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God's Covenant with Abram - Genesis 15

Genesis 15 portrays an incredible picture of God's unilateral, unconditional faithfulness and promise to Abram, reiterating what He declared earlier in Genesis 12:1-3. What was the sign of His covenant? How did the sign of the covenant show His holiness and certainty in the promise God made? How does this chapter apply to you?

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God's Covenant with Abram - Genesis 15

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  1. An expositional study taught by Harry Morgan

  2. For those of you online post your comments or questions in the “comment section” on your screen. As time affords they may be read to the class.

  3. 1. To what does “after these things” in Genesis 15:1 refer? • The war of the kings (14:1-12) • Abram’s defeat of Chedorlaomer & deliverance of Lot (14:13-16) • Abram met king of Sodom (14:17) • Abram blessed by Melchizedek & paid tithes to him (14:18-20) • Abram rejected king of Sodom’s offer (14:21-24)

  4. 2. How did the “word of the Lord” come to Abram in Genesis 15:1? 1After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” (machazeh) = a vision seen while in בּ ַ ֽ מּ ַ ֽ ח ֲ ז ֶ ה an ecstatic state; used only 3 times in the OT (Num. 24:4, 24:16; Ezek. 13:7);

  5. 3. Does the “vision” refer only to Genesis 15:1-6? Or, does the “vision” refer to the entire chapter? It seems quite natural to understand the Hebrew text (and practically all English translations) to mean that Abram did actually go outside his tent in verse 5, and that he actually did the actions described in verses 10–11.

  6. 4. What does God command Abram to do? 1After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” • To Abram (15:1) • To Isaac (26:24) • To Jacob (46:3)

  7. 5. Why would Abram possibly be afraid? • If keeping an eye on the past – Fear of retaliation for attacking superior armies of the coalition kings. • If keeping an eye on the present – Fear of his neighbors being envious of his power. • If keeping an eye on the future – Fear of no descendants. • If keeping an eye on the Lord – Fear of the One whose word comes in a vision

  8. 6. What two reasons does God give Abram for not fearing? 1After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

  9. 7. How is God Abram’s shield? 1After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” “shield” magen has the same root as “delivered” (14:20)

  10. 8. How is God Abram’s “exceedingly great reward”? 1After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

  11. 9. How did Abram respond? 2But Abram said, “Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”

  12. 10. How did Abram address God in response? 2But Abram said, “Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” י ה ו ה א ֲ ד ֹנ ָ י (Adonai YHWH)

  13. God ה ִ י ם א ֱ # (Gen. 1:1) י ה ו ה ה ִ י ם א ֱ # LORD God (Gen. 2:4, 7) Most High God (Gen. 14:19, 22) ע ֶ ל ְ י וֹ ן א ֵ ל Lord God א ֲ ד ֹנ ָ י (Gen. 15:2) י ה ו ה שׁ ַ דּ ַ י א ֵ ל Almighty God (Gen. 17:1)

  14. 11. Why did Abram address God as “Lord God”? 2But Abram said, “Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” Romans 8:17–18 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

  15. 12. What did Abram request of God? 2But Abram said, “Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” “…we regard his words as the language of faith. Observe there was no rebuke given him by the Lord…” Pink, A. W. (2005). Gleanings in Genesis (p. 166)

  16. 13. Why does Abram mention Eliezer? 2But Abram said, “Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” Eliezer = “the help of God” or “God is my help” Damascus – where Abraham defeated the four kings

  17. This statement is in accordance with the Code of Hammurabi and the Nuzi Tablets: A childless husband and wife were free to adopt their slave in order to have an heir to inherit their possessions.

  18. 14. What is Abram’s problem? 3Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!” “offspring” or “seed” [physical heir]

  19. 15. How did God clarify His promise to Abram? 4And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.”

  20. 16. How did God expand on His promise to Abram? 5Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”

  21. 17. How does this promissory image compare with an earlier image God gave to Abram in Genesis 13:16? What is the significance of these two images? Genesis 13:16 And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered.

  22. “count the stars” “as the dust of the earth” The promise of an innumerable progeny.

  23. Abraham Hagar Sarah Isaac Ishmael Arab nations (Gen. 37:25-28) Esau Jacob (Israel) Edomites (Gen. 36:1-18; Deut. 23:7; Num. 34:3; 24:18;Jos. 15:1; 2 Sam. 8:14) Bilhah (Rachel’s maid) Dan & Naphtali Gad & Asher Zilpah (Leah’s maid) Rachel Leah Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun & Dinah Joseph & Benjamin Manasseh & Ephraim David Genesis 49:10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people.

  24. 18. In Genesis 15:6 is the first time three soteriological terms are used. What are they? 6And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. believed accounted righteousness

  25. 19. What does “believe” mean in this verse? Didn’t Abram “believe” God earlier? 6And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. מ ַ ן אָ (ʾā·mǎn) = “to nourish (as a foster father or nursing mother), to support (as a pillar).” The verb form in this verse means “to take another as reliable, and to rely upon that one.”

