TO BE A FRIEND OF GOD

RETURN TO SYLLABUS

GENESIS 15

Lesson #29

TO BE A FRIEND OF GOD

• Memory verse: Gen 15:6
• Read Gen 15:1-6
  • We have discussed how the names of God reveal something about God. With the revealing of each name, God expands man’s view of who God is and what He does.
  • In Gen 15:2 God gives us another name for himself.
    • “Lord God” = Adonai Jehovah
    • Remember that Jehovah is the name for a covenant making God, a God who desires a relationship with man.
      • The primary meaning of Adonai is = “master”.
        • A master has the right to unquestioned obedience.
        • The servant has a right to direction, provision, and protection.
      • This is the same kind of relationship between God and the believer.
  • We have discussed the Abrahamic Covenant in detail. We have seen how God expands it’s scope little by little as Abraham exercises his faith in God. In these verses God expands the covenant again.
    • God does the same with us.
    • Little by little as we exercise our faith, God expands our experience of Him as our sovereign God. (Aadonai Jehovah)
  • Notice in verse 1, it says “after these things”.
    • In chapter 14, Abraham had rescued Lot from the attack of the 4 kings and denied the king of Sodom’s offer to give him material wealth. (14:22-23)
    • Aabraham did not want the king of evil Sodom to boast about having made him rich.
      • God honors this faith by expanding the covenant in chapter 15.
      • Gen 15:1 says that God is Abraham’s exceeding great reward. When we give up something to stand for God, he blesses more abundantly in return. Remember that Abraham gave up the choice land to Lot, and God promised him all the land he could see.
  • Abraham’s up and down faith:
    • It would be wonderful if faith was a constant thing, but we are human with doubts, questions, and lapses of faith.
    • Abraham is no different. (15:2-3,6,8) However, we see always the general overall trend of Abraham’s faith is upward.
    • Abraham’s questioning:
      • He remembers God’s promise that he would have descendants to number as the sands of the sea. (13:16)
      • He was getting old and Sarah was barren. He tells God he will make Eliezer of Damascus his heir.
      • Eliezer was one of the household slaves he had acquired on his way from Haran. (12:5)
        • Eliezer’s name means = comforter. He is therefore, an illustration of the Holy Spirit. We will learn more about this aspect later.
        • The custom of the time was that a man who did not have a son could legally adopt a young man to whom he could pass his estate. It was common to adopt a personal servant that you grew to love and trust. If a man eventually had a natural born son, the son would inherit over the legally adopted son.
        • God tells Abraham that Eliezer will not be his heir.
        • After Abraham’s questioning doubts, Gen 15:6 indicates that Abraham’s faith took a positive leap. (This is the first use of the word “believe” in the Bible.)
        • Gen 15:6 is very important in the Bible and is quoted several times in the New Testament.
        • It tells us that Old Testament saints were saved by faith in the promise of the son of God that was to come, and not by keeping the Law of Moses.
        • Rem.ember that Old Testament saints knew the promise of a coming Messiah as the seed of the woman given in Gen 3:15
  • Abraham’s faith and the faith of the New Testament believer:
    • Read Rom 4:3,22,23
    • Abraham’s faith is compared with our faith in the death and resurrection of Christ.
    • Read Gal 3:6
    • Believers in Christ are spiritual children of Abraham.
    • Read Jam 2:23
    • Faith without works is dead.
  • Because of Abraham’s faith, God expands the covenant in Gen 15. (13:16)
    • This is the fourth time God has spoken to Abraham (12:1-3; 12:7; 13:14-17; 15:1)
    • The previous promise said Abraham’s descendents would be as the dust of the earth (13:16) = physical descendants
      • The expanded promise says that Abraham’s descendents will be as the stars of heaven (15:5) = spiritual descendants who will inherit the promises.
      • God directs Abraham’s spiritual sight from an earthly son to the son of God, Jesus Christ. (Gen 15:5)
        • Who are Abraham’s spiritual descendants?
        • Those who believe by faith in Jesus Christ. (Rom 4:17-24 Rom 8:16-17 Heb 11:8-12 Gal 3:26-29)
• Read Gen 15:7-21 Cutting a “deal”
  • On the surface this seems like a very strange ceremony. However, it is extremely important. It is called cutting the “friendship covenant”. Abraham is called the friend of God because of this covenant. (Jam 2:23)
  • Abraham’s doubts overtake him again and he asks God for a sign. The sign god gives is this ceremony.
    • At the signing of a legal contract (or covenant), such a ceremony was very common at that time.
