Sermon Text: Genesis 15:1-7
Scripture Reading: Galatians 3:1-29; Romans 4:1-25
Sermon Title: By Grace through Faith
Review from Last Week
Last week we examined a type of Christ, Melchizedek, that met Abram in the King’s Valley following Abram’s victory against Kador-la-omeir. The mysterious Melchizedek is revealed in the inauguration of the New Covenant by Christ. Melchizedek, who was greater than Abram and greater than David, tells us that the law covenant is announced as obsolete hundreds of years before it is even established (by Moses). This is highlighted by the covenant of grace that was given to Abram (Genesis 12). The Covenant of Genesis 12 is “cut” in Genesis 15, and is later called an “everlasting covenant” in Genesis 17:7.
A few preliminary thoughts:
- This is a renewal of the Covenant God made with Abram in Genesis 12 and is further “unfolding” the Covenant made with Adam in Genesis 3:15.
- Follow the Trajectory: Genesis 3:15 à Genesis 12 à Genesis 15 à Genesis 17 à Exodus 2:24 à 2 Samuel 7 à Psalm 72 (Solomon) à Luke 1:53-54 à John 8:48-59
- Abram is poorer at the end of chapter 14 than when he started. He gave the spoils of war to the King of Sodom and a tenth to Melchizedek.
- Abram’s response to the King of Sodom broke off the possibility of future alliance.
- Abram just defeated the four kings who originally defeated the King of Sodom, which “indirectly” set the rebel of Sodom free and also took the victory spoils from two consecutive victories. Just as the King of Sodom was not killed in the battle with Kador-la-omeir, there is no guarantee that the four kings that Abram defeated were killed.
With these preliminary thoughts in mind, let us read verse 1. The NKJV and NIV translate this as “I am your exceedingly great reward.” The ESV translates this passage much better, given the context. Abram just gave his reward away to the King of Sodom. “I am your shield.” You didn’t lose any protection by not relying on the King of Sodom. “Your reward will be very great.” You did not lose by not dividing the spoils with the King of Sodom – connect with 15:5.
Genesis 15:2-3 – Abram Asks a Question
At first glance, Abram’s question can be mistaken for a lack of faith. However, I would submit that Abram’s question is an expression of his faith.
- Abram’s questions in v.2-3 are a necessary path to saving faith in v.6. Abram is renouncing any trust in his own abilities. If Abram is responsible to produce this seed (his reward), he acknowledges his hopelessness. Remember when the Pharisees and Sadducees demanded a sign (Matthew 16). What was Jesus’ response? “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. So he left them and departed” (Matthew 16:4).
- 1 Peter 5
- Abram’s saving faith in 15:6 was preceded by the realization of his inability in Genesis 15:2-3. This is very similar to Nicodemus’ response, “How can these things be?” (John 3:9).
Genesis 15:4-5 – The Word of God is His Assurance
“The faith of Abram was increased by the sight of the stars. For the Lord, in order more deeply to affect his own people and to more effectively penetrate their minds, after He has reached their ears by his Word, also arrests their eyes by external encouragements, that the eyes and ears may consent together. Therefore the sight of the stars was designed by God to strike the mind of Abram with this thought, ‘He who by His Word alone suddenly produced a host so numerous, by which he might adorn the previously vast and desolate heaven; shall not He be able to replenish my desolate house with offspring?’” (Calvin’s Commentary on Genesis).
Genesis 15:6 – The Permanent Pattern for Salvation in the Scripture
This verse provides the early core doctrine of justification by faith, not by works (Galatians 3:6-14). Abraham believed the promise of God and God counted (reckoned to his account) him as righteous (Romans 4:17-25).
Abram’s faith did not require works. The text uses an accounting term: counted. The best description of this term counted or imputed is found in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Christ never sinned, yet was treated by God as if He was sin. Abram was not righteous, but was treated by God as though he was because of his faith.
Faith counts for (instead of) works. However, faith is always completed by works (James 2:22). A great example is found in the following quote by C.S. Lewis: “I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation.” In the same way that you clap at a football game, your faith “works.” Your applause is not a prerequisite to joy, but it is certainly sure evidence of it.
The statement in verse 7 is echoed again by God at the hand of Moses in Exodus 20:2, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”
Our fear and doubt in the circumstances of life are always answered by going back to and living in light of the Gospel.
- As God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 20), He freed Abram from the Ur of the Chaldeans.
- Abram was not a slave. Unless God would have come to Abram, it would have never occurred to him to leave.
- God helps Abram by “taking him back” rather than telling him the specifics of the future. Rather than dwelling on the uncertainty of the future, we will be helped most by dwelling on the certainty of the past. We find this encouragement in the record God’s behavior in the past and also by examining our own circumstances.
“That, for this very end, the Lord declares himself to have been the deliverer of Abram, appears hence; because he connects the promise which he is now about to give with the prior redemption; as if he were saying, ‘I do not now first begin to promise thee this land. For it was on this account that I brought thee out of thy own country, to constitute thee the lord and heir of this land” (Calvin’s Commentaries on Genesis).
The law was designed to place us where Abram was in v.2-3.
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