Genesis 15
Theme: Yea And Amen
Key Text: Verse 18

            The promises of God are as sure and certain as God Himself! To use the words of the Apostle Paul, “For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (2 Cor. 1:20). God always keeps His word to the “jot and tittle” (Matt. 5:18). Still, the saints often need to be reminded of His faithfulness.  It is evident that there were several questions in the patriarch’s mind. Thus, the Lord confirmed His promise with a “Yea” and an “Amen,” making “a covenant with Abram” (15:18) and reestablishing the blessings of his inheritance.

1. A Spiritual Revelation
            After his encounter with Melchizedek, you would think that Abraham would not soon need a new revelation from God. But, yesterday’s experience will not suffice for today! There must be a fresh word from on high! Thus, “after these things,” or, following the events in the valley of Shaveh, the Lord appeared unto him and said, “Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward” (15:1). Although there are many seen and unseen enemies in the pilgrimage, God’s people are “more than conquerors” (Rom. 8: 37), not through human resources, of course, but through His divine protection and blessing.

2. A Special Reaffirmation
            Having condescended to make Himself known in a renewed sense, “the God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3) reaffirmed the promise. Abraham had wondered if the steward of  his house, “Eliezer of Damascus” (15:2),qualified as the seed. This was settled, however, when the Lord said, “This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir” (15:4). Abraham not only “believed” the message of the Seed, the source of true “righteousness” (15:6), but he entered into the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings, the basis of acceptance with God (see 15:7-11). 

3. A Social Reconstruction
            Without question, Abraham’s future was settled; the road was laid out before him; his seed would be as plenteous as the stars of the heaven. However, all of God’s roads include difficult hills and low valleys, and Abraham is told that his people “shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs . . . four hundred years” (15:13). Then, when through pain and sorrow, they have been trained to serve, educated to build, and developed as a nation, “in the fourth generation they shall come hither again” (15:16). Thank God! In spite of time and adversity, the promises of God remain to be “Yea” and “Amen.”

Illustration

            When potatoes were first introduced in Ireland, they were rejected because no one knew how to use them. It was only when the Irish people learned how to plant, gather, and cook them that they found profit in the product. Oh, instead of  rejecting and questioning the precious promises of our God, may we believe them, cooperate with them, and learn how to experientially and practically benefit from them!