    • Animals were cut apart and placed in 2 rows. The two people making the agreement would walk toward each other between the 2 rows of divided animals. The dead animals had the underlying meaning of: “may the fate of these animals happen to you if you break your part of this agreement.”
    • The significance of the items mentioned in the ceremony:
      • A heifer = cleansing from sin (Num 19)
      • A female goat = christ our substitute (Lev 1:10)
      • A ram = Christ our peace (Lev 9:4)
      • 3 years old = in the prime of life as was Christ when he was crucified.
      • Dove or pigeon = Christ, the innocent one (Lev 1:14)
      • Fowls = evil birds of prey representing Satan and his demons
      • The smoking furnace and the burning lamp:
      • They represent God walking through the divided animals. (Jer 11:3,4 2Sam 22:29 Psa 119:105 Isa 62:1 Heb 12:29)
    • Of what significance is it that Abraham fell asleep during this ceremony?
      • “deep sleep” and ” horror of great darkness” (12) :
      • It is symbolic of spiritual death that many Jews would suffer if they did not accept God’s promise of a coming Messiah.
      • God wanted Abraham asleep to indicate to him that the covenant was an unconditional one.
        • No matter how many times Abraham’s faith failed him, no matter how many times Abraham failed, God would fulfill His side of the covenant and keep His promises.
        • God makes the same kind of deal with us. We receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and our sins are forgiven. But we still sin and have doubts. We still fail him. However, God is faithful and always willing to forgive our failures if we but repent and ask for forgiveness. (1John 1:9)
    • According to Jewish tradition, this day was the 14th of Nnisan which became the day of Passover in Exodus, and later in the New Testament, this was the day Christ died on the cross.
      • That is significant because of the prophecy God gives in Gen 15:13-16 regarding the Jewish nation.
      • The inheritance of the land will only come through suffering.
      • The seven-fold prophecy:
        • The descendants of Abraham (the Jews) will live in a land not theirs (Egypt).
        • They will serve the Egyptians.
        • They will be persecuted for 400 years.
        • The Jews were in Egypt exactly 215 years but persecuted for 400 years.
        • From Abraham’s entrance in the Promised Land until the Passover when God brought them out of Egypt with Moses was 430 years. (Gal 3:17)
        • God would judge Egypt.
        • Abraham’s offspring would come out of Egypt.
        • Abraham would be spared this affliction.
        • In the fourth generation his descendants would again return to the Promised Land. (Exo 6:16-26)
    • Another extension of the Abrahamic Covenant (18):
      • Gen 13:14-17 says God would give Abraham all the land he would see as he walked on his journeys.
      • However, God now puts boundaries to it because blood has been shed (the purchase price paid).
        • From the river Nile to the river Euphrates.
        • This is the basis of the Jews’ claim to the land of Israel.
• Summary:
  • The cutting of the friendship covenant with Abraham is an illustration of our New Covenant with God in the New Testament based on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.
  • God directs Abraham’s faith from his own personal need of a son that will inherit his estate and the Promised Land to Jesus Christ.
    • Abraham gains an eternal perspective when he focuses on the son of God.
    • Jesus Christ paid for the inheritance with his blood on the cross and passes that inheritance, including a spiritual kingdom, to us, Abraham’s spiritual descendants.
  • Inheritance comes through suffering, persecution, and death. The same is true of us today. (Mat 5:10)
  • Fulfilled prophecy is the greatest authenticity to the Bible as the word of God.
  • Believers today should desire to be a friend of God like Abraham through faith and obedience. (Joh 15:15)

Homework

Genesis 16

• Application of Genesis 15
  • What do you do with spiritual doubts and questions?
  • Try Abraham’s style and take them to God in prayer. Think back on your life and write how God answered a spiritual doubt or question in the past.
• Preparation for Genesis 16
  • Read Gen 16:1-16
    • We will again talk about marriage relationships.
    • Review Eph 5:22-33.
      • Evaluate Sarah’s and Abraham’s marital relationship according to New Testament principles and find New Testament verses to back up your statements.
    • In your personal relationship with God, relate a time when you went ahead of God, and what was the result?
    • Evaluate Hagar’s and Sarah’s relationship according to New Testament principles and find New Testament verses to back up your answers.
    • Surrogate parenting is becoming more common today. What parallels do you see with this passage?
    • Who do you think the “angel of the lord” is? (16)
• Memory verse: Luke 10:27