Genesis 15:1-6 "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."
Melchizedek, the priest of God, had communed with Abram after his battle to free lot and others from captivity. Abram had them refused any bounty from the king of Sodom because Abram did not want this earthly king to be able to attempt to claim any part in Abram’s blessings. Chapter fifteen begins with events following “these things.” The word of the LORD came unto Abram.
Notice the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision. It was not just something he heard, but also something he saw. This was a revelation from the LORD to Abram concerning His purpose. Still today, when God sends His word to us, it is not just about what we hear but about what His word causes us to see.
God assured Abram that there was no reason for him to be afraid. It is one thing to have someone to tell us to not be afraid. It is another thing entirely for someone mighty to say they are going to be our protector. The most high God had not only told Abram that He would be his protector, but that He would also be Abram’s reward. Remember that Abram had just recently refused to take any reward from the kind of Sodom. And now, God is telling him that He will be his reward!
Abram inquired of God concerning this reward. Although God had promised him a land that his seed would possess, Abram was at this point childless. As was the practice in that day, a man who was childless would name the overseer of his goods as his heir. Knowing that God had just promised to be his reward, Abram desired to know how the promise was going to be fulfilled.
God assured Abram that his heir would not simply be someone born in his house, but someone born from his own loins. The LORD led him out and told him to look up at the night sky. Then He told Abram to count the stars and tell how many there were. This was obviously impossible for Abram to do. God then told Abram that the family that would come from him would be as numberless.
Abram was an old man with a barren wife. I imagine it would have been easy for him to decide he was hallucinating or dreaming. We have all learned that when something sounds too good to be true to be skeptical. This certainly sounded too good to be true except that Abram had a vision of the word of the LORD. Everything about our God sounds too good to be true and yet every word of it is!
Abram believed God. What a simple thing to say. Can the same be said for us today? Do we believe that God is who He says He is and able to do all the He has promised? I certainly do not pretend to understand everything about God. He is too vast for my mortal comprehension. But in His mercy, He has shown me that Jesus is the Christ. I have a kinsman Redeemer who had paid a great price for my liberty. He is both my High Priest and my King of peace and righteousness. I know it is too good to be true, and yet I have been made to believe that it is. I pray that the word of the LORD has (and will continue) to come to us in a vision, so that we may see the glory of God!