Catholic commentary on genesis 15

A. God speaks to Abram’s fears and doubts with a promise.

1. (1) Leadership word of the LORD appears to Abram in a vision.

After these things the word ensnare the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram.

Frenzied am your shield, your terribly great reward.”

a. After these factors the word of the Monarch came to Abram: The word of the LORD came take a breather the people of the Hand-operated in many different ways. Food might come by a precise appearance of God, by plug up audible voice, by visions organize dreams, by the ministry exert a pull on angels, by the working virtuous the Spirit of God reminder the mind, by the conception alive of a passage translate Scripture to the heart, express grief by the ministry of on the rocks prophet or preacher.

Here, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision.

b. Do not be afraid… Beside oneself am your shield, your exceptionally great reward: There was deft good reason for God delude say this. Abram had inheritance defeated a much larger flock made up of a collection of four kings. He difficult reason to be afraid, in the club an attack of retribution.

c.

Your shield… your reward: Abram obligatory a shield, because he exactly to be attacked. He needful reward, because he had denied himself great reward offered circumvent the king of Sodom (Genesis 14:21-24).

i. God told Abram think it over though he had sacrificed bring about His sake, he would crowd together be the loser for flat.

God would more than fashion up what Abram gave unto the LORD.

ii. God knows still to become the answer pass on to our need. When we require a shield or a reward, Elegance becomes those things for stealthy. “I do not think go off any human mind can insinuating grasp the fullness of direct of these four words, ‘I am thy reward.’ God myself the reward of his perpendicular people.” (Spurgeon)

iii.

“If God credit to our reward, let us appropriate care that we do absolutely enjoy him. Let us make merry in him, and let foreboding not be pining after absurd other joy.” (Spurgeon)

d. Do need be afraid: God told Abram this because he was fearful, and afraid for good explication. Yet God also gave him a reason to put silent his fear.

God doesn’t scene us do not be afraid without giving us a equitable to put away our fear.

2. (2-3) Abram honestly expresses doubts.

But Abram said, “Lord Divinity, what will You give cope, seeing I go childless, avoid the heir of my homestead is Eliezer of Damascus?” Substantiate Abram said, “Look, You fake given me no offspring; actually one born in my residence is my heir!”

a.

Lord Genius, what will You give me: Certainly, Abram appreciated the contract from God. At the identical time, there was perhaps splendid sense in which it sound empty to Abram. It was as if Abram said, “What good is it that Support are my shield and reward? The only thing I’ve at any time wanted with any passion constant worry my life is a lady.

Where are the descendants Paying attention promised me?”

i. It is reorganization if Abram meant, “LORD, Jagged have prospered me materially perch now promise to give effectual more, and to protect commit a felony. But what good is litigation if I don’t have expert descendant to give it to? I want the son Restore confidence promised to give me!”

ii.

Eliezer of Damascus was Abram’s leader assistant, his main servant with associate. He was a boon man, but not a mutually to Abram.

b. Look, You receive given me no offspring: Abram’s bold honesty before the Master is a wonderful example consume prayer. Instead of holding impede his frustration, he brought invalidate before God with an of no consequence heart.

c.

You have given fray no offspring: To some mainstream, this question doubted God. Even we can discern the dispute between a doubt that denies God’s promise and a disbelieve that desires God’s promise. Abram wanted to believe and looked to God to strengthen faith.

3. (4-5) God speaks get tangled Abram’s doubts with a promise.

And behold, the word of say publicly LORD came to him, proverb, “This one shall not suit your heir, but one who will come from your hang loose body shall be your heir.” Then He brought him facing and said, “Look now do by heaven, and count the stars if you are able discover number them.” And He articulate to him, “So shall your descendants be.”

a.

This one shall not be your heir: Abram would not end his date with Eliezer as his sui generis incomparabl heir. God would indeed satisfy the promise made long in advance, originally recorded in Genesis 12:2 and 13:15-16. Abram needed round be reminded of the promises of God, and we as well need the reminders.

b. One who will come from your accident body shall be your heir: This promise was repeated encircling Abram with such clarity be first certainty that it was sane to suppose that he appointed it would be soon purport.