  26. Hebrews 11:12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. Romans 4:20–21 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

  27. 20. What does the term “accounted” mean in this verse? 6And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. (ḥā·šǎḇ)= credit, account, reckon, impute שׁ ַ ב ח ָ

  28. 21. What does the term “righteousness” mean in this verse? 6And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. (ṣeḏā·qāh)righteousness, justice, rightness, i.e., the act. of doing what is required according to a standard צ ְ דָ ק ָ ה

  29. 22. What does the term “righteousness” mean in this verse? 6And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. Jeremiah 23:6 In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. See also Jer. 33:16

  30. “When the article of justification has fallen, everything has fallen. … This is the chief article from which all other doctrines have flowed. … It alone begets, nourishes, builds, preserves, and defends the church of God; and without it the church of God cannot exist for one hour.” It is “the master and prince, the lord, the ruler, and the judge over all kinds of doctrines.” Martin Luther

  31. Justification is “the main hinge on which religion turns.” Institutes of Christian Religion John Calvin

  32. “Justification is the very hinge and pillar of Christianity. An error about justification is dangerous, like a defect in a foundation. Justification by Christ is a spring of the water of life. To have the poison of corrupt doctrine cast into this spring is damnable.” Thomas Watson

  33. 23. Explain how these same three terms are used in Romans 3:21-26. 6And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. “How then can man be righteous before God?” (Job 25:4)

  34. “None of us would be able to conceive the rich and hidden doctrine which this verse contains, unless Paul had borne his torch for us.” John Calvin (cf. also Romans 4:1–25)

  35. 24. What additional promise does God give to Abram in Genesis 15:7? 7Then He said to him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.”

  36. 25. How did Abram address God? Why is this significant? 8And he said, “Lord GOD, how shall I know that I will inherit it?” Abram’s used of “Lord God” reflects an attitude of reverence and submission.

  37. 26. How did Abram respond to this additional promise? 8And he said, “Lord GOD, how shall I know that I will inherit it?”

  38. “But why should we not place implicit confidence in God and rely upon His word of promise? Is anything too hard for the Lord? Has His word of promise ever failed? Then let us not entertain any unbelieving suspicions of His future care of us. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but not so His promises.” Arthur W. Pink

  39. 27. How did God command Abram to do in response to request? 9So He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year- old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two.

  40. 28. Did God command Abram to make a sacrifice or prepare a covenant?

  41. Marriage: A Contract or A Covenant ?

  42. 29. What does covenant mean? בּ ְ ר ִ י ת (berîṯ) = “to cut” or “covenant” διαθήκη (diathēkē) = “contract,” “covenant,” or “testament” “A contract is based on mutual obligation, if person A defaults, person B is no longer obligated. Under a covenant, if person A defaults, person B is still obligated.” Ed Hathaway, Esq.

  43. 30. What are the three types of covenants in the Old Testament (Ruth 4:5; Num. 18:19; Gen. 15:9-18)? The shoe covenant (Ruth 4:5) The salt covenant (Num. 18:19) The blood covenant (Gen. 15:9–18)

  44. 30. What are the three types of covenants in the Old Testament (Ruth 4:5; Num. 18:19; Gen. 15:9-18)? The shoe covenant (Ruth 4:5)

  45. 30. What are the three types of covenants in the Old Testament (Ruth 4:5; Num. 18:19; Gen. 15:9-18)? The salt covenant (Num. 18:19)

  46. 30. What are the three types of covenants in the Old Testament (Ruth 4:5; Num. 18:19; Gen. 15:9-18)? The blood covenant (Gen. 15:9–18)

  47. 1. Edenic Covenant – Gen. 2:15-17 2. Adamic Covenant – Gen. 3:14-21 3. Noahic Covenant – Gen. 9:1-9 4. Abrahamic Covenant – Gen. 12:1-3 5. Mosaic Covenant – Ex. 19:5-8 6. Palestinian Covenant – Deut. 29:9-30, 31-34 7. Davidic Covenant – 2 Sam. 7:4-17 8. New Covenant – Jer. 31:31-34

  48. Palestinian Covenant Land Forever National Aspects Abrahamic Covenant Mosaic Covenant Foundational Promise to the father of many nations Davidic Covenant A King Forever Personal Aspects LEADS TO A New Heart Forever New Covenant Universal Aspects The Promise has been fulfilled: Eternity in Relationship with God! Receive it by faith. Walk in it by obedience and grace! Adapted from Dr. Bob Abrahamson www.mentoringministry.com

  49. 31. Why does God require the various sacrifices to be divided as He wanted? • 3- year-old Heifer • 3- year-old Female Goat • 3- year-old Ram • A Turtledove • A Young Pigeon 10Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two.

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