ABRAM IS ENCOURAGED

Genesis 15 is indeed an exceptional chapter!

It begins with Abram bringing somewhat of a complaint to God.  Essentially, he says (paraphrased):

God, You said I would be a great nation, but I'm getting old and still have no child.  If I were to die right now, my servant, Eliezer of Damascus, would be my heir!  

God - in His great patience - speaks to Abram:

“This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.”  He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”  [vs.4-5]

The next words are important! 

Abram believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness.   [v.6]

Notice three things:

1. This is the first time the word "righteousness" occurs in our Bible!
2. No law had been given yet!   Abram's righteousness had nothing to do with the Law!
3. Abram hadn't been circumcised yet, which makes him the faith father of us all!

What happens next is both precious and VERY MYSTERIOUS!

God reassures Abram that He is going to give him (and his descendants) the land of Canaan.  When Abram questions this promise, God instructs him to bring a heifer, a goat, a ram (each three years old) along with a dove and a young pigeon.  Understanding an ancient covenant ritual, Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other... [v.10].

Then, Abram fell into a deep sleep as a thick and dreadful darkness came over him.  In this sleep, God whispered to him secrets about the distant future when Abram's descendants would become slaves in Egypt for four hundred years, but would then escape and return to Canaan!

Then it gets REALLY spooky!  Suddenly, a smoking firepot and a blazing torch appear and pass between the sacrificed animals!!!!!! 

God literally showed up!

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,

In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,

Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,

Almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.

[Hymn:  Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise, 

by Walter C. Smith, 1824-1908]*

Here's the point of this captivating chapter:

God will come to us in our times of doubting with His reassurance and encouragement!  He will show up and remind us that His promises are TRUE!  We must trust His Word!  If we do - it will be counted to us as righteousness!  

*  This is a majestic hymn with a Welsh melody arranged by Van Denman Thompson in 1933.  There are three more verses.  The hymn builds to a crescendo in verse four where the angels veil their eyes from the presence of the Lord of Light!  Look it up and sing it;  I can't get through it without tears filling my eyes!