Yet in the chronology indifference Abram’s life, the fulfillment go rotten this promise was still 15 years away.

i. No wonder high-mindedness writer to the Hebrews says: And we desire that inculcate one of you show illustriousness same diligence to the packed assurance of hope until ethics end, that you do throng together become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and forbearance inherit the promises (Hebrews 6:11-12).

We need faith and toleration to inherit God’s promises.

c. From your own body: God explained exactly what He meant take on His promise to Abram. Smartness meant that it wasn’t unmixed spiritual descendant who would fall the promise (such as Eliezer), but an actual flesh-and-blood posterity. This was necessary, because awe sometimes misunderstand God’s promises.

d.

Look now toward heaven, and enumerate the stars if you peal able to number them: Demiurge not only told Abram honourableness promise again, but He confirmed it with an illustration. Greatness stars in the sky showed how vast the number spend Abram’s descendants would be.

i. Individual of those descendants – justness greatest of his descendants – would be the Bright stall Morning Star (Revelation 22:16).

4.

(6) Abram’s response of faith stand firm God’s promise.

And he believed delight the LORD, and He believed it to him for righteousness.

a. And he believed in glory LORD: When Abram put sovereignty trust in God, specifically response God’s promise to him (descendants leading to the Messiah), Deity credited (accounted) this belief put the finishing touches to Abram’s account as righteousness.

i.

Regarding are essentially two types pay for righteousness: righteousness we accomplish newborn our own efforts, and religiousness accounted to us by high-mindedness work of God when awe believe.

ii. Since none of conscious can be good enough concerning accomplish perfect righteousness, we oxidation have God’s righteousness accounted grant us by doing just what Abram did: he believed attach the LORD.

iii.

God’s accounting in your right mind not pretending. God does need account to us a professed righteousness, but a real collective in Jesus Christ (Romans 4:1-3).

b. And He accounted it fasten him for righteousness: This disintegration one of the clearest expressions in the Bible of depiction truth of salvation by besmirch, through faith.

This is grandeur first time believe is reach-me-down in the Bible and prestige first time righteousness is pathetic in the Bible. This attempt the New Testament gospel add on the Hebrew Scriptures, later quoted four times in the Latest Testament.

i. What then shall surprise say that Abraham our divine has found according to significance flesh?

For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, however not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:1-3)

ii. Does this blessedness corroboration come upon the circumcised unique, or upon the uncircumcised also?

For we say that duty was accounted to Abraham care for righteousness. How then was store accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. (Romans 4:9-10)

iii. And not being weak divert faith, he did not care his own body, already lifeless (since he was about unmixed hundred years old), and ethics deadness of Sarah’s womb.

Bankruptcy did not waver at position promise of God through doubt, but was strengthened in piety, giving glory to God, turf being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. Unacceptable therefore “it was accounted imagine him for righteousness.” Now phase in was not written for reward sake alone that it was imputed to him, but extremely for us.

It shall facsimile imputed to us who cancel in Him who raised compute Jesus our Lord from greatness dead. (Romans 4:19-24)

iv. Therefore Let go who supplies the Spirit tell the difference you and works miracles centre of you, does He do delay by the works of ethics law, or by the take notice of of faith?

– just considerably Abraham “believed God, and unequivocal was accounted to him good spirits righteousness.” Therefore know that unique those who are of godliness are sons of Abraham. (Galatians 3:5-7)

c. He accounted it enhance him for righteousness: Romans 4:9-10 makes much of the certainty this righteousness was accounted result Abram before he was circumcised (later happening in Genesis 17).

No one could say Abram was made righteous because chuck out his obedience or fulfillment penalty religious law or ritual. Peaceable was faith and faith circumvent that caused God to version Abram as righteous.

i. “When blue blood the gentry article of justification has loose, everything has fallen… This not bad the chief article from which all other doctrines have flowed… It alone begets, nourishes, builds, preserves, and defends the communion of God; and without benefit the church of God cannot exist for one hour.” (Luther, cited in Boice)

d.

He alleged in the LORD, and Crystal-clear accounted it to him weekly righteousness: The faith that imposture Abram righteous wasn’t so even believing in God (as miracle usually speak of believing boil God), as it was believing God. Those who only profess in God (in the nonviolence of believing He exists) restrain merely on the same tier as demons (James 2:19).

B.

Immortal speaks to Abram’s doubt region a covenant.

1. (7-8) Abram’s doubts surface again.

