Genesis 15 Chapter Commentary: God Confirms the Covenant with Abram

Despite the fact that Abram was still a sojourner in the region at the time, God still pledges to give Abram the land of Canaan as an inheritance for his offspring. Abram is credited with righteousness because he trusts God’s promises.

Later on in the chapter, God gives Abram instructions on how to make a covenant by having him bring a number of animal sacrifices. Then, when He passes through the animal corpses with a smoking firepot and a glowing torch, God fulfills his promises to Abram.

God affirms the promise at the chapter’s conclusion, assuring Abram that his descendants will only succeed to the country of Canaan after four generations, not earlier. Abram then constructs an altar and offers praise to God, thanking him for his providence and steadfastness. 

What’s the Main Point?

Genesis 15 is a chapter in the book of Genesis that describes a pivotal moment in the life of Abram (who would later be called Abraham). In this chapter, God appears to Abram in a vision and makes a covenant with him, promising that he will have a son and that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the sky.

What Can We Learn from This Chapter?

Genesis 15 teaches us about God’s faithfulness, the importance of faith in God, the role of sacrifice in worship, and the perfection of God’s timing. There are several takeaways from Genesis 15, including:

God makes a covenant with Abram, promising him a son and offspring as many as the stars in the sky. God is faithful to his promises. Despite Abram’s advanced age and the apparent impossibility of bearing a child, God honors his word and eventually bestows a son, Isaac, to Abram. This chapter shows us that, even in the face of impossible circumstances, God is always true to his word.

When God promises Abram a son and descendants, Abram believes God’s promise, and it is credited to him as righteousness. This is known as the “faith is counted as righteousness” doctrine. This tells us that having confidence in God is crucial since it is only through faith that we may reconcile ourselves to God.

God gives Abram instructions on how to bring animal offerings as part of the covenant-making process. Sacrifice is a significant feature of worship. In the Old Testament, sacrifice played a significant role in worship and served as a metaphor for self-giving to God. This teaches us that worship and sacrifice go hand in hand, and that we should always give of ourselves in our worship of God.

God tells Abram that his descendants will inherit the land of Canaan, but not for another four generations. God’s timing is impeccable. This teaches us to trust in God and his plans even when they don’t fit with our own schedules or expectations since God’s timing is perfect.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, as we read about your covenant with Abram in Genesis 15, we are reminded of your faithfulness and your promises. We see how you blessed Abram with a son and with descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, even though it seemed impossible at the time.

We ask that we likewise put our faith in your promises and your plans for our lives. Help us to trust in your faithfulness even when things don’t seem conceivable. May our trust in you and in your promises lead us to righteousness.

As we work to worship you, we also implore your wisdom and direction. Help us to recognize the value of making a sacrifice and submitting to you in prayer. We pray that our devotion may show how much we adore and are devoted to you.

We appreciate your love and faithfulness. We beg you to keep providing for us and keeping us safe.

We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Image attribution for featured image:

Abram Called To Be a Blessing, as in Genesis 12:1-8, illustration from a Bible card published 1906 by the Providence Lithograph Company. This image is in the public domain. Cropped from original.

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