A Promise That Still Stands Today

Genesis‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬-‭18

“After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” Then the word of the Lord came to him: “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.” Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. He also said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.” But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?” So the Lord said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.” Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. Then the Lord said to him, “Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. You, however, will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.” When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates—”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬-‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The Lord promised to be Abram's 'shield'. He pledged to protect and guard him from destruction; spirit, soul, and body. He also promised Abram a very great 'reward'.

Scripture gives witness that God's promises to his servant have been fulfilled in part, but are continuing to be fulfilled. God's reward to Abram has eternal consequences and is continuing to be pressed down, shaken together, and running over even today.

But the reward God gives to all His faithful servants is over and above all that we can ask or think. His gracious generosity causes the world's most fabulous wealth and most highly prized possessions to be rendered as insignificant and inconsequential, by comparison with the joy that is laid up for us in heavenly places.

To know that the Lord is our Shield and Defender, should fill us our hearts with joy and rejoicing, for to be shielded by the Almighty God and Saviour is the safest place to be.

Let us never forget that we have a faithful Father Whose promises to His people are all 'yes' and 'amen' in Christ Jesus our Lord, and should cause our hearts to rejoice in the Lord always and be glad in Him for evermore.

At the heart of it all is this business of covenant, God’s promises and Abram’s response of faith that runs right down the spine of the Bible and forms the basis of God’s dealing with humanity. 

Fascinatingly, Abram’s vaunted faith is not exactly steady.  He begins with an almost sarcastic question in response to God gracious introduction and promise of great reward.  Even after he believes God and it is credited to him as righteousness, his faith is riddled with questions and doubt and he demands proof that God will really do what God has promised.

In this sense, Abram is just like us as we journey along in this walk, believing but questioning, trusting but doubting, looking for certainty in the darkness. The only certainty is the God who always initiates, who always responds, who always keeps his promises, who is present in the darkness, whose grace is at the heart of the covenant. 

How can we be sure God will keep His promises in this darkness in which we now find ourselves?  The Bible says, God has cut a covenant with us.  But He did that in a stronger way than He did with Abram.  Think of the thick and dreadful darkness that enveloped Calvary at noon that awful Friday. Think of God’s only Son being sacrificed on the cross.

God didn’t just symbolically pass through a corridor of carcasses, walking untouched down a boulevard of blood to prove his faithfulness. No, the Lamb of God offered His own body as a sacrifice, shed His own blood, subjected Himself to the blazing fire of God’s justice, as a guarantee that God will keep all His promises to the children of Abram, who trust God as Abram did.

God didn’t just swear to keep His promises on pain of death. He died so that we could know for sure that He will keep His promises no matter how dark it may get in our lives.  Heaven and earth may pass away, but the Word of the Lord stands forever. You can stake your life on it.  God did!!!

Father thank You for this day and the life and witness of Abram and for the trust he demonstrated when he refused to accept any reward from the wicked king of Sodom, but relied on You to be his Shield and Defender.  Lord open the floodgates of Heaven and pour out Your abundant blessings upon my friend and family today. Lord thank You that we have nothing to fear in this evil world and that You supply all that we need according to Your riches in glory. Lord what a wonderful promise that those who trust in You will never be disappointed and that the reward You promise to all Your children is over and above all that we could ask or think. Lord use my friend to be the blessing someone needs today.

Father, we love You. Amen !