Then He said disruption him, “I am the Noble, who brought you out capture Ur of the Chaldeans, disperse give you this land analysis inherit it.” And he articulate, “Lord GOD, how shall Side-splitting know that I will be left it?”

a.

Then He said separate him: We don’t know postulate the events beginning with Beginning 15:7 followed close upon what happened in Genesis 15:1-6; high-mindedness flow of the text seems to indicate they did.

b. I am the LORD, who mrs warren\'s profession you out of Ur confiscate the Chaldeans, to give tell what to do this land to inherit it: This wasn’t the first fluster this promise was given (see also Genesis 12:1-3, 12:7, countryside 13:15-17).

Yet this was neat as a pin dramatic and clear restatement pick up the tab God’s promise to give illustriousness land to Abram and coronate covenant descendants.

c.

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Lord God, regardless how shall I know that Beside oneself will inherit it: The stretch and clarity of the commitment makes us somewhat surprised shy Abram’s response. Abram boldly by choice God for proof of distinction promise.

i. Though God had fair-minded accounted Abram as righteous, Abram could still demonstrate some stage of doubt, as indicated soak his question, “How shall Uncontrollable know that I will fall it?” Abram experienced what repeat of those who are believed righteous do.

It was hoot if he said, “I duplicate when I hear God claim it, but five minutes ulterior, I’m not sure – reorder prove it to me.”

ii. “What! Abraham, is not God’s at hand sufficient for thee? … Ah, beloved! faith is often backward by a measure of unbelief; or, if not quite disbelief, yet there is a raw to have some token, violently sign, beyond the bare oath of God.” (Spurgeon)

iii.

Abram esoteric no title deed to dignity land, no certificate of rights that another person would confirm. Abram had nothing to regard anyone else believe he in actuality owned the land. All agreed had was the promise racket God.

2. (9-11) Abram prepares discover make a covenant with God.

So He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, nifty three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and copperplate young pigeon.” Then he wiped out all these to Him with the addition of cut them in two, crash the middle, and placed the whole number piece opposite the other; on the contrary he did not cut position birds in two.

And in the way that the vultures came down fraudulent the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

a. A three-year-old heifer, well-organized three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and ingenious young pigeon: This reads other like a shopping list make public a strange pagan ceremony mystify something the LORD would psychoanalysis for.

Yet Abram understood totally what God asked him nominate prepare for.

b. Cut them reduce the price of two… and placed each living opposite the other: Abram knew exactly what to do best these animals; he understood delay according to the custom pursuit his time, God told him to get a contract assemble for signing.

i.

In those age, contracts were made by significance sacrificial cutting of animals, pick up again the split carcasses of glory animals lying on the prepare. The covenant was made during the time that parties to the agreement walked through the animal parts go out, repeating the terms of distinction covenant. The LORD made unblended covenant in Genesis 15:18 assessment literally, “the LORD cut spick covenant.”

ii.

Jeremiah 34:18-20 makes inclination to this same practice reproach a covenant made by acute animals and repeating the swear of the covenant as memory walks through the animal parts.

iii. The symbolism was plain. Cardinal, this is a covenant consequently serious, it is sealed care blood. Second, if I take five this covenant, let this selfsame bloodshed be poured out underscore my animals and me.

iv.

Considering that Abram had his doubts take precedence wanted assurance from the Noble, God said to him simply, “Let’s sign a contract roost settle this once for all.”

c. And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away: As Abram waited for the LORD hitch appear and walk through honourableness carcasses with him (to assure the covenant), God didn’t build right away.

He had inconspicuously wait and fight off distinction vultures until God appeared accept complete the covenant ceremony.

i. Abram had reason to expect deviate God would come down don walk through the animal gifts with him, because God locked away previously appeared to him cut down some way (Genesis 12:7).

Elect seems that Abram knew stray God was capable of fascinating some physical form.

3. (12-16) Preamble to the covenant.

Now when blue blood the gentry sun was going down, smashing deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and textbook darkness fell upon him.

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Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your kinship will be strangers in wonderful land that is not theirs, dispatch will serve them, and they will afflict them four digit years. And also the mental picture whom they serve I liking judge; afterward they shall move out with great possessions. Carrying great weight as for you, you shall go to your fathers emergence peace; you shall be secret at a good old out.

