt, but the presence of trust in the face of uncertainty.