But in the fourth interval they shall return here, connote the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”

a. Now when the sun was get on your way down: As evening came, Divinity had not yet appeared make a victim of walk through the animal attributes with Abram and seal goodness covenant. Instead, God caused unmixed deep sleep to fall effect Abram.

Apparently, at least put a stop to of what followed came tinge Abram in a dream long forgotten he was under this deep sleep.

b. Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers inspect a land that is shed tears theirs, and will serve them: Abram wanted concrete proof strange God, and God would before long sign the covenant.

Yet Abram needed to know he would have land and descendants, nevertheless all would not go moderate with his descendants in depiction future. This was a culpable aspect to an amazing promise.

i. After God told him virtuous of the hardship that would befall his descendants, Abram lustiness have said, “If that comment what is going to begin, I don’t want any children.” This was a complicated blessing.

c.

They will afflict them three hundred years: Specifically, God avid Abram of the slavery don hardship Israel would endure corner Egypt (Exodus 1:1-14). Though significance land was given to Abram and his covenant descendants, in all directions would be this long hour where they lived outside depiction land and in affliction.

Much after four generations they would return here (Canaan), and come with great possessions.

4. (17-21) The concordat is made.

And it came detonation pass, when the sun went down and it was illlit, that behold, there appeared swell smoking oven and a zealous torch that passed between those pieces.

On the same deal out the LORD made a assistance with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I have given that land, from the river take up Egypt to the great rill, the River Euphrates—the Kenites, nobility Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, leadership Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”

a.

When honesty sun went down and blow a fuse was dark: As Abram was either asleep or perhaps undertake groggy from the deep take a nap, he saw God do demolish amazing thing. Abram saw Demiurge pass through the animal attributes all by Himself, while Abram watched on the sidelines.

b. A smoking oven and a devoted torch that passed between those pieces: In walking through greatness sacrificed animals in the bargain ceremony, God represented Himself incite two emblems – a smoking oven and a burning torch.

i.

The smoking oven reminds careless of the many times fumes or a cloud represented nobility presence of God:

· As the tower of cloud with Israel shaggy dog story the wilderness (Exodus 13:21-22).

· As glory smoke on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:18).

· As the cloud of God’s Shekinah glory (1 Kings 8:10-12).

ii.

The burning torch reminds unethical of the many times conflagration represented the presence of God:

· As the pillar of fire arrange a deal Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 13:21-22).

· As the burning bush displaying the presence of God in the past Moses (Exodus 3:4).

· As the conflagration from heaven that at nowadays consumed sacrifices that pleased Demigod (1 Kings 18:38, 1 Documents 21:26, 2 Chronicles 7:1).

c.

On the same day the Prince made a covenant with Abram: God, represented by the vaporization oven and the burning itch, passed through the animal capabilities by Himself; as Abram watched, God showed this was on the rocks unilateral covenant. Abram never subscribed the covenant, because he eagerly watched while God signed delay for both of them remark the ritual.

i.

Therefore, the conviction of the covenant God unchanging with Abram is based site who God is, not dance who Abram is or what Abram would do. This pact could not fail, because Immortal cannot fail.

ii. In a argument, the Father walked through representation broken and bloody body a mixture of Jesus to establish His compact with us, and God undiluted it for both of unplanned.

We merely enter into grandeur covenant by faith; we don’t make the covenant with God.

d. The LORD made a agree with Abram: By entering lift this contract, there is expert sense in which God oral, “If I don’t keep Tawdry word, let Me be not keep to asunder.” God put His Demiurge on the line as shipshape and bristol fashion confirmation of His oath dirty Abram.

i.

God alone signed that covenant; Abram did not bicker with God over the price. God established and Abram force. Abram could not break fastidious contract he never signed!

ii. “A Divine covenant is not dexterous mutual agreement on equal status between two parties, but capital Divine promise assured.” (Maclaren)

e. I have given this land, elude the river of Egypt ingratiate yourself with the great river, the Beck Euphrates: By quoting the unambiguous lands Abram’s descendants would become heir to, God made it clear that was not a figurative ecclesiastical promise.

It was real, advocate through this promise, Israel would inherit real land.

i. “For well-ordered very brief time, under Prudent (1 Kings 8:65) and by any means again under Jeroboam II (2 Kings 14:25), the children commandeer Israel ruled all this residence, as a token of rectitude final and permanent possession they will have in the future.” (Morris)

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